On the Road: Best car/hotel SD weapon?

[Wyosmith]

"I can only assume Model12Win is joking in post #121. At least I hope he is..."
What......no PRC72 to call in air strikes??????

You are virtually unarmed M-12.

[fastbolt]

And still going, huh?

I'm traveling out-of-state again ... and again the LEOSA weapons I brought were one of my snub J's and my LCP.

Of course, since a goodly part of my of my entertainment & leisure activities once I arrive at my destination involve visiting breweries, pubs w/breweries (or wineries & distilleries), my weapons generally get locked away once we arrive. Alcohol and LEOSA do NOT mix.

Since I make this road trip somewhat often, I've had ample opportunity to check out the various motels in the towns where we prefer to stop overnight. I'm somewhat cautious in selecting places where we stay, meaning both the parts of towns and the motels. Checking out other patrons in common areas (parking lot, lobby, hallways, restaurant, bar, etc) and the appearance of vehicles is pretty automatic by now.

Yeah, I know, appearances of places can be deceiving, but after enough years it's not hard to recognize places and potential situations that remind me of those where I might have been sent to investigate crimes before my retirement.

[44 AMP]

Well, I've waded through 6 pages of responses, a lot of them seem to have been made by folks who would be happy hanging out with Gecko45.

Among the contestants (I will be running a paired-comparison decision process):

Rossi SxS 20 ga. coach gun
a fair choice, although I would opt for the 12ga

Mossberg 510 mini-20
(I don't know that gun, so no comment)

Winchester 94 in .44magnum
Some say they are good, others say they have issues because the 94 action is overly long for the .44 Mag round.

Marlin 94 in .357 magnum
A very good choice IMO

Ruger Mini-14
A good choice (with varmint bullets) for practicality, but a poor choice due to legal issues.

SKS
Same as the Mini-14 (minus the varmint bullets,)

There is travel, and there is travel. Carrying a handgun opens you up to all the legal problems of different state laws. Likewise any semi auto rifle that might fall under some place's "assault weapon" laws.'

Where, and how you are traveling makes a difference. My father-in-law, not a gun guy, was quite pleased when I gave him a Marlin .357 carbine for his travel gun. .357 mag, not a handgun, or a semi auto, so no legal issues anywhere in the US he might go. Also, he traveled by truck camper, and it was something he was comfortable with.

Lots of mention of guns being stolen, and what is "safe". There is an old saying that essentially says, the only really safe place is the grave. But then there are old Pharaohs who would likely argue that, if they only could...

If you have a carry handgun, and the law allows it, then by all means take it. If the law does not allow it, a long gun (carbine or short shotgun) is best. Semi autos have legal problems in several states, thanks to the assault weapon idiocy. If your travel plans include such places, a pump or lever gun is much better. (not to mention the PR disaster if you actually wind up in court because you had to use it).

Self defense situations where a rifle is superior to a handgun are exceedingly rare. Its really tough to justify shooting someone at rifle ranges because they were an imminent threat.

A manually operated repeating rifle/carbine, or shotgun is essentially ok to have anywhere (and while open carry of such in an urban area is often a poor idea, it is seldom specifically against the law, although creating a public disturbance (-very likely in some places-) would be a violation of statutes.

[johnelmore]

The Marlin is actually a very fun item to have in your inventory.

[Don P]

He has rised from the dead, resurrection of a 7 month old thread

[Dwight55]

He has rised from the dead, resurrection of a 7 month old thread

Hey, Don, . . . that's really an amateur occurrence.

I used to work in a UAW paint plant, . . . three times a day, the dead arose: 3:25 PM, . . . 11:25 PM, . . . and 7:25 AM.

Coincidentally, . . . it was the ending times for the individual shifts. Over 100 bodies that heretofore were basically immovable, . . . suddenly became alive, . . . moving, . . . heading for the clock house of course.

Oh, . . . and none of them had guns, . . . it was a "gun free zone".

May God bless,
Dwight

[bikerbill]

See this is an old thread, but hard to believe anybody would even consider a long gun for hotel room safety. For one thing, how would you store it? It certainly won't fit in any hotel room safe I've ever seen, so even in a locked case it would be out and obvious to any staff entering the room. Second, any of the long guns you list will easily fire through walls if you don't hit what you're aiming at. I carry a PM9 on me when I'm out and on the hotel room nightstand when I'm in and locked behind the room door. Most hotel rooms -- at least the ones I can afford -- are small enough that you could probably hit any threat with your eyes closed. A concealable pistol IMHO is all you need for protection while traveling.

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by bikerbill

Second, any of the long guns you list will easily fire through walls if you don't hit what you're aiming at

Not this yet again! The myth that all rifles will penetrate more than pistols comes up in every single thread where someone mentions using a rifle for home-defense. Then someone debunks it. Then someone else doesn't bother reading all the posts in the thread and they bring it up again. Try reading post #112.

[Dragline45]

bikerbill, your 9mm PM9 will out penetrate both the .223/5.56 and even 12g buckshot, both of which are a far superior round to the 9mm, especially out of a small pistol. Not that I advocate that everyone should bring an AR or a shotgun with them whenever they stay in a hotel, a pistol suits me fine for that application.

[Dwight55]

Biker Bill asked:

For one thing, how would you store it?

Every AR I've ever owned pulled apart with 2 pins. It then went into a very small carry bag, . . . in pieces, . . . into the trunk or back seat. Never looks like any kind of firearm, . . . once back in the room, . . . it re-assembles in all of about 10 seconds.

May God bless,
Dwight

[sliverslinger]

My son and I travel quite a bit for work. We are a commercial logging crew, and thus have quite a sum tied up in "tools" ....of all kinds. We have stayed in some pretty shady hotels/motels over the years. One in Ohio that actually made us uncomfortable enough to push the beds against the door because someone kept trying the handle all night. (We only stayed one night..found a better one down the road) we both carry .40's , I carry 2 (new york reload). Between us we carry 105 rounds for the pistols, plus an sks with a standard base load (250 rounds in stripper clips) we NEVER leave a weapon in the room when we go out to work, the rifle goes back into it's storage area in the truck. We are also both reserve officers, so we get discounts at the hotels too! I love my tactical shotgun as much as the next guy...but I've been a rifle nut since age 10...so that is what we pack. May sound like overkill to some...but it's always better to be prepared don't you think?

[Model12Win]

I actually prefer a PRC117 to call in airstrikes.

I usually try to have at least a couple AC-130 Spectre gunships on call, day and night when I travel.

I'll admit it's pretty nice to see those birds flying in a pylon turn as approach the hotels I stay at when I'm traveling.

I once had a little scare in the hotel parking lot from someones yappy Chihuahua dog snarling at me, but once I called down a couple 40mm Bofors strikes the dog... became a non issue.

YMMV.

PS: Just trying to have a little fun guys!

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by Model12Win

PS: Just trying to have a little fun guys!

Whew, I'm glad post #121 turned out to be a joke! I'll be honest, I wasn't completely sure; it really wasn't that much more over-the-top than some of the other posts in this thread!

[Slopemeno]

About the worst thing to ever happen to me in a hotel was in Philly. A really hot girl slid next to me at the all-night snack and drink counter, and said "Mmm- chocolate cake and milk? Grrreat idea." My response? "(sotto voce) that's my wife standing right over there..."

[ATPBULLETS]

About the worst thing to ever happen to me in a hotel was in Philly. A really hot girl slid next to me at the all-night snack and drink counter, and said "Mmm- chocolate cake and milk? Grrreat idea." My response? "(sotto voce) that's my wife standing right over there..."

.....that's too funny

[wayneinFL]

How would you secure all these firearms on the road? Neither the hotel or the car are appropriate places. How are you going to leisurely carry around any of this? I say anything beyond a compact pistol will be a no-go.

I have stayed in all kinds of hotels but never stayed in one where I felt I needed a rifle. This isnt Afghanistan.

Sounds like an awful lot of paranoia in this thread.

Along with these concerns, I also see concerns about bringing long guns into a hotel discreetly.

Having a rifle accessible in a vehicle.

Being able to fire a rifle in a vehicle.

Running afoul of state laws.

To the first concern, I fold the stock on my Mini-14 and put it in the suitcase. When I am on the road, I lock the doors. Is there some risk it will get stolen? Yes. But where else am I going to put my suitcase, 3 PIM sets, an Anritsu, and the $10K to $20K in other tools that are in my car? Odds are if someone stole the Dodge Caravan that's parked outside my room, they're making out better than if they stole a Mercedes.

To the second concern, I was staying in a decent Comfort Inn in the Los Angeles area a few years ago. The cop who pulled the guy below me out of his room felt he needed a long gun, AND felt he needed 7 or 8 buddies with guns. If the cops need long guns at a hotel, why is it so outlandish to think someone else might need a long gun at a hotel?

Besides, my rifle isn't just for the hotel. People who know what an Anritsu or a PIM set is will understand that I work in, and travel through, some very remote areas. If the police are in town 20 miles away, it's going to take a long time for them to get to me. Assuming they can find me in the woods two miles off the nearest named road. Assuming I have enough service to call them in the first place. So considering the situation, I hope to have more range and more bullets than the other guy.

As for bringing a riffle or shotgun into a hotel room. Are you thinking that I just walk in with a rifle slung over my shoulder? Most defensive shotguns and rifles will break down somehow and fit in a suitcase. If it's a lever gun or some other long gun that won't break down, just put it in a rifle case. I've never seen anyone that cares about this.

The long gun doesn't have to be that accessible in a vehicle. That;s why you have a sidearm. I suppose it's fine if you travel in a area where you can leave a long gun in the front seat. But I keep mine in the suitcase in the back seat, where I would have to fight my way to it with my CCW. And I'm okay with that, because it's reserved for the most extraordinary situations.

As for being able to fire a rifle from the driver's seat- that's why I have my CCW.

As for running afoul of state laws, I restrict most of my travel to the Southeast, and I follow the law. I suppose it's possible I will run into a cop that doesn't know the law. But it hasn't happened in the 17 years I've been traveling for work.