Sigboy asks:
In the spirit of bikes and guns, what is the best way to carry firearms on a bike? Also, could you describe how to properly mount a pistol gripped shotgun on your hog?And that prolific commenter Anonymous asks:
Here's a few off the top of my head:- carrying on vacation: pros/cons, preparation, etc. - summer carry: clothing, holsters, things that work for you.- carrying while on the motorcycle (or bicycle for that matter): a how to and how its different.
As for going to the range on the bike, I mainly don't. There's enough trouble with people and motorcycles that I really don't want to toss firearms into the mix. That said, I've got a Harley Electra Glide with hard saddle bags. A pistol or two will fit into one bag and a small range bag will fit in the other. Down the road, when I get the trunk for it, I'll be able to carry my full range kit on the bike, and will most likely bring the bike to the range more often. When it comes to carrying, I typically opt for pocket guns that won't get tossed if the unthinkable happens and I go down.
As for longarms, well, I personally wouldn't but there are plenty of options out there. For guns like ARs that can easily be broken down, a small hard case that can be strapped to a trunk lid or thrown across your back is a good bet. There are plenty of options for ATVs that should be easily adapted for other bikes as well. Or you can always go retro and get a leather scabbard for your sheathing your Thompson on your WLA...
Next up is carrying on vacation. I'm probably not the best person to ask. We take our camper for most vacations, so carrying isn't significantly different than at home. I've got a portable safe that I store my carry piece in when we're in the camper (when camping, the carry piece is always the Snubbie from Hell™. Always.) Now, for Disney, where we're flying down and staying in a decidedly anti-gun establishment, it's just more trouble than it's worth and I leave it home.
Remember: The weapon isn't dangerous; the man is.
The most important thing to remember about carrying on vacation is to know the rules of where you're vacationing. Nothing ruins a vacation like a felony charge... Be certain you know where you can and can't carry and plan your trip accordingly. Know the laws inside and out - does the state you're visiting have "safe storage" laws you should be aware of? How about carrying in bars or restaurants that serve alcohol? Carrying in a car? Do you need to tell a police officer you're carrying? "Answering" any one of these questions incorrectly can land you in a heap 'o' trouble...
There's 50 different states, and 50 different sets of rules and regulations we must be aware of.
That is all.
6 comments:
You're welcome to carry down here in the Lone Star State. We tend to recognize a lot of the CHLs from other states.
As for a bike carry, no sawed off Winchester 1887?
I've found that, as far as accessibility and concealability goes, a shoulder holster works well on a motorcycle. I've also found that I don't like shoulder holsters. They are uncomfortable and can get downright painful on a long ride.
I generally carry my defensive sidearm just like I would on any other occasion. When concealed, a pancake or IWB under a loose shirt. The standard leather motorcycle vest serves the purpose of keeping the shirt from billowing and exposing the gun.
Most of the time, though, I just carry openly in a Blackhawk Serpa retention holster. Not an option if you don't live in a free state like Virginia.
Someday, I want to get a hitch and trailer for my bike for carrying shooting supplies and longarms, but right now, I just strap the range bag (with handguns inside) to the seat behind me, ammo cans, targets, and other sundries go into the hard bags and trunk, and long guns in soft cases get strapped to the luggage rack on the trunk.
That's how I earned my "road name". About the second or third time my riding buddies saw me riding down the road with my range bag and two or three rifles strapped to my bike, they started calling me "Shooter" and it stuck.
In the Poconos of Penna, we get a lot of the flatlanders from NJ or the City who come up for the weekend and misbehave. Got to the point they, not us came up with the Saying "Go to the Poconos on vacation, come Home on Probation". ;)
I used to work at a store that sold milsurp. Somehow we got in some surplus bikes, I think they were czech, and they had horizontal inline rifle racks on them. There was a bracket for the stock up at the front, and u shaped troughs for the front of the stock near the back. Rubber straps with latches held them down. Since the store stopped selling real firearms after Kennedy died, we put crossman BB guns in the racks.
Carry a J-frame in your front pocket inside a mini-holster with Uncle Mike (minimalist) grips. Try it next time. My Smith & Wesson J-frame accompanied me twice to Florida in declared, checked luggage. If you carry, you have to carry _all_ the time -- to the extent that it's lawful.
Hagbard's Law: Laws only constrain the law-abiding. (c) 2009
Kel-Tec P3AT is your friend when on vacation...
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