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Transporting Guns
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I will do ANYTHING to avoid visiting and spending my money in states that make a habit of infringing on my second ammendment rights……I always have a mossberg “home defender” shotgun in the coach and at least one handgun. I’ve had a concealed permit for over 15 years and most states that allow carrying will have recipracle rights with other states…..if you can legally carry in Michigan for example you can legally carry in Florida.
There is NOTHING on the east coast or west coast I want to see so badly that I will put down my firearms….I know, crazy some would say but that’s just me and how strongly I feel about the right to own and bear arms. -
California VS Carney does have some aspects of warrentless searches for vehicles in regards to motorhomes, but there was also some aspects of the case that would put a simple traffic stop escalating to a warrentless search into question. THe search in the case was around an inventory search as part of a plain site discovery of drugs.
Of course the 4th amendment is getting stripped away everyday with liberal application of reasonable cause. And of course who is to argue while on the side of the road about case law and the constitutional rights? If a cop wants something, he will get it. It’s what comes after that that one would have to deal with. evidence found during an illegal search will be thrown out in court. Finding a legally owned gun in a locked safe when a K9 signaled on drugs (and no drugs were found) will probably never see the inside of a court room. Now if you have a small arsenal of guns, that may be a different question. But a single pistol or a revolver or a shotgun? Again, the only time a cop is going to go that far for a basic traffic infraction is if there is something else going on. And he used the basic infraction as a way to justify the initial stop.
Karl, The only thing I would worry about is that your final destination is in a state that your carry permit may not allow you to carry. Main does not provide reciprocity for Florida carry permits.
With that said, me personally? I would have the gun with me in the coach on any trip. If I know I am going into (and staying) in a state that does not provide reciprocity for my license, I would lock the gun in the safe when actually moving (unless it slipped my mind of course, cause we all know a locked up gun is about as useful as no gun 😉 ). Have you looked at doing a small biometrics safe in a hidden place in the bedroom (say inside, underneath the bedside table drawer)? Getting to the safe under the bed is a pain, but a nice finger print hand gun safe mounted in a concealed location would be perfect (and would be the responsible gun owner thing to do with a young adult in the coach).
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I am not pro or anti gun. I see both sides and when you strip away the BS I agree with both sides. Having said that we carry in the coach, never on our person. We have no permits to carry one. We have no permit to own one because in TN if you want a gun you go to a gun show, show your driver license to prove you are a resident and you walk away with a used gun. The Sherriff’s deputys will hold the door open for you on the way out.
But we had a scary moment when a scumbag who was arrested and handcuffed right behind our bus was following Di as she walked the dog at a rest area. Had he tried to harm her my only weapon was a butter knife as I watched her inching towards the door as she felt very uncomfortable around him. Her instincts were right because after he was handcuffed the deputy took a very large knife from his pants.
So now our plan is if someone attempts to enter the coach we run to the rear, sit behind the bed with a weapon pointed toward the front. If one of us is outside and experiences trouble I hope the one inside is prepared to try to get a weapon although I seriously doubt if it is wise to point a gun at someone wrestling with your spouse. I have zero intent to ever leave the coach with a weapon in hand if both of us are inside. That why my bus has a key. I will twist the key to start the engine and drive away long before I opt for the use of a weapon. Unless I am blocked by a semi, I am fully prepared to push anything I need out of the way to drive away from danger. We have driven away from folks who made us nervous on at least two occasions and grabbing a weapon was never considered.
If you are afraid of guns hang with me and Di. We aren’t carrying and probably never will. But we do want to be able to protect ourselves from anyone willing to try to enter our house or our coach.
Most Prevost owners have weapons on their coach. Few talk about it.
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Jon, do yourself a favor and get a concealed weapons permit. If for no other reason than the situation you described. If you do need to walk out of the bus with a loaded weapon, in most states it must be concealed. Even in the open carry states, keeping it concealed with a permit to do so, is the least likely way to end up in jail. Branishing a weapon will almost always get you a free ride to jail.
There aren’t many states that have a stand your ground law. This means, in those states without a stand your ground law, outside your bus you are required to retreat and if you can’t to defend yourself you can only use that force necessary to get away. I know, if our spouse is being threatened, that comes first. Just remember having your weapon concealed let’s you decide, if or when to let the bad guy know what your intention is. Also, keep in mind that some stand your ground states have a really dumb law that doesn’t allow you to fire a warning shoot. You can kill the bad guy, but you can’t scare him away with a gun. Unless we just changed this, this is the law in Florida.
I seldom carry. Believe it our not the reason I don’t is because it’s almost impossible to get on military bases with weapons. Yep, the very places that trained many of us to be marksman have some of the most restrictive regulations on bringing weapons on military installations.
BTW, if walking your dog in some states with poisionous snakes, it makes sense to carry. I’ll carry a 38 with snake shot solely to protect my dog if there’s isn’t another option. I’d probably be wrong to discharge the weapon on a snake in a rest stop, but I’m not letting my dog get bit.
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While I appreciate your intent, I am not registering a gun or getting a concealed carry permit. The government already has far too much information on me and I have no intent to facilitate adding more to their database.
If I have to ever put a weapon in my hands my preference is my shotgun. All except the dumbest of the dumb will respect that gun.
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As the old saying goes I rather be tried by a jury of 12 then be carried by 6.
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This is a subject I’ve thought quite a bit about as we went through our coach purchase. I never expected the subject to be discussed so openly on the forum; I was expecting to discretely bring the subject up at a rally. So much for that.
Other than the situation that Jon described, have any of you had experiences which left you concerned for your safety?
Ironically, we lived in New York City on the upper east side from 2002 to 2005, rode the subway and our bikes all over Manhattan, Harlem,, Queens, and Brooklyn and never once feared for our safety. Even on the Staten Island Ferry at 3am in the morning!
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I’m glad to help, Dick!
We got the guns initially because of two violent patients in a two week span. Since then, no fear, and no problems. Just having the guns with me makes me feel more secure.
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Does a plastic flare pistol get you beyond any gun laws? Can they be effectively used as a last resort weapon or would you just burn a hole in his shirt before setting your coach on fire? Just curious…
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From what I have always been told, your vehicle is property just like your home. You can possess a firearm in your vehicle as long as it is not loaded and is not in immediate reach of the driver. I keep my guns unloaded. Guns in one location, magazines not too far away. I agree that ‘legal’ does not stop harassment. But at least they can’t hit you with a felony.
i looked it up for a couple of states. All I checked,(NE states which seem to be worse) have provision for transport. Here is what NY, which is one of the worst, has to say about it:
A provision of federal law provides a defense to state or local laws which would prohibit the passage of persons with firearms in interstate travel if the person is traveling from any place where he may lawfully possess and transport a firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and transport such firearm and the firearm is unloaded and in the trunk. In vehicles without a trunk, the unloaded firearm shall be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.
That is good enough for me, because if I am ever in NY in my bus I will be just passing through.
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Dick, I have a buddy who was on a deserted country road in Alabama. This old Cadillac appeared and came right up on his rear bumper. Then he passed him and got in front of him and started slowing down. My buddy was able to get around him. And it happened again. Again, he was able to get around. So after a few attempts, the Cadillac sped off. A few miles up the road, my buddy topped a hill and the Caddy was parked across the road! My friend had just enough room to get around and he had that Eagle to the floor trying to find civilization! He has a fingerprint gun safe built beside the driver seat. He was already locked and loaded just in case! Luckily, he came to a town and the. Caddy was not seen anymore. We live in a world where some crazy people would rather kill you and take what you’ve got rather than working for their own. I don’t travel without a way to defend myself and my family.
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Here is a link to US Concealed Carry Reciprocity map. If you follow the steps and enter the states that you have a
resident license for and or any non-resident licenses it will give you a color coded printable map for the states that
your license or licenses cover you in. the reciprpcity tool is free. The US Concealed carry association offers a good
magazine and lots of relevant info. Insurance is also available at certain membership levels. You do not have to be a
member to use the reciprocity tool. The states that accept other states are the states that are accepted by other
states. Sort of an if you honor mine I will honor yours arrangement. Some states give you more coverage than
others. Some states honor resident licenses but not non-resident. Some states will give non-resident licenses
through the mail just by filling out an application and sending in the fee of course. Florida is a good example.
Put in your home state and check out your coverage. Then put in your home state and add a Florida non-resident
license and see what other states you get. I have heard that Utah is also a good state to have for travelers.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/travel/
Better to be safe than sorry.
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Bill Puleo from the Chrome Depot, one of our members asked me to share these photos of how one bus owner carries his guns.
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Here are some more photos of the same bus:
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Must be an early Liberty with the elegent ladies.
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