Purpose of The Car Gun?

[LockedBreech]

The justification for permanent cars gun usually derives from a combination of laziness and dunning-kruger.

Damn, I thought I had it pretty well logic'd out, that stings. If that is the prevailing wisdom, though, there's probably something to it and I'll reconsider.

I do have a second car gun that is much more secure and well-hidden for if I'm ever stranded camping or roadside, an old beater Glock 23 with a concealment holster. I have that in a steel lockbox secured under the floor in the back (spare tire well in a Subaru Outback) with an anti-cut cable attached to the spare tire frame. Is that acceptable, or is this just a universal "no way" situation.

[ubervic]

I've been studying and training with firearms of one form or another since 1977. I have never and will never consider a firearm stored in a vehicle to be safe.

A safe firearm is defined as one that is directly under my personal possession and control (on my person) or which is decidedly placed in a locked safe in my home.

Period.

[LockedBreech]

Alright, the point is taken. I'll remove the car guns and try to develop a more comfortable, consistent carry scheme. My brother is a police officer and I'd rather not contribute a well-maintained and stocked firearm to the bad guys.

My compromise measure will likely be off-body carry. I know that's frowned upon as well, but frankly I simply cannot, or will not, in terms of comfort, dress around a decently sized firearm, barely even my PPS, in the suits I wear. There is also too high a risk that I'd forget it before going into a prohibited place, which happens a lot in my job. I frequently have a leather messenger bag with me, I can try to start carrying that whenever possible and keep it locked in my office or home when not. Not ideal, but not a car gun.

Just brought the PX4 and G23 back inside with me when I got home.

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[john c]

but frankly I simply cannot, or will not, in terms of comfort, dress around a decently sized firearm, barely even my PPS, in the suits I wear. There is also too high a risk that I'd forget it before going into a prohibited place, which happens a lot in my job.

A PPS or similar is plenty for most applications. If that's what you can carry, then carry it. If less, while not ideal, is fine, too. The issue of forgetting it in a restricted place is different.... That's more of a mindset issue.

[41magfan]

I realized after reading some of the other responses that I didn't answer the original question in my initial post.

99% of the people I know or have encountered through report taking and investigations, carry guns in their vehicles as a misguided form of preparedness and/or readiness. They feel better about the gun being in their car versus it being at home and the truth is, guns in cars (versus being carried on the person) save the day more often than you might think .... these two incidents are the ones that immediately come to mind.

* The recent case (1/16/17) involving an AZ Trooper being assisted by a Good Samaritan was a case of a "car gun" being retrieved.

* In the 2014 beheading incident at Vaughan Foods in OK, the violence was ended by an off-duty Reserve Deputy (who was also the company COO) when he retrieved a gun from his car in the parking lot of the plant and returned in time to mitigate further injuries.

But irrespective of those successes, we all know that the immediate nature of most self-defense situations leaves no allowance for the "retrieval" of a weapon much beyond arms reach.

In short, I think car guns are a form of doing some thing, in lieu of doing no thing.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

HCM nailed it. To add to his well thought out points, a CHL instructor told me that an informal survey of CHL holders in the beginning of the TX law found that 80% of them didn't carry but wanted a 'car' gun.

I think it is duality of wanting to be a tough guy and paradoxically being subconsciously scared to carry as they have to face really being a situation where they might use the gun. I find the 'car' gun guys are also likely not to train or compete. They will shoot 50 rounds at a square target once a year and are go to go. They are scared to train or compete as it will show that they are not instinctive excellent warriors.

I know several folks like that - talk the gun type, the ammo stopping power and buy many 'safe' queens. I do know one guy who after talking to me - is moving away from the car gun paradigm.

I remind them that the reason we have the CHL/LTC law is that Dr. Gratia-Hupp had a car gun at Luby's and saw her parents killed. I wonder if, empirically, the new TX law about car guns slowed the LTC applications. Hard to know. Would have to have a parallel universe without it.

The only reason for leaving a gun in the car is the existence of NPE's that are signed. As in other threads, I despise them. If they lead to a gun being stolen, the moral burden is on the NPE.

PS - the reason I took several auto related gun courses is so I can manipulate my EDC in the car.

[El Cid]

I always thought the point of a car gun was to have a shoulder weapon available closer than your house. That said, I'd only do so with a very sturdy lockbox.

[blues]

...I think it is duality of wanting to be a tough guy and paradoxically being subconsciously scared to carry as they have to face really being a situation where they might use the gun. I find the 'car' gun guys are also likely not to train or compete. They will shoot 50 rounds at a square target once a year and are go to go. They are scared to train or compete as it will show that they are not instinctive excellent warriors.

You make some good points but imho you're painting with an overly broad (and harsh) brush.

[blues]

I always thought the point of a car gun was to have a shoulder weapon available closer than your house. That said, is only do so with a very sturdy lockbox.

Since I don't want to lug my rifle in and out of the 4Runner on a daily basis I just pretend my happy stick is an AR magazine.

[HCM]

Damn, I thought I had it pretty well logic'd out, that stings. If that is the prevailing wisdom, though, there's probably something to it and I'll reconsider.

I do have a second car gun that is much more secure and well-hidden for if I'm ever stranded camping or roadside, an old beater Glock 23 with a concealment holster. I have that in a steel lockbox secured under the floor in the back (spare tire well in a Subaru Outback) with an anti-cut cable attached to the spare tire frame. Is that acceptable, or is this just a universal "no way" situation.

Your lock box gun is lot more secure than a loaded gun in the glove compartment. My agency uses the attached lock box / attach the gun formula and we have never had a gun secured this way stolen short of the entire vehicle being stolen.

As SLG has said, there is no way you can have a gun in a vehicle accessible for defensive purposes without it being vulnerable to theft. A loaded gun in a glove compartment can be taken in the time needed to punch out a lock or smash a window.

A smaller gun like a J frame, a shield, PPS, HK P2000sk etc on you, even in a smart carry, pocket holster or ankle holster is a better solution.