|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
July 3, 2009, 09:15 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 29, 2005
Location: Texas, 5th GEN!
Posts: 621
|
How do you secure a handgun in your vehicle?
Lets talk about how you secure a firearm in your vehicle. I occasionally travel with a handgun in my truck, however, I'm always nervous to leave it there--for fear that with a break-in, it could get snatched quite easily despite being concealed. I'd like to have a more permanent arrangement for a handgun in my truck...
At home I have multiple quick-access, bolt-down handgun safes distributed about my place. These boxes keep handguns on the ready but are also quite secured from the children, etc. Do you know of any similar quick-access bolt-down safes made for vehicles? I imagine they would have to be fairly compact or slim to work between seats, etc.
__________________
---- |
July 3, 2009, 09:25 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 10, 2007
Posts: 707
|
Check this out http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=434716
If you shop around you can probably find it cheaper. |
July 3, 2009, 10:07 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 28, 1999
Location: In a kornfield in kalifornia
Posts: 1,161
|
Two cable locks. One stays locked around the seat post. The other gets dropped through the open action, then locked through the first one. The whole affair gets flipped under the seat.
__________________
When Banjos are outlawed, only Outlaws will have Banjos The Bible is my lawbook. I turn the other cheek when applicable, and spend the rest of my days resisting evil at every front, until I have breathed my last breath. |
July 3, 2009, 10:14 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 4, 2007
Location: Shenandoah Valley
Posts: 3,276
|
A lockbox, painted to resemble a safety kit, and bolted in place where the original factory first aid kit was supposed to go (not included in my trim package...of course).
I refer to it as "urban camouflage" and only one person (another gunnie) has ever even noticed that my "first aid kit" has a keylock.
__________________
"The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on" |
July 3, 2009, 11:04 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 31, 2000
Location: Texican!
Posts: 4,453
|
I put a 'do not touch' sign on mine.
Is like the 'gun free' sign schools use and just about as effective. See, 10,000 school administrators can't all be wrong, right?
__________________
“To you who call yourselves ‘men of peace,’ I say, you are not safe without men of action by your side” Thucydides |
July 3, 2009, 11:12 PM | #6 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 12, 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,728
|
Quote:
I'm presently using the lower setup in my truck (2001 Dodge Ram extended cab). I can key the code and retrieve the gun from seated in the driver's seat. I currently keep a P97 (pictured) and 2 mags in there pretty much full time. If I'm going somewhere that my carry gun can't go it goes in on top of that other section of foam. I've got it bolted securely through the floorboard of the truck. Only thing I'm not real happy with is the lock itself. It's not as sturdy as my others and I actually have another Stack On model (like the one pictured above) that I'm thinking about switching out for the Honeywell. I'd likely have to give up the full time truck gun though. Both won't fit.
__________________
NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link) |
|
July 4, 2009, 05:36 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 29, 2005
Location: Texas, 5th GEN!
Posts: 621
|
ZeSpectre,
I love the creativity! That first-aid kit is brilliant... As for the security, having quick access would be ideal for me. To have to secure or unsecure a firearm (i.e. cables and keylocks) everytime you travel could get old--not to mention the potential vulnerability when parking, etc. There are a coulple of top-load electronic safes similar to the ones posted by redneck and cabbage, but I can't figure out how I could mount those to the vehicle, without them 'sticking out' or just being in the way. I might need to be a bit more creative. Thanks for the ideas!
__________________
---- Last edited by surg_res; July 5, 2009 at 09:12 PM. |
July 4, 2009, 08:40 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 10, 2007
Posts: 707
|
Great idea on the "first aid box" Ze I will tell you that that particular box isn't that safe if you have older children. I lost my keys one time and all I had to do is remove the long pin in the exterior hinge to get inside. I also picked the lock on a couple of occasions and i'm no lockpicker.
Surg - did I post a electronic safe? I could of swore i posted a link to an extremely thin keyed lock box. |
July 5, 2009, 05:52 AM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 29, 2005
Location: Texas, 5th GEN!
Posts: 621
|
No it wasn't electronic, but I found the following near your link...
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=397660 I like the key safe you showed, b/c of the thin size; however, I"m just thinking of a quick access device that doesn't require unlocking everytime you ride in the car. I have very young <3 kids and I keep everything ready but out of their 'reach,' so to speak, with the electronic safes. Thanks for the tips. As for weapons, I'd like to carry my 4" S&W 686 in the truck--for reasons of functional simplicity, power, and accuracy; though, my other options would be a 2" 38spcl, one of my colt 1911s (4" or 5"), or a colt 380 gvmnt... What do you guys think?
__________________
---- Last edited by surg_res; July 5, 2009 at 06:00 AM. |
July 5, 2009, 07:39 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 10, 2007
Posts: 707
|
I hear ya' on the electronic aspect. I used to have a keyed lock on my bedroom closet where I keep my clothes and some guns on the highest shelf. I really didn't like the lock due to having to have a key handy and because it was pretty slow to unlock. A few weeks ago I caught my 6 year old daughter trying to reach the key that was hanging above the door and that was the end of that!
I did some searching and bought a cool little electronic cabinet lock that's very fast(light or dark) and very secure, I love that thing! Only bad thing about it is that when it's dark the little blue light that lights up when you enter a number is blinding so I cover it or close my eyes. http://www.lock-depot.com/Item/Cabin...4Pa38Ta38Oax10 In regards to your firearm choice...Is this a weapon that will always stay in your vehicle? If so forget the 2" snub and use something large like the 686 or 1911(not .380) |
July 5, 2009, 07:57 AM | #11 |
Junior member
Join Date: February 27, 2006
Location: Great Pacific Northwest
Posts: 11,515
|
|
July 5, 2009, 09:11 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 29, 2005
Location: Texas, 5th GEN!
Posts: 621
|
PBP, is that box spring-loaded on opening?
__________________
---- |
July 5, 2009, 09:12 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 12, 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,728
|
No. It's the same one I have in my bedroom closet and it is not. You actually have to lift up on the door.
__________________
NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link) |
July 6, 2009, 02:03 AM | #14 |
Member
Join Date: May 13, 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 24
|
I just drop mine in the little door pocket beneathe the arm rest on the drivers side door. Can't see it from the drivers side window because of the arm rest and the angle and you can't see it from the passenger side because of my leg. It works, it's readily accessible and required no modification because my 1911 sticks out for a perfect grip... And then there's the 2 full magazines in the center cup holders for when the zombies try to take over the truck
|
July 6, 2009, 07:14 AM | #15 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 4, 2007
Location: Shenandoah Valley
Posts: 3,276
|
Quote:
__________________
"The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on" |
|
July 6, 2009, 07:18 AM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 7, 2009
Location: South East Queensland, Australia
Posts: 1,513
|
all good
Go the little safe.... best idea (and a car alarm/immobiliser)
__________________
Muzza If you cant blind them with brilliance, Baffle them with BS Be alert...... there is a shortage of LERTs |
July 6, 2009, 07:31 AM | #17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 12, 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,728
|
Quote:
__________________
NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link) |
|
July 6, 2009, 11:42 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 30, 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,430
|
inexpensive handgun: rear seat map pocket
I secure mine with the factory locking system and an aftermarket alarm. |
July 6, 2009, 02:05 PM | #19 |
Member
Join Date: July 6, 2009
Location: Westminster, CO
Posts: 74
|
|
July 6, 2009, 06:58 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 7, 2008
Posts: 151
|
I'm looking for a solution too. I used to have a fairly heavy duty lockable box that was big enough for two pistols and some ammo but my Explorer just doesn't have any good place to hide such a thing and it looked too much like a juicy target to me. Sure it was bolted down but a burglar wouldn't know that until after breaking my windows. I guess I may try some variation on ZeSpectre's idea.
FWIW: When I was in Home Depot the other day I saw a "tool box alarm". Obviously that's not a solution by itself but it could add an extra layer of security to some other solution. |
July 7, 2009, 02:30 AM | #21 | ||
Member
Join Date: May 13, 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 24
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
July 7, 2009, 08:57 AM | #22 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 4, 2007
Location: Shenandoah Valley
Posts: 3,276
|
Quote:
__________________
"The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on" |
|
July 7, 2009, 09:02 AM | #23 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2008
Location: California
Posts: 1,951
|
The weak point on the small digital safes is the key lock override they are easy to defeat.
__________________
http://www.armsmaster.net-a.googlepages.com http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...aster270/Guns/ Retired LE, M.P., Sr. M.P. Investigator F.B.I. Trained Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor & Armorer, Presently Forensic Document Examiner for D.H.S. |
July 7, 2009, 09:08 AM | #24 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 12, 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,728
|
True, no system is perfect. The best you can hope for is to extend the time the thief would have to spend working at it, thereby extending his exposure and risk of being caught.
Somebody shows up at your vehicle with drills, prybars, etc. and has plenty of time to work at it, they're gonna get what they came for.
__________________
NRA Member NC Hunter's Education Instructor PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link) |
July 7, 2009, 11:18 AM | #25 | |
Member
Join Date: June 29, 2007
Posts: 62
|
Quote:
The second method I actually used on this safe that I bought for my house for $300, because the key lock was the barrel kind, and I found I could use the ballpoint pen method to pick it pretty easily. My main concern wasn't a determined thief with time on his hands, but a smash and grab thief, or curious teenager with access to the internet (I have a 17 year old son who often has friends over. I trust my son, but I can't always control what other people's kids do). Last edited by MortalWombat; July 7, 2009 at 11:34 AM. |
|
|
|