Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Lets get this out in the open first; <br>This thread is not a gun debate. If you do not agree with guns, please just move on to another thread and leave this one to serve it's purpose of education. The below information was being discussed in a different thread. I was asked to compile it all under a single thread specific to the subject, so it can be more easily found, read, and used by all.<br><br><br>First, some facts about our safety on the road as RV'ers:<br>- Statistically, you are much safer today then you were 10 years ago. Violent crime is significantly down across the USA since the mid 90's<br>- Statistically, you are in much more danger of a violent crime in major metro areas than in rural areas. Read: Go camping!<br>- Statistically, you are many times more likely to be injured or die from an automobile accident, then being killed by a violent attacked in the USA.<br>By no means is carrying a weapon a requirement to being safe. It is an OPTION and one not meant for everyone. Many (Most?) people will lead their entire life without a single violent encounter and never needing a weapon to protect themselves. Statistically, you are extremely safe without a weapon at all. If you believe you do not need one, by all means follow your own beliefs.<br><br>However, statistics wont help you if you ARE attacked. You would be wise to have plans in place to maximize your chances. Getting out of the major metro areas is a huge step in the right direction. Being prepared to drive off in haste each and every night is another. Having a self defense weapon of one type or another is also another, but very much a personal choice. However, carrying a weapon of any type is a huge responsibility. You must be trained in both the 'use of' and the 'legalities of' using any weapon. Only carry a weapon if you have training and are willing to accept those responsibilities. <br><br>A few more things to consider;<br>- RV'ers do not have an address that appears on the 911 operators screen when you dial 911<br>- RV'ers may be camping well outside a city, and it's protective police force.<br>- In major metro areas, the average response time for the police to arrive after dialing 911 was 11-12 minutes. <br>- Police response times in rural areas reach as much as 1 hour! Where do you camp?<br>- How often do you know your address where you camp?<br>- How often do you camp in a location without a cell signal?<br><br><br><br>Q - Can you carry a gun in my vehicle for self defense?<br>Carrying a gun in your vehicle is not necessarily illegal (obviously you must know each state's laws). Surely, no one here is recommending any form of illegal carrying of a gun. Even though we live on the fringes of society, I have never gotten the sense that any of us wish to break those laws of society, especially ones of such huge importance. With that said, yes you can carry a gun 100% legally by researching the laws and following them. Millions of people across this country do legally carry weapons on their body and in their vehicles every day, but be sure to research each state's laws. Carrying Firearms in your Car or RV without a Permit/Licensehttp://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USRVCarCarry.pdf<br><br>Some states consider your vehicle (and RV) a literal extension of your "home" and you are given all the same rights in it as if you were in your own home, including the right to have a firearm. Most states across the country are pretty safe to carry a gun on you or in your vehicle (check your state laws!), especially the ones here in the West. Many allow a loaded gun carried in your vehicle (check your state laws!). <br><br>You may think it is rare that someone has a gun on them in this day and age, but you would be amazed how many actually do; As of 2010 there was an estimated 6 million conceal-carry permits issued in the USA (2% of the population), and that has certainly increased in the past 3 years thanks to Sandy Hook and Aurora, CO. This does not include all those who open-carry without the need for a conceal-carry permit. It would be easy to estimate at least 10 million people (and more) in this country LEGALLY have a gun on their hip on any given day. To put that into perspective, if walk or drive down the street, out of every 100 people you pass by, roughly 4 are "packing heat". The little animated map on this wiki page shows just how gun-friendly our states have become over the recent years. It is getting easier to carry as gun, not harder... and it is certainly legal to do so within the law, (check your state laws!)<br><br><br><br>Q - Can a (loaded) gun be transported in a vehicle?<br>While it may be unsafe to tranport a loaded gun, it is not necessarily illegal. It can still be within the law to transport a loaded gun, depending on the state you are in (verify each State's laws). Long-guns are much more restricted in this sense (more often they can not be transport loaded) but this has more to do with hunting-laws (they do not want you hunting from your vehicle, so this was an easy way to control that), not necessarily anti-gun-laws.<br><br>Handguns are much more widely accepted as being loaded at all times and allowed to be transported that way by law. Carrying a handgun for protection that is not loaded and 'chambered' is a useless handgun (akin to carrying a spare tire without air in it). Most state laws recognize that and allow loaded and chambered handguns in your vehicle (again, check each state's laws before doing so please). Some states allow transportation THROUGH the state (such as on an Interstate highway) to be governed by Federal law (usually less restrictive) and not State law, but again... you need to verify this first, for each and every state you plan to drive in or through.<br><br>Transport of unloaded guns (with ammunition locked and in a separate compartment than the gun) is legal in every state (check your state laws!).<br><br>I regularly use commercial airlines and fly with my gun in checked-in luggage (check with your airport, you may need to declare the gun before boarding).<br><br><br><br>Q - What about going to a range or other shooting activity?<br>If you are not carrying a gun for your immediate personal protection, it should, for safety reasons, be unloaded when transporting it to a range for practice. Showing up to a range with a loaded gun may not be smart, but may also not be against any law. Each range has their own rules, just call ahead of time. One range allows me to carry my loaded, holstered, handgun without a second look. Another will not allow me a holstered gun (loaded or not) at all. These are not laws, just private business restrictions. If in doubt, leave the guns locked in the vehicle and walk into the range and ask the range master. <br><br><br><br>Q - Can you get a permit to carry a concealed gun if you do not have a permanent address?<br>I do not believe so, but a permit is not required to open-carry a gun in many states. Here is a great map that shows all the states in which you can open carry, many without a permit (hence no need of perm address).<br><br><br><br>Q - What does it take to get a conceal carry permit?<br>Each state has their own requirements, ranging from no requirements at all , to some very long hours of training and hundreds of dollars in fees, and a permit in one state may not necessarily be honored in another. It is ironic that a driver's license (a privilege) is honored in all 50 states, while a gun permit (a right protected by our Constitution) is not. At any rate, USACarry.com is a great place to start to learn what is needed for your home state.<br><br>Some states do not require a permit to carry concealed: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Vermont and Wyoming allow residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. More and more states are adopting this type of non-permit system. <br><br>Q - Will a handgun help protect me against a bear?<br>Most people would agree that a handgun against a bear is nothing more than throwing a rock at it... boy saves his siblings from bear attack by throwing rock. If a rock can be effective, so can a handgun. The Alaska Dept of Fish and Game recommends "Select a gun that will stop a bear (12-gauge shotgun or .300 mag rifle) and practice firing it at a rifle range." and "If a bear approaches your campsite aggressively chase it away. Make noise with pots and pans, throw rocks, and if needed, hit the bear." No government agency is going to recommend that the average person start shooting at every bear they see, but if they are saying rocks and hitting a bear is effective, handgun bullets surely can potentially be effective too, yes? Still, you are best to avoid the bear all together.<br><br><br><br>Q - What about non-lethal weapons?<br>There are numerous self defense weapons that are non, or less, lethal than a gun. From pepper-spray to tazers... each will have their own regulations and laws for each state. Some are more regulated than carrying an actual gun. All are less effective than a gun in the hands of a well trained person, but are still options to consider. However, pepper-spray has a very short range and tazers have a range of only your arm's reach. It is widely accepted in the community of concealed-carry-permit-holders and Police Officers that a knife wielding bad guy within 21 feet of you has a very good chance to inflict fatal damage to you before you can draw and fire your gun. 21 feet! <br><br><br><br>Q - Some say to carry wasp-spray for self defense...<br>http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/wasp_spray.htm<br>"U.S. residents tempted to avail themselves of this Internet-recommended self-defense option by stockpiling wasp spray would do well consider that federal law prohibits the use of any pesticide "in a manner inconsistent with its labeling" (such as self defense). Likewise, some states forbid carrying substances for self-protection that aren't specifically authorized for that purpose."<br><br>So, either get a weapon intended for self defense or do not carry one at all. And please read up on the laws before carrying anything in self defense. Proper use of a gun in self defense is within the law, use of bug spray in self defense will get you arrested, thrown in jail, and then likely sued by the guy who attacked you. <br><br><br><br>Q - What happens to me if I have to use a gun for self defense?<br>It depends on each state's laws, but for the most part you are innocent until proven guilty. If you had to use a gun in self defense, you should expect to be cuffed, gun taken away, and at the very least spend the day being interviewed... at the least. You should most certainly exercise your right not speak without an attorney, and hire a good attorney right away, no matter if you feel completely justified in the shoot.<br><br>Obviously, you should take time out of your life beforehand to train and train and train for such a situation. Law abiding citizens who choose to carry a gun spend a lot of time and money to take classes, not just on the actual act of shooting but also on the legal aspects of carrying and possibly using a lethal weapon. <br><br>In some states (like my Colorado), your vehicle is a literal extension of your house. Anyone who breaks into your "house" can be assumed they are meaning to do harm and/or kill, and you may defend yourself with lethal force. In other states you may have a more difficult time staying out of jail, but if it was a legitimate self-defense shoot you will be going home thanks to a good attorney. <br><br><br><br><span id="post_message_1278671292"><span id="post_message_1278670381"><strong style="line-height: 16px;">Q - If I choose to carry a gun will I be more likely to die a violent death than if I don't carry such a weapon?<br></strong></span></span><a href="/post/show_single_post?pid=1278671292&postcount=7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span id="post_message_1278671292"><span id="post_message_1278670381">See post #7 below</span></span></a><br><br><br><br><strong>Q - What about traveling to Mexico or Canada with guns?</strong><br><span id="post_message_1278671683">I believe Mexico is a "no guns" country. I would NOT travel to Mexico with a gun, or even a single bullet, in my possession.<br><br>Canada, although they have more gun-restrictions, it is actually quite possible to bring your legally owned guns into Canada (I was just looking into this last night, as I will be going into Canada in a few months). Long guns are not restricted much there, so simply declaring them at the border is about all I see that you have to do. Hand guns are much more restricted and you have to get a permit from the country. If the gun fits within their laws, they will give you a permit to travel THROUGH the country with your handgun (properly stored, by their laws). Unfortunately I see that any small handguns (smaller than 4" barrell) is never allowed in the country, so this will prevent most smaller conceal-carry type handguns. </span><span id="post_message_1278671683"><span id="post_message_1278671683">The border areas also have places you can safely store your weapons so they stay in the USA while you visit Canada. More info at </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://canada.usembassy.gov/traveling_to_canada/bringing-weapons-into-canada.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://canada.usembassy.gov/traveling_to_canada/bringing-weapons-into-canada.html</a></span><br><br id="post_message_1278671683"></span><br><strong>Q- What kind of firearm should I carry to protect myself?</strong><br>There are three primary types of gun, each has it's own strengths an weaknesses. Which one you choose to purchase and carry depends on what you are trying to accomplish.<br><br><strong>Handguns</strong> are best used for "personal" protection. Literally, to protect your person. They are easily carried on you, to protect you anywhere you may go (within the laws). Handguns are of value in tight quarters, such as in a RV or house. They have a very limited range... really only good out to about 30 feet before accuracy suffers. Most handgun 'battles' happen within 10 feet (the size of a room) and are multiple shots fired and often requiring multiple hits to stop an attacker.<br><br><strong>Shotguns</strong> are great bird and rodent hunting guns. They are also ideal "home" protection guns for a few reasons; 1) Shotguns "spray" many small bullets so you do not have to be a marksman to hit your target, 2) Some shotgun ammunition will lose speed very quickly, so not to penetrate through multiple walls in your home (you do not want to shoot your own family), and 3) shotguns are good for close-quarters an medium-range encounters up to 100 feet or more, and 4) with the right ammo, one hit will stop just about any human or animal attackers.<br><br>Shotguns are a lot longer than a handgun making it more difficult to maneuver in tight spaces, and obviously you will not be carrying a shotgun downtown to go shopping (although it is not illegal to do so). <br><br><strong>Rifles</strong> are best for hunting large game and/or long-range protection. They are the least effective for personal protection but the only ones that can protect you from attackers 100 meters out and beyond. Rifle bullets carry the biggest "punch" and will likely stop any attacker with a single (well placed) hit. However, shooting a rifle at long range requires a lot of practice and training. Being off target by millimeters on the sights will equate to meters off target at the target. Rifles also tend to have a very limited number of bullets that can be fired before having to reload the gun (with the exception of 'assault-style' rifles that can have magazines of 30, 40, and even 100+ bullets at a time)<br><br>Again, rifles are a lot longer than handguns. Although it is still legal to carry a rifle downtown in most states they do tend to weigh a lot more so carrying them downtown may not be as feasible as a handgun.<br><br><strong>So which should you consider?</strong><br>An able-bodied person who wishes to go through all the processes of applying for a permit to carry a gun, may want to consider a small handgun. You can protect your home and your person with it quite effectively with proper training. It can go with you to the bank, store, movies, doctors, etc... keeping you protected at all times. However, you must concern yourself with your stray bullets that do not hit your target. Handgun bullets can travel hundreds-and-hundreds of yards and still be fatal, so you need to be very sure that you will hit your target.<br><br>Revolvers are "bullet proof" (pun intended) meaning they require little to no maintenance for years and years. You can load it, leave it in a drawer, and it is trustworthy that you can pick it up a decade later and it will work. There are very few moving parts making it "fool proof" as well. The only raw back is the limited number of bullets a revolver holds (5-6 is the norm). Semi-auto handguns are a bit more complicated and require constant maintenance. However, some are smaller, thinner, and lighter than revolvers making them easier to carry and conceal. They also have magazines that can hold up to 20 at a time depending on the make/model. Handguns require a lot of hand-eye coordination and good arm and wrist muscles. Small framed or elderly may have issues with a large handgun.<br><br>For the less skilled people, less able, or folks with minor eye problems, a shotgun can be a very effective protection tool. You can literally fire it from the hip and be close enough to your target to do the job. They do not require extra permits or training to own in most states and are much less restricted by state and federal laws. You can fire a shotgun without *as much* worry about where the bullet is going to go if you miss your target. The pellets in the shell lose velocity pretty quickly and by 100 yards their lethality is questionable (with correct shells). They do have a limited number of shells that can be held within the gun itself, but as I said above, one hit will do the job. Shotguns come in a variety of common calibers (4, 12, 20, and 410 gauges) with the lower numbers meaning more powerful, but all are very effective. Shotguns are cheap and so are the shells. You can also buy less or non-lethal bullets for shotguns including salt-rock, rubber, and bean-bag shots (state laws may or may not allow those).<br><br>Rifles are for highly trained and/or hunters. My opinion is that they have very limited use for self or home protection. They can still be used of course, but I would grab for the handgun or shotgun well before a rifle... unless I had 100 meters between myself and the attacker and flight is not an option (this is movie material, hardly going to come up in real life). Although I own a rifle, it stays locked up until I go hunting.<br><br><br><br><br><strong>Resources</strong><br>http://www.handgunlaw.us/<br>http://www.usacarry.com<br>http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_carry_permit_information.html<br>http://www.opencarry.org/<br>http://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/state-laws.aspx<br>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_by_state<br>http://www.cdc.gov/<br>http://www.fbi.gov/<br><br><br><br><br>PS - By all means, if you have something to add (not debate) please do so. More than anything, I'd like to be accurate with the information so others are not mislead.<br><br>Thank you for keeping it civil<br><br><br>
