Is carrying an AR 15 in your car Legal? Right? or just Wrong

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Doug.38PR

Moderator
This is a forum set up for everyone from this thread http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203892&page=2
or otherwise who wants to voice pro and con why carrying an AR in a metropolitan area is a good or bad idea

I think it is 1) legal 2) a good backup idea 3) inconvenient so I wouldn't do it that often if ever, 4) I don't worry too much about what police "might think" while using it as if it ever came to that my life would in danger from some heavily armed or armored bad guy as would theirs. Their attention would more than likely be focused on the real danger. I cite the 1960s Austin Sniper incident as just one example. I think it is just as valid an example today as it was backin 2006. Even the police officer who eventually nailed the sniper agrees with this view and says so in his autobiography.
Any policeman who might prejudge me as a threat and treat me as such, I will deal with when and if I come to it. I feel sorry for him, as he does more to promote the us vs. them attitude.
BUT I am likely never to come to it as I will probably never even need my handgun.
 
Legal+yes

But it depends on why, I got the impression from the other thread that some wanted to carry them for defense incase they get into a firefight. A civilian needing an AR15 for defense while driving a car?
I am sorry but some of the statements in the other thread sounded like a person wanting to be John Wayne a little too much and maybe all there ducks are NOT in a row. Does that mean it wrong, again it depends on the reason and attitude. If it’s just for defense and the aria is dangerous enough, first I would stay away but if I couldn’t I would carry one.
But I think a shotgun would be a better choice.
 
It may be legal in many areas but it is kind of dumb if you ask me.

(Nobody asked you Meek.):rolleyes:

Well anyway this is my 2 cents worth.

If you make a habit of carrying an expensive gun around with you in an urban area you have mostly yourself to blame when you end up having to fill out a police report for a stolen gun which is worth more than a lot of people's monthly paycheck.

More directly related to your question:
Legalities are one thing but my opinion that paying the money to hire an attorney to defend you from whatever charges the local gendarmes decide to levy against you to hassle you is another.
 
I occasionally carry my AR unloaded (as my state's law requires) in my vehicle, but only when I'm in a rural area. Carrying an AR around in your vehicle for self-defense, particularly in an urban area, is, in my opinion, a bad idea.
 
Note in the other post (and here) I hold that I WOULD ALMOST NEVER DO THIS simply because it is inconvenient. But who knows, there might be a day when the "Terror Alert" is on it's highest level and the government expects Islamic insurrection breakouts all over the U.S. in Jihad. Or their might be some unexpected moment when a rifle is needed (again I cite the UT Tower incident in Austin). This is not an attempt to be John Wayne. This is just an attempt to avoid being a helpless victim depending on someone else to protect them and being able to take care of yourself.
Realistically, if you are in a serious firefight with bullets flying all over the place...why would you NOT want the best weapon available? (Should this unlikely event ever occur)
 
Legal or Illegal Depends on the State; Right or Wrong Just Depends

In Florida, assuming you don't go anywhere where guns are prohibited (which may be harder than you think) it's "legal" (as long as it is transported in compliance with state law). Now, that may not prevent you from taking a trip down to the local county jail until someone sorts out the mess or your wife bails your out. And, all states have different laws so what's legal in Florida could be (and probably is) very illegal in California.

But, is it a right? Sure, I guess. As long as you have the gun for lawful purposes, there's nothing wrong with it.

Is it smart? What in the world would you really need an AR for in your car? Don't get me wrong, I often carry a handgun in my car; but and AR? The way I see it, the handgun is for personal protection in case I get car-jacked, robbed, or the car breaks down on an empty stretch of highway late at night. The only way I would ever use the handgun would be if all avenues of escape are cut off. That means up close and personal. And probably either carrying concealed with a permit (e.g. sitting outside my car waiting for a tow truck) or sitting inside my car. An AR would not help in either situation. Probably do more harm than good.

And for urban combat a la North Hollywood bank robbery or University of Texas bell tower shooter, that's why they pay the SWAT guys the big bucks. Frankly, you'd be a fool to carry an AR around and get into that fight.
 
Frankly, you'd be a fool to carry an AR around and get into that fight.
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You mean like those men (non-cops) who kept the sniper pinned down with their rifles making it more difficult to shoot at people below in the UT Tower incident? (an urban downtown area btw.) It takes time, sometimes lots of time, for the swat team to arrive.

Look, I'm with you all when you say that you will likely NEVER EVER need it and carrying it is mostly a wasted effort. I am with you when you say the handgun is up close and personal and that is all you will ever have to do (if even that, you are probably NEVER going to need that either) BUT, what is the harm in carrying one if the need should arise. Certainly can't hurt you.

In fact, I THINK (someone correct me if I am wrong) but in my manner of carrying it, unloaded and locked under the seat with the magazine shut up in the glove compartment, I think that is legal in most northern states like Indiana and Illinois. I'm told that if you are traveling in those states, guns have to be locked away in two separate compartments...well that is essentially how I personally would be carrying.

It's just a way of expecting the unexpected.

Arguing that you should not do it because you will never need it is the same argument anti-gun people make about carrying handguns. "You won't ever need the handgun, besides you have a better chance to get away than you do using a handgun. Besides also you can get into legal trouble if you ever use it." I had a friend argue exactly that (which echos a lot of the objections voiced in not carrying an AR-15 in the car)
 
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Is it legal? Depends on local law. Is it "wrong?" IMO, no. Is it okay? IMO, yes.

I would not leave it in an unattended car, though - maybe I would, if it were locked in the trunk out of sight and the car had a really good alarm system.

Or you could always go to a music store and get one of those padded soft-sided guitar cases that has "IBANEZ" emblazoned on the side and bring it with you in that so you did not have to leave it in the car.

Personally, I don't feel the need to carry an AR-15 in my car; my 1911 gives me a secure feeling.
 
Or you could always go to a music store and get one of those padded soft-sided guitar cases that has "IBANEZ" emblazoned on the side and bring it with you in that so you did not have to leave it in the car.
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LOL!!! Reminds me of those gangster movies from the 30s and 40s where goons pack Tommy guns or "choppers" in violin cases. Remember Star Trek: First Contact when Picard as Dixon Hill (Humprey Bogart, Sam Spade or Phillip Marlow character) takes one from a thug at a night club in the holodeck to hose down two Borg following him.:D
 
is it legal to carry an AR in your car ? probably, if it is locked in the trunk and ammo is seperate (some states vary)

Is it wrong ? No

would I do it? No

Problem is that the original thread started as a simple enough question about ammo, Correct?

It was initially answered by a couple of folks that were under the mistaken assumption that you were LE

When it was pointed out that you were not a LEO the whole premise changed. Folks from both sides gave you opinions about the "wiseness" of using an AR in an urban setting, and the possible consequences such as overpenetration, etc.

You then took it to a whole different level by adding your diatribe about how grateful some retired Texas LEO was to have armed citizens show up and save his bacon back in the day.

Some of us then tried to convince you that that kind of thinking in the Modern world would be "problematic" in that you most likely would not be quite as appreciated as the "Good ole Boys" were.

You mean like those men (non-cops) who kept the sniper pinned down with their rifles making it more difficult to shoot at people below in the UT Tower incident? (an urban downtown area btw.) It takes time, sometimes lots of time, for the swat team to arrive.
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In 1960- something, in Texas, yes It did play that way, but in Modern urban areas, the police response will be only seconds, and most vehicles will be well equipped to handle the situation, Further, if you show up with your AR, You will likely be, at the least,slammed to the ground, and worst- case shot by LE outright. There are TWO questions you are trying to tie together with this historic gunfight. one does not work well with the other.

Any policeman who might prejudge me as a threat and treat me as such, I will deal with when and if I come to it. I feel sorry for him, as he does more to promote the us vs. them attitude
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In a sustained firefight, if you are not LE then you ARE "THEM" This is why we have trained, uniformed badge carrying , sworn officers, that is their job, they ain't got time to do anything but "prejudge" you in a crisis situation, and when they do it's gonna be bad juju for you. please explain to me why you cannot get this thru to yourself ?

I think you missed the original point entirely, Not one person said that you could not carry your AR in your vehicle legally, provided you have met the critera mandated by your locale.

So, the short answer is, Carry what you feel you need to feel safe, carry it in the prescribed legal manner, and be happy.
And if a firefight breaks out, Drive like hell AWAY from it.
 
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You then took it to a whole different level by adding your diatribe about how grateful some retired Texas LEO was to have armed citizens show up and save his bacon back in the day
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I said that a police officer (currently active, young, and during a traffic stop just the other day) simply commented on his own upon my having to show him my CHL that I should just keep it holstered and it is fine with him, adding "who knows one of us might need your help some day" indicating that he was all for citizens carrying guns as an all 'round good and healthy thing for everyone, cops and citizens alike.

I also said that former officer, Texas Ranger and Judge Ray Martinez give a lot of credit to there being armed citizens back in the day of the UT tower incident. Pretty reputable source I'd say. http://www.rangerray.net/ray.asp


I also said that several LEOs (who are active duty as well) at one thread or another agree with the need for citizens to be armed in such extreme circumstances

Some of us then tried to convince you that that kind of thinking in the Modernworld would be "problematic" in that you most likely would not be quite as appreciated as the "Good ole Boys" were.
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Again, Austin was a metropolitan area and hence that metropolitan area police department appreciated the efforts of the armed citizens with long guns returning the sniper's fire.
I know y'all keep saying it is legal (in most given places), I am arguing that regardless of what the local PD may think in the "modern world" my life and safety as well as those around me are more important in the here and now than what some politican or DA might think frowing on an armed citizen. As long as I am legal they can grip about it all they want. Also, I am not too concerned with what a policeman "might" think during the heat of being shot at. Odds are he is going to be concerned with the felon shooting at him not at men in plain cloths shooting at the bad guy or guys. Again, I am not aware of any men who were shot by the Austin PD just because of the fact they were armed. If they had enough common sense then then I hope that the average cop in the middle of the situation (regardless of what some deskhugging supervisor told him in some training or public policy course) isn't going to be terribly worried about a man or group of men shooting at a threat.

But all of this is involving a desperate situation which it is a choice between my either not carrying one and being a victim (who may not be able to retreat) or carrying and help preserve my life and maybe even those around me risking only what a cop MIGHT think or do because it is the year 2006. I choose the latter. As long as I am legal, I feel I am okay. Whether some policeman doesn't like it is something I will deal with when and if it comes to that.

If it comes down to my life or PC appearances, I choose my life....and I have a hunch, if you were pinned down in a parkinglot with bullets zipping by you and through cars...you would wish you had an effective arm to shoot back with rather than wondering what's taking the SWAT team so long.

This is going a little farther back in time, but it was armed citizens who kept the terrorist John Brown and his followers bottled up in a firehouse at Harper's Ferry Virginia until the...well SWAT team of Marines lead by Col. Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant J.E.B. Stewart arrived to batter down the door and take the renegades with unloaded rifles and bayonets (there were hostages which is why rifles were unloaded)

I prefer the Good o'l boy method of returning fire rather than the flip-flop wearing pseudo sophisticate urbanite preppy method of wetting your pants, running and dialing 911 on the cell while taking a bullet in the back.
 
In answering if it is a good idea or not to have an AR15 in your vehicle would depend what part of the region you are in and what would make it necessary to carry a rifle in your vehicle.

You may look at some city dweller and say that an AR15 or any other rifle in back of his vehicle is a bit too much and not necessary if he has a CCW on him to defend him self against an attacker.
A guy who lives up in the woods where there may be some dangerous wildlife where he wants something more for protection wouldn't seem too odd to have a rifle in back of his truck.
There is more of the chance of your vehicle along with your AR15 getting stolen in the city more than you would even need that AR15. There is more of a chance that some guy out in the woods may need his rifle against a dangerous animal than there is that someone will steal his vehicle along with his rifle

Since I spend most of my time in populated areas, I don't usually have a rifle in my vehicle. When I do, it is during times where I have a close watch on my vehicle at all times.

Now if there was a major terrorist SHTF situation happening in our neighborhoods then, yeah, I'll have an AR15 in my vehicle at all times, if not on my own person if I could get away with it, and much more along with that.
 
Maybe Legal, consider this

In Florida during the 90's, we had something called the I-295 Sniper. They had National Guardsmen posted on the hi-way to stop him/them.
I was picking my girlfriend up from Jacksonville, FL going to Orange Park, FL. We heard a noise that sounded like a wheel weight had slung off of a rim and hit the chassis. It wasn't until the next day that I discovered a bullet had glanced off of the roof of the car, from the rear, just behind my head.
I had a good tactical rifle, but it would have done me no good, as I never saw the shooter or his position, or heard the shot.
 
I think a lot of you guys are thinking like the Democrats: "you can, but the cops are paid to do this kind of job....the SWAT guys are being paid to do this type of work."

But legally cops are not liable for your personal safety, as recent case rulings have show. If I had the money for an AR and lived in a free state I would carry it in the car.

And cops can't always be there. Remember in New ORleans where thugs called 911 to divert police attention? there are only that many LE personels and beyond that everyone's on their own. I carry a handgun in my car at all times and if I was asked, I just came from an ourdoor ange. If the laws where I live is reasonable enough for me to do so, I would do t.
 
Legal? Probably.

Right or wrong? Irrelevant/who cares.

A good idea. Probably not.


Look, if you're going to carry around an AR15 in your trunk in case of something as unlikely as getting caught in a major shootout where your CCW isn't going to cut it, I'd expect you'd have all the bases covered for situations that are just as, if not more likely, than that. For example:

umbrella
shovel
blankets
jack & spare tire
antifreeze
jumper cables
dry gas
motor oil
towing chain
spare clothes
boots
food/MREs
bulletproof vest
gas mask & enough filters for a day or two
fire extinguisher
first aid kit
well stocked tool kit
drinking water
flare gun and flares
firestarter & fuel for a fire
axe/machette
heavy work gloves
sand or road salt
inflatable life raft & paddle
toilet paper (in case you get caught up Crap's Creek without the above)
condoms (never know when you might get attacked by the Hooters Jihad)
case of beer/bottle of JD (see above)
Bible
 
Shaggy nailed it. Can we PLEASE close this thread now? Seems to me everyone is just in this for the fight. If I only remembered to pack my Cyber AK...
 
It seems to me if you are only carrying it in your vehicle, while within the law in my state, should a life threatening situation arise involving an armed assailant, it would be wiser to: press the accelerator, becoming a moving target at least, and get out of range, rather than: stop, dig for ammo, charge your weapon, leave the only cover and concealment you have, and go looking for the person shooting at you. Decision one gives you a good chance for survival. Decision two makes you a stationary target, and potential threat, with no knowledge as to the position of his adversary. The vibe I am getting is that you feel a need to be a hero and save others from someone who has gone postal. You have to look at the odds of being present during such an event. You are also preparing for a single disastrous and unlikely scenario. I doubt you have prepared as well for things like food shortage, water contamination, loss of power, fuel, and the like, which are far more likely. If your aim is to serve others, it's a noble and selfless thing. Perhaps you might get some satisfaction from volunteering at a hospital or homeless shelter.
 
I think a lot of you guys are thinking like the Democrats: "you can, but the cops are paid to do this kind of job....the SWAT guys are being paid to do this type of work."

But legally cops are not liable for your personal safety, as recent case rulings have show. If I had the money for an AR and lived in a free state I would carry it in the car.

And cops can't always be there. Remember in New ORleans where thugs called 911 to divert police attention? there are only that many LE personels and beyond that everyone's on their own. I carry a handgun in my car at all times and if I was asked, I just came from an ourdoor ange. If the laws where I live is reasonable enough for me to do so, I would do t.
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EXACTLY!!!
Thanks CALNRA!!!! Glad to see someone in here is seeing beyond "what the police 'might' think in 2006." ;)

TX Ranger,
You're right, that is the preferred move BUT that is not always an option, what if the streets are jammed up with traffic or something (makes the AR handy to have around).
 
Check your state's (including FL) hunting regulations. Chances are, carrying a loaded rifle in your car is illegal.

There were no SWAT teams when the Austin event happened. I believe it was because of that event that SWAT teams were organized and trained.

I don't depend on the police to protect me; I do that myself. I also don't depend on anybody else to think for me. I trust my judgment NOT to carry an AR around in my vehicle in metro areas.
 
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