Legality of leaving a rifle at my unattended cabin

[bocefus78]

Ok. Flame suit on, but this is a legitimate question.

I've got a small cabin in the woods that I would like to leave a long gun at. It can go unattended for a couple months at a time sometimes. Sometimes just weekly.

What's the legality of leaving a firearm at a place like this. It's far enough off the road that if the cabin was broken into, it would go unnoticed by anyone.

Security system is not an option. It's primitive.

If the rifle was stolen, then used in a crime, am I liable for not reporting it stolen if I didn't know it was stolen?

 

[CallSign Snafu]

Call a good attorney. There is no substitute for sound legal advice from a professional in this kind of situation.

 

[Old Dog]

No different than your own home is it? I would make some effort to secure it - like a lockable security container and an action lock. That is about all you can do. How could you possibly report something you don't know?? You didn't commit the crime so how could you be liable for that, and you did not knowingly allow access or give the weapon to the criminal. If you are really concerned about this issue then don't leave the gun at the site.

 

[Twangbanger]

What is the difference, "legally," between an unattended cabin and an unattended house? Are we just talking about response time?

Can your vehicle not carry a long arm back and forth? Will you lose "cred" in the prepper community if the rifle is not left on-site?

Just random thoughts. Not a lawyer.

 

[KLB]

Probably best to create a hidden storage area for it.

 

[bocefus78]

Yes, it would be locked up and hidden as well as possible.

Vehicle will haul it, but the purpose of the cabin is to be able to show up at and camp with what is there. Sometimes others use it that don't pack rifles around.

I have no prepper cred and that's fine with me.

 

[Drail]

Are you serious? Odds are very high it will be stolen. Why can you not take the gun with you when you go to the cabin? Even if you are not "legally" responsible for what some stupid kid does with your gun after he finds it you definitely are morally responsible for leaving it somewhere out of your control. I could almost see leaving an axe or a saw or some food or a first aid kit in the cabin - but a firearm? Are you going to leave ammunition for it there as well? I think this is a really bad idea.

 

[walleyepw]

Well first, where is this cabin? What type of long gun do you intend to leave unattended? I would not leave a gun much of any value in a cabin. If it were locked and secured while you were not at the cabin, I don't know what your liability would be if it was stolen and used in a crime.

 

[singlestacksig]

Yes, it would be locked up and hidden as well as possible.

Vehicle will haul it, but the purpose of the cabin is to be able to show up at and camp with what is there. Sometimes others use it that don't pack rifles around.

I have no prepper cred and that's fine with me.

there is where you can get into legal issues.. letting someone else use the gun when you are not around..

 

[jgressley2003]

Seems like there could be potential trouble if you are allowing other people have access to your gun. Your friends could invite their friends who you don’t know or tell their friends about your cabin and that’s how it would all start.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I've got a small cabin in the woods that I would like to leave a long gun at.

Why?

 

[bocefus78]

Why?

Because sometimes it wont fit in the vehicle is the biggest reason. The overwhelming response seems to be that I need to make room. Is this your suggestion as well?

Fwiw, I've left thousands of dollars of equipment outside unsecured for 8 years here, and it's been untouched.

And by others using it I mean family who wouldn't touch it unless their life depends on it....And may not even then.

 

[snapping turtle]

I see nothing wrong at all leaving a firearm secured in an unattended cabin in the woods. I can see the advantages of having a gun at the cabin at all times even if someone was not present. I personally would not have had a second thought of any legal aspect of having it stored away for any reason no more so than leaving one in my trunk while I went inside to pay for gas an coffee. Again this comes from a mindset of high school when all the trucks in the parking lot had firearm visible in the racks in the windows. A barn gun was often hidden and left loaded (or a box of shells next to it) for dispatching skunks and such.

Legally who knows. A nice single shot 22 or 12 Gauge should do. Box of shells: purchased face to face. Trigger lock maybe if children have access to cabin. Key placed where kids can not get. Now would I store a fine firearm in a cabin no. This is why they make inexpensive firearms.

i will most likely take a beating over this also but that is why we have these questions written in the forum.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Because sometimes it wont fit in the vehicle is the biggest reason. The overwhelming response seems to be that I need to make room. Is this your suggestion as well?

Fwiw, I've left thousands of dollars of equipment outside unsecured for 8 years here, and it's been untouched.

And by others using it I mean family who wouldn't touch it unless their life depends on it....And may not even then.

What are you trying to accomplish by leaving a rifle? That's the "why" I was asking. Whatever that "why" is, does it outweigh the risk of losing the rifle to theft?

Criminal law wise, unless circumstances were such that a child found it and injured/killed themselves or others and a neglect or dangerous possession type offense occurred, you're in the clear. Civil law wise, I think it'd be a stretch to say you're liable if a gun was stolen and used...but you're still out a rifle.

Personally, I wouldn't. Particularly if other people use the cabin. Someone will run their mouth, the word hits the wrong ears, and you're out a rifle. Locking it up or hiding it is useless if there's no time pressure on someone in the cabin who wants it. If I needed a rifle, I'd take one with me. An AR breaks down and goes anywhere a backpack can go, Ruger takedown if a rimfire would work, etc. There's no vehicle a rifle won't fit in if you get the right rifle.

 

[Joniki]

Probably best to create a hidden storage area for it.

And label it "Work to be done"...

 

[Dead Duck]

Do you know how to set a Claymore?

or at the very least a 12ga shell and a rat trap.

 

[bocefus78]

What are you trying to accomplish by leaving a rifle? That's the "why" I was asking. Whatever that "why" is, does it outweigh the risk of losing the rifle to theft?

Criminal law wise, unless circumstances were such that a child found it and injured/killed themselves or others and a neglect or dangerous possession type offense occurred, you're in the clear. Civil law wise, I think it'd be a stretch to say you're liable if a gun was stolen and used...but you're still out a rifle.

Personally, I wouldn't. Particularly if other people use the cabin. Someone will run their mouth, the word hits the wrong ears, and you're out a rifle. Locking it up or hiding it is useless if there's no time pressure on someone in the cabin who wants it. If I needed a rifle, I'd take one with me. An AR breaks down and goes anywhere a backpack can go, Ruger takedown if a rimfire would work, etc. There's no vehicle a rifle won't fit in if you get the right rifle.

Thank you sir.

To further explain why, there's been a couple instances where a rifle would've been nice to have and I didn't have one. The neighbors unruly dogs trying to attack my dog is not cool with me. Neighbors got warned their dogs will be shot if it happens again. It's to the point where I don't wanna let them in to handgun distances. My other neighbors took out half of them for killing chickens. The ones left are a little smarter.

As for losing it, that's fine. I'll be fine if it disappears. It'll be a budget build. I just needed to hear it's legal from someone in the know. Thanks again.

 

[Falschirmjaeger]

All sound advice. Maybe the issue wouldn't be the legality, per se, but simply the wisdom (or lack thereof) of doing so. Also, if someone negligently (mis)used that firearm you might have issues with your insurance company.

 

[CampingJosh]

Even if you are not "legally" responsible for what some stupid kid does with your gun after he finds it you definitely are morally responsible for leaving it somewhere out of your control.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this stance.

 

[Thor]

The rifle would be your property, the cabin is yours...I don't see the issue any more than locking weapons in my home and going on a business trip. If some stupid kid happened to 'find' it there would be multiple laws being broken by him before he laid hands on it. IIRK most of the advice on this forum generally suggests that you won't keep firearms out of the hands of criminals.

Do what you think is prudent. Storing your property on your property isn't an issue. Of course IANAL so I guess you're still waiting for that advice.