Planning on a road trip - advice on taking gun with me?

[23 Blast]

I'm planning a road trip to Northern California and possibly to the Oregon border. Just wondering what advice you all can give me on taking a gun with me.

[packnrat]

YES!

one should always have a pistol and ammo close by.
a cased unloaded with plenty of ammo rifle, sks fits the bill great.






.

[MP301]

Yes. Never travel without a gun. You can have it and not need it and its no big deal, but if you need it and dont have it, you are screwed sideways...Just LUCC and your good to go.

[23 Blast]

Sorry, what does LUCC mean? I understand about keeping it in a locked case, but does my backpack with a combo lock on the zipper count?

If I get stopped by a cop and he asks if I have a weapon in the vehicle, what's the proper protocol?

[loudninja]

if i was stopped by the police and they asked me if i have a weapon in the vehicle, ill take the fifth. and that is not probable cause for searching my vehicle.

[Mad Scotsman]

LUCC means locked unloaded concealed carry and no the backpack doesn't count, wait don't quote me yet, looking, Penal Code section 12025 the firearm is within a motor vehicle and it is locked in the vehicle's trunk or in a locked container in the vehicle other than the utility or glove compartment. So someone else chime in about the backpack. If everything else is legal (firearm) there's no reason to worry about LEO. I would be honest.

[ZOMBIEHUNTER]

I take a shotgun on trips.In my opinion its a little more L.E. friendly then a pistol or rifle.

[23 Blast]

I take a shotgun on trips.In my opinion its a little more L.E. friendly then a pistol or rifle.

Really? I was planning on bringing my revolver, but I have a shotgun too. Why would a shotgun be somehow less threatening than a pistol or rifle? Also, what sort of container for a long gun like the shotgun? If I were to bring the shotgun, I'd prefer to carry it in a soft-sided bag that wasn't immediately obvious as a gun case.

[alex00]

I'm not sure there are any particular types of guns that are more LE friendly. If you run into one of us that is anti, the type of gun won't lessen the hassle you go through. For a roadtrip, I would prefer a handgun, over a long gun, and semi over a revolver. You can more easily transport the handgun to your hotel room, destination, etc. A shotgun would be nice, but quickly loading and presenting it in a time of need will take substantially longer than an auto or revolver with speed loaders. The benefit of surprise is there with a handgun too. It will be apparent to anyone that you are retrieving and loading a shotgun. Without practice it may be difficult to load and present the shotgun/long gun while still seated in the vehicle. Since it's generally illegal to carry loaded, the next best thing is being able to load quickly.

Most zippered gun cases with a lock are generally accepted as "secure". I don't see why your backpack would be any different. Just find a nice combo lock that you can easily manipulate under stress.

[JDay]

LUCC means locked unloaded concealed carry and no the backpack doesn't count, wait don't quote me yet, looking, Penal Code section 12025 the firearm is within a motor vehicle and it is locked in the vehicle's trunk or in a locked container in the vehicle other than the utility or glove compartment. So someone else chime in about the backpack. If everything else is legal (firearm) there's no reason to worry about LEO. I would be honest.

CA PC 12025 applies to concealed handguns only. Long guns are not considered to be concealable.

(a) A person is guilty of carrying a concealed firearm when
he or she does any of the following:
(1) Carries concealed within any vehicle which is under his or her
control or direction any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable
of being concealed upon the person.

[Greg-Dawg]

Bring all your guns and make them visible.

Duh, don't.

[23 Blast]

So what's an acceptable way to carry the magazines? (Loaded magazines)

obviously separate from the gun, but do they likewise need to be in a locked container?

[GrizzlyGuy]

Sorry, what does LUCC mean? I understand about keeping it in a locked case, but does my backpack with a combo lock on the zipper count?

If I get stopped by a cop and he asks if I have a weapon in the vehicle, what's the proper protocol?

Yes, a backpack with a combo lock is OK if it locks the zipper tight enough so that you can't insert your fingers through the gap and manipulate the firearm. While in the car, you'll be using the carry exemption in 12026.1 and it defines a locked container thusly (and the same definition applies in other areas of the penal code when it talks about locked containers):

(c) As used in this section, "locked container" means a secure
container which is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, key lock,
combination lock, or similar locking device.

LUCC (Locked Unloaded Concealed Carry) is legal, even while you are on foot. You can read more about it here and here.

If you are stopped by a LEO, this is what I recommend you do.

This info from the FAQ would also be good to know: Where/when are some places/times that I CAN NOT HAVE A FIREARM?

[GrizzlyGuy]

So what's an acceptable way to carry the magazines? (Loaded magazines)

obviously separate from the gun, but do they likewise need to be in a locked container?

It is best to place them in a locked container (which can be the same locked container that the firearm is in).

What you don't want to do is to conceal a loaded filled magazine unless it is in a locked container, or the firearm is not in your possession. There is some case law (People v. Hale) that suggests doing so would put you at risk of getting charged for having a concealed weapon.

ETA: I'm assuming the case of a handgun. Long guns aren't concealable by definition in the law, so a long gun and/or it's filled magazine could be "concealed" and it wouldn't matter. Unfilled magazines can be concealed, even if they are for a handgun.

[23 Blast]

Okay - so it's okay to have the handgun and the filled magazines in the same locked container (like my padlocked backpack) as long as one of the filled magazines is not inserted into the magazine well of the pistol?