By Cheri Sicard
We know many of our readers RV with firearms. In the video below, MJ and Izzy of Endless RVing tackle the topic of RVing with guns. The pair says a lot of RVers make some fundamental mistakes, and they created this video to help keep everyone safe when RVing with firearms. Some of the mistakes could seriously injure you or others, or worse. So if you carry a firearm in your RV, check these out!
As a bit of background, Izzy has been a police officer for more than 24 years and a firearms instructor for more than 10.
The couple breaks this topic down and keeps it simple with three things you should ALWAYS do and three things you should NEVER do when carrying a firearm in your RV.
RVing with firearms: 3 things to ALWAYS do
#1 Get training and train regularly: Izzy says, without proper gun training, you are a liability to yourself and to the public. Train for different scenarios and situations. And because this is a perishable skill, it’s important to keep up with training on an ongoing basis. In this point, Izzy includes how to confirm the gun you have been handed is unloaded.
#2 Know the gun laws in the states you are traveling to or through: (This book is invaluable for this.) Izzy stresses that knowing the laws is your responsibility and ignorance of the law will not save you should you ever have to use the firearm or get stopped by the police.
#3 Invest in a quality pistol of a serviceable caliber: In the video, Izzy gives his recommendations of tried and true pistols and the calibers he prefers.
RVing with guns: 3 things to NEVER do
#1 Don’t carry the firearm in the wrong holster and don’t modify the gun: This is a two-parter. Izzy sees people just carelessly tossing a gun into their pockets. He says you always want to make sure the trigger is covered so that the gun can’t accidentally go off. Watch the video for Izzy’s best practices recommendations and why he likes them. He also says you should never modify your self-protection pistol with anything that takes it out of stock, as these can potentially make the gun less reliable. If you need these mods, according to Izzy, you are just a bad shooter. He says to spend your money on training, NOT modifications.
#2 Don’t keep your gun unsecured: The gun should be on your person or in a secure spot. In the video, Izzy gives recommendations for the best way to do this in an RV.
#3 Don’t carry a pistol that is not fully loaded with one in the chamber: Izzy demonstrates in the video why this is important, along with the safety mechanisms you should be employing.
• • • •If you travel with a firearm, you might want to consider packing this book along with you if you travel out of your home state with your RV—the Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States. Get info.
RELATED
- Don’t like guns? Alternatives for self-protection
- Traveling with a firearm: Can you carry a gun across state lines?
RVT1219
An alternative to a fire arm is a pepper and kinetic launcher like Byrna. There are other brands out there too.
Byrna is a terrific system. As a Personal Defense Consultant I highly recommend to my clients to have “alternative” non-lethal tools included in their options for self-defense. As we used to say in our callous LEO language of by-gone days – “Less than lethal makes for fewer legal problems and a lot less clean-up.”
Reciprocity is when one states recognizes and allows a nonresident to carry according to the laws of their home state but not all states recognize and reciprocate each other’s laws. If you cross multiple states in your RV, knowing the reciprocity laws is prudent.
H.R. 38 is a bill currently under committee that allows “Constitutional Carry” across all state lines by qualified gun owners. The purpose of the bill is to eliminate the patchwork of confusing reciprocity laws amongst states.
A good source for checking the laws is the USCCA Website
USCCA is a great organization for insurance, training, and support. Charter member since 2003.
MJ and Izzy. From a combat infantry veteran, former LEO, and 22 years as an NRA and CCW certified pistol instructor, this is a good video. I can’t help, though, seeing the irony of the picture selected to introduce the instruction. It shows a person holding the gun in a two-handed grip in roughly a low ready position with THEIR FINGER ON THE TRIGGER, not where it should be – above the trigger on the frame (unless they have established a target in front of their feet such as an aggressive ground hog!). Still not a good defensive shooting position. Maybe RV Travel picked the photo. Don’t know. Keep up the good work. And “HEY – let’s be careful out there!” Sgt Phil Esterhaus- Hill Street Blues
Hi, Dick. I think you, and others, are correct about the image with this article, i.e., that RV Travel put it in and not MJ and Izzy. Thanks for pointing that out. Have a great (and safe) day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thank you, Cheri! If one drives to Alaska, then one must ship hand guns there from the lower-48, based on my understanding. We were asked if we had any weapons when we entered Canada in May. We were asked again when we got to Alaska in June. We truthfully said “no” in both instances. We do have bear spray and an air horn to hopefully deter a bear attack, but no firearms. Have a great week and safe travels!