Non CHL Gun in Car

[tbrown]

It is my understanding that one may have a loaded rifle in their vehicle. True?

If you can legally possess the rifle, you can have it in your vehicle in Texas, with some rare exceptions like executions and driving your truck into a courthouse.

[denwego]

It is my understanding that one may have a loaded rifle in their vehicle. True?

That's correct, but it's most definitely not the best idea. When you make any kind of stop, are you taking it with you? If not, it wouldn't be odd for someone to break your window and take your $1000 AR. If you put it in your truck during a stop someone might still see you putting it away and steal it. And if you catch them in the act, you just brought a pistol to a rifle fight. You could always just keep it in the trunk, but then you lose immediate access. There is a reason you don't see shotgun racks anymore...

That being said, I know of someone who keeps an underfolding yugo in their trunk "just in case". I support it on principle.

This is a good discussion point, since non-CHL/MPA carry is legal and common, but means you're almost always going to leave the gun in the car while you're about your business.

I've got three secure storage options I use. For pistols, I have a Nanovault 300 under the front seat fixed to the car with a stout chain, which is probably the most common option for others as well. For my SUB 2000, I either bring it with me (which is much easier than most rifles) or I put it in a metal briefcase originally made for a laptop and also securable to the frame of the rear seats in the truck; my F150's seats fold up, so it's easy to access things underneath them while completely covering them from outside view. For a normal-sized shotgun or rifle, I have something like this: http://www.800toolbox.com/gun_box/gun_safe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I don't keep it in the truck 24/7, but fold up the rear seats and attach it to the floor from both ends by chains for when I'm absolutely sure I'm going to be away from the vehicle for more than a moment and still need to have them in the car; e.g., going to the range with several rifles but knowing beforehand that we're going to lunch afterwards, etc. It's too big to be covered by the seats themselves, but the thing is so damned bulky that even if the chains weren't securing it to the floor, you'd be hard-pressed to get the thing out. The lid opens upwards, so if I wanted to keep a shotgun in the cab at all times, it'd be a very secure way to store it; it'd be easier to hotwire the truck and abscond with the whole thing than get something out of it unawares, heh.

[KingofChaos]

@Denwego

How much has all of that hardware cost? And how often do you use it?

[denwego]

@King

I got the Nanovault on sale at Academy for about $25, and they're around $30 when they're not on sale. The metal briefcase I got almost a decade ago for my laptop, and I have no idea how much the model was, since they probably don't make them anymore. You can get one in the same vein at any office supply store for under $100, though; just make sure you get one with the computer security cable slot built in so you can use a cable to attach it to your car if you're aiming for storage.

The metal box I got originally for flying with rifles; I bought it on sale at Carters Country, but even then it wasn't cheap. If I had it to do over again, I'd get the smaller model which was designed to fit one gun instead of two... I want to say the smaller one was around $200, but you get what you pay for. I bet I couldn't get into it with a crowbar in less than 15 minutes. When it's in the truck, I use two thick bicycle chains with combo locks, one on each side's handle. It doesn't have wheels like the model I linked above, though, so I generally need a good reason to lug it too and fro.

I definitely use the Nanovault or briefcase the most... since I have my SUB 2000, I don't have much occasion to leave a shotgun or such in the truck unattended. If I wanted to have an AR15 or the like as a truck gun, however, I'd be very happy with the setup.

[RoyGBiv]

http://safety-on.com/index.php/carrying ... r-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Texas Motorist Protection Act
In 2009 the Texas legislature passed HB 1815, also known as The Motorist Protection Act (MPA). The bill affects the Penal Code, allowing citizens to carry a handgun "inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person's control", providing:
* the handgun remains concealed
* the person is not engaged in criminal activity, other than a Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic
* the person is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm
* the person is not a member of a criminal street gang

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/ ... 01815F.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck reading this one... hence the summary above.

[nedmoore]

It's probably wise to print out the law and keep a copy in your car.

I would think that any LEO that needed a copy of the MPA in order to understand that would your wife was doing is legal, needs to go back to the academy. There should have been no question. Was there, in any way, that your wife was in violation? I would think that he would have busted her if there was any reason.

RJ

She was pulled over for expired registration, we have the new sticker, just not placed on the windshield because it has a large crack and I want to replace the glass before putting the new sticker on.

She called me wanting to know where the sticker was. The sticker was in the center console, the same place where the gun was. That is why I told her to tell HPD she had a gun in the car.

[speedsix]

http://safety-on.com/index.php/carrying ... r-car.html

Texas Motorist Protection Act
In 2009 the Texas legislature passed HB 1815, also known as The Motorist Protection Act (MPA). The bill affects the Penal Code, allowing citizens to carry a handgun "inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person's control", providing:
* the handgun remains concealed
* the person is not engaged in criminal activity, other than a Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic
* the person is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm
* the person is not a member of a criminal street gang

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/ ... 01815F.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck reading this one... hence the summary above.

...just realized a great thing this law gives those who don't have a permit...a jeweler or grocer who cashes checks is at great risk from store to car...car to home...under MPA he can leave his store carrying concealed and go to his car with whatever he has with him or with no valuables at all...so can a lady getting off work and crossing a parking lot or garage to get to her car at 2 am...assuming she works where she can have it at work with her...hadn't realized this before...