You see an unsecured long gun, what do you do?

[LtScott14]

We had a rack in my Dad's pickup and he kept a 20ga Single shot S/G, on the farm. His shells were in the glove box. We didn't have A/C, so the windows stayed down all summer, unless rain came. Neighbors all did the same. Not one gun ever got lifted.
Seeing the generation change, who knows if they wouldn't break a window to steal your gun now.

 

[KLB]

I've always wanted to know, is leaving a child in a car, alone, FELONY Child Endangerment ?????

I don't believe it is illegal at all, nor should it be.

 

[pudly]

Yelled "Finders Keepers!", taken it and run off. Oh, and peed myself a little...

 

[hoosierdoc]

I did not grow up in the era where shotguns were kept in cars, at least in VA and NJ during my youth. I can see how some see it as not an issue.

however... If I posted a "stolen gun" thread and said I left it laying on my back seat with the window down while I went to the store, would there be more insults to me or the thief?

 

[pudly]

Oh, you certainly would get more insults given life today. Although INGOers are far from perfect, we encourage each other to be safe and responsible with firearms.

A thief would be acting as thieves have for millennia. They are despised, but not shocking.

 

[eldirector]

I grew up in an era when you didn't take stuff that wasn't yours out of someones car, yard, or house. Didn't matter what it was. Long guns on a rack, and a pistol in the glovebox were common in my youth.

And, since this is ingo, you would be insulted either way, doc. Probably both in the same thread.

 

[Hkindiana]

Years ago I was hiking in some woods on a military base, and in the middle of nowhere I saw an unsecured M16 leaning against a tree. I admired it, but refused all temptation to touch it. Somebody probably lost some rank over that one.

 

[Leadeye]

Like for a police operation?
I'm sure they would use something else.Like a machine gun.

Bait car. Bait gun.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Wait for the post on INGO about how whatever store sucks because they don't have video of the thief who noticed it later on.

 

[mom45]

I did not grow up in the era where shotguns were kept in cars, at least in VA and NJ during my youth. I can see how some see it as not an issue.

however... If I posted a "stolen gun" thread and said I left it laying on my back seat with the window down while I went to the store, would there be more insults to me or the thief?

You asked what WE would do, not what a thief would do.

If I were to see the person who owned the car getting into it, I MIGHT say something about the risk of leaving it in an unlocked car unattended. However, if it were stolen, he/she would have nobody to blame other than himself/herself. In today's society, I would say that it is irresponsible.

When we were kids, my dad also had a gun rack in the truck that almost always had a gun on it. Depending on where we were parking, sometimes the gun would be removed and put behind the seat or left at home so there was no temptation for someone to bust a window and take it. Lots of kids had guns on the back seat of their car or on a gun rack in their trucks at school because they were going hunting when school got out. I don't recall anyone ever having one stolen from their vehicle, and none of those guns ever shot anyone.

 

[BE Mike]

Not my monkeys...not my circus!!

 

[MohawkSlim]

Really depends on where it was.

Here in Bedford, I would've left it alone. Other than a passing methamphetamine enthusiast, it is probably pretty safe. Even with the windows all the way down the good folk around here would say, "It's not mine, don't touch it."

If I was downtown Indianapolis or maybe even near the school in Bloomington, I probably would have looked around to see if I could contact the owner to have them secure it. Not so much for the safety of others (not my job to protect society) but to protect the gun and it's owner from people who are unamerican.

Stopping into the liquor store to get a couple cold ones for your upcoming range trip and leaving it in the car while you're in and out in three minutes isn't that big a deal. Parking on the street while you walk 1.2 miles to sign up for class or walking to the back of Walmart to get a box of ammo is a little bit different.

The main thing is the gun isn't in danger so there's no need to "rescue" it like a kid or a dog. "I found your property in your car and I saved it." However, there could be a danger posed if someone who shouldn't have access to the firearm is granted access by the negligence of the owner. In that case, let your conscience be your guide!

 

[Fordtough25]

I grew up with long guns in window racks as well and it doesn't bother me much. Probably not as easy as that in this day and age sadly but my mind still wants it to be.

 

[M88A1]

Growing up mid 70's to mid 80's time frame it wasn't unusual to see rifle in rifle rack. This day and age if a kid broke in and stole the weapon and got hurt you could be charged with child endangerment. But to the OP question, not my gun don't touch...

 

[bulletsmith]

Depending on my available time, I might hang out for a bit just to watch and see if somebody who doesn't belong to the car or gun tries to help themselves to it. Not that I would intervene, but to provide a plate number or identification.

If I happen to pee myself in the process, eh, what can you do?

 

[LP1]

I love all the "when I grew up, nobody would touch someone else's stuff" posts. It's just nostalgia for something that never was. How old are you guys, anyway? My hair is mostly gray and I'm close to retirement age, and it's NEVER been like that in my lifetime - if it's not well-secured, it'll walk away. And I didn't grow up in a "bad" area.

 

[russc2542]

I think it's as much where as when. At that time in those places everyone had a gun thus nobody needed to steal one to have one. The people that didn't have them was because they didn't want them.

Despite being in the country when I was growing up, my mom was a good city girl and apparently was upset when my dad got a BB gun. And look where I am now lol

I'd probably do nothing but walk on with dry pants. I also make sure if I leave a firearm in my vehicle it's out of sight and locked up.

If you wanted to be really proactive and nosey about it I suppose you could go back into the store have them announce the car has it's lights left on, then go back out and wait for the owner to arrive and give them a good verbal lashing.

 

[Jerry-T]

Depending on where you saw the vehicle, I would guess a bait car.

 

[Alamo]

I was working in the Command Post at a NATO base with multinational forces when I got a call that "one of your guys" (Americans) "lost his rifle." !! The guy in question was a problem child from the moment he arrived, should not have been sent overseas because he had a lot of financial mismanagement issues in his record and should have been facing hot check charges back in CONUS. He certainly should not have been assigned to the Augmentation Force that backed up the base defense people).

SSgt Hotcheck, during his watch, decided he needed to go to the on-base German bank for something. When he got to the door, there was a sign "No Weapons" (really) at the door. So what's the obvious course of action? He leaned his G3 rifle against the outside wall and went in.

The commander of the local American support unit right across the street from the bank had also decided to swing by the bank, and was quite surprised to see an unattended G3 leaning against the building. He grabbed it and headed back to his office.

In the mean time SSgt Hotcheck came out of the bank and found his rifle gone. So he walked back to the security forces building and reported his rifle missing. They called me. A few minutes later we got word from the American commander that he had a G3. Much relief. I was afraid Hotcheck had sold his rifle to the Baader Meinhof crowd.

 

[BE Mike]

I was working in the Command Post at a NATO base with multinational forces when I got a call that "one of your guys" (Americans) "lost his rifle." !! The guy in question was a problem child from the moment he arrived, should not have been sent overseas because he had a lot of financial mismanagement issues in his record and should have been facing hot check charges back in CONUS. He certainly should not have been assigned to the Augmentation Force that backed up the base defense people).

SSgt Hotcheck, during his watch, decided he needed to go to the on-base German bank for something. When he got to the door, there was a sign "No Weapons" (really) at the door. So what's the obvious course of action? He leaned his G3 rifle against the outside wall and went in.

The commander of the local American support unit right across the street from the bank had also decided to swing by the bank, and was quite surprised to see an unattended G3 leaning against the building. He grabbed it and headed back to his office.

In the mean time SSgt Hotcheck came out of the bank and found his rifle gone. So he walked back to the security forces building and reported his rifle missing. They called me. A few minutes later we got word from the American commander that he had a G3. Much relief. I was afraid Hotcheck had sold his rifle to the Baader Meinhof crowd.

The lesson of never leaving your weapon unattended should have been hammered home in basic. It was in my unit.