Tips for Traveling with Firearms in Your Car, Truck, or RV
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has prepared tips for gun owners transporting firearms in their vehicles. Whenever you are driving with guns (of any kind), the firearms should be transported securely. In some states, the firearms must be in locked cases inside the vehicle. And, with the rise of break-ins on parked vehicles, it’s important to keep gun cases out of sight if possible. This article has tips on safe and secure gun transport.
HERE Are Key Guidelines for Safe, Secure Handling of Firearms in Vehicles:
• Take note of and safely control the muzzle direction of firearms in vehicles. This is one of the main rules of gun safety and applies to the inside of vehicles as well as any other location.
• When finished using your firearm outside your vehicle, unload it before you re-enter your vehicle.
• Even after a long hunt or a day in the sun at the range, always check, and then double check, that guns are unloaded before placing them in a car or truck.
• Be very careful if you must unload a firearm in the confined space of a vehicle so as not to have an accidental discharge. If your location allows, it is safer and easier to unload the firearm outside the vehicle.
• Never leave firearms in parts of the vehicle accessible to children or pets.
• Keep firearms and ammunition out of sight to avoid tempting thieves.
• Use secure temporary storage for firearms in vehicles.
• A lockable gun case or a lock box may be the most practical choice to securely store a gun in a vehicle. These come in a range of prices and models.
• If you’re concerned about quick access to your firearm, many types of lockable safes allow for extremely fast access of your gun while at the same time helping to prevent unauthorized access.
• Secure the lock box to the vehicle, if possible. Some companies make custom concealed compartments for specific model vehicles.
Storing Firearms in Vehicles to Prevent Theft and Misuse
Unfortunately, thefts of firearms from vehicles are on the rise. Thieves commonly steal cars and trucks even when they don’t obviously contain firearms — a reminder that vehicle door locks are not totally secure. And there are major issues now with the electronic key fobs — criminals have ways to detect and copy the key fob signal, allowing them to open your vehicle, start the motor, and then drive away.
When you are not in your vehicle, all firearms should be placed in locked storage and out of sight. Locking the doors on your vehicle does not constitute secure firearm storage. As one writer put it: “Cars and trucks aren’t safes. And they’re not holsters. They’re not storage containers.”
Similar Posts:
- How to Travel Securely with Firearms in Your Car, Truck, or RV
- Transporting Firearms in Vehicles — What You Need to Know
- Tips for Secure Travel with Firearms in a Vehicle
- How to Store and Transport Firearms Safely in Vehicles
- Be SAFE — Gun Storage Check Week September 1-7
Tags: Car Storage, Firearms Transport, GunVault, NSSF, Truck locker, Trucks, Vehicle
