On the Road: Best car/hotel SD weapon?

[glh17]

I carry the same conceal carry regardless of travel. I normally do carry an spare mag when staying in hotel. I don't want to be bothered with a gun I'm not carrying when traveling.

[colbad]

Personally I would choose a nicer hotel and not worry about defending the door I carry a short mossberg 500 pistol grip 12g behind my truck seat in a scabbard whenever on the road (assorted ammo) along with something in .40 cal on my side, usually of a Glock flavor.

[Tejicano]

I have had to present a firearm to avoid impending confrontations with multiple assailants twice so far in my life. Once was sitting in my car in a K-Mart parking lot, just before sunset, in a relatively nice part of town. The second time was returning home to my apartment at night in a nice part of Glendale, AZ. Sometimes THEY choose the location.

Just being on an interstate highway puts me on the same path as a lot of transients which is not necessarily a safe place to begin with.

I believe in being prepared for the worst in order to give me - and my family - the best chance for getting through whatever might happen. I also believe that presenting superior firepower with the will to use it is more likely to end up with the BG's standing down and finding easier pickings elsewhere.

Besides, I like guns. I have a lot of guns. I am also a former Marine infantryman and current Army reservist with the skills to use long arms so bringing them along is not only anything but a bother but a treat for me.

[FireForged]

Car? Hotel? ...... a snub revolver.

There is simply no way I would ever consider a rifle or shotgun for my hotel room LOLOL!

[leadcounsel]

Personally I would choose a nicer hotel and not worry about defending the door

Gosh, if only crime stayed in 'poor' areas. Places like Littleton Colorado (upper class neighborhood where Columbine High School is located), Sandy Hook (middle-upper class neighborhood where mass shooting occurred), Virginia Tech (middle-upper class college campus), Aurora Colorado movie theater (middle class area, next to a nice Aurora shopping mall and a mass shooting)...

Fact is, crime occurs in many areas. Especially robberies and home invasions in nice areas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshir...vasion_murders

In Connecticut this robbery/home invasion/rapes/arson occurred for no reason in an upper class neighborhood.

You are MOST vulnerable on the road in a foreign environment by the way.

[JimmyR]

Originally Posted by leadcounsel

Gosh, if only crime stayed in 'poor' areas. Places like Littleton Colorado (upper class neighborhood where Columbine High School is located), Sandy Hook (middle-upper class neighborhood where mass shooting occurred), Virginia Tech (middle-upper class college campus), Aurora Colorado movie theater (middle class area, next to a nice Aurora shopping mall and a mass shooting)...

Fact is, crime occurs in many areas. Especially robberies and home invasions in nice areas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshir...vasion_murders

In Connecticut this robbery/home invasion/rapes/arson occurred for no reason in an upper class neighborhood.

You are MOST vulnerable on the road in a foreign environment by the way.

^^This^^

The only thing that seperates a good neighborhood and a bad neighborhood are bad things happening. I don't want to be the first bad thing to happen in a previously good neighborhood.

[Rikakiah]

No way I'd take a long gun into a hotel room. Main reason? I'd have to leave it there at some point. I can't guarantee when the maid will come or how thorough/snoopy they will be.

If I were using my vehicle, I'd consider keeping extra firepower there, but otherwise, it'd be nothing that couldn't be concealed on my person at all times.

[Tejicano]

I can't guarantee when the maid will come or how thorough/snoopy they will be.

Another reason for the tennis racket bag. Easy enough to bring along and throw in the trunk. If I have to leave it in the hotel room I put it up on the shelf in the closet so there's no reason to move or even lift it. Looking at it most people would only expect it holds a racket and maybe some stinky shoes, socks, and shorts.

I have an aresenal that could arm an entire A-team for just about any mission they could get - handguns, semi-auto shotguns, AR's, AK's, FAL's, etc, NFA belt feds and an SMG. I would feel really stupid if I ended up in a situation where I was outgunned when I own better equipment than 99.9% of the criminals I can expect to cross paths with.

Why not bring the hardware and be prepared? It isn't like I don't like guns or have some feeling that being armed is bad.

[Wyosmith]

On great arm for travel is an AK-47 with a folding stock, but they are not legal everywhere. They are most places in the USA ,but these are those places where treason is the order of the day for law makers who make it a point to disregard the Constitution at every opportunity.

My wife and I killed several deer and antelope with AKs a while back and I learned the 123 gr Russian soft points work well as do the 154 grain soft points. However the 122 gr hollow points break up and fragment very badly and do not penetrate well. Something I don’t like in a hunting bullet but that would be a good thing in a travelers gun to limit the possibility of over penetration.

Folded up they fit in a travel bag or small suit case quite well and are easy to carry.

[shafter]

In a hotel room I'd want that coach gun loaded with the largest birdshot I could find - not buckshot.

[camsdaddy]

I have a friend that anytime he travels has a single shot 20 guage in addition to his EDC. The 20 breaks down and is carried in a standard duffle bag.

[treg]

I lean toward K.I.S.S. theory and go with whatever pistol best fits into whatever I am doing - usually the biggest I can reasonably conceal. Always on you / with you along with spare ammo either on you or nearby. This would allow quick movement out of any area at any time.

I always have my CC, wallet, phone, knife and keys with me. That's all I need to leave the area / town, no need to go back and retrieve anything. Can make it a long ways with just these, anything else can be gotten back later or replaced. On foot or wheels, if there's trouble, I can separate myself ASAP.

To me the handicaps of a rifle severely outweigh any potential usefulness. YMMV

[WV_gunner]

In my state you cannot have a loaded long gun in a vehicle. You can have a loaded handgun in one if you have a CC permit.
If you want a long gun for in your car, I would advise against it, but keep it short.
Maybe a SBS? An 8 inch barreled side by side 12 gauge with a pistol grip could be handy.

[freenokia]

I like those AR pistols.

Definitely a rifle round in the car. I read somewhere that most pistol rounds and buckshot rounds won't penetrate tires... They will probably struggle with windshields, too.

[mrt949]

KELTEC KSG

[dayman]

The only thing that seperates a good neighborhood and a bad neighborhood are bad things happening. I don't want to be the first bad thing to happen in a previously good neighborhood.

But, a nice hotel, is separated from a cheap motel by a bit more. Namely, an awake night staff - often including a security officer - heavy fire doors on all the rooms, and security cameras.
The Hilton would be a pretty terrible place to plan a "home" invasion.
And, based on the beds/sheets alone it's worth the extra $50 or so to me.

Besides, I'd be at my most venerable in the sauna/gym, I assume they would frown on me bringing a rife in to those places with me.

[Rifleman1952]

When I travel out of town, I bring my EDC (Bersa Thunder 380 CC, 8+1 rounds) and one full sized high capacity pistol (Springfield XDM 9, 19+1 rounds), with two extra magazines, for "just in case." Crime can happen anywhere, even in posh hotels.

[WV_gunner]

And something else to consider, just because its legal doesn't mean the police think it is ok to do so. Trust me on this, not every cop is friendly and cares about your rights. So carrying a rifle or shotgun into a hotel looks pretty bad, decent chance someone will call the police and there's a good chance you will get hassled. I've had something as simple as walking down a river bank turned into the police trying to get me to admit to do doing drugs and breaking into cars. Here's a helpful hint, do not drive a panel van to a city park. It looks bad, as does carrying an AR15 into your hotel room. You need to be discret, carry handguns. Plus even if you just keep it loaded in a car, I'd like to see someone easily get it from the backseat and shoot it from the drivers seat. No way is that easy. Sure, a pistol AR or AK could work. They are heavy for a pistol though, and I can almost guarantee you'll have hearing damage from firing one in a car. I know the AK pistols are loud, very loud. They make .44 Magnum sound like a .22LR.

I just recently started a new job, I'm on the road about 6-7 hours a day. My fear is the truck will break down. You never know who you might run in to. If I ever get the time to take the class, I've got a Magnum Research Baby Eagle.

[fastbolt]

Well, I'm with FireForged in post #29.

I tend not to over-analyze this sort of thing. I've carried a badge and some sort of duty/off-duty weapon for more than 30 years, and I just don't see the need to carry a rifle or shotgun for personal defense while traveling.

Before I retired, when I traveled for work, I was carrying either my issued service weapon or an authorized off-duty weapon. Whichever was used, that's what I'd have used for any necessary defensive situation when I was driving or taking overnight lodging.

Now that I'm retired, it's whatever handgun I'm taking along under LEOSA (if traveling out-of-state).

At the moment, for an out-of-state driving trip we've been on, I decided to take along one of my J-frames and my LCP (since the LCP is enough smaller to be more easily pocket-holstered in a couple of my jeans pockets). The J-frame is a chambered for .357 Magnum, but I'm carrying it (and some speedloaders/speedstrips) loaded with some of the usual +P loads I commonly use.

Granted, I did pack a 50-rd box of some GDHP loads for each of my guns in one of my bags, as that's a habit I formed years ago when traveling armed away from home for extended periods.

Having taken long guns to outside training, safe/secure storage of one while away from the vehicle or motel is a concern I'd just as soon not have to deal with, especially now that I'm retired.

[X_shooter]

I like to keep it simple as well and would stay away from the hassle of drawing attention with a long arm. I cant imagine dragging it along and for sure would not leave it in the room.

I stay in large chain hotels that often are at highway exits which are not always the best locations imo. I was at one that looked good from the drive in. When we pulled out of the lot to go get food a block away it was a different scene. Made me happy I doubled up on my concealed carry weapons, stayed on high alert, and had an escape plan for the family.

Two high capacity pistols and back up mags give me plenty of comfort and shots.

[Tejicano]

Maybe I'm wasting my time as the people here who are opposed to the idea of a long gun keep writing about it as if you are required to wave it around as you go to and from your room.

There are a number of long arms which can fit into non-standard carrying bags - tennis racket, snow-board bag, etc - which camo the gun into something innocuous. Apply a little grey matter and you can avoid notice by other patrons and hotel staff.

Also, it seems to me that a lot of responses here are from the "hasn't happened to me yet" crowd. I hope that good luck continues for everybody too. My good luck hasn't fared so well - so I prepare.

[jackpine]

just arry a propper fighting handgun and have a factory high cap mag or two on hand and a weapon light to put on the weapon in the dark hours

[Skans]

On great arm for travel is an AK-47 with a folding stock....

Seriously? You travel with an AK-47? Lets say you had to use that in a defensive situation, how do you think that's going to come out for you (assuming that you can actually get your hands on it quick enough to shoot an attacker).

The only guns that should be used for road travel are ordinary handguns that can be concealed, carried on your person, and accessed quickly. Take your pick - there thousands to choose from, so long as they come in 9mm, .357, .40S&W, or 45ACP. I would also suggest that they have good rust resistance and cost under $500. That way, if you loose it, get it stolen, have it rust on you, drop it on something hard, etc., you won't cry (too much) over it.

[LockedBreech]

"Bad things can happen anywhere" is logic that only stretches so far. It's true to an extent, of course, which is why most of us carry a handgun, which is a practical compromise between living life and being decked out for battle. Twin ammo bandoliers and an M240B would deter crime, but at that point you're not living your life anymore.

[MTT TL]

Checking into a hotel with long gun slung over your shoulder is likely to result in an unpleasant visit with the local PD. Carry a good service pistol and if you really feel the need for more fire power, look at something you can fold or break down and put inside your regular lugage.

Why would this be? I have done this more than 50 times (including Northern Colorado) and the police have not been summoned even once. Lots of people travel with guns (hunting, shooting competition, gun shows, etc etc etc)

That said I would have gone with the SKS.