Had an interesting thing happen today on the way to the range.  This was the first really good weekend shooting day this year.  Time to load up the AR's, my 10/22, the wifes 357 and other assorted firearms.  Well our house is situated so we have to pack all of this about 70 feet to the parking lot that we have access to.  Well one of our neighbors saw fit to call 911 because there were people carrying guns and putting them in a vehicle.  All rifles were carried muzzle down with the actions open.  The 357 (which is our home defense arm) was left loaded. <---this was our only infringement.  We came back up to the parking lot to find 3 cop cars around the pickup and a lot of nervous hands on holstered pistols.  The first officer to confront us asked if we happened to have a BB gun that we were waving around in the parking lot.  To this I replied "No there are real firearms that we were taking to the shooting range and we were NOT waving them around, they were being carried muzzle down"  Do you mind if we take a look?  And in the interest of co-operation I replied "Sure"  They did a full check on all the weapons and our ID's and after it was all said and done got a few compliments on my wifes 98 Mauser.  They mentioned that once the pistol leaves the home it has to be unloaded but since we were so helpful and calm that they were not going to do anything about it.  I was very impressed by the Police in this situation after they saw what was going on, just 2 people going to the range for a few hours of shooting.  Two things that were a little funny was the officer that was searching the vehicle kept addressing the AR-15 as an AK-47, and one of the other officers asked several times where we were going hunting. "We are going to a shooting range to target practice, there are no hunting seasons open at this time of year in this area"
What bugged me about this whole thing was that a neighbor got so upset over seeing a person with a firearm with the action open that they dialed 911.  To me 911 is, my life is in danger help now!  Very disturbing it is to see this out of people that I live next to.  I do not know which ones called but I have a pretty good idea.  Would any of you try to talk to your neighbors about this or just let them call 911 everytime you go to the range?  
From now on I am going to pull the pickup into the driveway to minimize the "exposure" but beyond that I'm not going to go out of my way to make anyone feel more comfortable.  Anyone have any similar experiences that can give some helpful advice?

First off, your neighbors an asshole!  A guy enroute to a massacre would most likely stick his shit in a foot locker like Charles Whitman did.

And since your neighbor is a sheep, he/she probably wouldn't have noticed the action was open.  Had the guns been in a rifle case the sheep would have still made the call.

The only thing I would say to the sheep would be a great big FU!

Well, live a little, learned little. Next time you go to the range, you have to invest in some gun cases, and take fewer piece of hardware to the range. Some people just freak out just at the sight of a gun. When I load my "equipment" into my car, I don't advertise it. But also don't over do it and load you stuff into your car the nigth before. I know someone else did that, and the car go stolen in the early morning hours right out of his driveway.

First of all you didn't have a "run in" with the police.  A run in denotes a negative experience.  It seems to me from your posting that you had a positive experience.  Second, investing in some rifle cases might be a good idea.  They don't have to be expensive.  Cheap ones from Wally World aka Walmart will work fine.  Your nervous neighbor probably won't know what the cases are anyway.

Marty  

Limit your exposure as much as possible; Remember if your neighbor saw your guns some thief might have seen them as well!
You don't want anyone stealing your guns!

Ditto the above 3 posts...!

[url]http://www.gunguard.com/special_ed.html[/url]

All of my neighbors know I hunt and shoot quite often. most of them feel a little safer knowing that they have a responsable, level headed, heavily armed person on the block. the point is. whenever I take fire arms out of the house they are hard cased and locked. I park the truck as close to the house as possible. and I take everything out in one trip. dont advertise is what I am saying. most of my good neighbors dont mind my activaties. and most love my spring wild game cookout. you cant educate them all so just keep it low profile.

[:)>]

It is unfortunate that so many people have knee-jerk reactions to even seeing firearms.  While striving for a "lower profile" is definitely a good idea, I think talking to the neighbors in a calm and friendly manner and trying to educate them is the first thing to do.  Impress upon them that you're not some loonie bin, just a simple firearms afficianado.  Too many people have formed associations from the media, television, and the movies.  Too many people have the reasoning abilities of rotting turnip.

[left]Don't try to Talk with your neighbors! trust me on this one, I have been there and done that. who ever called the cops on you are "Asshole's" will not listen to anything you say! I had a "Asshole" went and told the police I had a machinegun, when they asked me do you have a machinegun I said yes I do it is registered and perfectly legal, he did not even look at my tax stamp. They said they did not care about owning it if it is legal and
registered. you put an ar15 in your trunk people "think" your an instant "Bad Guy" I know I have been there and done that. sorry for the asshole comment but to me there there to cause trouble.[/left]

Did you ever hear of using a hard/soft gun cases.If you did have everything cased,neighbors should mind their own business.If not they may have been legit in showing some concern.

If the rifles had been cased, no one could have said you were waving them around.

I wouldn't want the police slowing me down if I was going shooting.

I would carry the long arms to your car in rifle cases from now on so that your "shakey" neighbors don't call 911 on you.

Not to get off-topic here but:

1) You would not believe how many "man with a gun" 911 calls we get where I work, the people think that the police will get there faster(which is 99% true) but how many time's can you call wolf?

2) As for the officers calling your AR15's an AK-47...[b]We're not all gun buffs![/b] The last time I brought my AR to the precinct, you couldn't imagine how many guys asked me if it could shoot full-auto! Would you believe many officers only shoot their duty issued firearms ONLY once or twice a year for requalifications and simply view their gun as another tool for the job? Thankfully, I'm something of an enthusiast![heavy]

I suggest you invest in some discreet gun cases. Preferably rectangular shaped and any color other than black.

Igloo cooler is great for mags & ammo. Home Depot sells a plastic locking tool box for $12.00 that will hold a broken down CAR15 and accesories.

All good advice....i have several elderly retired couples and widows living in close proximity.  I use rifle cases and carry range ammo in nylon bags-dont want them seeing "evil weapons or ammo cans!!"  Use the MTM brown range box to carry misc stuff.    

After trip to range...usually wait till dark to unload the vehicle.  Like the troops have said....1) sheeple dont know or care  2) and prying eyes/ears will tell.

be safe...

"I do beleive that it is federal law to transport firearms, unloaded in a secured case."

bullshit. you can hang 'em in the rear window of your pickup truck, if you are so inclined!

jeez folks, last i heard, this was still america.

WTF is this law good for?
And yeah, why didn't you have at the least cases like Bushmaster ships their 15s in?  They cost @ $15....$10 when on sale at the local Bass Pro Shop....da-da-damn......for the firearms sake, screw the neighbor's concern.  

Dave S

The last thing you ever want to do is draw attention to yourself.  As a gun owner you are the enemy to many people.  They fear you and your firearm.  Even if your next door neighbor is an NRA member, the person across the street could be an anti-gun bigot, or just a person [i]ignorant[/i] enough about guns to call the cop’s.  When ever I go to the range I put all my firearms and gear in a case, nothing is ever exposed for others to see.  I have nothing to hide, but I don’t need the cop’s harassing me because some idiot thought I was a terrorist.

As far as the cops not knowing an AK from an AR is to be expected.  They carry and use firearms, but the majority of them don’t even know anything about firearms other than what their range instructor tells them on qualification day.  The question one officer kept asking you about where you were going hunting was probably due to his misunderstanding that you are allowed to own all those firearms for more than just hunting, which is a perfect example that the cops don’t understand the second amendment (the department would NEVER teach them about that subject).  He was probably wondering why you had all those rifles, and whether or not it was safe for you (the citizen/subject) to own them.  

What part of Washington do you live simmyqux?

By the way, if your not a felon you can get a CCW in Wa state for $60.  Then you can carry your .357 loaded and concealed.

Dave S beat me to it.    Is there some law in WA state that you can't carry a loaded firearm in a car?

I've only ever had two police encounters during a range outing. The first time was when a new neighbor to the range location called the cops about noise - at around 11:00AM on a Saturday morning. The Pa State Police showed up at the range to let us know that someone had complained but not to worry about it since we have range protection laws. The LEO had already informed the complainer that there was nothing he could or would do about it. The cop that showed up at the range tacked up a piece of paper by the clubhouse door with the law printed on it so the rest of the club members would be aware that we had the law on our side, except after 11:00 PM. It turned out the LEO was already a member of our club.
The other encounter was with an off-duty Baltimore City cop that was at our club one morning. The encounter consisted of dusting his ass in a game of bowling pins!

Country living..... I LOVE IT!

(I don't know how to edit)   anyway my brother in law worked for a state agency for years and never carried a gun when off duty and I think only owns a hunting shotgun in private life.
He earned all kinds of awards, but couldn't tell a FAL from a M1A.

You can't adjust for the majority even, you have to adjust to the lowest level of understanding. As far as the cops, it doesn't matter if they know the difference, only goes to show you their ignorance.

LOL! Adjusting for the lowest common denominator of intelligence.....  

OUR arschloch neighbors called the cops on us after we returned from a gun show and dared to carry an EMPTY M-1 Carbine wood stock in through the front door.
They called it in as a "sawed-off shotgun, I think". Anonymously, of course.
Five minutes after we unloaded, we had 3 cop cars at our door, 5 cops fingering their sidearms and 90 minutes worth of questions to answer. The black female midget cop almost fell backwards off of our front step as we answered the door, and when we reached out to catch her, I thought the others were going to shoot us.
For a friggin piece of empty wood! Had to show them the stock, answer a lot of irrelevant questions, and explain that *of course* the gun wasn't in the house, as M-1 Carbines are considered "evil verboten assault weapons" in the city of Denver.
We now sneak eveything in and out through our garage.
I hate my yuppie scum cowardly neighbors.
Hope they all get killed by a mob when TSHTF.

I live in Maryland, People's Republic of.

Had the original scenario occurred here (loaded handgun in car), all weapons would have been confiscated and I would have gone to jail.  It's just the law and they're really serious about it here, at least as far as law-abiding citizens go.  Hardened criminals are another matter, or so it seems.

I comply with all details of the transportation requirements.  This includes casing the weapons, separating from the ammo & magazines, and ensuring that all mags are unloaded.  I also load/unload the trunk by backing my car up to the garage.  I don't know that any neighbors would hit the panic button, but I am not interested in finding out.  I am also not interested in having a needless dialogue with the Sheriff's Deputies.

I would not recommend Maryland to those who would be tempted to push the rules on firearms carry/transportation.  You will find no flexibility like that described in the original post.

Cheers,

As I'm a hostage in Maryland, my procedure for going to the range is:

Day/morning before:
1. Fill the gas tank, check the truck's oil and such.
2. Prepare food and snacks.
3. Warn GF that the range doesnt have a port-o-potty and that she should go before hand.

Loading up:
1. Unload all magazines, seperate guns from ammo and magazines.
2. Move one of the cars out of the garage and close the garage door.
3. Move all the guns and shooting crap down to the garage, do a light misting of CLP and pack into cases.
4. Tell GF its time to get in the car.
5. Back the truck up against the garage door, open the garage door, load through the back of the truck.
6. Go find GF, as she's wandered off and is watching TV or on the internet somewhere in the house.
7. Leave for the range.

The drive itself:
1. Dont stop except for traffic control devices.  Its illegal to stop for a burger or gas on the way to the range in MD if you have a handgun or "assault weapon" in the car, and cops in my area are a**holes about it.
2. Tell GF to stop whining, as I told her before she left that we couldnt stop to go to the bathroom and its not my fault that she didnt listen.
3. Threaten GF with not letting her shoot the ARs if she doesnt stop whining about the toilet facilities at the range.
4. Start wishing the range was closer, so GF would not complain as much.
5. Arrive at range.

Kharn

I agree that your neighbors are idiots and it is a shame that a gun is seen as so evil its mere possession by anyone law abiding or not puts people in a panic, it is just damn ignorance.
The police who dealt with you are no more gun enthusiast than your neighbors are and that is why they cant tell an AK from an AR, I would like to see them try to enforce the assault weapons law.
Don't get me wrong I don't hate the police and I am an LEO myself but there are about 3 of us on my department that are true gun lovers and actually know the law to the rest of the officers guns are just another tool that they don't know much about when the day is done.

Get some fluorescent-pink Aluma-Hyde from Brownells and some yellow smiley-face stickers.  Paint all your weapons pink and stick smiley faces on stocks, grips, and magazines.  Neighbors will relax and leave you alone. [rolleyes]

I know a local member of our city SWAT team.  I asked him what he carries, and he said, "It's an MP-15 or something."

The [u]Police Chief[/u] of the campus police department and I got into a discussion, where he went on a tirade saying that he didn't want any students carrying "AK-15's" to school.

[(:|)]

[i]sigh[/i]

Find out who the anti-gun weenie busybody neighbor is.  WTSHTF and he comes begging for help, politely tell him to FO!

To those wondering, this was in Spokane WA.  And yes the wife and I are getting off our butts and getting CCWs and more gun cases.  I'm just too accustomed to country living where open carry is normal and an AR-15 can be carried with a mag in the well in the gunrack in the back window, unattended,with the pickup unlocked and not have to worry about it.  Ahhh small towns where the keys are left in the ignition in case someone needs to move the car for a reason.

I sent you an IM, as to save my local law enforcement from embarrasment.

[(:|)]

Where was this?

In Texas, if someone calls in on you, and the wrong LEO responds, you could be arrested for "rude display of firearms". Whether it's rude is up to the LEO and/or the judge I suppose.
So, consider yourself lucky.

AK, AR whatever it takes!

Interesting thread.

Cheers

Yes.  You have to have a CCW permit to carry a loaded firearm in your car.

BTW, although the poster wasn't pissed, *I* sure would be.  The police have just run the serial numbers of all your guns, and have logged them against you for future [s]confiscation[/s]reference.  Welcome to the 21st century.

Fortunately, the "rude display" case only applies to pistols (256 S.W.2d 108).  Otherwise, a person commits a crime if he "displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm" (Penal Code § 42.01(10)).

Since almost all open display of handguns is already prohibited in Texas, the "rude display" provision presents little problem.  I have a friend who keeps a loaded AK47 in his gun rack, and has never had any trouble by the police.

[(:|)]

Lord how times have changed. I was leaving my apartment back in the late 80's with a tricked out Mini-14 and a 10/22 and an ammo can full of .223. Next door neighbor ask where the war was. I told him I had some contract work to take care of in Oklahoma and just laughed. If you did something like that today you wouldnt make it out of the parking lot.

My rural area isnt so rural anymore. I tell all my new neighbors that I have a range set up behind the house and that i shoot. I also thell them they are welcome to use it if they ask first. So far no one has complained but I fear that day is coming.

Stupid neighbors.

Anyway, when I go to the range, I carry my AR slung across my back, w/ a full 30rd mag in it. Nobody says anything. I'm near the city, and in an apartment complex. Supposedly it is against the law to carry a loaded firearm in the car, but I ignore that law, as it violates PA's constitution. When I get a handgun, I am going to carry it loaded and concealed w/o a permit, as that law also violates PA's constitution.

There are alot of paranoid people in iur society when it comes to guns .

Just case the guns when transporting them its common sense and really in good taste.

I posted this couple of months ago but here goes my story.  One day my female neighbor caught me returning from full day at the range,
sun was still out.  She just returned from grocery shopping and had couple shopping bags.  As I dropped all my gear onto the floor to unlock the door to my apartment, she says "hi, you play violin?"  I was stomped.  Obviously she was referring to my black double rifle case.  I didn't want to say I have guns in the case because she'll probably call the cops on me.  I wasn't doing anything illegal but I wasn't about to have my neighbors worrying about gunman living in the same apartment complex,  or having to deal with cops wanting to question me.  So I played stupid and told her "yes, I play violin."  Then she said "wow, cool, I play violin too."  Phew, that was too close.  She was a redhead but acted smart enough to be a blonde.  Luckily, I was able to unlock the door before she asked me more questions.  I rushed into my apartment and slammed my door.  Another incident was when I woke up early and thought I can load my guns into my car without my neighbors seeing me.  As I walked towards my car, I thought the coast was clear.  But as soon as I opened the rear door on my suv, began loading my black rifle case, my neighbors came out and began walking towards the car next to mine.  Doh!  This lady is in the corps, she always hangs her BDU in her car.  As she walked towards her car, she sees me with olive drab ammo case with "500 cartridges cal 7.62mm ball" stamped on it.  I think she knew what it was.  She and her corps friend gave me a nasty look as they got in the car and drove off.