What do you do when you find yourself somewhere you cant have a gun? (and you do)

[Nick Burkhardt]

One of the cooks at the Portland VA open carries. No One says anything... Puzzling.

Damn, I took my Father in law there two winters ago and all of those signs had me paranoid so I kept my 380 locked in the car safe. I wanted to holster it before we left, but was leery of parking garage cameras. Then on the way down the hill, there was no place to stop and properly conceal. Finally outside of the downtown VooDoo Donuts my wife insisted that I carry so in the pocket holster it went.

 

[The Heretic]

Many people go to workplaces every day that don't allow firearms because most workplaces have that policy.

I simply don't carry to my workplace.

It isn't such a dangerous world everywhere that I need to carry all of the time, if ever.

I certainly support the right of any law abiding adult to carry almost anywhere without restriction (open or concealed) or permits, but I just don't feel the need most of the time.

 

[8ball]

More than once I've zipped up my concealed and left it in the tall grass and weeds at the base of a out of the way power pole in an industrial area for a few hours.

I just hand mine randomly off to anyone standing around, ask them to kindly return it later - and be careful because it's loaded!

 

[edslhead]

Th

That's some bad advice. They would refuse you entrance as that breaks regulations pertaining to firearms on base.
Personally I think the OP did just fine. It would have been illegal to carry there and he did not know until the moment he arrived.
OP you did just fine.

I meant leave the gun with the guard.

 

[BDA.45]

CC is a state of mind so to speak. The more you carry the more you think about these things. Events like you just had helps your brain muscle reaction just like draw practice. Eventually, you will run through enough scenarios and you will be more comfortable. I agree with decklin, for the first sticky, you made the right choice. I've taken to carrying a zip lock baggy in my vehicles. Nobody mows around telephones.
More than once I've zipped up my concealed and left it in the tall grass and weeds at the base of a out of the way power pole in an industrial area for a few hours.

While I would agree with your first few statements the last few parts are pretty freakin ballsy... Theres no way im leaving my bubblegum unattended like that.

 

[Deebow]

I carry everywhere. Even places I am not supposed to. The only places I don't are places that I am specifically barred from carrying (courthouses and past airport security) that have onerous security and search everyone.

I have been onto and off of quite a few military bases and can tell you that security varies widely based upon the threat level they operate under. Some conduct random vehicle searches, some don't. In the ones where I have been searched (2 times in 25 years) they only searched the car. They didn't search my person.

I have never been pulled out and patted down and I know that you will not find yourself proned out or thrown in jail because you had your gun on you. The folks manning the gate aren't going to search through 900 pounds of something to find your gun, break your parts and accessories so that you can get them fired for bad customer service. They aren't going to be patting you down unless you look sketchy. My guess it that if you are headed to a "terminal" of some kind, their interest is in conducting commerce, not so much on catching terrorists.

Just keep it on you and smile like you belong there.

 

[Deebow]

Damn, I took my Father in law there two winters ago and all of those signs had me paranoid so I kept my 380 locked in the car safe. I wanted to holster it before we left, but was leery of parking garage cameras. Then on the way down the hill, there was no place to stop and properly conceal. Finally outside of the downtown VooDoo Donuts my wife insisted that I carry so in the pocket holster it went.

Why would you care about cameras? By the time you got in the car and drove away (even if someone did see you) you would be long gone before they could even pick up the phone to tell someone that they thought they saw something.

You don't need to hide in special dark room to conceal your gun. The public is super dumb and staring at their iPad, Pod, Tablet or Phone all the time. They will have exactly zero awareness of what you are doing when you pull into a parking spot at the bottom of the hill and put your gun in the holster.

 

[telemakos]

Take the mag out and leave it with the guard.

As someone who shops at the commisary at JBLM somewhat regularly, I wouldn't advise doing that at all. Just my humble opinion.

 

[40calruler]

CC is a state of mind so to speak. The more you carry the more you think about these things. Events like you just had helps your brain muscle reaction just like draw practice. Eventually, you will run through enough scenarios and you will be more comfortable. I agree with decklin, for the first sticky, you made the right choice. I've taken to carrying a zip lock baggy in my vehicles. Nobody mows around telephones.
More than once I've zipped up my concealed and left it in the tall grass and weeds at the base of a out of the way power pole in an industrial area for a few hours.

Uhhhh....Ummmm....NO! Bad gun owner! BAD!

 

[40calruler]

I just hand mine randomly off to anyone standing around, ask them to kindly return it later - and be careful because it's loaded!

I find it best to show them how it works as well. That way they know how to be careful. Strangers are some friendly folks!

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Why would you care about cameras? By the time you got in the car and drove away (even if someone did see you) you would be long gone before they could even pick up the phone to tell someone that they thought they saw something.

You don't need to hide in special dark room to conceal your gun. The public is super dumb and staring at their iPad, Pod, Tablet or Phone all the time. They will have exactly zero awareness of what you are doing when you pull into a parking spot at the bottom of the hill and put your gun in the holster.

It was a hell of a trip. Due to the snow storm here on the east side of the state three hour trip ended up taking over five hours with my Father in Law complaining about the auto-retracting seatbelt the entire time. It was my first time up on the hill and the LARGE SIGNS were unnerving.

 

[thorborg]

Uhhhh....Ummmm....NO! Bad gun owner! BAD!

Uhhhh....Ummmm....Yes, Excuse Me? I have the same feelings about leaving them in a car with likely higher odds of loss. Mine were without mags, unregistered and out of the mainstream. In my lifetime I've had three vehicles busted into. They weren't in a play ground or by a dog pissing pole nor found. Oh Yah 8ball, if you pay the punk 10 bucks he will clean it for you while your gone.

 

[40calruler]

Uhhhh....Ummmm....Yes, Excuse Me? I have the same feelings about leaving them in a car with likely higher odds of loss. Mine were without mags, unregistered and out of the mainstream. In my lifetime I've had three vehicles busted into. They weren't in a play ground or by a dog pissing pole nor found. Oh Yah 8ball, if you pay the punk 10 bucks he will clean it for you while your gone.

Just sounds crazy to leave it in the grass in a random area. If they did happen by they could either take it or call the cops assuming it was ditched there...Kinda was. Car broken into or not it is more risky to me to bag it and put it in some grassy area. That would look super sketchy to me if I came across it.
Also at least someone has to be doing something wrong to take it from a car...Get a locked down box or safe that is not so easy to smash and grab. They do not even have to be thinking of trouble to come across your gun in the grass by parking lot.

 

[pchewn]

@thorborg: My brother and I found a rifle laying next to a pile of rotting lumber in a vacant lot in LeMoore California about 1965 ... Was that yours?

 

[40calruler]

@thorborg: My brother and I found a rifle laying next to a pile of rotting lumber in a vacant lot in LeMoore California about 1965 ... Was that yours?

Was it bagged?

 

[thorborg]

@thorborg: My brother and I found a rifle laying next to a pile of rotting lumber in a vacant lot in LeMoore California about 1965 ... Was that yours?

That is 50 years ago, are you citing this as favorable odds? then you shouldn't leave the house as my brother in law was hit by lightening. I'm wondering just how many accidental finds there are juxtaposed to guns stolen from autos and homes? I'll place my bet on the auto's and homes.

 

[thorborg]

I'd say some need to get off their high horse.

The first time I hid a gun I was in Washington when I called up some friends who were headed to Vancouver BC for a concert I hid my gun by an easy to remember pole outside of town, no side street no path, no cameras no side walk mostly light woods and farm land around and anyone driving by wouldn't know I was doing anything more than taking a piss if they thought anything at all. Definitely not crossing the border with a gun or even bullets. I left my mag in my car in Washington and caught a ride with my friends into Vancouver BC. The next time was outside Indian head Casino Near warm springs. Again along the road in the middle of nowhere and just left the mag in my van. The only other time was before entering SEATAC Airport Washington but in an industrial area. Each time was extenuating, sporadic and unplanned events over a 10 year period.

That said, the sanctimonious and righteous among us know better than I (safely carrying daily for 45 years) so you kiddies thinking of leaving your gun in a school ground you better follow their advice and don't try this at home. However those who are caught between a rock and a hard spot and are able to size up their surroundings and use common sense, a zip lock on a rainy day may come in handy.

 

[40calruler]

That is because we do not leave our guns to be accidentally found....Also likely not many "finders" call the cops...Also kinda hard to explain to the cops "My gun was stolen out of that pile of grass in this public parking area".
Just saying you may want to think of a weighing the negatives that CAN happen when you do this. I let my kids out to play while their mom runs inside, I am a smoker who likes to wander around near the lot, Boss gets ticked at landscaper and tells them to go cut down the grass around the polls....List goes on and on. Yet in your car you only worry about someone breaking in. What sounds more likely?

 

[Velzey]

In this situation you did the right thing! I would have done the same! If they decided to search your vehicle you would prolly still be locked up now! They don't take it lightly when it comes to civi's with guns on base!

Next best thing would have been to head to the bowling alley, or somewhere that rents lockers. Field strip, and leave the frame in the locker!

 

[decklin]

I meant leave the gun with the guard.

They wouldn't take it and would still refuse you entrance.