Truck gun - methods?

KyleYankee · February 12, 2018, 10:29 PM

I found a break action single shot 12ga I decided to order in to my LGS and get as a truck gun. I do have a Remington 870 express tactical, but it is ILLEGAL to keep this in a vehicle with shells in the tube even if the chamber is empty. Also, the single shot is slimmer and might be easier to maneuver within the confines of my rig. I digress.

What are some good ways to keep a long gun (Long here being 18.5" barrel) in the truck and not get it stolen? I don't have a 4 door, but an extended cab. I'd get a gun rack and hang it in the back window, but that's a great way to get pulled over here. Also a good way to get it taken when parked.

Under a jacket on the floor between the front and back seats? Disassembled/folded and in a backpack?

Any opinions on this welcome. Thanks.

Charlie98 · February 12, 2018, 11:30 PM

If it's something like an H&R Topper, you can just break it down into 2 pieces and store it unobtrusively in a duffle or other non-gun case looking bag, under the rear seat.

bamaranger · February 13, 2018, 04:31 AM

If you want to get serious about securing a long gun in a vehicle, that are locking racks, some relatively affordable, that are out there. Look in the police supply catalogs, or of course, the source of all knowledge these days, the internet.

Some of those LE racks are expensive, but the manual locking types are not so bad, or at least they didn't used to be. Another option, is the Sky Rack, which puts the gun overhead up around the sun visors. Those may or may not lock. I have also seen metal floor lockers, which flush mount on the floor. These may or may not be available for behind the seat of an extended cab. My experience and use has been in the rear of a SUV. I think I recently saw where MagPul is making a behind the seat rack that fits behind the head rests, but it is a bracket arrangement that does not lock, simple secures a soft case. Thinking they were in the recent Dillons catalog

Charlie98 · February 13, 2018, 09:26 AM

I don't think putting a firearm anywhere it can be seen is a good idea, no matter how 'secure' you think it is. Locks only keep the honest people out.

OP, what kind of truck do you have? For reference, you can break into a Ford SuperDuty with a flat blade screwdriver in about 5 seconds. Yes, I speak from experience. That's why I subscribe to the 'not in view' theme.

buck460XVR · February 13, 2018, 09:40 AM

My idea of a truck gun is one that is quickly and easily accessed when one wants it. Thus, hard to make it completely safe from being stolen without making it hard to access. One of my other ideas of a truck gun is one that is worth so little, that damage from keeping it in the truck and the minuscule threat of it being stolen, does not deter me from having it in the truck.

You need to make a choice. Easily accessed or securely stored. If the later is the choice, then a cable lock would be in order.

TrueBlue711 · February 13, 2018, 09:55 AM

I've had the same question not too long ago. I also have an extended cab and I have a "dog hammock" in my back seat for my lab (keeps the seat dry and clean when I take her out hunting/swimming/etc). Under that, I have a soft rifle case with the shoulder strap wrapped around the seat cushion. Nobody can see it and I can reach back and grab my gun fairly easily from the driver seat. I put an AR pistol in it, so easy to maneuver in the truck. If you don't have a dog, just use a large/heavy blanket to cover the seat.

Here's the Amazon link to the dog hammock. Works great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

bassJAM1 · February 13, 2018, 12:00 PM

There's pretty stout lock boxes that fit under the seat of extended cabs that is an option.

https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-425-...150-x-cab.aspx

Also, depending on your truck model you may be able to fold down the back of the rear seat and hide something back there. My Frontier was made to do so, my F150 wasn't but a 1/16" drill bit, a 12" length of cable and a key ring fixed that.

Longhorn1986 · February 13, 2018, 04:08 PM

I keep my AK & 40 round magazine hidden behind the rear seat in my crew cab. It may not be the most accessible, but that's that my pistol is for.

KyleYankee · February 13, 2018, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie_98

I don't think putting a firearm anywhere it can be seen is a good idea, no matter how 'secure' you think it is. Locks only keep the honest people out.

OP, what kind of truck do you have? For reference, you can break into a Ford SuperDuty with a flat blade screwdriver in about 5 seconds. Yes, I speak from experience. That's why I subscribe to the 'not in view' theme.

I don't want to have it in sight. My doors seal so tightly to the frames when shut that I can't even open it with tools or a hand pump. But, a criminal will just break a window.

I have a 1st gen club cab Dakota. I'm not worried about the truck being stolen, it is high off the ground and no criminals here seem to be able to drive a 5-spd. But if someone wanted to climb in the bed and break the back window to access a visible gun rack, they absolutely would be able to.

I don't have any room under my seats, that's where my extra water, beef jerky, and shotshells go. Sounds like my best bet is to keep it under a jacket on the floor between the front and rear seats.

jamaica · February 18, 2018, 11:44 AM

Is there enough space behind the rear seat below the window to put a rack?

In the single seated pickups I have had I could put a rack behind the seat under the window. The guns were not visible from outside so not in view to tempt a thief.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · February 18, 2018, 01:40 PM

Keeping gun/s in a vehicle any vehicle requires its owner to keep his/her mouth shut first and foremost. "He who know's yaw steals yaw." is a motto in my family that has on more than one occasion proven to be not just a quip but true as the Blue seen overhead.

As far back as I can recall. (50s 60s) Some police agency's kept there long guns openly locked in a bracket type affair that was bolt/fastened to their prowlers dash board. Didn't matter the prowlers model._ Police garage mechanics made One size fit all.~ I supect
Once acquiring all those new dandy gadgets (electronics) to keep track of everyone the police encounter breaking the Law. I supect such dash board locked long guns found their way into the trunk or back into the police station armory for safe keeping.

DaleA · February 18, 2018, 07:55 PM

The following is a story told for your amusement…not necessarily true.

Years ago one of the gun magazines wrote about some law enforcement agency that had the shotgun rack in the patrol cars holding the shotguns muzzle down. One of the officers reported finding ball bearings in the car and wondered what had broken. Later on he realized the ball bearings were really the shot from the shotgun shells that had opened up after a time due to the bouncing and vibration in the car. They left it to the readers to imagine how surprised you’d be to grab the shotgun and fire it with no shot in the shell.

The story has several holes that even I can see.
1. Do LEO’s keep a round in the chamber of the squad car shotgun?
2. Would the crimp on modern day shotgun shells ever open up?
3. Wouldn’t a LEO instantly recognize the shot for what it was?

Anyway, that was the story in the magazine and I’m retelling it here for your entertainment and if anybody else remembers it and I got the story wrong, I’ll take the blame for having a faulty memory.

Pathfinder45 · February 18, 2018, 08:28 PM

The most important rule is: "Out of sight; out of mind."
Another thing to keep in mind, is to make it look as though there is nothing else of value worth breaking into a vehicle. The thieves could find your gun unexpectedly when what they were tempted by was something else more obvious like stereo or laptop left in plain sight.

tony pasley · February 18, 2018, 09:34 PM

They make seat covers that can hold long guns either under the legs in front of the seat or hang behind the seat some up to 3 guns. Companies like Midway, Cheaper than dirt and others offer them. The gun is out of sight but easy to access.

Joe-ker · February 19, 2018, 08:56 AM

^^^^I always liked those old school covers with the pocket along the front. Wasn't sure they still made them. Only downside I could see is door would have to be open to slide a long gun out.

tony pasley · February 19, 2018, 12:43 PM

They make 1 that is open top with a flap cover. it uses 6 plastic u-shaped supports covered by 4" webbing, then a flap that lays over top.

In The Ten Ring · February 20, 2018, 11:07 PM

Just remember, if your truck or car gets broken into or stolen, you've lost your weapon and had the dishonor of arming a crook.

On long trips I have carried a rifle in the trunk and did so briefly during my time as a traveling salesman. It was all "fun and games" until one of the cans of car wash soap I was peddling broke upon and soaked into my soft rifle case. I never got all that concentrated soap out of that case!

February 12, 2018, 10:29 PM	#1
KyleYankee Member Join Date: December 23, 2017 Location: Yankeedom Posts: 29	Truck gun - methods? I found a break action single shot 12ga I decided to order in to my LGS and get as a truck gun. I do have a Remington 870 express tactical, but it is ILLEGAL to keep this in a vehicle with shells in the tube even if the chamber is empty. Also, the single shot is slimmer and might be easier to maneuver within the confines of my rig. I digress. What are some good ways to keep a long gun (Long here being 18.5" barrel) in the truck and not get it stolen? I don't have a 4 door, but an extended cab. I'd get a gun rack and hang it in the back window, but that's a great way to get pulled over here. Also a good way to get it taken when parked. Under a jacket on the floor between the front and back seats? Disassembled/folded and in a backpack? Any opinions on this welcome. Thanks.

February 12, 2018, 11:30 PM	#2
Charlie98 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2006 Location: Great state of Texas Posts: 1,077	If it's something like an H&R Topper, you can just break it down into 2 pieces and store it unobtrusively in a duffle or other non-gun case looking bag, under the rear seat. __________________ _______________ "I have this pistol pointed at your heart!" "That is my least vulnerable spot."

February 13, 2018, 04:31 AM	#3
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,300	serious If you want to get serious about securing a long gun in a vehicle, that are locking racks, some relatively affordable, that are out there. Look in the police supply catalogs, or of course, the source of all knowledge these days, the internet. Some of those LE racks are expensive, but the manual locking types are not so bad, or at least they didn't used to be. Another option, is the Sky Rack, which puts the gun overhead up around the sun visors. Those may or may not lock. I have also seen metal floor lockers, which flush mount on the floor. These may or may not be available for behind the seat of an extended cab. My experience and use has been in the rear of a SUV. I think I recently saw where MagPul is making a behind the seat rack that fits behind the head rests, but it is a bracket arrangement that does not lock, simple secures a soft case. Thinking they were in the recent Dillons catalog

February 13, 2018, 09:26 AM	#4
Charlie98 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2006 Location: Great state of Texas Posts: 1,077	I don't think putting a firearm anywhere it can be seen is a good idea, no matter how 'secure' you think it is. Locks only keep the honest people out. OP, what kind of truck do you have? For reference, you can break into a Ford SuperDuty with a flat blade screwdriver in about 5 seconds. Yes, I speak from experience. That's why I subscribe to the 'not in view' theme. __________________ _______________ "I have this pistol pointed at your heart!" "That is my least vulnerable spot."

February 13, 2018, 09:55 AM	#6
TrueBlue711 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Posts: 489	I've had the same question not too long ago. I also have an extended cab and I have a "dog hammock" in my back seat for my lab (keeps the seat dry and clean when I take her out hunting/swimming/etc). Under that, I have a soft rifle case with the shoulder strap wrapped around the seat cushion. Nobody can see it and I can reach back and grab my gun fairly easily from the driver seat. I put an AR pistol in it, so easy to maneuver in the truck. If you don't have a dog, just use a large/heavy blanket to cover the seat. Here's the Amazon link to the dog hammock. Works great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Last edited by TrueBlue711; February 13, 2018 at 10:00 AM.

February 13, 2018, 09:40 AM	#5
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	My idea of a truck gun is one that is quickly and easily accessed when one wants it. Thus, hard to make it completely safe from being stolen without making it hard to access. One of my other ideas of a truck gun is one that is worth so little, that damage from keeping it in the truck and the minuscule threat of it being stolen, does not deter me from having it in the truck. You need to make a choice. Easily accessed or securely stored. If the later is the choice, then a cable lock would be in order.

February 13, 2018, 12:00 PM	#7
bassJAM1 Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2017 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 147	There's pretty stout lock boxes that fit under the seat of extended cabs that is an option. https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-425-...150-x-cab.aspx Also, depending on your truck model you may be able to fold down the back of the rear seat and hide something back there. My Frontier was made to do so, my F150 wasn't but a 1/16" drill bit, a 12" length of cable and a key ring fixed that.

February 13, 2018, 04:08 PM	#8
Longhorn1986 Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2016 Location: Fort Bend County, Texas Posts: 173	I keep my AK & 40 round magazine hidden behind the rear seat in my crew cab. It may not be the most accessible, but that's that my pistol is for.

February 18, 2018, 11:44 AM	#10
jamaica Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2006 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 705	Is there enough space behind the rear seat below the window to put a rack? In the single seated pickups I have had I could put a rack behind the seat under the window. The guns were not visible from outside so not in view to tempt a thief.

February 18, 2018, 01:40 PM	#11
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	Keeping gun/s in a vehicle any vehicle requires its owner to keep his/her mouth shut first and foremost. "He who know's yaw steals yaw." is a motto in my family that has on more than one occasion proven to be not just a quip but true as the Blue seen overhead. As far back as I can recall. (50s 60s) Some police agency's kept there long guns openly locked in a bracket type affair that was bolt/fastened to their prowlers dash board. Didn't matter the prowlers model._ Police garage mechanics made One size fit all.~ I supect Once acquiring all those new dandy gadgets (electronics) to keep track of everyone the police encounter breaking the Law. I supect such dash board locked long guns found their way into the trunk or back into the police station armory for safe keeping.

February 18, 2018, 07:55 PM	#12
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,312	The following is a story told for your amusement…not necessarily true. Years ago one of the gun magazines wrote about some law enforcement agency that had the shotgun rack in the patrol cars holding the shotguns muzzle down. One of the officers reported finding ball bearings in the car and wondered what had broken. Later on he realized the ball bearings were really the shot from the shotgun shells that had opened up after a time due to the bouncing and vibration in the car. They left it to the readers to imagine how surprised you’d be to grab the shotgun and fire it with no shot in the shell. The story has several holes that even I can see. 1. Do LEO’s keep a round in the chamber of the squad car shotgun? 2. Would the crimp on modern day shotgun shells ever open up? 3. Wouldn’t a LEO instantly recognize the shot for what it was? Anyway, that was the story in the magazine and I’m retelling it here for your entertainment and if anybody else remembers it and I got the story wrong, I’ll take the blame for having a faulty memory.

February 18, 2018, 08:28 PM	#13
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	The most important rule is: "Out of sight; out of mind." Another thing to keep in mind, is to make it look as though there is nothing else of value worth breaking into a vehicle. The thieves could find your gun unexpectedly when what they were tempted by was something else more obvious like stereo or laptop left in plain sight.

February 18, 2018, 09:34 PM	#14
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	They make seat covers that can hold long guns either under the legs in front of the seat or hang behind the seat some up to 3 guns. Companies like Midway, Cheaper than dirt and others offer them. The gun is out of sight but easy to access. __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

February 19, 2018, 08:56 AM	#15
Joe-ker Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2016 Location: North Iowa Posts: 247	^^^^I always liked those old school covers with the pocket along the front. Wasn't sure they still made them. Only downside I could see is door would have to be open to slide a long gun out. __________________ From my cold dead hands.....

February 19, 2018, 12:43 PM	#16
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	They make 1 that is open top with a flap cover. it uses 6 plastic u-shaped supports covered by 4" webbing, then a flap that lays over top. __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

February 20, 2018, 11:07 PM	#17
In The Ten Ring Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2018 Posts: 380	Just remember, if your truck or car gets broken into or stolen, you've lost your weapon and had the dishonor of arming a crook. On long trips I have carried a rifle in the trunk and did so briefly during my time as a traveling salesman. It was all "fun and games" until one of the cans of car wash soap I was peddling broke upon and soaked into my soft rifle case. I never got all that concentrated soap out of that case!

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