On the Move: Have a Plan Before You Head Out

Mid-winter is when many of us start planning summer vacations. As you do so, ensure that your packing list includes your everyday carry (EDC) gear. It’s not enough to grab your firearm, holster and a couple magazines of self-defense ammunition. You need to consider what you have planned for every day of your trip — as well as the activities involved therein — to be certain you’ll bring the best carry options along for the ride. You may want an inside-the-waistband holster for dinner in a restaurant but a fanny pack for hiking on the trail.

Your planning won’t stop there. How will you transport your weapon or weapons? Can you legally carry in all of the states through which you’ll be passing, or are you going to have to make sure to “go cold” before exiting your vehicle when stopping for fuel and meals? When you cannot carry your firearm with you, how will you secure it from unauthorized access?

Concealed carry doesn’t mix well with some activities. If your itinerary includes a beach or a pool, you face the challenge of properly securing your weapon if you intend to be anything other than a spectator. As always, keep in mind that when securing your weapon, only you and possibly a delegate, such as your spouse, should be able to access that firearm and pull the trigger. Let’s examine some options for secure storage on the road and at your destination.

Going Mobile

While on the road, your vehicle can act as a rolling gun safe. If you are in a situation where you will not or cannot carry your gun, then simply leave it, unloaded, concealed in your locked car or truck. For added safety and security, especially when traveling with children, consider adding a trigger lock as well as locking the firearm in the glove compartment or in a portable safe.

You may be able to find a safe that is specifically designed for your model of vehicle, such as those made by ConsoleVault and Tuffy Security Products. Bulldog makes a portable safe with a steel cable as well as one designed for mounting in a vehicle. While the company makes a keyed version of the cabled safe, I prefer the combination version. A combination, rather than a key, means I won’t have to look for or fumble with physical keys if I need to access my firearm in a critical situation.

The advantage of using the Bulldog safe with a cable is that it can be moved from car to car and used in your hotel room after you arrive at your destination. If you’re using the Bulldog safe with a cable in your car, find a solid piece of structure through which you can pass the cable so that the safe cannot be easily removed. In most cars and trucks, you can find a hole in the seat mount (where it bolts to the floor) or use the bar under the front of the seat that allows you to move the seat forward and backward.

If you do not need ready access to a firearm, you can lock it in the trunk. This is common among law enforcement officers when they need to quickly and easily ground a gun. What’s better, some trunks even have metal loops for cargo tie-down that can be used as anchor points for securing a safe. You can also run a safe’s cable through the lug nut holes on the spare tire if the vehicle is fitted with one. While the tire, along with your safe, could be removed from the vehicle, it would be awkward for someone to be seen carrying a tire with a safe attached. Make stealing your weapon as difficult as possible.

We’re Here!

So you’ve made it to your destination and it’s time for a dip in the pool. What do you do with your firearm? Some hotels and condos contain an in-room safe on which you can set a multi-digit code. This is a reasonable option for securing your weapon. While the hotel staff can access the safe in the event it is locked and you forget or lose the code, their code is usually 16 to 32 digits long and difficult to remember. Atop that, most hotel managers keep this code secured from anyone on staff who might enter your room on a regular basis, such as a housekeeper.

Before committing anything to any safe, close the door and set the lock and unlock code using the instructions on the safe. Then open the door using the code. This simple test ensures the safe is working and that you will be able to retrieve what you lock up. As with all other storage arrangements, a quality trigger lock is never a bad idea.

While the hotel staff can access the safe in the event it is locked and you forget or lose the code, their code is usually 16 to 32 digits long and difficult to remember.

Master Lock makes a three-digit combination unit that completely encloses the trigger. Identilock is another option that completely covers the trigger and guard and can only be released through the use of a biometric fingerprint scanner. When set to open using your trigger finger, the Identilock allows you to get a good grip on your weapon with your firing hand while still being able to open the lock. Once open, the lock falls away, leaving your firearm ready for use.

If your hotel room does not have an in-room safe, you’ll need to bring along a lock box suitable for storing your carry weapon. I use the same Bulldog safe as I use in the car.

Be Smart, Be Versatile

Think carefully when choosing a good place to secure the safe with the cable. Just like in your vehicle, you should always pass the cable through rather than around something. For example, if you wrap the cable around the leg of the bed, someone could simply lift the bed and remove your safe from the room. Many bed frames have holes that are large enough for the cable to pass through and still allow you to push the safe itself out of sight under the bed.

Another pass-through option might include plumbing under the sink, although this could be removed by hand or with simple tools. I once was in a room where my best option was the base of a floor lamp. The wrought-iron legs formed a place through which I could pass the cable, and I then placed the safe with the cable attached in a closed duffel bag on the floor next to the lamp. A quick glance and you wouldn’t see anything unusual. Although this was not ideal, I figured someone carrying the lamp out of the room with a safe attached would likely draw attention.

There should be no visible indicators that your car or hotel room contains a gun, and keep in mind that a determined individual with off-the-shelf tools will likely be able to get to your firearm whether its locked in your car or secured in your hotel room.

In addition to hiding your means for securing the weapon, you should hide your ammunition, holsters and any other firearms-related items you have with you on your trip. There should be no visible indicators that your car or hotel room contains a gun, and keep in mind that a determined individual with off-the-shelf tools will likely be able to get to your firearm whether its locked in your car or secured in your hotel room. Your goal is to make the opportunity as hidden and as difficult as possible.

Remember to check the concealed carry laws for your destination as well as every state through which you’ll pass. Smartphone apps provide updates as the laws change, and the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map & Gun Laws by State on the USCCA app can ensure you have the latest information at your fingertips as you travel.

Above All, Be Sure

Traveling puts you outside of your daily routine, and this is how materials get forgotten, left behind and lost. To ensure I don’t miss anything, I always keep my car keys, wallet and other personal items alongside my firearm, ammunition, knife and individual first-aid kit.

That way, when I gear up for the day, no matter where I am, I have to make the conscious decision to either carry or secure my firearm and related items. Do everything you can to ensure that you walk out the door with what you want to be carrying and nothing more, but that when it’s time to check out, everything makes the trip home with you.

Sources:

Master Lock: MasterLock.com
Identilock: GetIdentilock.com
Bulldog: BulldogCases.com
Console Vault: ConsoleVault.com
Tuffy Security Products: TuffyProducts.com
Negrini: NegriniCases.com