Gun safe for Interstate?

[LB_3]

I wouldn’t trust the lives of my family to pepper spray.

The law around traveling with guns is complicated. For example, is a class B recognized as a home or a vehicle. One has considerable 4th amendment protections while the other is much more limited. Then there are the varying laws from state to state as well as conflicting federal and state laws. Federal law for example allows for gun transport through any state in order to reach your destination, even those states where your particular guns may be illegal. That won’t prevent police from arresting and charging you. But it can be a successful defense at trial.

In general you’re safe if you transport the guns unloaded with the guns and ammo locked in the trunk of the vehicle. In our cases where we have no trunks, locking the guns in the back of the van inaccessible to the driver should be sufficient. However if the guns are unlocked or access is otherwise changed (safe made visible by opening the rear doors) , or you stay overnight, local laws may apply.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

I warned the OP, did I not?

Those of us who participate in this realm of ownership are ALWAYS asking questions. It comes with the territory.

Even if we think we already know some possible answers, we ask anyway, because we know that our individual knowledge is incomplete, and we know that we have plenty to learn from the suggestions and ideas of other owners.

INTERBLOG - You were so right in your warning. I feel sorry for CAPTROBBIE . I was pretty sure the OP was asking about a "gun safe for their guns and/or a place to stow valuables". It's a very responsible question. I did not read any mention of OP going to Natonal Parks or transporting his guns across state lines to shoot someone in some "other state". It must be Sunday, coz the preachers are a preachin' 😆

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

INTERBLOG - You were so right in your warning. I feel sorry for CAPTROBBIE . I was pretty sure the OP was asking about a "gun safe for their guns and/or a place to stow valuables". It's a very responsible question. I did not read any mention of OP going to Natonal Parks or transporting his guns across state lines to shoot someone in some "other state". It must be Sunday, coz the preachers are a preachin' 😆

Unfortunately, for a motorhome, transport of guns across state lines— in or out of a gun safe— goes hand in hand with locating the gun safe inside (or outside, underneath) the motorhome.

TayaraTravel is right, too— thanks, Tay. One can debate the mechanics of it without having to debate the legality of it. I only mentioned gun transport laws (mea culpa, mea maxima culpa) because the options I described were not gun safes, but rather gun/valuables concealment locations in an Interstate.

But while I accept full blame for introducing the issue of transport laws into this thread, I never mentioned shooting anyone, in self defense or otherwise. That particular bit of preaching belongs to someone else.

I don't feel sorry for CAPTROBBIE. While the issue of transport laws may not be what he asked about, he's not the only one who can be expected to benefit from this thread— any and every thread on AirForums starts off as a specific person asking a specific question about a specific issue, but the answers are of benefit to many more readers than just the OP. And the fact is that the AirForums moderators haven't (yet) felt the need to step in and delete posts or lock the thread, so we haven't (yet) violated the AirForums community rules. Let's hope we can keep it that way.

[Ted S.]

Somethings you just can't Google.

[Fred L]

NY State (except NY City) is a piece of cake vs NJ.

Just a side note if for some reason you find yourself driving through NJ, the ammo and firearm must be separate. Ie, the firearm in the back of the vehicle and ammo up front. As explained "the most difficult layout to be able to gain access and use the firearm".

Surprisingly in NJ, your gun or case does not need to be locked. It does need to unloaded and it must be "wrapped", which I really cant explain, but my local PD officer said they were trying to say "cased".

All that said, I don't chance that the officer that pulls me over fully grasps that law, so I lock everything and separate. Gun case locked in the back and ammo up front, or behind the front seat.
When pulling my AS, my shotgun is in the trailer and ammo is in my TV.

"Anyone" gets caught transporting a handgun in NJ (if youre not on your way to a shoot), its off to jail. NJ resident gets caught transporting any firearm in NJ without a firearms ID card, off to jail.

So please be careful and learn the laws of the states you will be in.

[captrobbie]

Thank you all for your feedback. Looking forward to some great RVing this summer.

[InterBlog]

There have been other threads that, before they died bad deaths, debated the inter-state firearm carry implications.

If someone is really serious about doing this, you need to elevate your knowledge far above the level of what is available in this forum. I recommend that you consider participating in a carry insurance program. For less than $200 per year (about $130/yr if you only want single-state coverage), you can buy a policy that covers you nation-wide in the event that you get into a dispute with the legal system regarding your firearm (intentional felonies are excluded, obviously).

I haven't had to use this feature so I cannot speak to its efficacy, but when I signed up I was told that I could pick up the phone and get advice about carrying in location X or location Y or wherever the heck I was traveling.

Along with the dial-a-lawyer insurance coverage which is central to the program, there are also coupons, user content, seminars, etc. that are either marked down or complimentary. So there are value offsets to the insurance premium. It's not the worst deal I've ever seen.

Here is a link to one of the more popular (and probably more expensive) programs. There are others out there including a few associated with more controversial membership-based entities - I see them discussed on other forums. Google for plan and price comparisons.

[switz]

In this new age of 3D printers, just print one out at your destination....

[streaminwild]

Welcome to the forum Captrobbie. A duesy of a first post. Just replying to this subject would give someone important information to use against the poster. I know someone while looking at a barrel of a gun said, ''My problems will be over and yours will begin'' , the gunman let him go. My response to this thread...less is more on this subject.

[c21]

Many states allow you to transport an unloaded handgun as long as it is locked up somewhere in the vehicle and the ammo is locked separately. To that end I bought 2 Nanovaults, keyed them alike and installed them in the closet on my AI Twin. They also have a combo model available.

[Caddis]

Hornady has exactly what you need, check out their site, and safes offered!
As to the”expert advice” on firearms in National Parks, completely incorrect, the policy was changed a few years ago. If you transport you’re ok, if you have a CCP you’re ok!

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by c21bill

Many states allow you to transport an unloaded handgun as long as it is locked up somewhere in the vehicle and the ammo is locked separately. To that end I bought 2 Nanovaults, keyed them alike and installed them in the closet on my AI Twin. They also have a combo model available.

These are very affordable (well under $30) and very compact. Just make sure your handgun fits as they are quite small. I'm currently looking at where to mount them in my Avenue.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by Keithkleinmd

First, many National Parks do not allow guns. Be cognizant of the regulations.
Second, in some states, using a gun in "self defense" can be prosecuted as a felony and it must be shown you feel your life or family was seriously threatened. It is not as easy as one thinks
Third, an alternative with less downslde is to use one of the projectile devices that shoot cayenne pepper spray and capsain, as well as tear gas, up to 25-30 feet. The devices are inexpensive, do not result in loss of life, and result in far more incapacitating for 30 minutes than the pepper spray sold in most stores, which is basically ineffective
Just a thought, not a political statement

I agree many firearm threads devolve is largely because of all the misinformation...

Congress approved a new law allowing loaded
firearms in national parks starting Feb. 22,
2010. That means people can openly carry legal
handguns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms
and also may carry concealed guns as allowed by
state statute.
https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/manag...arks2-2010.pdf

Illegally possessing pepper spray or a tear gas gun will get you in as much, or more legal hot water than a firearm. Many states not only have laws heavily regulating them, but they also fall under hazardous material statutes- which makes transport even trickier.

I won't touch his 'self defense' opinion. That wasn't the OP's question, besides it's a 40 page thread all by itself.

I'm a big Second Amendment proponent (and I know there are many other Airstreamers) and it'd be great if they recognized this civil right with it's own sub-forum here.

[mefly2]

Captrobbie ...welcome to the forum !

[Vitaver]

Great ideas for storage, especially if the goal are either to keep them away from children/adults, out of view or protect valuables in general. If defense is the concern, instant access to ready hardware would suggest keeping within hand reach inside one second timeframe, at all times.

A less sensitive/effective alternative is Spectracide Wasp & Hornet Killer3 (Aerosol) (HG-95715) (20 oz) (about $6 in Amazon) that will incapacitate/blind an animal (of any species but fish) for enough time to get out of the situation, for up to 27 feet. A solid stream (albeit liquid) that does not disperse as traditional spray, and possibly legal everywhere. No need to draw a bear, it has a menacing wasp (the insect) in the label. (A more direct approach to the issue is deliberately avoided as a similar thread calling things by their name was expedisuosly removed, for cause according the the Rules).

[sbowman]

Originally Posted by Vitaver

Great ideas for storage, especially if the goal are either to keep them away from children/adults, out of view or protect valuables in general. If defense is the concern, instant access to ready hardware would suggest keeping within hand reach inside one second timeframe, at all times.

A less sensitive/effective alternative is Spectracide Wasp & Hornet Killer3 (Aerosol) (HG-95715) (20 oz) (about $6 in Amazon) that will incapacitate/blind an animal (of any species but fish) for enough time to get out of the situation, for up to 27 feet. A solid stream (albeit liquid) that does not disperse as traditional spray, and possibly legal everywhere. No need to draw a bear, it has a menacing wasp (the insect) in the label. (A more direct approach to the issue is deliberately avoided as a similar thread calling things by their name was expedisuosly removed, for cause according the the Rules).

Ah...........this stuff will "kill" a dog, that flies, walks on four, and or walks on two............

[Vitaver]

Originally Posted by sbowman

Ah...........this stuff will "kill" a dog, that flies, walks on four, and or walks on two............

Won’t really kill anything that walks in one or two pairs of legs, just buy you time to think and execute your next action

[Mollysdad]

I recall some company marketing a shelf for a truck above the windshield.
Found it! I posted a picture of it being used for extra storage, but you get the idea.
It's the "VDP Shelf It".

[InterBlog]

Cross-post from Sprinter Forum, where a vanner was looking to integrate a laptop safe into his rig. Full thread here; permalink here.

A new (to me) product was featured on that thread - a safe *drawer*. Example from Amazon:

SnapSafe Under Bed Safe 75400, Matte Black, Gun Storage and Security

This kind of product was intended for under-bed storage but as I noted in that permalink, if I were building a van, I'd put it under one of the water tanks, probably the fresh water tank due to its mass and bulk.

It would be extremely easy to pry apart a wooden bed frame to get at this thing, then either pry it off the chassis or hack through the sheet metal. But what if it instead had 300 pounds of water positioned right over the top of it and shielding it from easy access? That's a different burglary computation entirely.

Anyway, an interesting option for those building their own vans. We could not retrofit a device like this without extensive galley modifications. We could do it - there is space available. But the cost-benefit analysis doesn't work for me at this juncture.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

SnapSafe Under Bed Safe 75400, Matte Black, Gun Storage and Security

It would be extremely easy to pry apart a wooden bed frame to get at this thing, then either pry it off the chassis or hack through the sheet metal. But what if it instead had 300 pounds of water positioned right over the top of it and shielding it from easy access? That's a different burglary computation entirely.

Anyway, an interesting option for those building their own vans. We could not retrofit a device like this without extensive galley modifications. We could do it - there is space available. But the cost-benefit analysis doesn't work for me at this juncture.

INTERBLOG - This is a 48” wide x 7” high x 24” deep that weighs 148 lbs empty. Amazing you have that kind of space available for such a monstrosity. No way I can fit that in my van. I have to give up half of my under couch storage. Besides, I ain't carrying my entire arsenal in the AI, only a few thousand rounds for hunting. Don't laugh, while I have friends who need just a few dozen to get their prey, well I am a terrible shot, so what else can I say BTW who would want to try and pry it off wherever it is attached? It would take a long time and effort, not to mention carry it off with full contents. They would steal your entire van before they try to steal just the safe. I would get a hernia just trying to pull it out