I live in California and was wondering about the storage of a gun within an R.V.. It seems to me that as long as you are moving, you must lock ammunition and gun separately (CA). My question involves what you can do once you stop and your R.V. becomes your home away from home. Can you then load the gun and keep it handy within the confines of the vehicle?
Keeping a Gun in an R.V.
- Thread starter Gary H
- Start date
Dennis Olson
New member
An RV is your home. Moving or not. Period.
hoosierboy
New member
Hey in indiana you can have open alchoholic beverages in an RV. In chicago pickup truck owners get RV plates for their trucks because trucks are not allowed on lake shore drive, but if you have an RV plate you can drive it there. Oh and you can drive with your open beer can too!
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MEMBER NRA, GOA, JPFO.
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MEMBER NRA, GOA, JPFO.
The issue with an RV is "domicile".
If the RV is your domicile for the weekend then that is your domicile. As I remember when I lived in CA you could have the firearm loaded and stored as long as it was not in reach of the driver. This may have changed so you'd better check. The CADoJ would be the best place to start (915 [Sacramento] area code as I remember) and you can get a copy of the CA vehicle code at any DMV office for about five bucks. One of the best bargains in a soft bound book in the nation. You'll never regret buying one.
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Gun Control: The proposition that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is more acceptable than allowing that same woman to defend herself with a firearm.
If the RV is your domicile for the weekend then that is your domicile. As I remember when I lived in CA you could have the firearm loaded and stored as long as it was not in reach of the driver. This may have changed so you'd better check. The CADoJ would be the best place to start (915 [Sacramento] area code as I remember) and you can get a copy of the CA vehicle code at any DMV office for about five bucks. One of the best bargains in a soft bound book in the nation. You'll never regret buying one.
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Gun Control: The proposition that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is more acceptable than allowing that same woman to defend herself with a firearm.
From the CRPA book, "Know Your California Gun Laws" --
Q. I drive a motor home. Can I keep a gun in that vehicle?
A. When driving a motor home, it is treated as a motor vehicle and you must transport your firearms as outlined above. When you are camping in your motor home, however, it may be treated as a "residence." The Penal Code Section 12031 prohibition against carrying a loaded firearms provides an exception for a temporary residence or campsite. Unfortunately, the terms "temporary residence" or "campsite" are not defined, so this is another legal "gray" area. If you have entered an established campground and hooked up, this should qualify as a temporary residence or campsite. If you have merely pulled into a highway rest stop to sleep a few hours, this is not likely to qualify. If you were prosecuted for having a loaded firearm in your motor home, the issue of whether you were at a temporary residence or campsite would be decided by a jury. One final word of caution on firearms in motor homes: public campgrounds may have additional legal restrictions on firearms. Check the rules beforehand!
To get your own copy of this booklet, join the CRPA. It's only $15 a year, and you don't have to be a California resident to join. http://www.crpa.org/
Q. I drive a motor home. Can I keep a gun in that vehicle?
A. When driving a motor home, it is treated as a motor vehicle and you must transport your firearms as outlined above. When you are camping in your motor home, however, it may be treated as a "residence." The Penal Code Section 12031 prohibition against carrying a loaded firearms provides an exception for a temporary residence or campsite. Unfortunately, the terms "temporary residence" or "campsite" are not defined, so this is another legal "gray" area. If you have entered an established campground and hooked up, this should qualify as a temporary residence or campsite. If you have merely pulled into a highway rest stop to sleep a few hours, this is not likely to qualify. If you were prosecuted for having a loaded firearm in your motor home, the issue of whether you were at a temporary residence or campsite would be decided by a jury. One final word of caution on firearms in motor homes: public campgrounds may have additional legal restrictions on firearms. Check the rules beforehand!
To get your own copy of this booklet, join the CRPA. It's only $15 a year, and you don't have to be a California resident to join. http://www.crpa.org/
Thanks Big Bear 
This question was asked of me by my father. He lives in Fullerton, just a few blocks from the CRPA. All of the talk after the MMM has made him think of owning a gun. I have a Sig Pro that was for sale and it seems that he will be buying it for home and RV defense. My mom use to be anti-gun, but Rosie, who she hates, has her engine running. She is joining the NRA.
This question was asked of me by my father. He lives in Fullerton, just a few blocks from the CRPA. All of the talk after the MMM has made him think of owning a gun. I have a Sig Pro that was for sale and it seems that he will be buying it for home and RV defense. My mom use to be anti-gun, but Rosie, who she hates, has her engine running. She is joining the NRA.
David Scott
New member
Laws vary from state to state, so you'd have to check with every locale you pass through. I suggest you're less likely to get in trouble with a long gun than a hand gun (an image thing), so a 12 gauge or one of Marlin's excellent lever-action carbines might pass unnoticed, especially if you have a hunting license with you (even if it's not hunting season, this shows you as a sportsman and not the aggressive nut case some bozos would assume).
My parents are full-time RVers and as such belong to an organization called Escapees based in Texas. This organizations allows then to register and license the RV in Texas and apply for renewals by mail. This is a plus if you are never in the same place come renewal time!
Anyway, to get to the point of this thread, my parents' RV gets a full exterior and interior search EVERY SINGLE TIME they cross into Canada. Dad asked why this was so and was told by the Canadian border agents "it is common knowlege that everbody in Texas carries a gun". My dad has his shotgun broken down and hidden well inside the nooks and crannies of the RV. They travel well off the beaten path and refuse to be victimized. He has fired the gun once when someone cut the power cord (generator cord)to the RV in the middle of the night out in the boonies. There were no other campers in the area so it had to be some perps with unlawful intent.
You have to be careful where you are at all times. The law cannot protect you at all times. Never allow yourself to be in 'condition white' when you are in unfamiliar surroundings.
To bew perfectly legal may cause you to be perfectly dead.
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Remember, just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you!
Anyway, to get to the point of this thread, my parents' RV gets a full exterior and interior search EVERY SINGLE TIME they cross into Canada. Dad asked why this was so and was told by the Canadian border agents "it is common knowlege that everbody in Texas carries a gun". My dad has his shotgun broken down and hidden well inside the nooks and crannies of the RV. They travel well off the beaten path and refuse to be victimized. He has fired the gun once when someone cut the power cord (generator cord)to the RV in the middle of the night out in the boonies. There were no other campers in the area so it had to be some perps with unlawful intent.
You have to be careful where you are at all times. The law cannot protect you at all times. Never allow yourself to be in 'condition white' when you are in unfamiliar surroundings.
To bew perfectly legal may cause you to be perfectly dead.
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Remember, just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you!