Guns in Cars

[Art]

Where I live I will sometimes see an old boy in a gun store buying a less expensive pistol to leave in his vehicle. Bersa Thunders were real popular for that for a time. I've always considered leaving (read that storing) a firearm in your car a really, really bad idea. One of my biggest nightmares is somebody committing a crime with one of my guns.

On the news last night they said that criminals are now burglarizing cars specifically targeting firearms. In fact they said that about 8,000 firearms have been stolen out of vehicles in the greater Houston area in the last two years. That's a lot of guns folks.

These crooks look for bumper stickers, Gadsden flags, Blue Line flags, "Come and take It" Flags (Texas,) "We Don't Call 911" stickers, NRA stickers, "Protected by Smith and Wesson" stickers and many more. They also target vehicles parked in at venues where firearms aren't allowed. Where I am this includes hospitals, bars, 'gubmint buildings, and sports stadiums. I will admit to suddenly realizing that I had to go into a "gun free zone" and locking my carry gun in the glove box which would be only the smallest impediment to somebody stealing my gun. If I do I hot foot it back to my car as soon as possible.

The local Law Dogs now recommend getting a gun safe for your car which I guess would help some if the crook doesn't have a big enough crow bar or a Saws All.

[Allen]

I don't want anyone in my car but if you feel they are going to break in anyway and want to leave a crappy gun why not leave them a C02 pellet pistol? Some of them look very realistic and even have operating slides. Place it partially viewable in a pistol rug and they may run off with it getting far away before realizing it isn't a real gun. If they see that it's fake while in your car they may plunder more and destroy your interior or get into your trunk, etc...

[lyman]

I used to keep a big ole N frame (Brazilian Contract Smith) in my truck,
in a holster tucked between the seat and console,

never had that truck broken into, always kept something over the revolver, and always kept it locked,

we had vehicle breakins in the past, both the wife's car and my truck, (no guns stolen) and we diligently keep them locked now

however, now I can carry a gun at work, years past I was only allowed in my personal vehicle,

so the gun goes where I go,

[Allen]

I used to keep a big ole N frame (Brazilian Contract Smith) in my truck,
in a holster tucked between the seat and console,

never had that truck broken into, always kept something over the revolver, and always kept it locked,

we had vehicle breakins in the past, both the wife's car and my truck, (no guns stolen) and we diligently keep them locked now

however, now I can carry a gun at work, years past I was only allowed in my personal vehicle,

so the gun goes where I go,

Similar here. Most always have a gun in the car but always hidden. Always locked.

What Art is talking about I believe is people breaking in regardless then looking for guns.

[blackhawknj]

Leave a "Saturday Night Special" with overloaded ammunition, the first time a perp fires it....during the Malayan Insurrection in the 1950s the British left sabotaged ammunition to picked up, we did something similar in Vietnam-Operation Eldest Son.

[dryheat]

A buddy got broken into at the Gun Show. Let's see: Gun Show, Sticker for the NRA (which he thought was cool even though he never paid to join). Broke in with a big punch. Boom, a car gun gone. That was the end of the stickers.

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Leave a "Saturday Night Special" with overloaded ammunition, the first time a perp fires it....during the Malayan Insurrection in the 1950s the British left sabotaged ammunition to picked up, we did something similar in Vietnam-Operation Eldest Son.

Uh,huh.

[blackhawknj]

Dean Grennell wrote that he never had any NRA/RKBA stickers on any of his cars-No Need To Know.

[dryheat]

There have been cases where a shop owner (probably not in a good neighborhood) set up a shotgun that killed an intruder. Seems like a great idea to me, but that ends up in court and the ending isn't good. Move to a better neighborhood instead.

[barretcreek]

Go out of my way to avoid leaving a gun in a car. Home, range, home, gun back in the house then run the errands. No stickers.

[Allen]

Post an anti-gun bumper sticker. Apply it with rubber cement so it can be easily removed when you return home to civilization.

[Art]

Similar here. Most always have a gun in the car but always hidden. Always locked.

What Art is talking about I believe is people breaking in regardless then looking for guns.

What is happening is car burglars are targeting cars that are more likely to have a gun inside. If there isn't a gun, they take what they can get, if there is a gun so much the better.

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There have been cases where a shop owner (probably not in a good neighborhood) set up a shotgun that killed an intruder. Seems like a great idea to me, but that ends up in court and the ending isn't good. Move to a better neighborhood instead.

Absolutely, even in the most gun friendly states setting up a booby trap is frowned on by the law and can result in severe consequences.

[barretcreek]

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Absolutely, even in the most gun friendly states setting up a booby trap is frowned on by the law and can result in severe consequences.

Haitian store owner in Miami got tired of break ins. Set up a 240V bug zapper. Finally got off but D.A. put him through the wringer.

[Vern Humphrey]

Leave a "Saturday Night Special" with overloaded ammunition, the first time a perp fires it....during the Malayan Insurrection in the 1950s the British left sabotaged ammunition to picked up, we did something similar in Vietnam-Operation Eldest Son.

I know of a case where a guy's basement was repeatedly burglarized and the thief stole .30-30 reolads. The guy got so upset that he accidentally reloaded one case (out of about 50) with about 30 grains of Bullseye.

His basement was never burglarized again.