Thread: Firearm Storage Requirements

If me and my mate go to the range we usually stop for a snack at the hippy supermarket in Kumeu, we take turns going in or one of us lurks in the shade watching the car. Imagine some dropkick with your gun, imagine having to make that call to the police... Fuck that.

As far as the E visit goes, I'm not a holder myself. The lower is the actual 'E' part? How long does it take to break down and pack into a small bag to take with you? You've jumped through some hoops to get the license, why not make a roll/bag/case for the important bits or something?

Originally Posted by Cyclops

I have a hard case for an A cat rifle. The case gets padlocked and locked to a heavy chain which is in turn locked to attachment points in the vehicle.
Bolt and ammunition stored separately. Bolt taken with me when I leave the vehicle. Locked case taken indoors where I am staying.

I generally do the same thing, though with an alarmed cable lock rather than a chain and if I'm not using a hard case I thread the cable through the action. Also have those little action padlock things which live on the rifles when they aren't in use - might not stop a determined thief for too long, but for the small effort it takes I may as well put off any potential opportunists as well as covering them up and locking the car (which also has an alarm). Almost sounds a bit over the top now!

At a friends bach we used to stay in when shooting there was no gun safe, but there was a table made of solid 3-4" thick timber which we chained the guns to the supports of, that seemed safe enough.

All A-Cat though, not sure about any specific E-Cat requirements.

It's just another one of our horrible laws which is open to interpretation. I think I would much rather leave my gun in the car (no bolt) than walk into a shop with a gun even if it's broken down and in a backpack, imagine if some thing happened in the shop and someone searched your bag.....criminal intend comes to mind. No no officer I just didn't want to leave my gun in the car.
I'm still a big fan of, I shouldn't have to lock my car, house or anything.... if it's not yours don't fu#kin touch it, I know this isn't real life anymore but I still like to work on a handshake and a man's word.
As far as a gun goes being left at your in laws with no safe, if you have removed the bolt and taken it with you and the worst happens and someone steels the gun they are still buggered for a while until they get a new bolt.
Isn't our gun safety at home more to insure children don't get access?

Yeah, love to see what the police would say if they caught you with an AR in your backpack.
I remember this question coming up at my mountain safety course and what the guys there suggested is that bolt hidden and gun locked in the car is sufficient.
Problem with our gun laws is that it's EXTREMELY open to interpretation and we need to push for all these things to be laid out plain as daylight, almost every situation explained, there's nothing worse for locking up law abiding citizens than confusing legislation.
Another problem being is they made this legislation very open ended on purpose so they can use it how they see fit.

Originally Posted by Cyclops

The Arms Codes says "Licence holders must take reasonable steps to secure firearms against theft." and "Never leaving your firearm in an unattended vehicle."

The second statement is very impractical. It would mean that you carried your firearm into the petrol station when paying for fuel or café when getting a coffee.

No.

If you choose to visit a petrol station with your firearm in your vehicle it's up to you to take all reasonable steps against theft.

Its your choice to visit a petrol station. Or a bank. Or a supermarket with your firearm. Because you want to go to these places.

No one is forcing you to take your firearm with you when you choose to visit these places.

You choose.

And you choose to accept the consequences of your actions. Because you're an adult.

It works for everyone, whether it's an A cat sitting in the vehicle, or an E cat tucked in the boot.

As to the OP, if you want to use an E cat, store in E cat suitable security. B Cat has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Police, designed for shooters who travel with with pistol but I've yet to met a B cat owner who leaves their pistol unlocked in a bag, in an unlocked car. Dunno, maybe I just don't circulate in the same circle of people of people who just throw their firearms into a car for shits 'n giggles...

Originally Posted by Kscott

No.

If you choose to visit a petrol station with your firearm in your vehicle it's up to you to take all reasonable steps against theft.

Its your choice to visit a petrol station. Or a bank. Or a supermarket with your firearm. Because you want to go to these places.

No one is forcing you to take your firearm with you when you choose to visit these places.

You choose.

And you choose to accept the consequences of your actions. Because you're an adult.

It works for everyone, whether it's an A cat sitting in the vehicle, or an E cat tucked in the boot.

As to the OP, if you want to use an E cat, store in E cat suitable security. B Cat has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Police, designed for shooters who travel with with pistol but I've yet to met a B cat owner who leaves their pistol unlocked in a bag, in an unlocked car. Dunno, maybe I just don't circulate in the same circle of people of people who just throw their firearms into a car for shits 'n giggles...

Thats the way I interperet it, I drive to where Im shooting and I drive back and lock up my firearms if Im by myself. If I am with others then they can go in while I wait in the vehicle.

Originally Posted by Kscott

Its your choice to visit a petrol station.

I dunno, you might be going hunting somewhere that is far enough away from home that you need to refuel on the way. Not much choice about stopping at a petrol station then is there.

Well to be pedantic, which the law is, yes you've made the choice to do that. Problem is the law, and people, can't be predicted for every possible set of circumstances.

Leaving a firearm unattended in a car, especially unlocked, in a public area is simply a no no. It would be no different to leaving it on the dining room table in a mates house while you're out the back having a barbi.

To sum it up.

Time, place, circumstance.

Wow people over analyse, use simple common sense.

People look too far into things and complain that it's open to interpretation, no it's actually pretty simple.

Well said, people can never be predicted for every set of circumstances. Ever. Go spend a late shift out in an I car and see what I mean.

Originally Posted by Kscott

Leaving a firearm unattended in a car, especially unlocked, in a public area is simply a no no. It would be no different to leaving it on the dining room table in a mates house while you're out the back having a barbi.

I wouldn't leave the car unlocked with firearms in it anywhere unless I'm in or right by the car, but I'm more than happy to go inside a petrol station with firearms out of sight inside a locked, alarmed car.

Most of them have big windows that you can see the car from anyway, so really its more like leaving it under a bed in a house with all the doors locked and a burglar alarm set, while you're outside having a barbie and looking through the window.

Originally Posted by Savage1

Wow people over analyse, use simple common sense.

People look too far into things and complain that it's open to interpretation, no it's actually pretty simple.

You come here say people do this that, have nothing to actually contribute, why are you here?

Locks only keep honest people out, in a car or house they count for jack shit. Hidden from sight to prevent the opportunist, locked to slow down semi determined but if a determined thief knows something is there and he wants it, its only a matter of time before he gets it I think

Sent from my workbench

Originally Posted by Jexla

You come here say people do this that, have nothing to actually contribute, why are you here?

You know Savage is a cop, right?

Personally I follow KScott and Cyclops' level of security which I think is reasonable
The rule I follow for B-cat is go straight to the range and straight back unless I'm going to a gunsmith.

Maybe I'm a bit too secret squirrel but I like to load firearms into and out of my vehicle in the privacy of my garage without nosy neighbours looking.

It's either that or pretend I'm carrying a bass guitar in the hard case - girls like guitarists..