Post Office Parking Lot?

C

Caboclo

New member
If I go to the Post Office, can I legally leave my gun in my car in the parking lot? If so, does it have to be in a locked container inside the car, or just have the car itself locked?
 
gun left in car

The most responsible way to leave gun in car when it's a must, is to secure the gun in a small, thru floor mounted safe. I bought one thru Cabela's catalog, bolted it thru car floor in the space between driver and passanger. I would'nt leave the gun just in a locked car.
 
It is against Federal Law to have a firearm on Postal Property. The Post Office does not fall under Federal buildings. They have their own laws in the Federal Code.

Title 39 - Postal Service
Chapter I - United States Postal Service
Subchapter D - Organization and Administration
Part 232 - Conduct on Postal Property
232.1 - Conduct on Postal Property.
Paragraph L
(l) Weapons and explosives. No person while on postal property may carry firearms, other
dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives, either openly or concealed, or store the same on
postal property, except for official purposes.
 
It would seem to me that your car is exempt - like your home. I mean, a warrant is needed to search a vehicle (lacking probable cause, etc) just like a home, so I wouldn't be too concerned about it. In fact, a vehicle actually is some peoples home - is an RVer supposed to drop off his guns at the police station before mailing a letter? I see pick-up trucks in the Post Office parking lot with rifles and shotguns on racks in the window!

I wouldn't be concerned about it.
 
Are federal laws different outside Alaska? I've lived here quite a few years, but I saw plenty of pick ups with rifle racks down below when I lived there. Maybe things have changed, but my car is still my property and I'd just slip my gun out of sight before entering the post office, the court house, whatever.

Maybe that makes me a criminal?
 
While your vehicle is your property, once it is on Gov property it is a whole different issue. The probable cause threshold maybe much lower than you think as some statures have an implied consent feature once you voluntarily enter Gov property.
 
The Federal regulation is pretty dang self-explanatory:

(l) Weapons and explosives. No person while on postal property may carry firearms, other dangerous or deadly weapons, or explosives, either openly or concealed, or store the same on postal property, except for official purposes.

Store the same (meaning the firearms) on postal property means in the car in the parking lot. The firearm is still being stored on postal property, it doesn't matter if your car is wrapped around it. The question is not whether you will get caught or not. The question was whether it is illegal or not.
 
low profile

i have to agree with kodiack, most times the weapon stays with me .... unless i know there are metal detectors.
 
i have to agree with kodiack, most times the weapon stays with me .... unless i know there are metal detectors.
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I don't carry in places that prohibit guns. None of the shops or restaurants here prohibit guns, but if they did I'd honor that. I don't often carry in my little town anyway, but when I do and have to go to the PO or somewhere, I just leave my gun in the car. If that's a crime, then half the town are criminals judging by all the full gun racks sitting in the post office parking lot.
 
There was an employee at the main Baton Rouge post office who was a private investigator on the side. All properly licensed and trained. Came to work one day and had forgotten to take his weapon out. That was the day when they were checking every car that entered the employee lot. He was terminated immediately. We used to have a nut case at the little country post office where I worked that would come in every day to pick up his mail with a .38 stuck in his belt until I explained a few things to him. I held a commission for 16 years never brought a weapon to work.
 
Just remember it has to be postal property. If a post office is in a strip mall, the parking lot and surrounding walk areas are not postal property. Postal property starts when you enter the door.
 
AND if the post office is a little branch counter in a convenience store, the postal property doesn't even start until behind the counter. In that case, you can do business at the postal counter fully armed :D.
 
Post office near us was robbed a few months ago. Who knows, if not gun free, someone may have had a weapon and been able to help.
 
AND if the post office is a little branch counter in a convenience store, the postal property doesn't even start until behind the counter. In that case, you can do business at the postal counter fully armed
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Absoulutly I know of a grocery/deli/restaurant/hardware/lumber/auto/gas station/gun/fishin/post office store.:D
 
teeroux said:
Absoulutly I know of a grocery/deli/restaurant/hardware/lumber/auto/gas station/gun/fishin/post office store
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In Wyoming we call those places towns!

And if they have a church on one side and bar on the other, they get promoted to cities!
 
Originally Posted by teeroux
Absoulutly I know of a grocery/deli/restaurant/hardware/lumber/auto/gas station/gun/fishin/post office store

In Wyoming we call those places towns!

And if they have a church on one side and bar on the other, they get promoted to cities!
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Now thats funny,....................true but funny.
 
This subject has been explored many times on this and other forums. To date, no one can cite a case where a CHL holder was arrested, prosecuted, found guilty, and punished for having a legal weapon in a private vehicle parked in a post office parking lot while on official business such as mailing a damn letter.
If any one can cite such a case, please do so. In the meantime, don't spit on the sidewalk since there is more case law available regarding that "crime".
 
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I must be confused also.

The GCA says that a FFL can ship a firearm via USPS. It happens often and there is a USPS form to attest to that the FFL is shipping to an authorized person. In my town, I have to visit the PO to mail anything, not from home pickup,

So how is it illegal to have a gun on their property??
 
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