Questions about personal/property safety

[Raineyrocks]

Is it legal to carry an unloaded gun in your car in New Hampshire?  If so, does the gun have to be in plain sight in the car?

Also, if you think someone might be waiting for a chance to destroy your personal property, what is the best way to prevent this without involving the cops of course?

I know I'm being vague but I have my reasons.  If you can't be home all the time to watch for these things to happen, I'm out of ideas as to preventative, (sp?) measures.

[jerry]

Is it legal to carry an unloaded gun in your car in New Hampshire?  If so, does the gun have to be in plain sight in the car?

Also, if you think someone might be waiting for a chance to destroy your personal property, what is the best way to prevent this without involving the cops of course?

I know I'm being vague but I have my reasons.  If you can't be home all the time to watch for these things to happen, I'm out of ideas as to preventative, (sp?) measures.

Yes you can have an unloaded gun in your car in NH.  If you get a concealed carry license you can have it loaded.  (for some reason they think having a gun in a car is "concealed carry")
No, it does not have to be in plain sight.

Plug your webcam in and point it at your area of concern.  Make sure your software is set to record motion.

[Raineyrocks]

Is it legal to carry an unloaded gun in your car in New Hampshire?  If so, does the gun have to be in plain sight in the car?

Also, if you think someone might be waiting for a chance to destroy your personal property, what is the best way to prevent this without involving the cops of course?

I know I'm being vague but I have my reasons.  If you can't be home all the time to watch for these things to happen, I'm out of ideas as to preventative, (sp?) measures.

Yes you can have an unloaded gun in your car in NH.  If you get a concealed carry license you can have it loaded.  (for some reason they think having a gun in a car is "concealed carry")
No, it does not have to be in plain sight.

Plug your webcam in and point it at your area of concern.  Make sure your software is set to record motion.

Oh, okay, so I can have an unloaded gun in my car but the cops would still consider it be concealed carry?  I don't have a concealed carry license so I guess if would be up to the cop's discretion,(sp?), as to how he/she handled that situation if I got pulled over and they saw the unloaded gun?  Sorry, this stuff is so confusing. 

I don't have a webcam, darn it!  Good advice though and now I wish I did have one.  Thank you. 

[jerry]

No Rainey, it's not concealed carry unless it's LOADED.
put the gun in one pocket and the ammo in the other and you are legal.

Or just spend the $10 and get a concealed carry license.
An unloaded gun is just a club.

[jerry]

Plug your webcam in and point it at your area of concern.  Make sure your software is set to record motion.

I don't have a webcam, darn it!  Good advice though and now I wish I did have one.  Thank you. 
[/quote]


You're on your way to Gorham, so stop at Walmart.  They have them as low as $10.

[Tom Sawyer]

The problem with a gun is it's good for one thing... killing the person. Many situations will not warrant that level of response, and either over-reacting or delaying your action is a problem. As an example shooting someone over a property crime will likely lead to going to prison.

Pepper spray and/or other nonlethal weapons are good because you can use them. Firearms require training and the temperament to use them.

[KBCraig]

It's not correct to say that a loaded gun is "considered concealed" in a car. A lot of people repeat that, but that's not what the law says. (No offense intended, Jerry!)

You need a revolver & pistol license for two things:
1. To carry a handgun that is both loaded and concealed, or
2. To carry a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle.

You can't carry a loaded long gun in a vehicle at all (this is a game & fish law).

[jerry]

It's not correct to say that a loaded gun is "considered concealed" in a car. A lot of people repeat that, but that's not what the law says. (No offense intended, Jerry!)

You need a revolver & pistol license for two things:
1. To carry a handgun that is both loaded and concealed, or
2. To carry a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle.

You can't carry a loaded long gun in a vehicle at all (this is a game & fish law).

You're right KB, but my guess is that that's what those dweebs in Concord were thinking when they came up with that stupid restriction.

[jerry]

The problem with a gun is it's good for one thing... killing the person. Many situations will not warrant that level of response, and either over-reacting or delaying your action is a problem. As an example shooting someone over a property crime will likely lead to going to prison.

Pepper spray and/or other nonlethal weapons are good because you can use them. Firearms require training and the temperament to use them.

Rainey,  Tom's correct.  You can't use a gun in a property crime situation.  You should only pull a gun when you are in fear for your life and need to stop them from doing you in. 
Don't believe the movies where pulling a gun on someone immediately causes them to comply with your commands.  If you pull a gun you must be willing to immediately pull the trigger, and face the legal and moral consequences, which will be enormous.
No property is worth it.  You only do it to save your life.

Take Tom's advice and get some pepper spray.

[MaineShark]

Oh, okay, so I can have an unloaded gun in my car but the cops would still consider it be concealed carry?  I don't have a concealed carry license so I guess if would be up to the cop's discretion,(sp?), as to how he/she handled that situation if I got pulled over and they saw the unloaded gun?  Sorry, this stuff is so confusing. 

You (legally) need a license to carry something that is both concealed (or in a car) and loaded.  If it's not loaded, it's not an issue, whether in your car or strapped to your hip.

On a practical note, though, can you actually retrieve a gun and load it, under stress, quickly enough for it to matter?  Most folks cannot, so carrying an unloaded gun is just a recipe for disaster.

Pepper spray and/or other nonlethal weapons are good because you can use them.

Nit to pick: there are no "nonlethal" weapons.  There are "less lethal" weapons, like pepper spray.  But using any weapon can result in death (pepper spray can kill someone with asthma, rather easily).

If you are willing to do violence, then you are willing to kill, because any level of violence can lead to death.  Some types of violence are more or less likely to cause a death, but the idea of "nonlethal" violence is something the cops invented to justify their acts of torture and other mayhem.

Rainey,  Tom's correct.  You can't use a gun in a property crime situation.  You should only pull a gun when you are in fear for your life and need to stop them from doing you in.

Technically, that's not correct.  For the simplest example, lethal force is justified in stopping an arsonist.  Beyond that, NH has a somewhat-complex set of standards for lethal force in certain cases for combined property crimes and otherwise-trivial violent crimes.  For example, if someone breaks into your house and is committing a felony (eg, stealing an expensive TV), and offers any violence (even punching you in the arm), you are legally-justified in using lethal force.  However, it's still good advice to avoid using lethal force in property crimes other than arson, because it's hard to be certain, under stress, whether you're complying with the complex standards set. (and then there are a number of ethical issues, of course)

[Raineyrocks]

Thank you Jerry,Tom, KB, and MaineShark! 

I'm pretty sure everything is okay now and I think after finding out all of this information I will stick with my giant rubberband for defense.     

[doobie]

No Rainey, it's not concealed carry unless it's LOADED.
put the gun in one pocket and the ammo in the other and you are legal.

Or just spend the $10 and get a concealed carry license.
An unloaded gun is just a club.

A police officer could still arrest/confiscate your pistol/you, if you have the gun in one pocket and ammo in the other.  The law says "A loaded pistol or revolver shall include any pistol or revolver with a magazine, cylinder, chamber or clip in which there are loaded cartridges"

Many police officers take the "... with ...." as if they within your reach of them together.

[jerry]

No Rainey, it's not concealed carry unless it's LOADED.
put the gun in one pocket and the ammo in the other and you are legal.

Or just spend the $10 and get a concealed carry license.
An unloaded gun is just a club.

A police officer could still arrest/confiscate your pistol/you, if you have the gun in one pocket and ammo in the other.  The law says "A loaded pistol or revolver shall include any pistol or revolver with a magazine, cylinder, chamber or clip in which there are loaded cartridges"

Many police officers take the "... with ...." as if they within your reach of them together.

I just caught the tail end of a radio news broadcast the other day.  Didn't get many details, but the gist of it was there is now a NH court decision that a gun's proximity to a loaded magazine does not equal "loaded".  The judge said that would bring in "how far" arguments, making the law unconstitutionally vague.

[KBCraig]

No Rainey, it's not concealed carry unless it's LOADED.
put the gun in one pocket and the ammo in the other and you are legal.

Or just spend the $10 and get a concealed carry license.
An unloaded gun is just a club.

A police officer could still arrest/confiscate your pistol/you, if you have the gun in one pocket and ammo in the other.  The law says "A loaded pistol or revolver shall include any pistol or revolver with a magazine, cylinder, chamber or clip in which there are loaded cartridges"

Many police officers take the "... with ...." as if they within your reach of them together.

I just caught the tail end of a radio news broadcast the other day.  Didn't get many details, but the gist of it was there is now a NH court decision that a gun's proximity to a loaded magazine does not equal "loaded".  The judge said that would bring in "how far" arguments, making the law unconstitutionally vague.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130807/NEWS03/130809449/0/img

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130812/OPINION01/130819875