What to do!! What to do!!!

[AirAssaultTrooper]

There are many times when I need to make a quick stop into my kids school. So I find myself driving across the city to lock up my handgun then to the school. I have also found myself doing the same when going into the post office.

I need some help here:::

Is it lawful to place your loaded handgun in a back back in the trunk of your car if you are going into a school or post office, If you have a legal CCW/LTCF? If so does it need to be unloaded/separated from each other/ in separated locks? Even if Licensed?

I sometimes feel like taking my weapon out (loaded) and leaving it in the trunk hidden, until i finish doing what I have to do, However, Im don't know if this is illegal.

Any tips/laws on how to handle this lawfully. I dont like spending money on a safe because I dont do this that offten. But its always a good idea to know what to do when situations like this occur?

Thanks,

THANKS,
AATrooper

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[wa3ra]

I found myself working a lot of post offices a while back (consulting gig); my solution (suggested by a PI in charge of a large area) was a safe in the car.

There are many unanswered questions about the legality, one way or the other. His take is that it isn't illegal on the customer lot or counter side (and he'd be the one filing the charges except for the POs in federal buildings, but in 37 years, there has not been a test case.

As far as the school; with the LTCF, you can get as close as the street in front legally; again, no test case to say that self-defense is ' a legal purpose'.

[AirAssaultTrooper]

when you have it in the safe, must it be unloaded or loaded. Even if you carry a license to carry?

[unloved]

I sometimes feel like taking my weapon out (loaded) and leaving it in the trunk hidden, until i finish doing what I have to do, However, Im don't know if this is illegal.

It's perfectly legal to leave your loaded sidearm in your car.

[AirAssaultTrooper]

It's perfectly legal to leave your loaded sidearm in your car.

cool! do you have any posted laws that I could look at?

[truecrimson]

It's perfectly legal to leave your loaded sidearm in your car.

On school grounds or Federal property?

[unloved]

On school grounds or Federal property?

He's in Philly. Schools and Post Offices don't have parking lots. I suppose it's possible that there are some, but I've never seen one. If he's parked on the street, he's not on school grounds or fed property.

[unloved]

AirAssaultTrooper,

truecrimson is right, it is illegal to bring a gun onto school grounds. Due to the amount of time I spend in Philly, I assumed you'll be parking on the street. I am only aware of a prohibition on weapons in Federal Government Buildings, but it is possible that a parking lot 'owned' by a Post Office is off limits. Just park on the street and you're golden.

[headcase]

cool! do you have any posted laws that I could look at?

Having your LTCF removes any requirement to separate ammo from firearm while in your vehicle, while in Pa.. At the top of every page here, there is a link to the Reference library . Read the content thoroughly and you find the answer to many of your firearm related questions.

As far as the school property, federal property question is concerned, while I would not tell you that it is out of the realm of possibility that you could face charges, going to school or the post office, and securing your firearm in your vehicle, is not very likely to cause you any trouble. I would be way more concerned with the car getting stolen with my firearm in it, unsecured because I didn't want to spend the $50 bucks for a safe....

[King 5.45]

Years ago I had to do a one-day marketing gig in a Philly school. I was supposed to have been on the street that day (I was a rep for an MA health care plan) but at the last second I got detailed to go do this instead. Long story short, I pulled up onto the lot because I saw a School Police SUV sitting there and asked them what to do, given my misgivings about being a block from the Tasker Homes and leaving a firearm behind. They told me to take it in with me, and photo ID'd themselves to me just in case anything went sideways. Gotta love it.

Your best case solution is to invest in a lockbox for the trunk area and have it bolted through and welded down from outside. It's a PITA but it keeps you as legal as you can be, which is a point in your favor if push comes to shove and they start beefing about you parking on property, etc.