PACKIN "heat" on a cross country road trip???

[KCinBR]

In May of this year I'm planning to head off for a 5 to 6k mile road trip. I'll be leaving S.C. driving north west across the great plains into the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, then back south toward the Grand Canyon area then back east.

My question is about carrying a weapon on the trip, I no longer have a CCP. Is this gonna cause me lots of trouble If I happen to get stopped by LEO?

I'll be driving a 05 Boxster S and traveling with my life long companion of 37+ years...just two old people living a dream. There is no good place to stash a weapon in the cab of a boxster that allows me access to it that would keep the LEO from easily finding it.

Whats your experience with this and any ideas for a good stashing place.

In todays world is the need for protection greater than the risk of gettin busted with a out of state weapon????????

[sc_rufctr]

This would be better in Off Topic.

Some of the guys who lurk there know a lot about the subject.

[beamonk]

Many states honor another state's pistol permit.they are cheap in AL. and most of our surronding state's honor the AL permit.

[billjam]

It just blows me away that this is even a topic of consideration for what appears to be a holiday.
I know I live in Australia, but I have driven around in the US and I never felt that I ever needed to be armed.
Crazy.

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by billjam

Crazy.

Seriously. Wouldn't this topic be better suited to one of the "spoon" forums?

[schumicat]

we have a republic where each state gets to make its own laws on whether you may have a gun in your car. no one is going to post a reply explaining the laws of 48 states. there is a book called the traveler's guide to the gun laws of the 50 states or something like that which you could consult. I suggest you go on Glock Talk. there are most certainly some states which will put you in jail if they find you have a loaded gun in the passenger compartment of your car.

[azasadny]

This is an excellent forum for this type of question...

Concealed Carry, Reciprocity Maps, Concealed Weapons Permit

[stomachmonkey]

OP does not have a carry permit.

Makes the discussion pretty much a non starter.

[Tobra]

up until very recently, it would have been nigh on impossible to get a CCW permit living here

[porsche4life]

No permit, no carry. What's so complicated?

[Rick Lee]

The two most widely accepted CCW's are from FL and UT, both of which can be obtained by mail if you complete the training course anywhere by someone certified for those states. I have UT and did the training in AZ. When I did my NV class in NV, they also offered certification for FL applications, since the training requirements were the same. Some states only recognize another permit if you're a resident of the state that issued the permit.

IIRC, SC is sort of picky about which states' CCW's it recognizes. I think I was probably illegal when I rode my motorcycle through there a few years ago, only having VA and NH permits on me at the time. And most states recognize CCW's from states that also recognizes that state's CCW. So SC is probably not a permit you can rely upon to get recognized in a lot of other states. If you want to do it legally, either get a FL or UT CCW. And even then you might be pushing it in some states. Or carry it cased and unloaded in the trunk. You definitely can't CCW in CA, WI, IL, NJ, NY or MA with any other state's permit.

When I moved from VA to AZ, I drove my 993 and had about 10 handguns packed in the front trunk and one loaded carry piece in my door pocket. But I was legal to carry in all the states I was passing through. I've been stranded twice in the middle of the desert in NV and was very relieved I had some modicum of protection out there, where there is zero cell phone coverage and you are truly on your own and at the mercy of strangers. A lot of states allow car carry with no CCW.

FWIW, I've been stopped about 10x while carrying and the cop never cared at all or asked to see the gun. One time in VA he ran my permit.

And remember, with the new AZ vs. Gant decision, there is no more search incident to arrest for something other than evidence of the original arrestable offense. So as long as you don't consent and don't have an "Insured by Smith & Wesson" bumper sticker on your Boxster, they can't search your car, even if they arrest you for speeding. Tow and inventory is a grey area, however.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

No permit, no carry. What's so complicated?

No true. Bad advice.

[avi8torny]

This is a great way to feel what steel wrist bracelets feel like if you get caught with it. Leaving it at home might be the best option.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by avi8torny

This is a great way to feel what steel wrist bracelets feel like if you get caught with it.

Why? Are we now a country where its illegal to protect yourself? Maybe not "locked and loaded" sitting next to you while you drive but carrying a weapon to protect yourself should not cause a problem.

[Laneco]

I have done alot of traveling across this great country, and I normally do not bring my pistol. I did bring it on a solo car-camping trip. I was literally throwing a tent up wherever I got tired. Pistol was a good idea. I have a CCW but only for my state. At that point, I felt the benefits outweighed the legal risks.

Most of time, I travel without it for just the opposite reasons. The legal potential whoop-de-doo and the need to properly secure the pistol (against theft) when it's not on my body, outweigh the benefits.

May I offer you an entirely legal substitute? A large can of wasp spray. It is legal everywhere, cheap, not worth stealing, and I can assure you it is QUITE debilitating. Works on mean asZed dogs, somewhat on bears (they're huge, don't count on ANYTHING to stop them), and mean-aszed people. The heavy-duty stuff will shoot 20 or 30 feet and turn an aggressor into a blinded, sniveling, pile of misery while you beat a hasty retreat.

angela

[azasadny]

If you see me outside, I'm carrying. Especially in the car on trips. My wife and I both have our CPL (concealed pistol licenses) and we carry whenever and wherever we can, but then again, we live just outside Detroit and things are pretty bad here... you might have heard...

[Brando]

If you no longer have a permit to Carry Concealed, many states do not regulate Openly Carrying (No permit to openly carry).

States' regulations of such vary. That link posted above is great for CC reciprocity.

AZ, MK and AK have "constitutional carry", your citizenship is your permit to OC/CC loaded.

But of course, it is your responsibility to know the law.

And no, leaving it at home will do you no good, should you need it. Consider it insurance.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by billjam

It just blows me away that this is even a topic of consideration for what appears to be a holiday.
I know I live in Australia, but I have driven around in the US and I never felt that I ever needed to be armed.
Crazy.

I've traveled a fair amount and never felt I needed to carry, but then, bad stuff does and can happen any where any time. It's not a bad thing to carry or be able to carry. I don't expect my house to burn down, but I've still got smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

Originally Posted by Brando

If you no longer have a permit to Carry Concealed, many states do not regulate Openly Carrying (No permit to openly carry).

Hmm, I was under the impression that there's only a handful of states (like 3 or 4, max) that allow open Carry.

OK, a little research, I guess it's more than that, but there are various regs and many require licenses or have restrictions (like, not open carrying in a car).

OpenCarry.org - A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost!

If you click the link above, you'll see the same map as below, but all of the states and the legend is "clickable" to get you more info.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by KCinBR

In todays world is the need for protection greater than the risk of gettin busted with a out of state weapon????????

In a word NO. I've driven all over the US, Mexico, Guatemala, and Europe without a weapon and without a problem I couldn't talk myself out of. It's each person's choice, obviously, but if you're so afraid of the world that you won't even drive across the US without a gun, maybe you should just stay home.
Now that I'm older (61) I'm not as spry as I used to be and I am a bit more fearful. I sometimes carry pepper spray (the wasp spray myth has been debunked many times). Maybe when I'm 70 I'll feel frail and fearful enough to carry a gun - at that point I'll probably just stay home.

[mossguy]

(the wasp spray myth has been debunked many times)

Do you have references for this?

Thanks,
Tom