Transport question

[pwall]

Would it be legal for me to transport a handgun in a locked suitcase in my front passenger seat, unloaded, with a few loaded clips in the same locked suitcase?

[hoffmang]

Yes. Some call this poor man's CA CCW.

-Gene

[pwall]

Excellent...(Montgomery Burns accent)

[pwall]

if I get pulled over, and the cop sees the suitcase, and asks whats inside it, and I tell him a gun legally being transported unloaded, and he asks to look inside it, am i required to let him? or do I tell him to get a warrant? or is my telling him a gun is in there probable cause for him to not need a warrant?

[Linh]

Yeah he can see it to make sure the gun is safe.

[hoffmang]

I would suggest using a case that doesn't say "gun" on it and if he asks what's in it you say machine parts.

-Gene

[hawk1]

if I get pulled over, and the cop sees the suitcase, and asks whats inside it, and I tell him a gun legally being transported unloaded, and he asks to look inside it, am i required to let him? or do I tell him to get a warrant? or is my telling him a gun is in there probable cause for him to not need a warrant?

Tell him, "I have nothing illegal in this car". If he continues to ask keep giving him that same answer. If he asks to look inside tell him "NO, you will need a search warrant to do that". Now he has to decide what he's going to do.

[rivviepop]

...or, you could be cool about it and start talking guns with him. LEO are people too, they get all excited when they find another gun enthusiast who wants to chat about stuff in my experience. Even when I'm not "with gun" and run into an officer, depending on his demeanor I might strike up a chat "so how do you like carrying that P225 all day, does it start to drag after a few hours? I've never carried, so..." or something.

There's a lot to be said for just being amicable, more times than not you stay out of trouble easier by being a nice guy. "Do you have a gun in that suitcase sir?" "yes, I do! It's a Kimber Pro Carry II, I had a sweet trigger job done on it last year, would you like to see it? It's unloaded officer, I'd be happy to let you check it out - maybe you'll want one of your own, they're great guns."

$0.02.

[Fate]

"What's in the suitcase?" queried the officer.

Driver smiles. (only sound audible is crickets chirping).

"Am I free to go?"

[JTROKS]

What rivvie said.

I will probably never carry a gun like that in my car, but it will be interesting to answer, "Nothing but my BVDs and SWPC for tay"
How about one of these lines?
- That's a nice gat you got there officer, but it's not better than my for tay.
- Ooooo... cool gun, my 45 makes bigger holes than that.
- I'm an IPSC grandmaster, I can draw and hit a target at 15 yards in under a second. Can you do that?
- You got 15 rounds in there too? Same as mine, but mine is stoked with armor piercing boolets.

joking aside. Yup! LEOs are people too, they can have a good day or a bad day.

[hoffmang]

"Machine parts" should be said:

<besg>Machine Parts</besg>

-Gene

[USN CHIEF]

Is this a Male of Female police officer?

[SONYEXEC]

Back in the days [early 80s] I was a LA Co Sheriff's explorer scout for 4 years which allowed me to go on 8 hr ride-alongs in a radio car. I was always amazed at how people that had something "illegal" in their car always gave permission for a search. I think they were just calling the officer's bluff and unless you looked like a banker just getting off work - your car would be searched. I mean you just gave them the green light so why wouldn't they.

Anywho, asserting your right doesn't mean you're being a Dik head to the cop, it's your right - you know, that all these soldiers died and are dieing for? I don't mean you should sound like a jerk when asserting your right but there's a nice way to say it. As a matter of fact, I think it should be the reverse, if you assert your right and the cop becomes a jerk well he/she should be reminded of the blood shed to protect citizens from illegal searches.

Well that's my personal policy - never consent to a search regardless of the situation.

[SONYEXEC]

PS - I use these instead of a suitcase

http://www.center-of-mass.com/

[Ironchef]

I believe an unloaded handgun in plain view, on the passenger or back seat is no crime, but you'll get a nervous cop and a 12031 search and be told to lock it in a box. I could swear I heard that from a local cop teaching a self defense and firearms class. Lee? You were there. You remember that? FUD?

I know a rifle in plain view is no crime for sure (unloaded of course).