How do you secure your handgun in your car?

[CrunchyWiz]

I currently carry only when I know I'm not going to hit a 'no guns' space like my office (a state university - not illegal, but against policy and I kinda need my job), my kids' elementary school, a bar, etc. but I aim to change that and am curious how others secure their handgun in their car.

Shoving it under the seat, into the console or in the glove box doesn't seem like a great idea. I've seen these metal boxes with key locks and a steel cable but they don't seem very secure - although they'd be better than the glove box.

I envision a small safe, preferably with one of those four-finger-button combination locks that I could bolt to the floorboard behind the center console and conceal with something so it's not visible from the outside as a safe.

What do you do?

[JohnnyMac]

Do some searching on the Web. There is some outfit that makes units that either replace center consoles, or are inserts for existing consoles. Depending on your vehicle they might be the ticket.

JMc

[Forrester]

Tuffy Products

http://www.tuffyproducts.com/c-4-consoles.aspx

[GOVT1911]

I use one of the lockboxes with cables you mentioned when in my Jeep and I bolted one of the gunvault button combo safes in the suburban. Both are camoflaged so as not to appear to be anything valuable.

[W.E.G.]

Trunk monkey and a few of his friends.

[CrunchyWiz]

Originally posted by W.E.G.
Trunk monkey and a few of his friends.

A few of his friends, like two battery-powered Dremels(R) with jagged cut-off wheels? A two-fisted simian WECSOGer?

:uhoh:

[tuck0411]

Also using a lockbox with cable that I bought from someone here in Marketplace. Have it under the front seat with the cable around the seat frame. Not that secure to someone with a large screwdriver and a bit of determination, but fortunately I don't go to that many places where I'm not able to carry.

[W.E.G.]

Originally posted by CrunchyWiz


A few of his friends, like two battery-powered Dremels(R) with jagged cut-off wheels? A two-fisted simian WECSOGer?

:uhoh:

Yep, and he throws a mean dremel-lasso.

Catch ya 'round the leg, whip that cord and yank real hard to cinch it up tight in your crotch.
Dremel's always set on HIGH.

[LV Hospice RN]

Use a pair of handcuffs, lock one side around the seat brace in the cab or in the trunk, around some body brace. Hook/lock the other side either thru the frame of a revolver with the cylinder open or around the trigger guard of an automatic.

One of the vaults/cases/holders specifically designed for this application is maybe a bit more "professional looking", but this method only cost the price of the handcuffs, not $100-$300....

just imho, ymmv
darrell
phoenix

[fastfreddy]

Handcuffs are pretty easy to open. Prolly work most of the time though.

[Hot Diggity]

Seems like you'd have to pull over to unload/secure the handgun with most of these devices. Then you'd have to pull over again to recover/reload/reholster. What if you're in heavy traffic and can't do this? An example would be Federal port, or a military reservation where concealed carry is prohibited.

While unloading while driving might be a little dicey, it would draw no more attention than the guy sending a text message while swerving down the road.
Once unloaded, the security container must be accessible to the driver, and be lockable to make the handgun secure. Factory locking glove boxes, and consoles were great for this in older cars, since they were factory, and didn't appear out of place.

With modern cars lack of locking inside storage these cable attached boxes
are looking interesting. The twist I'd add, would be to secure the box through the bottom of the center console. It'd open like a clam shell inside the console
but allow no easy access to the attaching cable. Once secured, the interior of the car would look completely unaltered. Pocket the key and carry out your business.

HD

[Mr. Pink]

I usually don't carry but when I do and I find myself in a similar jam I'll take the slide with me and leave the frame and any ammo in the trunk. If the slide is too big for carrying I will pop the barrel out and take it along. Not totally secure but it does disable the gun for the moment.

[LV Hospice RN]

Originally posted by fastfreddy
Handcuffs are pretty easy to open. Prolly work most of the time though.

For you maybe...

But in the first place you have one end closed/locked around the seat support UNDER your car seat...or around a body brace in the trunk. YES, they can be opened, keys are abundant. First the BG has to pick your car out to break into, then break into it, discover/find the handgun, THEN has to unlock the double locked handcuffs, which he may or maynot have a key to.

You can pick up a decent set of cuffs for under $20-$30....or you can spend ten times that amount to basically accomplish the same thing. The cables on many of those "car vaults" are easily cut with bolt cutters.

d
phx

[brownknees]

Thumb snap?

[newfalguy101]

I just leave it laying on the seat.

I use the "well if he left it just laying around, it probably doesnt work and therefore isnt worth stealing" system :biggrin: :biggrin:







just kidding :wink:








I normally do the under the seat thing, and leave NOTHING that appears to have any value in the open.............if the BG's dont see anything worth stealing, why break in?????

[rochte]

I put my Kel-tec in the little leather pocket on the front of my seat... The BG would have to not only pick out my car to break into, but also be familiar enough with a Saab to check that little pocket.

[fastfreddy]

In addition to the glovebox on the right side, my old BMW has a "gunbox" on the drivers side. Pretty handy and not many folks think to look for a box on that side since manufacturers cannot put them in cars for the US market. I miss that in the car I drive most of the time now.

Hey, you could rig up one of those spring loaded under dash pistol holders like 007 and Phillip Marlowe use ;)

[Jez Cruzen]

If I absolutely have to leave my pistol behind in the car, I store it in the center console and lock the console.

Prior to retirement, I supervised a Fire Marshal's Office as part of my responsibilities. They installed pistol safes in the rear cargo area of their SUVs. The boxes were bolted to the floor, and each required an electronic combination using fingertips in order to gain entry. I can't say if the safes ever prevented theft of a weapon, but the safes did provide a lot of security considering that a thief normally doesn't spend a lot of time in a vehicle stealing.

[JColdIron]

I hate leaving any firearm unsecured in a vehicle. I work in a place that I cannot bring my firearm. The center console on my Dakota does not lock (thanks Dodge). I picked up one of those finger button "safes" at the local gunstore for $89. Battery driven with no key lock to attack. It has a cleat style mounting plate to attach it to a table or such. There is a bolt inside the safe that you remove to release the cleat and remove the safe.

The safe is now bolted into the space between the front seats where the center console was. Fit almost perfectly there. 1/4" steel plate replaced the flimsy 16 ga mounting plate. I used the stock mounting holes for the console but managed to get all the bolts oriented in a way that you have to remove the safe to access the bolts to pull the safe. I also was able to rebolt the center console flip down arm rest to the safe. You really can't tell that it is even there with the grey interior and the grey hammerite paint that came on the safe.

The truck could still be stolen. I'm sure the safe could be defeated but the casual break in is not likely to cause the loss of the carry piece in the post office parking lot.

[StarPD]

I keep my gun inside the soft leather zipper top briefcase that sits behind the driver's seat in my car. The gun is positioned such that my hand automatically falls to the upside down gun in the briefcase if needed. When I absolutely HAVE to leave my gun in the car, the entire briefcase goes into the trunk. Then the valet setting is engaged in my glove compartment, which is then locked with a high-security lock. With that setting, only a key will open the trunk, and the key is a special laser cut one that can't be easily duplicated or cloned. Locksmiths cannot duplicate these special keys and most don't even have correct blanks and if they did, no machinery to do the double internal and external cuts on both sides. The trunk lock is a heavy duty one that is difficult to punch out without special heavy duty tools that most car thieves and break-in artists don't have. So is the glove compartment lock which uses the same key and lock as the trunk, and the glove compartment is heavy gauge steel, not plastic.

The vehicle has a factory electronic deactivation system that completely shuts down the entire electric system if any attempt is made to start the car without the coded electronic key fob. It's a very difficult car to steal if parked with the front wheels turned to the stop and locked with the steering column lock. That way even a flatbed has a difficult time getting it up onto the bed to haul it away without breaking the glass and using a puller to get the heavy duty steel secured and shielded steering wheel lock/ignition switch out of the steering column. The factory alarm system cannot be defeated by cutting wires and it sounds if the car is disturbed or door locks attempted to be forced/jimmied or the glass is broken. The factory REALLY considered security seriously on this car. I love this car. The 340 HP motor and 5.7 seconds 0-60 and top speed of 160 MPH are matched with adjustable automatic suspension, 18" forged aluminum wheels and "W" rated tires. 130 MPH in it is like 70 in anything else and it corners flat as a pancake. Oh yeah, the 7 lens HID low beams are the most powerful headlights available on ANY car and REALLY light up the road, as do the special aftermarket HIR high beams.

Any car can be broken into or stolen by a determined and skilled criminal with the right equipment, but mine makes it not worth the trouble and risk. It's an '05 Infiniti Q45. My wife's '08 Honda civic coupe is a different story. My gun is not safe from theft in it, so if I think I may have to leave my gun in the car, we usually take my car instead of hers.

[Jaxxas]

I use a four-fingered electronic safe. I beefed up the security cable. It sits behind the passenger seat on the floorboard. With the seat all the way back, it is all but invisible! I'm a pretty big guy, so with just a slight dip of my right shoulder I can open the safe and extract my carry weapon without my eyes ever leaving the road. If I get pulled over by the police, the weapon is back in the safe and locked up before I stop.

[goodorbit]

These (https://www.consolevault.com/products/?filter01=Make&value01=Ford) are pretty slick.

[Jon Frum]

Behind the fold-down armrest.

[molonlabe texan]

In the trunk. Trunk release has been disabled and I have valet keys.

[Topbanana]

I lock the doors... :biggrin:

[mezlin]

I NEVER leave my weapon in my vehicle. I dont even leave my checkbook in my truck after It was stolen out of my glovebox. I dont see the point of packin' part time. If you are going to cc then cc The one time you need it you may have locked it in the trunk. Alot of good its going to do you then. Dont kick yourself in the ass for leaving it behind just carry.

[StarPD]

Aha!
Mezlin practices what I call "The Umbrella Theory".
The day you forget your umbrella, it will rain.

Likewise, the day you leave your gun behind, some subhuman will require you to use it on him.

Don't get caught in the rain without your umbrella, and don't get caught by a criminal without your gun.

The corollary to that is if you don't have legal CC, figure out a way to circumvent the illegal laws that require you to get "permission" to carry concealed. There's usually a way it can be done. Be creative if you must, but don't trust your life and that of your loved ones to a police department that may arrive too late.

Truism: "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away".

[CrunchyWiz]

It's true that a gun locked in your car is of no use to you, but I am limited in my options. I can legally carry on my campus, but would be fired by the administration if I was found to be armed - even if it just saved my or someone else's life. This is the reality and not something I can change.

I also cannot legally carry a handgun into my kids' school, or into a bar (even if I'm not drinking) and on and on. I can get over *those* restrictions if I get myself a Private Investigator's license - something I'm considering so I can do some computer forensics work on the side - but that will not save me from the almighty university administration. I still need the job to stay in the house and feed the kids.

So - given a choice between not carrying at all or carrying when I can, I choose the latter.

[StarPD]

Well, sometimes ya gotta just take yer chances.
Being fired, sued, or even in jail is still better than being dead.

Remember, "every day above the ground is a good one".

The final truth is that: "Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer cherce".

I respect your position. It's just not mine.

[rodanvssct]

Some places have metal detectors like courts etc... In that case you may be forced to leave in the car or don't bring it at all.