Since you are not interested in a holster discussion, let me answer your question and offer a simple suggestion. Day or night, if someone can actually see or identify your weapon, with the use of a flashlight or natural light, either with you sitting in the seat or while exiting the vehicle, it is in plain sight and you are in violation. The simple solution is to keep a small terry cloth towel and cover the weapon so that it is not exposed.texas yankee wrote:I have a CHL - when I'm in my car, I prefer to remove my paddle holster - it's more comfortable for me - I switch the gun (G36) to an Uncle Mikes IWB model that fits very securely down on the floor between the right hand side of the driver's seat frame and the left hand side of the emergency brake frame - I have a small SUV, a Honda CRV. For someone approaching me from the driver's side of the car, the gun is not visible - if someone approached from the passenger side, I guess that they could see the gun if they were right at the window.
I don't want to start a holster discussion here, I'm just wondering if the gun would be considered to be "in plain view"?
Where do you guys keep your gun, if you're not wearing it concealed when you're in the car?
Thanks!
All that being said, you have received a lot of good info regarding carry alternatives. I have a Comp-tac IWB and that is where I keep mine. I find it acceptably comfortable. I feel that the safest (for everyone) method is to keep it on my person at all times.
The comments about loose, unsecured, weapons are true. If you have a weapon in a holster or other object that is not permanently and securely attached to your vehicle, as long as everything is going smoothly all is good. But when you have a collision, a carjacking, an illness, there is the likelihood of becoming seperated from the weapon at the most critical moment. This is in addition to the hazards of holstering and reholstering, or if it is time to get out for a potty break or a cold drink and have to make the "leave it for just a second or reholster and take it with me" decision. Additionally, all the reholstering raises the potential for becoming "unconcealed" which is where we started this discussion.
We all have to decide what is right for us, what is safe, what is effective, what is tactically sound. For me, I'll just keep it on me.
One final thought, for most:
CARRYING A HANDGUN ALL DAY LONG IS NOT AN EXERCISE IN COMFORT.
Like so many things, there is a compromise to be made. Carry the biggest weapon you can shoot effectively, that you can carry with sufficiently tolerable level of discomfort and inconvenience so as to ensure you have it with you when you need it...ie. all the time.
Best of luck on your decisions.