Is a car gun safe the best way to transport your gun in your car?
Millions of Americans drive with guns in their cars every day. Unfortunately, criminals target parked vehicles as a source of stolen firearms to use in other crimes or sell. There are solutions, of course. Owners can invest in a car gun safe and lock their weapons away. However, leaving your gun in a car-mounted safe might not be the best option for safety and security.
A car gun safe is an effective way to secure your firearm in your vehicle, but it might not be the best option
If you insist on storing your firearm in your car, a car gun safe is one of the safest options. By design, a gun safe is more difficult to defeat than a factory-installed compartment like a glove box or armrest storage. Many safes use mechanical buttons, electronic keypads, or thumbprint scanners to deny access to malicious parties and allow quick access for owners.
What’s more, some gun safes accommodate fasteners like bolts and cable locks. In addition to removable units, center console gun safes can obscure and secure a small firearm like a handgun without changing the appearance of a car’s interior. Still, a locking box isn’t necessarily the best means to secure your firearm from criminals.
In short, the best way to secure your firearm as a driver is to keep it with you. When you park your vehicle and depart, you should take your weapon. Any gun you leave in your car, truck, SUV, or minivan is vulnerable to theft. You can move your firearm from its retrievable placement to a bag or safe to transport it to your destination.
For gun owners who practice concealed carry, you can transport your gun from your car in an inner-waistband (IWB) or similar holster. However, leaving your gun in your car unattended invites the possibility of theft. If you must leave your firearm in your vehicle, make sure it is out-of-sight, locked up, and your vehicle is locked.
Unfortunately, parked and unattended vehicles are a popular source of firearms for criminals. Thieves stole guns three times as often in 2024 as in the previous decade, per AP News. Tragically, many of these guns go on to feature in deadly crimes like gang activity and armed robbery.
