Trunk/Truck guns

[Lokpyrite]

What considerations go into selecting a gun that will inhabit your trunk or the area behind your bench seat? Should it be a long gun? Another copy of you main carry gun? What?

[TMA-1]

I mainly go for "cheap." This firearm is being stored in the least-secure property that I own. If the truck or firearm is stolen, I want to limit my losses (and the profits made by the thief).

I do match the ammo with my primary home-defense pistol (9mm in my case). I also make sure to "cycle" new ammo through this gun a little more often than usual, as I believe the temperature extremes in my truck can decrease the shelf life of the ammo. I try to replace the ammo once every season.

All that said, my truck gun is a HiPoint C9 pistol. :-)

[ConlawBloganon]

One of my biggest concerns about firearms ownership in a dangerous city is inadvertently arming a criminal by having my car or apartment broken into and unsecured weapons handy. Having not invested in a proper way of securing a weapon in my vehicle, I don't leave one there unless no other option is available.

[smince]

Perhaps not the best option, but I carry a Keltec Sub 2K in what I call a 'car bag'.

My EDC gun is a Glock 9mm, so I have magazine compatibility between it and the S2K. I also carry extra mags, stowable rain poncho, first aid kit and a few other essentials in the bag.

It goes in the house at night when I get home, and I put it in whichever vehicle I go in the next day. Depending on how big a bag you want to use, a folding stock Mini14 or AK can also be used in this role.

[jgcoastie]

My "truck gun" is the 9mm Sig SP2022 that's holstered on my hip when I'm in the truck.

There's too much of a risk of the truck being broken into around here and the gun being found. Even worse would be my gun being used in a crime. One day I might get a small safe for the truck, but until that day, I'll just keep my CCW on me at all times, truck or no truck.

One of the most common methods of firearms being introduced into criminal circles is theft. Vehicles are generally not very secure, so I take it as my responsibility to ensure that my guns do not fall into criminal hands. Something I believe all responsible gun owners should do as well.

[TXGunNut]

My truck is usually parked where it is at very low risk of being stolen or broken into. I keep a Winchester Defender with buttstock ammo carrier behind the seat. Also have extra ammo for it and some loaded 1911 mags nearby.
Same shotgun with pistol grip is in my car trunk. Both are loosely cased and have a coat of wax to protect the finish from the environment and temp changes.
If I feel the situation merits it I'll case up a rifle but the shotguns are my "always" guns.

[Sailor1911]

I rarely leave a gun in the truck unattended. But when I must, it's in one of these.

http://www.center-of-mass.com/Store_ConsoleVault.htm

[Miami_JBT]

Well for me it's a little bit different.

My patrol car (Ford Police Interceptor) has a dedicated trunk gun. It's a Remington 870 locked into a bracket that's mounted to the trunk. My AR-15 sits up front on the roof in another locked bracket. When I go off shift the guns come out of the vehicle and are locked in a safe.

For my personal vehicle (Tundra Double Cab & Kawasaki Ninja) I always carry my GLOCK 22 and if I do some long distance driving I take a long gun with me. My SBR PS90 in a 5.11 Select Carry Bag. Nondescript, compact, and packs a punch. The only firearm that has a permanent home in my truck is a Henry AR-7 that I paid $75 for. It sits disassembled in a tupperware container with a first aid kit, MREs, drinking water, toilet paper, poncho, and road flares. It's not a defensive gun... it's an oh crap... I'm stuck and need to eat gun. Look at that... fluffy tailed tree rat. Looks like I'm having dinner tonight!

[PawPaw]

I live in a rural area and am not worried about my truck being burglarized. (Yeah, I know, it might happen tonight), but my truck gun has to serve one of several possible purposes. It's a Winchester 94. Rural friendly with ammo that's available anywhere. Plenty of power for whatever I might encounter and easy to explain to the mildly curious.

That, of course, is in addition to whatever handgun might be in my pocket, on my hip, or in the console. Louisiana is very gun friendly.

[TXGunNut]

One advantage of keeping a long gun in a vehicle is that no one sees you carrying it in or out. I live in a gun-friendly rural subdivision but I don't advertise. Anyone stupid enough to try to burglarize a car around here has made a very bad career decision. My neighbors are hard on stray dogs, a felon wouldn't have much of a chance.

[Webleymkv]

If I were to have a dedicated car or truck gun (I don't currently), my choice would probably be dependent on what the most likely use for it would be. If I frequented a large city with a gang problem, I'd have an inexpensive but good quality semi-automatic handgun like a Ruger P95. If I lived in a rural area with a pest problem, I'd probably have an inexpensive .22 rifle like a plain-jane Ruger 10-22 or single-shot shotgun like an NEF. If I lived in a rural area with a dangerous animal problem, I'd probably have a good centerfire rifle in a substantial caliber like a NEF Handi-Rifle in 30-06. If I lived close to the U.S./Mexico border, I'd have an AK-47 variant of some type. Different tools for different jobs you see.

[38superhero]

SKS, used to be Russian but carry the Chinese now.....Russian has gone way up and harder to replace.

[Rifleman1776]

When I had my farm it was a Ruger 10/22 that was carried in a standard window rack except the rack was mounted below the window behind the seat.
It was most frequently used to dispatch small critters that were nuisances. Like racoons in daytime (meaning sick) or dogs chasing cattle. For personal protection my theory is nobody wants to get shot with anything and a .22 will keep bad guys at bay or hurt them badly.

[FM12]

SKS and a Dan Wesson 4" 357 mag

[BIG P]

Mine changes with season spring & summer ruger all weather in 22mag. fall saiga 308 on rotation with AR 15. winter 270 pump action. work truck gun Glock 21 for the city.

[Edward429451]

What considerations go into selecting a gun that will inhabit your trunk or the area behind your bench seat? Should it be a long gun? Another copy of you main carry gun? What?

IMO Truck guns are long guns. The considerations are that it be reliable, and not precious enough that getting scratched up wont matter. Carbines and folding stock models are preferable for size and handling considerations.

I would not leave a Rifle in the truck unless I had secure parking, like in a garage. I haul my dog around for the most part so I can even leave my windows cracked and not have a worry of someone getting in my truck.

I use my folding stocked 10/22. I'd like to use my Mini-14 but I can't bring myself to use it with the pristine wood factory folding stock that it sits in.

[Jeremiah/Az]

My truck gun has to be almost indestructable & inexpensive, spelled Glock. Would I carry it? No! But it is my backup, always in my truck.

[Scout]

Ruger P 95

[reppans]

I put another vote in for the Kel-Tec Sub2000.

I live in the Northeast among states that are small, close together and do not have CCW permit reciprocity so crossing state lines with a handgun is out. In general though, long guns do not require permits. The Sub2K is legally a long gun that folds into a laptop bag and so is perfect for keeping in a vehicle.

Still must have the firearm unloaded and locked while traveling, but it can be made ready from inside any car about as fast as a semi auto pistol.

Very accurate and fun to shoot too.

[rantingredneck]

I have a 4" GP100 in a lock box bolted into my floorboards and a former PD 18" 870 Wingmaster stashed under the back bench seat. I need to fabricate a locking bracket for that one. In fact it's been on my to-do list for about a year now. Might need to go ahead and take care of that...........

As to why I selected these two:

GP100:

1) Versatility: Anything from mild to wild in terms of ammo. Anything from 2 legged predators to 4 legged game and/or predators. Biggest thing I'd have to worry about in my usual haunts is black bear.

2) Durability: It's stainless, it's a Ruger. I don't worry about it being stored long-term in my truck. It is in a padded recess in the lock box along with speedloaders for .357 and speedstrips for .38. It's loaded with .38's. I do take it out about once a month (every other range trip or so) and shoot it and wipe it down with CLP.

870:

1) Versatility: Anything from mild to wild in terms of ammo. I've got a box of birdshot in a belt carry pouch under the seat with it as well as a shell belt full of 00 buck. There are also slugs in the sidesaddle. I figure if I'm stuck somewhere remote I can eat, regardless of what game presents itself.

2) Durability: It's an 870 and it's already ridden shotgun in a few patrol cars over the years. I ain't worried about the finish.....I do however keep it in a silicone impregnated gun sock and I take it out once every other range trip or so and run a few shells through it and wipe it down. I have installed a tritium front bead on it as well. When it gets to the point where the bluing is so far gone that it's just too ugly to look at I may consider duracoating it. For the time being though it's still purty enough.......

[FAS1]

I don't leave any firearms in my vehicles on a regular basis. Since I carry a G26 and my HD gun is a G17 I am considering a Keltec S2K in 9mm with G17 mags for a long gun option especially when travelling. It would be easy to carry in and out of a vehicle in a laptop bag with extra ammo and mags.

[threegun]

What considerations go into selecting a gun that will inhabit your trunk or the area behind your bench seat? Should it be a long gun? Another copy of you main carry gun? What?

For me its got to be light, fast, powerful, hi capacity, and capable of extended distance shooting. It has to be a long gun and for me a rifle and in a rifle caliber. I already carry a handgun so a duplicate offers no advantage to me. A shotgun is great but limited in capacity and range.

I posted a similar thread months ago and have been in the selection process for quite some time now. I am very close to adopting the SU-16 from kel-tec as my truck gun. It is 223 caliber, folds to 26inches, uses ar-15 mags (my main fighting rifle), very light weight, high capacity, and has a built in bipod. I'm soon going to be testing accuracy to see if it is long range capable. If it is decently accurate and assuming its reliable it will win me over.

Drop a Burris fast fire red dot mini site on top and shes ready for zombies.

[jfruser]

Long Gun:
Used Rem 870 Police (Wingmaster) 12 ga, 18" cylinder bbl that had been neglected and brought back to life by me. Added Choate +2 mag ext, Choate corncob fore end with picatinny rail for a light, Knoxx folding Cop Stock, and sling. Have satchel with a buncha slugs and 000 buck, all 2 3/4". It all gets stuffed into one of those carbine bags when folded. Shoots nice with the Cop Stock.



I have patterned the Rem Express 000 buck out to 15 yards to my satisfaction and the slugs are Winchester foster slugs that hit minute of pie plate out to 100 yards with the bead sight.

It is a shotgun. It was cheap. It can do most anything. Probably ought to add some bird shot on GP.

Hand Gun:
Most common is a snubby revo Taurus 651 titanium job in .357mag, which is my main backup handgun. Usually backs up my GM-sized 1911, but comes along and stays in the car when I go places where guns are prohibited.