Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Firearm Question, Pensacola Air Museum on Navel Base


Recommended Posts

I will be staying in a hotel in Orange Beach, Al., and planed on going to the Air Museum. They do not allow firearms. I do not want to leave my CC pistol locked in the hotel safe as I have read they are not that safe. Plan on driving our personal car. So my question is where can I safely store my firearm off the military base?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just unloaded mine before we went on base, put it in an "inaccessible while driving" place, and went about my tourist duties.

 

Its an awesome place to visit. I highly recommend spending the money to "fly" the simulator, barrels rolls, loops, it's a hoot! I'd go back just for that! We never made the second building....lots to see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or, you could ask the Marine at the gate. Not the "rent a gate keeper" but a real, US Military representative. The SP's might let you lock it up in their shop.

Again, don't ask the civilian at the gate, ask someone in uniform.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always kept my firearms in the vehicle. Have never been asked and I won't lie to them if I was. It's just that I won't give them any addition information they don't need to know about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you call base security for their current policy? The AF base I frequent currently requires firearm unloaded with ammo in one area and handgun in another.

 

It might be worth a call,

BS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you hide it in your car and happen to get picked for the random drug dog search; odds are he will alert on your firearm. You will not like the outcome of having base security finding an undeclared firearm in your vehicle.

 

I suggest you call the base and ask them what to do. In this case permission will be much easier than forgiveness if you get caught.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any visitor, NOT declaring that they have a firearm when entering any military base is JUST STUPID.

BTW; They ask if 'you have anything to declare' at the gate. After you pass the sign show'n prohibited items and firearms is at or near the top of said list.

Call the base and ask'em what's the best course here.

OLG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my personal experience I normally lock open and empty in a cabled lock box in pov ammo elsewhere if they ask you have two choices one will grant you access to base the other may or may not. Most navy based ask if your rving and require you to store at base armory in fl I had to register at gate that was it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From http://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrse/installations/nas_pensacola/about/installation_guide/visitor_information.html

 

Visitor Information

All visitors are required to use the West Gate entrance located on Blue Angel Parkway. Visitors should be prepared to produce identification and be aware that your vehicle may be subject to inspection by Security Force personnel and/or Military Working Dogs.

Possession of concealed weapons aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola is prohibited under Federal Law. Violators will be arrested and weapons confiscated. If you are traveling, we suggest you check with your hotel for safe deposit boxes or consider utilizing a temporary storage facility until you complete your visit. Naval personnel cannot accept weapons for safekeeping.

Due to the increased security posture, personnel should have their identification and drivers license readily available when entering naval facilities. This will expedite your entry and assist security personnel in keeping the traffic flow moving.

If you are stopped upon entry for an administrative inspection of your vehicle, follow the officer’s instructions.

I will add that unregistered weapons are not allowed on the Army base where I work, and suspect it will be the same there whether they are concealed or not. It's a pain, but that's the way it is.

And one more follow-on note - if your state's DL does not meet the Real ID Act requirements, it is not acceptable for entry onto a military installation.

Edited by K.C. Ranger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Find a lock box and cable it to something in your hotel room. Iirc the reason the hotel safe isn't safe is they use the room card or the better ones allow you to pick the combo each time you lock them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even when you pick the combination there still is a way to still get into it in case the guest leaves the hotel and forgets items in the safe, so that they can retrieve items and ship them to your home address. I have thought of using my own lock box, but still not comfortable with leaving a firearm in the room. Right now I think my best option would be to secure firearm in a lock box and cable it to framework in the trunk of my car, park it in a somewhat secure area of Pensacola and have a Taxi or Uber to take me to the Air Museum and back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to live in Pensacola about three years ago. I worked on base, and lived not 30 seconds outside the back gate referenced above as the required point of entry. There's a shopping center about a mile up the road, straight out the gate, with a Target, Walmart, and a couple of other stores where you could easily park your car inconspicuously and call an Uber. That being said, I don't know if you can call an Uber onto the base at the end of your visit, so a taxi might be a safer bet. You should definitely not, under any circumstances, attempt to bring the firearm aboard base. Inevitably you would encounter a gate guard named 'Murphy,' and he has a law he has to follow...

 

I'll add to the above with another enthusiastic recommendation for making the museum trip happen somehow. There are a lot of great artifacts, tons of information, and plenty of retired aviators around as docents to answer questions and generally shoot the breeze. Best of luck with the trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could also secure the firearm in your car. Park your car near the front entrance to the hotel/motel.

 

Rent a separate car for the day for your tourist stuff. Weekday rentals on cars are inexpensive.

Edited by Ace_of_Hearts
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.