problem with gun in the car while at work

[dicion]

I was thinking about this driving home from work today...

I think the gel pack+cooler thing is asking for trouble with moisture condensing in the internals of your gun. Even stainless+polymer pistols have carbon steel springs and linkages internally.

Just my 2 cents worth...

Dry ice???

Condensation occurs when a surface is below the dew point of the surrounding air. The surface cools the air directly next to it, and as the air cools, it can no longer hold as much water as it can while warm. The water gathers together, and the droplets form on the surface of the object.

All day, while the gun is sitting inside the cooler, there will be no condensation, as the air in the cooler, and the gun are the same temperature. It is only once the gun is cold, and is hit by warmer, moist air, that it will condense

[CDH]

It is only once the gun is cold, and is hit by warmer, moist air, that it will condense

...which will happen every time you pull it out of the cooler, and therefore you will have condensation in your gun every day.

I gotta say that is a deal killer for me...YMMV of course.

[Liberty]

One way around this whole issue is plastic guns.. Plastic isn't anywhere near as uncomfortable as steel against the skin, and the holster can protect one from the hot steel.

Just a thought.

[glocklvr]

I just leave mine wedged between the driver seat and the center seat of my truck with a rag over it which meets the concealment criteria (LEO tested many times) If I have to make a stop on my way home I slide it into my waist band once I arrive at my destination because I don't like having the gun on me in the truck because the seat belt restricts access and my holster rides high on the side next to my body which prevents metal from touching skin

[NcongruNt]

One way around this whole issue is plastic guns.. Plastic isn't anywhere near as uncomfortable as steel against the skin, and the holster can protect one from the hot steel.

Just a thought.

The LCP is a plastic gun. You're not going to get around the fact that the slide is still going to be metal any way you do it, and that's the issue at hand here... the slide.

[mr.72]

The LCP is a plastic gun. You're not going to get around the fact that the slide is still going to be metal any way you do it, and that's the issue at hand here... the slide.

yeah it's the slide.

and of course I know that many things about my choices of mode of carry exacerbate this problem. I typically carry the LCP IWB with no holster, just the clip. So this puts the slide against my skin with nothing in between. If this was my Kahr in a holster it would be no problem with the heat, but of course arming and disarming in the car discreetly with that rig is not going to happen. That's the reason for the LCP. It's so small that I can easily transfer it from the bag to the belt without drawing much attention. If I had to switch to a holster rig to deal with the heat problem then I might as well not carry. If I wind up switching to off-body carry then I will probably just carry the Kahr in my messenger bag in a pocket holster but then I am stuck carrying that bag with me to lunch. It's just an issue of tradeoffs. The only good solution is for my company to change their policy.

[Purplehood]

That is the plus-side to those tiny auto's. My Micro Desert Eagle has a funky little pocket holster. When I stick it in my front pocket it looks like a big wallet. Of course, maybe that is not a plus...

[mr.72]

Well I'm strange in that I can't stand to have anything nearly that big in my pocket. I carry my (tiny) cell phone in my right front pocket, my (very thin) wallet in the left front pocket, guitar picks in my back pocket, and my keys go in the ignition, in my bag, or on my desk.

[03Lightningrocks]

Just curious about something. Do they x-ray you as you enter the building? Metal detectors???? If not, how in the world would they know you were carrying concealed???? Unless you told them you are armed or showed them the weapon, nobody would ever know you had it. If they ever did see it...it would be because you were saving somebodies life or your own and at that point who the heck cares??? Alive and unemployed beats dead and a employee of the month plaque any day of the week in my book.

[NcongruNt]

Just curious about something. Do they x-ray you as you enter the building? Metal detectors???? If not, how in the world would they know you were carrying concealed???? Unless you told them you are armed or showed them the weapon, nobody would ever know you had it. If they ever did see it...it would be because you were saving somebodies life or your own and at that point who the heck cares??? Alive and unemployed beats dead and a employee of the month plaque any day of the week in my book.

I don't know about Mr.72, but I was given specific verbal notice that my work buildings are off-limits.

[03Lightningrocks]

Just curious about something. Do they x-ray you as you enter the building? Metal detectors???? If not, how in the world would they know you were carrying concealed???? Unless you told them you are armed or showed them the weapon, nobody would ever know you had it. If they ever did see it...it would be because you were saving somebodies life or your own and at that point who the heck cares??? Alive and unemployed beats dead and a employee of the month plaque any day of the week in my book.

I don't know about Mr.72, but I was given specific verbal notice that my work buildings are off-limits.

So I ask you, how would anyone know you are carrying concealed? It would be no different than if they required everyone to wear pink panties. If they never checked, they would have no way of knowing.

The only time they would know you were carrying concealed would be if you had to draw your weapon to stop a nut cracker from killing you. At that point, who cares if they fire you. You wouldn't want to work there after that anyway.

For the teetotalers I ask...do you always drive the speed limit? I mean ALWAYS. Do you ever do a rolling right hand turn on a red light?...I mean ever! Do you folks ever take a few minutes longer for lunch than you should??? I mean ever! Ever spend any time at the office doing something other than work while on the clock? I don't get why this rule is any different than any of the other rules broken 50 times a day at the office.

NOBODY around me knows I carry concealed...well other than my immediate family. NOBODY in my business relationships know it and they are not any more likely to see my handgun than they are to see my underwear.

[Greybeard]

Ok, I'm prepared to be told to ditch the tin foil hat ... But seriously, you might want to try using some type of aluminum foil to protect the gun and/or its carrier from radiant heat. Whether the kind used to wrap baked potatoes or one of the commercially produced products like those placed in windshieds, as long as the alumiunum foil is adjacent to an air space, it will prevent objects from absorbing radiant heat emitted by adjacent (hot) objects.

[03Lightningrocks]

Ok, I'm prepared to be told to ditch the tin foil hat ... But seriously, you might want to try using some type of aluminum foil to protect the gun and/or its carrier from radiant heat. Whether the kind used to wrap baked potatoes or one of the commercially produced products like those placed in windshieds, as long as the alumiunum foil is adjacent to an air space, it will prevent objects from absorbing radiant heat emitted by adjacent (hot) objects.

That will not do anything to keep the gun from getting hot. I assume he isn't leaving the handgun on the dash board. Heat will always move from hot to cold. No amount of aluminum foil will keep the gun from attaining the same temperature as the surrounding space in the vehicle. Now what might help is a windshield visors to keep the radiant heat from getting through the windshield. I use one of those on occasion(when I remember to set it up) and my truck always stays just a little cooler inside than when I don't use it.

[mr.72]

my gun's in the trunk. no solar gain causing this problem.

And FWIW there are certainly many cases besides needing to use your gun at work in which you might be discovered. Some of them are not under your direct control. Given the current economy and jobs situation for many of us in the tech sector I would think that keeping one's gainful employment weighs heavy against the chances of needing your gun while at work.

[03Lightningrocks]

my gun's in the trunk. no solar gain causing this problem.

And FWIW there are certainly many cases besides needing to use your gun at work in which you might be discovered. Some of them are not under your direct control. Given the current economy and jobs situation for many of us in the tech sector I would think that keeping one's gainful employment weighs heavy against the chances of needing your gun while at work.

If you don't mind me asking, what situations might get a person discovered?