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Morgan wrote:Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure what to say... but he had ZERO chance of seeing it it was a DEEP backpack, and he was on the passenger side of the vehicle, communicating thru the passenger window.

I'm going to have to agree with Excaliber. It seems like very bad habit to keep your wallet with your gun, especially in the same pocket in a backpack. Had one small thing happened incorrectly, or if the officer had any other reason to decide he didn't want you to get the wallet after all while you were getting it, you might have some 'splaining to do, and it might not have been the most pleasant of circumstances.

In the event of a carjacking or some other armed robbery, had an BG managed to snatch your bag, you're out both your firearm and your wallet. I'd certainly prefer to keep both on-body (and I'm assuming you will for at least the firearm once you get your CHL), as it is more advantageous in any number of defensive scenarios during some sort of assault while in a car.

Pending your CHL, you can still carry on your person while driving (Motorist Protection Act) as long as it's concealed, though if you are ever asked to exit your vehicle during a stop, it would be prudent to inform the officer that you're armed, something not necessary with the firearm in the bag. Keeping your wallet on your person or other location seems to be a better solution for your current situation. I myself have carried my firearm in a bag when traveling to a place where carry is prohibited (and spending a long period of time there), since my normal rig is a hassle to remove discreetly while sitting in the car in an area with a high volume of foot traffic.

Nothing you did was specifically illegal, but I would say myself that carrying the wallet and gun together in a bag is unwise. I think it is better to think ahead to mitigate the possible complications you might face while car-carrying than to risk a tense situation with an LEO.

Thanks for posting this question. This has been on my mind as well. I carry at work, and no one is the wiser, save for one co-worker who is a gunny (but not CHL). He would not have known, except that the subject specifically came up when we were talking about the purchase of my LCP and various laws about car carry, etc.

Anyhow, in my work I am frequently traveling (locally) with coworkers in both my own and company vehicles, so this specific scenario has been a concern for me. Thanks to those that posted above regarding the note to the officer requesting discretion. I think I am going to print one up, as it seems like a good way to avoid being outed in front of coworkers.

All of my encounters with LEO thus far (one traffic stop and two calls to report suspicious persons/disturbances), I have been asked whether or not I was carrying. The wording was "do you have your gun with you" (or in the case of APD, "you don't have your gun with you , do you?" ), something I would not particularly care to be asked in front of coworkers. The note idea seems like it would be the way to avoid this, in most cases.