Keeping it legal bugging out

[Fishslayer]

The fires had me seriously pondering "What goes? What stays?" Yes, my safe is rated for an hour but dayum... those fires look like they get pretty hot.

Found one of these in my shed. I believe I got it at Home Depot. More robust than a Walmart crate. Dark color so you can't see inside. It has locking points on both ends so it should satisfy the "locked container" requirement. Home Depot also sells lock sets.

[speedrrracer]

Yeah, it's not a much-discussed topic, but it has serious ramifications. Bugging out because your house is about to burn down, your family needs you more than ever, and you get arrested?

There was a thread like this recently in the (more appropriate) survival forum, and the OP actually thought if he shot someone in self-defense while illegally carrying concealed during a bug-out the arresting officers would let him go under some "exemption" (his words). I kid you not...

While we all hope that in a stressful situation our LEOs will use their experience and training to exhibit extraordinary discretion, the fact is you're rolling dice on a bet you can't cover. A box as pictured in the OP is dirt cheap, will last decades, is highly practical and will keep you legal.

[Rider1k]

Remember Katrina? I suspect it would go down the same. If you have guns or are seen with them they will take them by force. If you are shooting you will be shot.

[Oceanbob]

The fires had me seriously pondering "What goes? What stays?" Yes, my safe is rated for an hour but dayum... those fires look like they get pretty hot.

Found one of these in my shed. I believe I got it at Home Depot. More robust than a Walmart crate. Dark color so you can't see inside. It has locking points on both ends so it should satisfy the "locked container" requirement. Home Depot also sells lock sets.

L]

Great idea!

These fires down south that 40,000 people have evacuated. Maybe more...

I wonder if any Cal Gunners are involved?

What to grab on the way out?

[Virus55]

Ugh I would be in a panic of which stays and what goes? Safe is also rated for an hour of fire.

[John Joseph]

(chuckles) It used to be illegal to transport a firearm inside a vehicle in California unless it was both unloaded and in full view.
My how times have changed!
So you legally want to evacuate a bunch of pistols? That should work, also a locking tool box, even a suitcase with locks I think would satisfy the need.
If you have to some behind, cache a locked metal gun vault inside your fireplace. If it can keep fire and heat in, it might keep fire and heat out.

[Murmur]

I had to evac on Wednesday. Still can't go home, but fortunately the fire never went down into our area.

Just went through this drill of packing valuables into the car. It was a pain locking my handguns in individual containers. I am going to get a plastic bin like OP has pictured above. That will make the process much easier in a time crunch.

[Tok36]

The fires had me seriously pondering "What goes? What stays?" Yes, my safe is rated for an hour but dayum... those fires look like they get pretty hot.

Found one of these in my shed. I believe I got it at Home Depot. More robust than a Walmart crate. Dark color so you can't see inside. It has locking points on both ends so it should satisfy the "locked container" requirement. Home Depot also sells lock sets.

It seams Master Lock has gone down hill over the years, might want to choose another lock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsJZ_kKjXcE

[sofbak]

Remember Katrina? I suspect it would go down the same. If you have guns or are seen with them they will take them by force. If you are shooting you will be shot.

Didn't happen that way in '07. I got an emergency evac reverse 911 call when the Witch Creek fire hit our neighborhood. Got the family up, started to pack, load, and get ready to go.

While loading the truck, 5 SD county sheriff deputies appeared at the entrance gate to our sub-division (about 50 yds from my driveway), but couldn't get it open. So they were hanging on the gate shouting at the top of their lungs "GET OUT NOW!!!!". I could see the fire front coming down a large hill about 3/4 mile east of us, so the situation was definitely time critical.

I got the gate transmitter out of my truck, waved them off the gate and opened it so they could get in. Then went back to loading the truck with wife, kids, cats, boxes of irreplaceable and important stuff.

Last thing I put in the truck was the Mossberg 500C "chopped" home defense stick. Not loaded, but 5 shells in the butt stock carrier. There was no place in the cab left for it out of sight. So I put it on the dash.

Rolled out of the driveway toward the gate, and the deputy directing traffic through the intersection sees it and points at it:

"Is that loaded?"

"No, and I'm praying hard it stays that way."

He waved me through the gate with no other comment.

[LT1Silverhawk]

Good topic. Might have to spend time this weekend doing an actual drill.


Just to add another option, I remember reading some survivalist blog a year or so ago and the author mentioned using one of these Stanley Job Boxes for throwing everything in and tossing it in the back of his vehicle. It is also lockable.


It was on sale a year ago and I posted about it here. Fellow members had good things to say.


It seems there is also a slightly smaller version (Stanley Mobile Chest) for $1.53 more. Probably the better option for smaller cars.

[dflanmod]

Take them all. lost all my guns in 07 wildfires.
Trust me, your fire rating on a safe means jack &&#/ if your house burns to the ground.

[Fritz265]

I have that same mobile chest for my bug out. Pack out gun and ammo stash and toss into the back of the van and go.

[Murmur]

Take them all. lost all my guns in 07 wildfires.
Trust me, your fire rating on a safe means jack &&#/ if your house burns to the ground.

Wow that really sucks.

[Rider1k]

Didn't happen that way in '07. I got an emergency evac reverse 911 call when the Witch Creek fire hit our neighborhood. Got the family up, started to pack, load, and get ready to go.

While loading the truck, 5 SD county sheriff deputies appeared at the entrance gate to our sub-division (about 50 yds from my driveway), but couldn't get it open. So they were hanging on the gate shouting at the top of their lungs "GET OUT NOW!!!!". I could see the fire front coming down a large hill about 3/4 mile east of us, so the situation was definitely time critical.

I got the gate transmitter out of my truck, waved them off the gate and opened it so they could get in. Then went back to loading the truck with wife, kids, cats, boxes of irreplaceable and important stuff.

Last thing I put in the truck was the Mossberg 500C "chopped" home defense stick. Not loaded, but 5 shells in the butt stock carrier. There was no place in the cab left for it out of sight. So I put it on the dash.

Rolled out of the driveway toward the gate, and the deputy directing traffic through the intersection sees it and points at it:

"Is that loaded?"

"No, and I'm praying hard it stays that way."

He waved me through the gate with no other comment.

That's how it should be.

[GimpsUnlimited]

Great idea, OP. I will have to keep an eye out for such a container.