{"id":1471,"date":"2023-09-20T15:35:30","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T15:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1471"},"modified":"2023-09-20T15:35:30","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T15:35:30","slug":"tips-for-on-body-concealed-carry-in-a-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1471","title":{"rendered":"Tips for On-Body Concealed Carry in a Car"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Massad Ayoob<\/a><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s personal defense article, Massad Ayoob tackles on-body concealed carry in a car. If you carry a concealed weapon such as a firearm in your vehicle, Ayoob\u2019s insights can help you do it safely and more comfortably that you might have realized was possible.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Concealed carry of a firearm inside a car can be accomplished in many ways. Massad Ayoob offers his insight into how well several methods work. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

C<\/span>arjacking. Mobs attacking vehicles. Armed robbers on motorbikes at stoplights. Armed robbers posing as Uber, Lyft or taxi passengers. Today\u2019s motorists have a lot to potentially worry about.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, legal concealed carry has come a long way, and more good people than ever have the option to arm themselves against deadly criminal threats.<\/p>\n

Concealed Carry While Driving & State Laws<\/h2>\n

On long drives that may cross state lines, the first piece of advice I have for you is to visit the website www.handgunlaw.us<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"carrying\n<\/picture>
When carrying a weapon in your car, you need to understand the state laws where you are traveling. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gary Slider and his team at handgunlaw.us are in constant contact with each state\u2019s attorney general\u2019s office and are, in my opinion, the best, most up-to-date source I know of on things like carry permit reciprocity, permitless carry laws, ammunition, transport and related relevant issues. If you carry a concealed weapon, you should become familiar with this site.<\/p>\n

[Editor\u2019s note: At the time of publication, several states have some form of Constitutional Carry that eliminates the concealed carry permit requirement for self-defense. However, these laws vary widely from state to state. Some jurisdictions may impose greater restrictions on non-residents than they do on residents. Research the local laws \u2014 especially those about keeping a gun in your car and if you need a permit to avoid problems with law enforcement.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Keeping a Gun In Your Vehicle<\/h2>\n

Once you know the law, safely applying it is key. Certainly, one can have the gun secured in a glove box, console or lockbox under the seat. What you don\u2019t want is a loose gun under the seat or tucked into seat cushions. Sharp turns and emergency evasive movements can send the gun skidding anywhere.<\/p>\n

\"don't\n<\/picture>
A pistol stuck between the seats or a seat and the center console is a bad idea, for reasons explained by the author. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you only keep a gun concealed in the vehicle, what happens to it when you leave the car? Once you get out of the car, you\u2019re unarmed. Also, if the car is inadvertently unlocked and you\u2019re away from it, you\u2019ve left a weapon up for grabs.<\/p>\n

As someone who drives a lot between shooting and deadly force classes, I\u2019m convinced that the best place for a \u201ccar gun\u201d is on your physical person, so long as that\u2019s legal: it is at once readily accessible to you, and inaccessible to unauthorized hands.<\/p>\n

On-the-Person Options for the Car<\/h2>\n

Every concealed carry method has pros and cons. First, let\u2019s look at things to \u201cavoid like the plague\u201d when carrying a firearm in a vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"on\n<\/picture>
The author believes the best place to carry a gun in your car is on your body. Here he draws a pistol from a strong-side hip holster. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A middle of the back holster will become uncomfortable as hell when seated for long periods, whether you are driver or passenger, and will be all but inaccessible in an emergency.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t unholster and stuff the sidearm between seats or seat and console: emergency evasive tactics or emergency braking can bust it loose.<\/p>\n

It will also be visible to pedestrians or people seated higher in adjacent vehicles, who may panic and make \u201cman with a gun\u201d calls to 9-1-1. Whenever you have to move the gun between your person and glove box or console and back, someone may spot you with the same results.<\/p>\n

Concealed Carry Holster Options<\/h2>\n

Some makers have offered \u201ccounter carjack holsters,\u201d which put the gun in front of the opposite hip while seated. They are fast indeed, but are glaringly obvious when you step out of the vehicle at the store, and being sort of \u201copen carry\u201d are easily spotted by passersby.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are some additional methods to keep your gun on your person while operating a car.<\/p>\n

Hip Holsters for Car Carry<\/h3>\n

Hip holsters\u00a0<\/strong>are the most common method for concealed carry. Put it at about 3:30 if you\u2019re right-handed, 8:30 if southpaw.<\/p>\n

Bucket seats in particular may make the draw difficult, but sharply rocking your shoulders toward the side opposite the holster will usually give you the necessary range of movement. Make sure you pull your cover garment loose when you fasten your seat belt, or the garment will make the draw inaccessible.<\/p>\n

Can You Appendix Carry a Gun in a Car?<\/h3>\n

Appendix carry\u00a0<\/strong>is quite accessible while seated. You have to take care that the seat belt is not in a position to block access to the handgun.<\/p>\n

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Some worry that in a collision there may be soft tissue damage to the abdomen from carrying here. Remember that one hand may be on the wheel and you won\u2019t always be able to do the usual two-hand appendix clear-and-draw.<\/p>\n

Shoulder Holsters Are a Car Carry Option<\/h3>\n
\"shoulder\n<\/picture>
The shoulder holster requires a cover garment, but the gun can be quickly grabbed in an emergency. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shoulder holsters\u00a0<\/strong>are very fast, and the good ones are comfortable for long drives. The gun is accessible to either hand, too. The downside is that you have to keep a cover garment on when you\u2019re driving, and weather and temperature may make that impractical.<\/p>\n

Cross Draw Deserves Consideration<\/h3>\n

Cross-draw holsters\u00a0<\/strong>sit butt-forward on the hip opposite the gun hand and offer pretty much the same advantages as the shoulder rig for speed of access to a \u201cfighting-size\u201d handgun.<\/p>\n

\"cross\n<\/picture>
Cross-draw holds a pistol butt forward on the hip opposite the gun hand. With the car door closed, the pistol is concealed without a cover garment on long drives but remains accessible if needed. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just slip on a cover garment while still behind the wheel before you get out of the car to maintain discretion.<\/p>\n

[Be sure to read Massad Ayoob\u2019s article on the Secrets of Cross Draw for CCW<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Pros and Cons of Ankle Holsters in Vehicles<\/h3>\n
\"ankle\n<\/picture>
When stopped in a car and approached by a potential threat, a driver could surreptitiously reach for his defensive pistol in an ankle holster. Image:\u00a0Gail Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ankle holsters\u00a0<\/strong>are great from the seated position, and your hand can be on the gun when the suspicious person with hidden hands approaches your stopped vehicle. However, when you are out of the vehicle pumping gas at 3am, it\u2019s about the slowest draw possible from standing. It also limits you to a relatively small, harder-to-shoot-well handgun.<\/p>\n

Pocket Carry Possibilities<\/h3>\n

Pocket carry\u00a0<\/strong>allows you to discreetly have your hand right on the pocketed pistol when you\u2019re pumping gas at that filling station, but will be difficult to get at when you are seat-belted in the vehicle.<\/p>\n

Too Much or the Best Way to Car Carry?<\/h2>\n

Multiple guns can be a practical answer.<\/p>\n

Skilled firearms instructor David Kenik has been known to carry three. There\u2019s a fighting pistol in his preferred hip holster\u2026an ankle gun for when he\u2019s seat-belted behind the wheel\u2026and a pocket gun for when he\u2019s pumping fuel. When people ask him, \u201cWhy do you carry three guns?!?\u201d, David has the coolest possible answer:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cFour,\u201d he replies, \u201cwould be ostentatious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: How do you carry a weapon in your vehicle? Be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about this and every daily article, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!<\/em><\/p>\n

Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n

Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n

Featured in this article<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Handgunlaw.us <\/h3>\n


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By Massad Ayoob In today\u2019s personal defense article, Massad Ayoob tackles on-body concealed carry in a car. If you carry a concealed weapon such as a firearm in your vehicle, Ayoob\u2019s insights can help you do it safely and more comfortably that you might have realized was possible. Concealed carry of a firearm inside a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}