Road trip
- Thread starter javbike
- Start date
TEXASforLIFE
Ronin
I like their family and I'm going to do that also! Chismoso's can go suck an egg in every state!
Onewolf426
Professional
There are several places you can go online, including your state government website, that will give you the information on all of this. Anytime the wife and I go out of the state of Florida traveling, I go to USCCA reciprocity map, or Florida's website. I will also check the states websites as to transporting, etc. if I can. We typically go to 2nd Amendment friendly states, if at all possible. My portable gun vault goes with us everywhere we go, just in case. It is a crying damned shame that we have to do these things in the United States. And with all the "woke" and "equity" hires in the airlines industry, it will be a cold day in hell before I step foot on a plane.
Bassbob
Emissary
Hmm. I have made several road trips in the last few years, always fully armed. A few things I know.
1) Most states with constitutional carry or permitless carry allow non residents who are legally able to own guns to carry in their state. MOST. I would check the laws in each state you plan on traveling through to be safe.
2) it is or in my experience has been easy enough to plan my trips to only go through gun friendly states.
3) You really need to check the laws in all the states you are going through because some states have weird little things. For instance when I went out west a few years back Montana had/has some rule about only conceal carrying outside of major cities or mining camps ( yes, mining camps) other than that you were supposed to open carry. There was another state out there that had some similar weird rule about conceal carry, but I can't recall now which. Personally, and I sure as hell am not suggesting ANYTHING to ANYONE else, but personally I concealed everywhere I went. Literally a few days before I got there South Dakota constitutional law went into effect. Nice coincidence. And if You can I whole heartedly recommend you go to South Dakota. That place is awesome. Montana and Idaho are awesome. Wyoming is ok, but if I recall right they had some weird little thing about traveling with guns too. And at the time Iowa had a weird thing about guns in vehicles, which I think has since changed. I think Nebraska gun laws are good, but the downside is it's Nebraska. Man that is one painfully long and boring state to traverse width-wise. Though northern Nebraska is pretty and has a few worthy plains indian sights to visit.
Anyway, do your research before you go and plan your route accordingly. I don't think I would put a gun on a magnet on the dashboard or anything though. There are permanent mounting solutions out there, but I pretty much kept my guns on me the whole time.
1) Most states with constitutional carry or permitless carry allow non residents who are legally able to own guns to carry in their state. MOST. I would check the laws in each state you plan on traveling through to be safe.
2) it is or in my experience has been easy enough to plan my trips to only go through gun friendly states.
3) You really need to check the laws in all the states you are going through because some states have weird little things. For instance when I went out west a few years back Montana had/has some rule about only conceal carrying outside of major cities or mining camps ( yes, mining camps) other than that you were supposed to open carry. There was another state out there that had some similar weird rule about conceal carry, but I can't recall now which. Personally, and I sure as hell am not suggesting ANYTHING to ANYONE else, but personally I concealed everywhere I went. Literally a few days before I got there South Dakota constitutional law went into effect. Nice coincidence. And if You can I whole heartedly recommend you go to South Dakota. That place is awesome. Montana and Idaho are awesome. Wyoming is ok, but if I recall right they had some weird little thing about traveling with guns too. And at the time Iowa had a weird thing about guns in vehicles, which I think has since changed. I think Nebraska gun laws are good, but the downside is it's Nebraska. Man that is one painfully long and boring state to traverse width-wise. Though northern Nebraska is pretty and has a few worthy plains indian sights to visit.
Anyway, do your research before you go and plan your route accordingly. I don't think I would put a gun on a magnet on the dashboard or anything though. There are permanent mounting solutions out there, but I pretty much kept my guns on me the whole time.
Bassbob
Emissary
Not only do I only vacation in pro gun states, I make a point to only drive through them as well.
I live a half an hour from the Illinois state line and I don't recall the last time I was there. I will drive far out of my way to avoid Illinois. On principle.
Area52
Professional
I feel my EDC is my self preservation, last defense against a weaponized assailant. The EDC stays with me at all times exercising caution of course.
Also, it depends on where you go and what you did with or having that firearm.
Don’t allow exhibition of the handgun, especially in sensitive confines.
Driving like a maniac is generally a good way to get stopped, same with having expired tags or other silly traffic related offenses.
Basically, there’s no need to announce my carry wherever I go so long as I follow the rule - Don’t ask /Don’t tell. Does the local jurisdiction have manpower? Federal land doesn’t permit EDC, but who ever gets asked? Is it a fine or confiscation or both? Game wardens used to confiscate all tackle when caught without a fishing license or over limit.
Out of state, it’s more likely I’m going to be a reliable witness rather than an active pursuer. Rather give up my wallet or some chump wad than engage unnecessarily.
Other lesser what-if‘s exists, such as an out-of-towner could get incapacitated, seriously hurt by accident, having an EDC discovered by either falling out or by hospital staff will alert authorities.
Big city problems; there’s a good chance of getting accosted driving an SUV than a pickup or sedan - unless its a Kia/Hyundai. Having a firearm or any valuables laying or hidden on board is lost too.
Leaving a firearm in a vehicle is my very the last option, if I’m not going through a magnetometer, like at a government building or airport, I just don’t carry that day.
Never leave a firearm untethered - cable it to something. It’s safe household practice to keep it safe from kids, but making it harder to steal altogether is another purpose. Like those hotel safes…not too sure about those who might know the combination previously. Find something to cable to. Tipping the housekeeper up front forms a personal bond, nothing too extravagant so it’s not be perceived as a high roller, but enough to keep the shady from being light fingered.
Air travel;
Photograph your checked-in locked/secured firearm bag set up. Do this too if driving with lock boxes/safes. Keep the photo on the phone and email a copy or two to yourself and others, I also do this with my ID‘s and passport. Serial numbers are important to have on hand too.
Why? If that firearm or vehicle is stolen, that photo is time stamped evidence that it was properly secured should it later ever be used and recovered in a crime. Plus, validates due caution was taken in matters of safety and liability.
I asked an airport TSA supervisor about checked-in baggage theft once the bag leaves TSA screening section. They couldn't say, it more an issue with airline employee tampering AND baggage claim carousel theft.
It’s a known fact that firearms need to be declared and checked in by special process. These luggage bags are opened and inspected by TSA who making sure firearm is empty, (it helps if the slide is locked back, or cylinder is open and flags inserted), the magazine is empty and detached, and ammo is boxed and separate.
I asked TSA if a cable lock on a gun case is permitted, and if that cable extended from the trigger guard, through a hole in the case and locked to a solid frame rail on the luggage all while still kept in that gun case would cause any issues with the TSA inspection.
He said the only issue that they have is if they cannot open that gun case, meaning so as long as they can inspect (see thru X-ray) that the firearm is unloaded and meets ammo/mag kept separate policy, they will not need to open the gun case.
My point being that when a handgun case is checked in, cabling the gun and case to a larger portion of the luggage case, it makes the theft that much more difficult or get stolen by someone rummaging through the luggage during the post TSA transport. Airline employees go through a background check, but anything goes after that. They have a limited access and restriction on tools and implements that could defeat security locks on luggage, but nothing is guaranteed.
Also, it depends on where you go and what you did with or having that firearm.
Don’t allow exhibition of the handgun, especially in sensitive confines.
Driving like a maniac is generally a good way to get stopped, same with having expired tags or other silly traffic related offenses.
Basically, there’s no need to announce my carry wherever I go so long as I follow the rule - Don’t ask /Don’t tell. Does the local jurisdiction have manpower? Federal land doesn’t permit EDC, but who ever gets asked? Is it a fine or confiscation or both? Game wardens used to confiscate all tackle when caught without a fishing license or over limit.
Out of state, it’s more likely I’m going to be a reliable witness rather than an active pursuer. Rather give up my wallet or some chump wad than engage unnecessarily.
Other lesser what-if‘s exists, such as an out-of-towner could get incapacitated, seriously hurt by accident, having an EDC discovered by either falling out or by hospital staff will alert authorities.
Big city problems; there’s a good chance of getting accosted driving an SUV than a pickup or sedan - unless its a Kia/Hyundai. Having a firearm or any valuables laying or hidden on board is lost too.
Leaving a firearm in a vehicle is my very the last option, if I’m not going through a magnetometer, like at a government building or airport, I just don’t carry that day.
Never leave a firearm untethered - cable it to something. It’s safe household practice to keep it safe from kids, but making it harder to steal altogether is another purpose. Like those hotel safes…not too sure about those who might know the combination previously. Find something to cable to. Tipping the housekeeper up front forms a personal bond, nothing too extravagant so it’s not be perceived as a high roller, but enough to keep the shady from being light fingered.
Air travel;
Photograph your checked-in locked/secured firearm bag set up. Do this too if driving with lock boxes/safes. Keep the photo on the phone and email a copy or two to yourself and others, I also do this with my ID‘s and passport. Serial numbers are important to have on hand too.
Why? If that firearm or vehicle is stolen, that photo is time stamped evidence that it was properly secured should it later ever be used and recovered in a crime. Plus, validates due caution was taken in matters of safety and liability.
I asked an airport TSA supervisor about checked-in baggage theft once the bag leaves TSA screening section. They couldn't say, it more an issue with airline employee tampering AND baggage claim carousel theft.
It’s a known fact that firearms need to be declared and checked in by special process. These luggage bags are opened and inspected by TSA who making sure firearm is empty, (it helps if the slide is locked back, or cylinder is open and flags inserted), the magazine is empty and detached, and ammo is boxed and separate.
I asked TSA if a cable lock on a gun case is permitted, and if that cable extended from the trigger guard, through a hole in the case and locked to a solid frame rail on the luggage all while still kept in that gun case would cause any issues with the TSA inspection.
He said the only issue that they have is if they cannot open that gun case, meaning so as long as they can inspect (see thru X-ray) that the firearm is unloaded and meets ammo/mag kept separate policy, they will not need to open the gun case.
My point being that when a handgun case is checked in, cabling the gun and case to a larger portion of the luggage case, it makes the theft that much more difficult or get stolen by someone rummaging through the luggage during the post TSA transport. Airline employees go through a background check, but anything goes after that. They have a limited access and restriction on tools and implements that could defeat security locks on luggage, but nothing is guaranteed.