Boondocking SCARE

I would like to carry a sidearm, and I know people who carry several guns in their RVs, but I'm concerned about my grand kids finding them.  I also wonder if it is legal to enter state and federal parks with guns in your RV.  I instead carry several high intensity flashlights and pepper gas.  I haven't had to use them yet, but if I do I will let you know if it works.  In the mean time it gives me some peace of mind knowing that I have something to defend myself.

Does an NRA sticker provide peace of mind benefits?

It might be like an alarm sticker on a house.

Would not be effective for drunks.

For those guys we'll have to whip out the Streamlight LED torch and shine it on the mirror finish of our machete. That should get their attention.

sluggermike said:

I would like to carry a sidearm, and I know people who carry several guns in their RVs, but I'm concerned about my grand kids finding them. 

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When I'm driving, mine is in the overhead storage compartment right over the driver's seat, or in my briefcase between my seat and the wall.  At night it's in the bedroom, in the drawer next to my side of the bed.  At other times it's either on my person, or securely hidden in the m/h.  If I leave and don't take it with me, it's unloaded and the ammo is in a separate location from the gun, and both are locked up.  Licensing and concealed carry laws vary by state.  I believe the national parks now go by whatever the law is in the state that they are in.

The only time I have opened the door in the middle of the night was when we had some friends in a tent, camping next to us, when a bear came into our camp. Amazing how fast they came in.

We were spending the night in a Wal Mart parking lot in West Virginia last year, when someone knocked on the door at about 3 AM.  Turns out they were re-striping the parking lot and had the whole thing done except right where we were parked!  The foreman just asked us to move about 100 feet so he wouldn't get paint on the motorhome.  We moved and went right back to sleep.  Before I opened the door I peeked out the window to verify that it looked innocent.  Since we were in a fairly well lit area, it was obvious that he was a construction worker, and all the equipment and materials around confirmed this (in my mind).  He was very nice about everything and no harm done.

I have always operated by the Golden Rule.

"It is better to be caught with a gun, that caught without one."  When I travel (except by air) I am always armed with multiple weapons of many types and caliber.  I will not open an outside door to an uninvited guest (at home or on the road) without one in my hand and at
least 2 close back ups.  As for children/grand children ALL of mine have been through training, they have had their own firearms and have
been educated on their proper use, care and safety practices.  In the last 50 years, not one instance of any kind.  Education is the key.

I would like to carry a gun, but I'm concerned about shooting someone by mistake.  Unfortunately you can't take it back and that is why a prefer a less lethal way of protection. 

When we travel we carry a couple of firearms.

If you are concerned about shooting someone by mistake, take a class and get familiar with your gun of choice. What TheBigLarry said is very true, "It is better to be caught with a gun, that caught without one." In the coming years I suspect it will be even more dangerous if things don't turn around soon.

I don't spend a lot of time worrying about this topic, until I see someone else is. I think your auto death rate is in reality more worrisome (U.S. rate is four times the UK rate per thousand, so my risk here is four times greater than at home).
As aliens, i.e. visitors from U.K. we are not allowed to carry/buy/own guns, so I have read this thread with interest as it seems to provide a viable solution to a need for protection at a distance. I have found two gun type pepper sprays: The Mace and the Kimber, each have their own advantages and disadvantages. I am most tempted to buy one of each and keep the Mace in the truck and the Kimber in the trailer. They can also double as bear spray wen we get into that sort of country.
I do have my doubts about it being effective against an armed person approaching the trailer at night. Opening a door, shining a light and loosing off a round of spray all quicker than a person ready for action can respond seems unlikely to be successful.
Would I also be right in thinking that almost any calibre bullet will go through the glassfibre walls of our TT?
Although I have read somewhere that bullets will not pass through a hanging blanket, as the blanket will flap and will absorb the energy from the bullet. (anyone tested that, or is it a tale from the realms of Spike Lee).
So apart from this current solution and blaring 'Ride of the Valkaries' (Apocalyse now style) from my 4 Watt outside speakers we know we should have a plan, we just can't work one out which is likely to be effective.

fastrak100 said:

Although I have read somewhere that bullets will not pass through a hanging blanket, as the blanket will flap and will absorb the energy from the bullet. (anyone tested that, or is it a tale from the realms of Spike Lee).

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As far as I know, no one standing behind the blanket has reported bullets passing through it.

fastrak100 said:

Although I have read somewhere that bullets will not pass through a hanging blanket, as the blanket will flap and will absorb the energy from the bullet. (anyone tested that, or is it a tale from the realms of Spike Lee).

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According to Myth Busters discussion board here, I now appreciate the response from Molaker even better (I had to read it twice).

Molaker said:

As far as I know, no one standing behind the blanket has reported bullets passing through it.

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[quote author=fastrak100]As aliens, i.e. visitors from U.K. we are not allowed to carry/buy/own guns...[/quote]

I can't speak for other states but, here in California, that's only true for illegal aliens. You don't even need to be a resident alien (aka green card holder). Check out the eligibility requirements for non-residents on the Personal Firearms Eligibility Check Application and the non-US citizen section of the PFEC FAQs. There are additional federal requirements.

In my drug war years, a thug fired a 9mm from the street, thru my front picture window. The bullet then passed through sheer curtains, then thicker drapes, then crossed the room, tumbling, through the sheetrock. On the other side of that wall, it passed through a closet, making a hole in one of my suit sleeves. It then passed through the plywood skin of a sliding closet door. It did not exit the door. I patched the holes in the door skin and sheetrock and painted them. The bullet, is still in that sliding closet door.

Yes, a bullet will penetrate a hanging blanket. Probably be deflected, tumbling, who knows where.   

On the other hand, friends of mine and I used to make model rockets. They would come down on a plastic fabric parachute. Sometimes, they would ride a thermal, and we would attempt to shoot them down, using 22 rifles. When we hit a parachute, it would fold up, catching the bullet, but would open again, land, later, with no bullet holes. Some had to be shot repeatedly, to bring them down, or at least out of the thermal. No bullet holes, in any of them, regardless of the number of hits. Had a bullet hole in the rocket, now and then.  :-[ 

Ray D 

When I was about five years old, one day Mother was cleaning Daddy's army guns when one went off.  It went through the outside brick wall of the house.  I still remember her screaming, "Ardra where are you?"  Fortunately, I was in another room behind her but she always said it scared her half to death.  If a bullet will go through a wall like that, I wouldn't want to be behind a blanket and trusting it not to hit me.

ArdraF

I guess if it were true about not going through a blanket, the military would build a framework to rest on each soldier's shoulders supporting hanging blankets in four directions...

Luca1369 said:

I guess if it were true about not going through a blanket, the military would build a framework to rest on each soldier's shoulders supporting hanging blankets in four directions...

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I didn't realize that the photos I've seen of some rag-tag desert fighters garb was actually body armor.

Interesting topic, but I choose to be happy. Carrying a gun would make choosing to be unhappy much easier.

FrankNSharon said:

Interesting topic, but I choose to be happy. Carrying a gun would make choosing to be unhappy much easier.

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Well said and I concur.

Nobody has mentioned wasp spray as a deterrent. Legal everywhere and from what I hear very effective. This is what I would use to discourage would-be bad guys. Like other weapons, you have to practice with it first, to be sure your don't spray your own face.
Anyone have any experience with this?

fastrack 100, time to get out the slingshot(aka catapult).That may, or may not, be legal for non-residents ;D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/2-talent_caliber.jpg/300px-2-talent_caliber.jpg