Question about conceal carry in car

[Macappletex]

I have been carrying in my center console as well. I am exploring other options like under the steering wheel or in between the seat and console as well. There are have been some interesting ideas posted here but I'm not real sure about the holster in the video-I like it to be more secure than that. I don't like the idea of it falling down to the floorboard in any circumstance. I will look at all options though and pick the one that best suits my needs.

[trentwhite778]

Here's my setup for the center console.

BlackHawk QD system.

[jmra]

Very nice.

[The Count]

Very nice.

What kinda vehicle is that console from? My Tacoma's console is pretty small in comparison.

[The Annoyed Man]

My interest in this is that I am left handed, and drawing from on-body concealment inside the car is problematic. I'm a pretty big guy, driving an older Pathfinder. The center console is neither big enough nor easily accessible enough in an emergency to store a gun in there. With the gun on my left hip and that hip right up against the driver's door, I have to lean way away from the door toward the centerline of the car in order to access my pistol and draw it, and the drawing motion is clumsy and unnatural. I've thought of several alternatives that allow me to draw and shoot left-handed, but they are all compromises.

One possibility is to use the molded plastic door pocket at the bottom of my driver's side door. So long as the door is closed, the pistol is very well concealed, and I can reach it relatively easily. The two main problems are A) it isn't retained very securely, and B) what happens when I need to open the door? I can always reach down and move the gun from the door pocket to under the seat, but that particular "surreptitious" movement might not look good for me if I were being illuminated by a police spotlight by the side of the road after having been pulled over. OTH, if I leave it there, the minute I've opened the door I've unconcealed the gun. So in the end, that isn't really a practical alternative unless I am driving entirely on private land.

Another possibility is a shoulder holster on my right side. I have one of those, and it is a good way to carry in winter when you'd be likely to keep your jacket on anyway, but it also has problems inside the car—the primary one being that of avoiding sweeping your passenger during the draw stroke, and the secondary problem being that it isn't as practical in summer. Another problem is that the gun is then only accessible to my left hand for a draw stroke, and left-handed shooting is much more difficult against a threat approaching from the driver's side of the car.

I also have a Safepacker from The Wilderness (http://www.thewilderness.com/index.php? ... t=171&pg=1) which can be attached to my seatbelt at the buckle, providing another cross-body alternative which can be configured to right handed draw strokes, but it also has its own limitations, AND it's a little bit obvious......"concealed in plain sight" as it were.

All of these methods, and others suggested here, are compromises that require you to either leave the gun in the car when you leave the car, or to find a means of discreetly transferring the gun from your car-carry-solution to your on-body holster when you leave the car. Leaving the gun in the car, even hidden in the center console, is not an ideal solution. A good friend of mine recently had his USP .40 stolen that way........his brand new expensive truck invited a thief to check out the interior while my friend was inside a business.....gun stolen from the center console. If anybody thinks that locking your console is going to stop the thief that broke your door locks or smashed your window to get into the car, well.........

I remain interested, but not yet fully committed to any one way of off-body concealment inside the vehicle. Maybe there is no perfect answer.

[docbrazos]

Living where you do 'm not sure there is a perfect answer. BUT,I'm of the opinion this is where compromise comes in. I keep a P3AT Kel-Tec in the truck 24/7. Would I hate to lose it heck yea, would it be easy replace it of coarse. It stay's in the Map copartment on the side of the console right next to me. I can move it if at Wal-Mart or take it with me should I be leaving to go to dinner. Now as a Lefty, you door pocket would seem to be the best choice and possibly a less expensive carry gun might be the best option for 24/7 Carry in your vehicle. If I'm going on vacation then a full time carry gun comes into play either a Glock or 1911.
The better half has a small suv and Each door panel has a Kel-tec in it. just tucked into gun rugs but easy to get too.. Better half has been outed only one time as she exited the car. He asked about the pistol in the door, and her response "Curious or Official Question?" His answer "Oh just curious!" It was concealed until you exited the car!

[EEllis]

There have been several comments from people who are concerned with locations that might make their firearms visible under different circumstances. Anyone who finds a good location to secure mount a holster or spring clip to securely hold a gun can easily cover that gun with a fabric cover that will velcro over their gun meeting all requirements for concealing a firearm. For me my console works well but I'm concerned about the security aspect and have been looking for the right "lock box" to give me fast access and still secure the gun if the vehicle gets broken into.

[trentwhite778]

Very nice.

What kinda vehicle is that console from? My Tacoma's console is pretty small in comparison.

Dodge Caliber. Fine piece of machinery.

[Watchful]

My interest in this is that I am left handed, and drawing from on-body concealment inside the car is problematic. I'm a pretty big guy, driving an older Pathfinder. The center console is neither big enough nor easily accessible enough in an emergency to store a gun in there. With the gun on my left hip and that hip right up against the driver's door, I have to lean way away from the door toward the centerline of the car in order to access my pistol and draw it, and the drawing motion is clumsy and unnatural. I've thought of several alternatives that allow me to draw and shoot left-handed, but they are all compromises.

One possibility is to use the molded plastic door pocket at the bottom of my driver's side door. So long as the door is closed, the pistol is very well concealed, and I can reach it relatively easily. The two main problems are A) it isn't retained very securely, and B) what happens when I need to open the door? I can always reach down and move the gun from the door pocket to under the seat, but that particular "surreptitious" movement might not look good for me if I were being illuminated by a police spotlight by the side of the road after having been pulled over. OTH, if I leave it there, the minute I've opened the door I've unconcealed the gun. So in the end, that isn't really a practical alternative unless I am driving entirely on private land.

Another possibility is a shoulder holster on my right side. I have one of those, and it is a good way to carry in winter when you'd be likely to keep your jacket on anyway, but it also has problems inside the car—the primary one being that of avoiding sweeping your passenger during the draw stroke, and the secondary problem being that it isn't as practical in summer. Another problem is that the gun is then only accessible to my left hand for a draw stroke, and left-handed shooting is much more difficult against a threat approaching from the driver's side of the car.

I also have a Safepacker from The Wilderness (http://www.thewilderness.com/index.php? ... t=171&pg=1) which can be attached to my seatbelt at the buckle, providing another cross-body alternative which can be configured to right handed draw strokes, but it also has its own limitations, AND it's a little bit obvious......"concealed in plain sight" as it were.

All of these methods, and others suggested here, are compromises that require you to either leave the gun in the car when you leave the car, or to find a means of discreetly transferring the gun from your car-carry-solution to your on-body holster when you leave the car. Leaving the gun in the car, even hidden in the center console, is not an ideal solution. A good friend of mine recently had his USP .40 stolen that way........his brand new expensive truck invited a thief to check out the interior while my friend was inside a business.....gun stolen from the center console. If anybody thinks that locking your console is going to stop the thief that broke your door locks or smashed your window to get into the car, well.........

I remain interested, but not yet fully committed to any one way of off-body concealment inside the vehicle. Maybe there is no perfect answer.

I understand your problem. I too am left handed. The solution I found was to place my M&P9c in the driver’s side door pocket of my Dodge Ram. I removed the factory foam rubber cup holder insert and added two pieces of foam sandwiched together. I insert a pocket holster in between to hold my gun. It is a snug fit and seems secure. I tucked in a black cloth to conceal my gun when the door is opened. It is somewhat awkward drawing so close to the door, but such are the problems of lefties.