Travelling with guns in a motorhome / campervan

When away from home for an extended holiday in a motorhome with firearms it's not possible to my way of thinking to avoid leaving them unattended in the vehicle.
There is no space for a safe or even a cupboard big enough that will take something of that length, that can be fitted with a lock in mine. The ammo and bolt can be locked away for one but the lever gun not so easy. I can hide them out of sight with a cable lock in the action but in the event the van was broken into and a firearm stolen even if not in an operational condition I may end up in a v-deep pile of trouble. What precautions do others take when travelling with guns ?

You could leave them with your friendly AO in each town you visit and carry them in a case every time you leave the van, I have the same problem tripping to my Bach, :ORLY:

Could you bolt/weld a small A cat safe to the chassis underneath, and waterproof it somehow? Also, an immobiliser/gps arrangement on the vehicle to make it harder to take the whole lot?

Perhaps even a capped length of 6" pipe instead of a safe for instance?

I like to visit places that don't have a town attached to them.

Been underneath, what with the water tank the grey water tank, fuel tank there is room for a pistol safe but thats likely to get me into more grief if the van got stolen. It does have an immobiliser.

There's a way. There always is. Some are just easier than others :thumbsup: What model of motor home is it?

Behind the drivers seat? :ORLY: John there must many firearms carried and stored in cars, motor homes etc, asked you AO? Either everybody breaks the law or they have a solution, or you take up knife throwing and a a bow.

I have a mate who is currently living in a caravan,
He has to chain them through the action to the caravan out of site.

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Originally Posted by Tommy

There's a way. There always is. Some are just easier than others :thumbsup: What model of motor home is it?

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It may be cheaper to get a break down rifle that the barrel and the stock can be stored separately and thus fit into smaller places. (Also an excuse to get another gun....)

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Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

The law needs to be amended. Technically a vehicle is a lockable container of stout construction. In this intance I feel the law makes it acceptable to break into a vehicle, but leaving a firearm in a locked vehicle is not.
The "powers that be" need to realise that not leaving a firearm in an unattended vehicle is not realistic.
An example would be; I drive on a hunting holiday to Stewart Island. I travel on my own. A trip of about 1500 km one way. Now somewhere along the way I'm going to have to stop for a crap. If I take my gun to the crapper with me I may well be charged with carrying a firearm with out proper cause/good reason or something similar. If I leave it in a vehicle I may be charged with leaving it in an unattended vehicle.
Our law makers need common sense guidence. What are the chances of that happening?

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I too have had this issue you mention. I thought about it and was curious to find out if "going to take a dump" could be considered a proper and lawful reason considering leaving it in the vehicle unattended was not supposed to be an option. I may have to have a quiet word to the local AO when I see him next.

I spoke with the local AO today he was ok with the ammo and bolt locked seperate to the guns and the immobilser.The guns to be locked away in a cabinet or box secured to the vehicle, or well hidden somewhere. I've found a space that can be closed in 1150mm x 420mm x 70mm that will hide two with some carefull construction. From what is on the net and other persons experience with there AO there seems there is no standard regulation and its open to interperation by the local AO.Mine did agree it is not practical to be with the vehicle or guns at all times.

You are technically screwed if you don't have firearms under your personal supervision if outside of suitable security at your personal dwelling.

You can be charged irrespective of the amount of security or effort you go to if you leave unattended in a motor vehicle. 7mmWSM is correct, the law needs to be changed. But it is unlikely that it will be.

You should make real efforts to secure and hide, but you shouldn't leave unattended other than for short periods, and certainly not overnight. Take firearms with you and keep close. You just have to hope that the Police won't screw you if something bad happens.

Legalities aside, and back to the physical security, one of these bad boys thru the floor would be a good start...

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09...1d782e26f0.jpg



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Ok so done a search and this old thread came up.

I'm not looking for opinions rather have facts, but has anyone actually lived in a motorhome for an extended period with a rifle?

Will find out who the local AO for this area and ask as well.

Possibly looking at a year on the road if we can get all our ducks to line up, if we can't it will be back to the drawing board.

Can't comment on what type of vehicle it will be yet as we are only just starting out on the idea.

@Happy Jack Yep Spent just over 3 yrs on & off travelling around Australia in our custom rig l built ,The Bush Pig.

Shot Sporting Clays & Skeet competitively in every state & hunted when ever we could everything from Quail to Sambar.Had a 4 gun safe under the bed.

We spent a lot of time away from the rig as we had the boat in tow & Dived/Spear fished/explored for days at a time off shore & would get into some very remote spots .

Bush Pig-

Attachment 185284

Nice rig bunji!

Mate is currently living here in NZ in a house truck. Has one of those two steel loop thingies bolted into an innocuous corner of the truck. Has had the FA officer approve it. All good.

@ XR500 Yeh it was a good set up for want we wanted to do ,the accommodation jacked off on stands for stand alone accom if you wanted ,you could then use a 12T winch to crank the boat or 3 quads & fuel onto the back deck & 4X4 into remote Beach launches & exploration .

That is in FNQ on the way to the tip of Cape York,we loved the life style,were only going to do it for a year ended up doing 3 yrs. :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by john m

I spoke with the local AO today he was ok with the ammo and bolt locked seperate to the guns and the immobilser.The guns to be locked away in a cabinet or box secured to the vehicle, or well hidden somewhere. I've found a space that can be closed in 1150mm x 420mm x 70mm that will hide two with some carefull construction. From what is on the net and other persons experience with there AO there seems there is no standard regulation and its open to interperation by the local AO.Mine did agree it is not practical to be with the vehicle or guns at all times.

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Interesting,
I'm hoping to do something in NZ that will include hunting and touring as a visiting international hunter.
Australian rules are similar
In fact there are no actual regulations regarding the carriage of bolt actions in rimfire/Centrefire and others classified as category a and b.
Semi autos etc have specific requirements , if you have genuine reason and appropriate licence category.

Hoping to travel across with 1 rifle, I figured a motor home would be acceptable to carry a firearm so long as I take precautions.

John, something else to consider is a take-down rifle like the Bergara BA13

It would be a shit load easier finding/building a hiding spot for that than a full length rifle.

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Originally Posted by Happy Jack

Ok so done a search and this old thread came up.

I'm not looking for opinions rather have facts, but has anyone actually lived in a motorhome for an extended period with a rifle?

Will find out who the local AO for this area and ask as well.

Possibly looking at a year on the road if we can get all our ducks to line up, if we can't it will be back to the drawing board.

Can't comment on what type of vehicle it will be yet as we are only just starting out on the idea.

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Even in Australia people have opinions and interpret things differently.
Firstly you hope nothing goes amiss, secondly you hope the police are more concerned about the offence of theft than as splitting hairs about the legality of transportation.
It's in the public interest to pursue the theif and return the firearm.

Am i technically breaking the law if my vehicle runs out of fuel and i have to refuel, leaving the rifle in the car while i go in to pay for it? :P

I am of the personal view ( and my view may be illegal under the law ) that if I stow my firearms in the vehicle in a manner that is equivalent to or exceeds the stowage security employed by NZ Police in vehicles I have done everything reasonably possible and should be OK, otherwise I could argue that the Police stowage is not adequate if it is considered that mine is not.

Your opinions don't matter. Outside of your approved permanent security at your home address, your firearms have to be under your personal control and supervision.

Any security that you provide that is not under your personal control and supervision outside of that does not meet the required legal standard. If your firearm goes walking, that is the measure by which your accountability will be enforced as a rule. Mitigation for effort and common sense may be applied but don't bank on it.

You are at the mercy of the individual police officers who consider the case.

'Cause remember: these new laws do not apply to the Govt institutions that themselves are equipped with firearms.

Almost every cop car has a firearms lockup in the boot. Love to be corrected, but from my understanding those firearms stay there, and I don't even know if they get signed over from constable to constable at the end/begining of each shift. So most of the cop cars you see parked up at the back of a cop shop have firearms secured inside the boot, in a lockup. A crim certainly won't get access to them with 5 min and a jimmy bar up his sleeve, but given time and an angle grinder most measures will succumb.

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Originally Posted by Sidney

Your opinions don't matter. Outside of your approved permanent security at your home address, your firearms have to be under your personal control and supervision.

Any security that you provide that is not under your personal control and supervision outside of that does not meet the required legal standard. If your firearm goes walking, that is the measure by which your accountability will be enforced as a rule. Mitigation for effort and common sense may be applied but don't bank on it.

You are at the mercy of the individual police officers who consider the case.

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@Sidney I am asking you to provide an educated / experienced guess to the following. Me - firearms in unattended vehicle stowed in Police equivalent lockbox. Police officer - You have broken the law. Me - I elect case to be heard by a Judge having taken all reasonable steps in the circumstances etc and exceeded the Polices own stowage requirements. Judge's findings - loss of firearms licence plus fine and conviction or hand slap and telling off ??

MH, your assumption that you and the police are under equal obligations w.r.t. firearms laws is the fatal flaw in your argument.

Police are not subject to the firearms legislation.

You are applying "common sense", the prosecutor and judge will be looking at the letter of the law...

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Originally Posted by JessicaChen

Am i technically breaking the law if my vehicle runs out of fuel and i have to refuel, leaving the rifle in the car while i go in to pay for it? :P

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Assuming your vehicle is on a service station forecourt.
Depends on how your rifle is secured in your vehicle and whether your vehicle is within your line of sight while you are paying for the fuel. Also how secure is any ammunition and the bolt for your rifle?
If you can see your vehicle at all times, as I understand it, you're not breaking the law.

Personally I take the do what is reasonably practical.
Firearms are concealed in vehicle when traveling, generally with luggage on top.
Ammunition is locked in a separate compartment.
Bolts are in a backpack that goes with me if/when I leave the vehicle.
I take the risk that I'll have to explain to a judge why I didn't completely follow the law and throw myself on the judge's mercy.

The law is an ass.
You're not meant to leave a firearm unattended in a vehicle.
So you're traveling and need to go into a bank.
Try carrying your firearm bag (soft or hard) with you into the bank.
They won't unlock the door(s) and nek minute the girls & boys in blue will come racing round the corner weapons drawn.

Funniest travel story.
One year on the way to the NRANZ nationals, at the tunnels near Kaikoura there's a fully kitted policeman, bushmaster flak jacket and all.
On the radio news it says they're chasing some guy with a "sniper rifle" and 30 rounds of ammunition !!!!
The poor guy being chased probably can't hit a barn at 100 yards.
Well don't look at me, in the ute are 3 FTR rifles, and 1200 rounds of ammunition which can hit at a 1000 yards. All good here officer.

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Originally Posted by bunji

@ XR500 Yeh it was a good set up for want we wanted to do ,the accommodation jacked off on stands for stand alone accom if you wanted ,you could then use a 12T winch to crank the boat or 3 quads & fuel onto the back deck & 4X4 into remote Beach launches & exploration .

That is in FNQ on the way to the tip of Cape York,we loved the life style,were only going to do it for a year ended up doing 3 yrs. :thumbsup:

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@bunji Nice rig mate and an enviable lifestyle but I have to warn you, you cant say jacked off on the forum. thats for another website :P

On another level, went to the nationals in WGTN one time for NZPA as it was called back then. Walked off the ferry in Picton all carrying our "brief cases".
We had a whole team of police at that bottom of the walkway........One of the club members was a very funny cop himself so he had sent them along just for a laugh. Once I got my undies sorted I thought it was funny too.

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Originally Posted by bunji

@ XR500 Yeh it was a good set up for want we wanted to do ,the accommodation jacked off on stands for stand alone accom if you wanted ,you could then use a 12T winch to crank the boat or 3 quads & fuel onto the back deck & 4X4 into remote Beach launches & exploration .

That is in FNQ on the way to the tip of Cape York,we loved the life style,were only going to do it for a year ended up doing 3 yrs. :thumbsup:

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@bunji, we did the South Island in our camper quite a few moons ago. Quite the minimalist approach, but we got anywhere we wanted to, and being up that high gave us a great view of the landscape passing us (slowly!) by;)

Attachment 185361

It's just as well police are not bound by firearms legislation, with the scenario last year where the copper chased a perp, while leaving the patrol vehicle unlocked, keys in ignition, 2 loaded Glocks in the car lock box, the key of which was on the ignition key ring...perp backtracks to police car on foot, drives off in patrol car, abandons car and decamps with 2 Glocks..OOOPPPSSS!

@XR500 Good One.That was one of the things l loved about our time building/touring in the Bush Pig ,you can do it without spending a Million bucks & a bit of ingenuity .

I built Bush Pig myself out of 2 non working 4X4 Bush Fire Tankers brought at auction ,one with a blown tranny & the other with a crushed cab from a branch fall. Swapped engine/tranny out as the rooted cab rig only had 78000klm on it & as l wanted the tray to be useable/write off for work so had designed a lift off accommodation pod to build myself ,when the caravan with damaged chassis from jack knife came up for bugger all ,so simply gutted & used it .

https://www.guncity.com/boston-secur...al-safe-375238

what about one of these under the bed?

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Originally Posted by Howa1500

https://www.guncity.com/boston-secur...al-safe-375238

what about one of these under the bed?

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Yep that's what I'm leaning towards and a separate ammo safe for ammo and bolt

Simplest solution is to carry a soft electric guitar bag around with you and whenever you go to the supermarket/take a crap/go to dinner you throw your rifle in the guitar bag and sling it over your shoulder. Anyone who asks the question, answer is "im travelling around the country in a camper with my guitar and I dont want to leave it unattended" The only downfall will be if you get someone into guitars who wants to see what you have.

I have done this a lot over the years, travelling on buses, ferrys and trains with zero problems. I would be making sure bolt and ammo were not with me.

Electric guitars are similar enough in weight/shape to an average rifle that it looks pretty convincing.