I agree with your sense that you should not carry the rifle in your car when you enter the prison grounds. Do you even have a permit to carry it in your car, especially across state lines? Surely, if your passenger's rifle is merely for recreational.use, it can be left at home. But rather than walking from your car to the prison visiting area, you might take a taxi.

Can you check into your hotel room first and leave the gun there?

If you are in the parking lot and the gun is locked in the trunk and it stays there and he isn't planning on taking it out to clean it or admire it while you are in the prison visiting, then it shouldn't be an issue. They do not search your car when you visit prison. They do search you though if necessary so of course don't take it with you. lol

If it is in the case, in the trunk you should be ok.

also, if he is a law abiding citizen and is allowed to have a firearm, rifles are not like pistols that can be concealed easily... locked away in the trunk will do you no harm.

I would call the prison first and see if it will be ok. Personally I wouldn't do it but if you have to I would be leaving it at the motel.
Wow your cars don't get searched?? My car has been searched once and I know a few others who cars have been searched....but then again iam in Australia different rules.

To search a car here in the US with out cause would be illegal. Since you aren't bringing the car into the prison itself there is no need for them to look in there without a warrant. In Australia I am not sure what your laws are so they may have a right to do that. But here, that kind of behavior without cause would cause a rukus over Constitutional issues like you wouldn't believe.

I would worry more about some cleaning person stealing the expensive weapon rather than the prison searching my car. Call me paranoid but I trust the prison to not search me more than I trust the cleaning person to not rip me off. heh

Hear the car park is prison property we are not aloud to bring firearms, explosive, ect on to prison grounds andif we have mmedication we have to have it in the box.
Ummm how is it a constitutional thing?

Thanks for everyone's very helpful feedback. We have decided to leave the gun in the trunk of the car and park it at a nearby business. From there, we will either walk to the prison or take a cab.

October2014, thanks for the idea of taking a cab. I hadn't thought of that. The nearest place we could leave the car where it would blend in is about a 20-minute walk from the prison. If it's raining or freezing cold, we will probably arrange for a cab ride.

Wisconsinrsol, I understand what you're saying about the constitutional issues. However, I don't want to take a chance that law enforcement would have any reason at all to have me on their radar. With two sons in prison, I've had my fill of stress and I don't want to take a chance on anything that might increase my stress level.

Suchaslife, the US constitution ensures the right of citizens to bear arms...meaning possess firearms.

I forgot to add that there is a very obvious sign at the entrance to the prison parking lot that states cars in the parking lot may be subject to search.

So, what I'm saying is that, even though my companion has a legal right to possess the rifle, I don't want to take any chances that prison officials might take an interest in us beyond the invasive interest they already show, whenever we visit.

Just my opinion.
Why tempt fate?
Does he really need to bring his rifle?
I am VERY PRO 2nd Amendment and own several guns myself and have a CCW and I would not bring a gun to a jail or ESPECIALLY a prison. Having traveled to several "Pro Gun Control" states, I have found that most DECENT Hotel/Motels have a secure area to leave you firearms.(Not all states recognize anthers CCW)
Again, Does this person NEED to take the rifle along? I mean, a rifle is NOT what you would call an IMMEDIATE self defense weapon like a pistol is....

When I travel out west I will carry protection... but when travelling east, I will leave it all at home... they are crazy on the east coast about their gun control... and since the UT CCW and WI CCW don't cover many of the states out east, I just leave things at home... but if the man is legally allowed to have it and so are you. they can search all they want, you have not broken any laws.

But parking at another location and then taking a cab is probably the best way to cover all the bases...