Hotel Stashing

[longcoldwinter]

Have to go to a convention in near future and will need to store my firearm in my hotel room. Whats your method of storing you pistol in your hotel room? Sharing the room with some friends and theres no safe and I cant carry all the time.

 

[Dwight55]

On the nightstand during the night as I sleep.

In my IWB or shoulder holster all other times.

If you can't carry, . . . bad as I hate to say it, . . . I would leave it at home. At least then you won't run the risk of having it show up in an armed robbery by one of the maids' kids. You could be answering some pretty embarassing questions.

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[armedandsafe]

When attending conventions or attending out-of-town meetings, I always check with the hotel before leaving home. If they will let me stash the gun in their safe during meetings and retrieve it for personal time, I will do that. If they will not protect my gun when I can't carry it, I will find another hotel.

I had a discussion with the union head honchos when I first started getting involved in conventions and operations. They changed meeting sites when I told them that the site would not protect my gun while I was in meetings (wanted to keep it under the counter at the front desk.) After that was resolved, I was asked by the VP and the legal rep for the union why I didn't just carry into the meetings as they did. DUHHHH. I had never thought to ask that question.

Pops

 

[sidroski]

I take a reliable small pistol that wouldn't hurt to much to lose and have a small box with a combination lock on it. I open it and screw the box to the back or bottom of a piece of furniture (use your imagination). I can open the combo and unscrew the box when I leave. Not the greatest idea but has worked for ten years or so. Keep the screws and driver inside the box and the footprint and size of the box is just big enough for a pistol and extra clip or speed loader.

 

[Walter]

If I have no choice but to leave my carry-pistol in a hotel room or a
personal vehicle,(which I have done, on occasion) I unload the gun,
remove the slide stop from the frame, put the slide stop in my pocket,
separate the ammo from the gun, and hide both as best I can.

Even if somebody finds the ammo and the gun, without that slide stop,
there's not much shooting going to happen. And when I get back, it's a
simple matter to replace the slide stop and load the gun.

Walter

 

[FrontSight]

Walt, all that's needed for the slide stop is a nail, no?

 

[tplumeri]

all that's needed for the slide stop is a nail, no?

or a wire hanger.

 

[ActivShootr]

I agree with armedandsafe.

Check with the hotel management before you arrive to make sure they can lock your "valuables" in their safe while you are out. It would be even better if you have a lockable case to store your gun in while it is in the hotel's possesion.

 

[2cooltoolz]

I use a small metal toolbox, with a padlock, and a cable lock, run through a piece of furniture (usually a table leg, they tend to be heavy). You can't stop a determined thief, but they have to be pretty obvious, and they don't know what's inside. Could be risking their job for $4.
Actually I use this mostly for valuables (PDA, camera, etc), as I prefer to keep my gun on me out of town.

 

[bclark1]

I shared a hotel room with some old high school friends once. One I would not trust with a gun - friend-of-a-friend situation. Wore the IWB in bed. Probably unnecessary, but there are enough cliches about erring on the side of caution... Plenty of options if you're crafty though.

 

[Yankee Doodle]

Maybe I have been luckier than most. Every hotel I have ever stayed at has had safety deposit boxes available for the use of their guests. You take the box, go to your room, put gun in box, lock box, pocket the key and bring the box back to the desk. They then escort you into the safe area, and lock the box in the safe, and give you a receipt for the box. Never had any problem. Of course, before booking a room I always ask if there is a safety deposit box available for my wife to store her jewelry in. Never had a problem.

 

[IdahoG36]

Another option is that if you can't carry it, store it in a small, lockable box in the trunk of your car while attending to business matters.

 

[allenomics]

Stay at a Marriott and they will put your gun in its safe, away from your room. I believe this was arranged in partnership with the NRA.

 

[Erik]

When appropriate in-room storage isn't available I've found cable locking a hard case to something substantive to be an acceptable alternative. Cable locking or handcuffing just the pistol (unloaded) can do in a pinch; even better if is is out of sight.

If someone's gonna toss your room with time, knowledge, and tools you're likely out of luck regardless what route you opt for.

Best,
Erik

 

[DVC9]

I also have used handcuffs with good luck.

 

[Raytracer]

I use a centermass car safe: http://www.center-of-mass.com/ for car storage, as a TSA locked container for air travel, and when I have to stash it in a hotel.

I loop the cable around whatever the most permanent fixture in the room is - usually the closet hardware. It's not foolproof, but nothing is and it's so far been enough to keep everyong honest.

When I'm flying, I loop the cable around the supports of the suitcase for a little extra security as well.

Joe