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Spent the evening in Austin attending a corporate "holiday party". Of course company policy bans all weapons including firearms from any company facility or any company-sponsored event. So I elected to leave my carry gun in my truck.

But where to put it? I don't have any sort of safe fitted to the truck. And at a previous company function a couple of years ago I was victimized by a smash & grab thief who shattered my passenger side window and stole my camera bag that was sitting on the front seat. What he did not steal was my carry gun which was sitting in a gym bag on the floor.

Basically, these smash & grabs are quick affairs. The BG wants to get the heck out of there ASAP, so he doesn't have time to toss the whole truck.

Thinking about this gave me an idea. My truck is a 2 door "supercab" type with fold out jump seats in the back. The right side jump seat has the jack & tire changing stuff tucked under the folded up seat. The driver's side has nothing. I realized that I could just stash the gun in the jump seat well on the passenger side, using the door to aid in concealment while doing so. (I'm right handed and carry in a strong side IWB.)

I think this is a great improvised stash for a gun or other small valuables if you have to leave your truck in a questionable location. I think that most smash & grabs would miss it.

As it turned out, the truck was fine when I got back to it. I had parked it in a lot that kept a full crew on duty until past 1AM, and I was gone long before then. But it made me feel comfortable that the gun was not sitting in some obvious and quickly accessed spot.

So for those who have trucks with jump seats, you might consider using them as emergency stashes if the need arises.

Good post, this is exactly what I do when the need arises. I concur.

Bad Guys read forums too. I will not disclose any of my hiding spots!

motleystew wrote:Bad Guys read forums too. I will not disclose any of my hiding spots!

I will. After i cash a paycheck I like to hide the big bills under the truck on top of the transmission.

A police officer friend advised me that vehicle "smash & grab" criminals actually shop, that is, they look inside to see if anything of interest is immediately available to see.

If you, the victim, has left interesting looking goodies out in plain sight, there's a higher chance of their being gone when you get back.

Therefore, take the time to at least stash your small valuables out of sight.

Yes, a pistol safe would be better, but taking a little effort to hide your goodies might persuade a car crook to keep looking and pass you by.

pistol safes are a good idea
but pulling it out during defensive situations it would make it alot more difficult

I only use my pistol safe when I have to leave my gun in my car unattended so only time it would interfer with defensive use of my pistol is just before getting out and just after getting in.

When in the vehicle, pistol is accesible, which means not in locking storage box. When unattended, it's locked up underneath seat.

For people who stash things in the jump seat area I would recomend actually bolthing one of the smaller hand gun safes right in there....I used use that spot on my ford ranger to stash my tools and anything else i didnt want getting yanked.