Shotgun in a Van?

[GrayWhale]

Would you keep a shotgun in your van/home?  How about a .22LR rifle?  I'd rather look more like a sportsman/hunter rather than someone with a firearm for protection, even though it's mostly for self defense.

PROS: 

1. self defense
2. protection against dangerous animals such as bears, mountain lions, snakes, etc.
3. survival situation hunting
4. less legal hassles compared to handguns.
5. more effective than a .22LR rifle for survival and self defense.


CONS:

1. legality, have to avoid certain major cities where they are illegal.
2. big, heavy and bulky ammo.
3. big and heavy.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm a big fan of shotguns, especially for protection from animals like bears.  They are way more effective than any handgun.

However, It can be illegal to keep a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle.  It's the hunting laws.  There were some "hunters" who would cruise backroads, and as soon as they saw a deer, stop, jump out of their vehicle, and shoot it - or at least at it - from the road.  Completely illegal.  As a result of this, under the game laws, all rifles and shotguns used for hunting must be unloaded while being transported in a vehicle.

I'm not saying this is true everywhere, but it's certainly true in some places.  NY, for one example.

Regards
John

BTW, in a survival situation, a .22LR can be far more effective than a shotgun.  You are more likely to be shooting squirrels, rabbits, possums, raccoons, etc. than large animals like deer.

 

[LeeRevell]

Needs to be kept unloaded here in sunny Florida too.  Same reason, hunting regs.  I keep a long gun cased with ammo in a separate box or bag, JIC.  My handgun rides in the console box, loaded condition one, so the shotty or rifle isn't necessary for defense.

 

[wagoneer]

Kept a Mossberg pump unloaded on top of the window ledge in my old 1972 step van when I was re-entering the US from Mexico I was the chosen subject for search. Among other things I had a printing press and a bunch of flea market stuff. When they saw the old printing press red flagged me as a rebel rouser degenerate commie infiltrator and asked me what I was printing. after splainin my flea market history they asked if I had any firearms and told them exactly where the shotgun was they retrieved it and ran the serial it was registered to me to there dismay and lectured me about bringing guns into Mexico, 4 hours later I was buying some cowboy boots in El Paso this was 1982.

 

[highdesertranger]

I always carry a shotgun and a pistol, unloaded of course. I also avoid places that look down on this. however trying to wield a shotgun for self defense inside a vehicle would be almost impossible at best. highdesertranger

 

[buckwilk]

Making the decision own a firearm comes with heavy responsibilities and shouldn't be taken lightly. Before you do anything learn the laws where you abide and where you expect to travel. If you obtain a firearm, get professional training with the piece you own. Your brother in law may not be the best choice. For women, I suggest you don't ask relatives for help, rather go to a professional instructor. A few hours of instruction will cover all the bases and are inexpensive.

 

[TMG51]

Kept a Mossberg pump unloaded on top of the window ledge in my old 1972 step van when I was re-entering the US from Mexico I was the chosen subject for search. Among other things I had a printing press and a bunch of flea market stuff. When they saw the old printing press red flagged me as a rebel rouser degenerate commie infiltrator and asked me what I was printing. after splainin my flea market history they asked if I had any firearms and told them exactly where the shotgun was they retrieved it and ran the serial it was registered to me to there dismay and lectured me about bringing guns into Mexico, 4 hours later I was buying some cowboy boots in El Paso this was 1982.

Guns and the Mexican border aren't a good combination, that's why I don't travel with any. I don't think you'd make out as well trying the same thing today.

 

[BradKW]

What does "loaded condition one" mean?

 

[TMG51]

What does "loaded condition one" mean?

It means ready to shoot someone in the face!

   Condition 0 – A round is in the chamber, hammer cocked, and the safety is off.
   Condition 1 – known as “cocked and locked”, means a round is in the chamber, the hammer cocked, and the manual thumb safety on the side of the frame is applied.
   Condition 2 – A round is in the chamber and the hammer is down.
   Condition 3 – The chamber is empty and hammer down with a charged magazine in the gun.
   Condition 4 – The chamber is empty, hammer down and no magazine is in the gun.

 

[Raven+Squid]

A Taurus Judge handgun will fire .410 shotgun shells (I think three pellets of OO shot per .410 shell).
It's like a small shotgun.

 

[GotSmart]

Excuse me for not describing my home defense system.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yea, a shotgun will do a lot of things including great bear protection as well as home protection. No where in the USA are pump-shotguns illegal. Makes them easy to bring over state lines without too much worry, unlike handguns (although not illegal, there are a lot of different laws regarding the transport of a handgun in each state/county/city). While it is legal to carry a shotgun openly and loaded in just about anywhere in the USA, it just is not practical to carry such a large gun for personal protection outside the van. So, it protecting your SELF is the reason you are thinking of a gun, a handgun is the way to go. If protecting your HOME is the primary reason, I like shotguns for that.

The two things I would recommend taking the time to consider is..
1) You do have to keep it unloaded while in a vehicle (hunting laws) making it not-so-great for an "oh sh1t I need it now" type of weapon.
2) Can you move around in your van with a shotgun? You may need to rotate and move about very fast, can you?

 

[wagoneer]

without getting all H.O.C about guns it does not take a lot of doves to fill my belly anymore. Just cannot part with my over under Berreta 20 gauge "silver Snipe" and my service special. Unloaded the 44 mag carbine no more wild boar hunting for me.

 

[TMG51]

Excuse me for not describing my home defense system.

It's the cat, isn't it?

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I have loaded a Winchester 30/30 strapped to my doghouse, carry a mounted Ak47 that swivels in my table mount, a pop up grenade launcher on the roof, unloaded of course, during the day but just before I go to bed I load them along with glock 9 under my pillow, a magnum 57 strapped to my waste and can of bear spray in my pijamas pocket, all on code 7. The van is alarmed and I welded a 1/2" steel plates around my bed that are both bullet proof and add insulation, and keep the morning sun out. There are peep holes in the steel and four stealth cameras around the vehicle to see outside connected to four very bright spot lights along with sirens that I can operate from my control panel adjacent to my bed. I can see all the cameras on my monitors, from my bed. I usually don; t sleep much, I take cat naps and check all my cameras every five minutes from midnight to 6 am, the hours where most chrime happens. This works for me, no shotgun too many hunting laws around those.

 

[TMG51]

I have loaded a Winchester 30/30 strapped to my doghouse, carry a  mounted Ak47 that swivels in my table mount,  a pop up grenade launcher on the roof, unloaded of course, during the day but just before I go to bed I load them along with  glock 9 under my pillow, a magnum 57 strapped to my waste and can of bear spray in my pijamas pocket, all on code 7. The van is alarmed and I welded a 1/2" steel plates around my bed that are both bullet proof and add insulation, and keep the morning sun out.  There are peep holes in the steel and four stealth cameras around the vehicle to see outside connected to four very bright spot lights along with sirens that I can operate from my control panel adjacent to my bed. I can see all the cameras on my monitors, from my bed. I usually don; t sleep much, I take cat naps and check all my cameras every five minutes from midnight to 6 am, the hours where most chrime happens. This works for me, no shotgun too many hunting laws around those.

Mmmmm.... Delicious satire.

 

[LeeRevell]

What does "loaded condition one" mean?

Loaded, cocked and locked - requires only swiping the safety off to shoot.  Best way to carry the Colt M1911 series pistols.  NOT the way to carry most new pistols with no safety, like Glocks and such.

 

[BradKW]

I have loaded a Winchester 30/30 strapped to my doghouse, carry a  mounted Ak47 that swivels in my table mount,  a pop up grenade launcher on the roof, unloaded of course, during the day but just before I go to bed I load them along with  glock 9 under my pillow, a magnum 57 strapped to my waste and can of bear spray in my pijamas pocket, all on code 7. The van is alarmed and I welded a 1/2" steel plates around my bed that are both bullet proof and add insulation, and keep the morning sun out.  There are peep holes in the steel and four stealth cameras around the vehicle to see outside connected to four very bright spot lights along with sirens that I can operate from my control panel adjacent to my bed. I can see all the cameras on my monitors, from my bed. I usually don; t sleep much, I take cat naps and check all my cameras every five minutes from midnight to 6 am, the hours where most chrime happens. This works for me, no shotgun too many hunting laws around those.

Sounds like you may already have read it, but if not, definitely check out

 

[BradKW]

Sounds like you may already have read it, but if not, definitely check out

http://www.amazon.com/The-Perseid-C...?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=kinw_myk_ro_title

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I have loaded a Winchester 30/30 strapped to my doghouse, carry a  mounted Ak47 that swivels in my table mount,  a pop up grenade launcher on the roof, unloaded of course, during the day but just before I go to bed I load them along with  glock 9 under my pillow, a magnum 57 strapped to my waste and can of bear spray in my pijamas pocket, all on code 7. The van is alarmed and I welded a 1/2" steel plates around my bed that are both bullet proof and add insulation, and keep the morning sun out.  There are peep holes in the steel and four stealth cameras around the vehicle to see outside connected to four very bright spot lights along with sirens that I can operate from my control panel adjacent to my bed. I can see all the cameras on my monitors, from my bed. I usually don; t sleep much, I take cat naps and check all my cameras every five minutes from midnight to 6 am, the hours where most chrime happens. This works for me, no shotgun too many hunting laws around those.

Amateur.  You've got just enough to keep the Jehovah's Witnesses from bothering you, but you neglected to place any anti-aircraft guns on your roof for dealing with black helicopters.  You'll be easy meat when the FBI Ninjas come for you.