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I hear people on here and elsewhere talk about having a dedicated truck/car gun that they leave in the vehicle for the most part. I ask in what fashion are these weapons secured in the vehicle when not being driven. Are people bringing them in and out every night when you park for the night? I am assuming the days of leaving a rifle in the gun rack in the back window of our pickups are long gone.

I ask b/c I am wanting to get a truck gun for my single cab pickup. I would prefer a folding AK type to just set behind my driver seat with a few loaded mags. It would not be visible from outside, I don't have any AR15.com, NRA, Obama Sucks, or God Bless Our Troops...especially our snipers-stickers on my vehicle by the way. Its just a plain old truck... One of my concerns is the security of my weapon when I am parked and away from my truck. I know there are a lot of folks that don't like the idea of only a thin piece of glass separating a band guy and my weapon, but there is a lot of other talk in and around this forum about a dedicated vehicle gun, just not a lot of talk on what is done with it on a day by day basis.

Thoughts for and against please...

I always purge my truck of weapons at night. I've taken way too many burglary of a vehicle reports to be comfortable otherwise.

While even a fold-up rifle won't fit in a Console Vault, at least the magazines will. That way the rifle wouldn't be immediately usable. Depending on the rifle, you might also be able to put the bolt or some other critical part in the vault.

I, too don't leave anything in the truck overnight. However, I do have a "truck gun" in the sense that I like to keep something bigger than my pistol in the truck when I am out and about sometimes. For me, it is a Kel-tec Sub 2000 in 9mm. Its tough, affordable and functional. It lets me reach out beyond what my pistol can do. I keep it in a laptop bag with spare mags on the seat next to me when I am driving, and I tuck it neatly under the back seat when I am not. If my vehicle does get broken into, and it does get stolen, I'm out less than $400.

RECIT:

My idea of a BUG/Truck gun is to have it more accessible to me
in the case of an incident than my pocket-carried or OWB EDC,
my PT-111.

My truck's front seat is equipped with a DeSantis seatbelt
holster, covered by a towel. This model is either a "Jamaican"
or a "Kingston", so-named because Jamaican taxi drivers used
them. (I don't have my DeSantis catalog handy, and can never
remember which one is the correct name.)

My Rossi .357, charged with .38 Specials, resides in the seatbelt
holster, allowing easy access while seatbelted. The weapon is
covered by the towel, meeting "concealed" needs, while being
close to my right hand, behind the stick shift.

I never leave the Rossi in the truck overnight. I have a red vinyl
re-usuable Albertson's grocery bag which I use to tote the Rossi in
and out of the house, without anyone knowing what's in there.

This red bag has 2 big straps which allows me to carry it over my
shoulder. This makes a great way to carry the Rossi into the movies,
or anywhere else I'm going which is not a 30.06 site.

Your carrying of a long gun in a standard cab pickup seems problematical
for a variety of reasons, to wit:

1. You can't easily transport the weapon between residence and vehicle,
and back to the residence when your day is done. It's hard to conceal a
long gun.
2. Your access to this gun would seem to be almost impossible under a
stressful, quickly-unfolding incident. A standard cab pickup has very
tight areas behind the passenger buckets/bench seat.

IMHO, having a Truck/BUG is a good thing to have, but if you selected
a good handgun, the above outlined problems would disappear.

Whenever possible, it's never a good idea for us to leave our weapons
in our vehicles.

SIA

I would think a Glock 17 with one of those bajillian mags would be a pretty decent Truck Gun.

I keep thinking a Judge, loaded with .410, would do a pretty good job of creating a "bad guy free zone" around my truck & give me time to get the .45 into action.

surprise_i'm_armed wrote:My idea of a BUG/Truck gun is to have it more accessible to me
in the case of an incident than my pocket-carried or OWB EDC,
my PT-111.

That's why it's important to consider the requirements. For your requirements, your choice makes a lot of sense.

When I lived in a less urban area, I carried a rifle in my trunk. Probably not very useful in a carjacking scenario, but that's not why I had it.

Define the job. That will help you choose an appropriate tool.

Buy what you want and leave it in the truck, if you are an NRA member then register for the free insurance. If it get stolen, buy another one. I'm not saying to be irresponsible, but I am saying that I no longer worry about a gun in my vehicle getting stolen, that is why I have insurance.

Take those NRA and TSRA stickers off of your vehicle.

Put on an ACLU and Brady bunch sticker.

Anygunanywhere

I like the idea of a truck gun and when I drive my truck instead of my motorcycle, which is not too often, I have a winchester 1300 defender with two sidesaddles holding extra rounds. I load 000 buck 3" magnums and have six slugs in one sidesaddle and a mix of six smaller shot shells in the other. Tactical light on the front completes the package. I keep it in a locking pelican storage case and secured to the truck with a cable. I feel that the different shot shells will give me a solution for a variety of problems from people to critters. I have only used it once, and that was at 4am when I came across a beautiful young doe that had been hit by a truck and was terribly mangled but still breathing. I put the poor creature out of her misery with it. She would have been gone in another 10 minutes anyway, but I couldn't just drive on by and leave her lying there in 20 degree temperatures, so I can sadly say that I have had cause to need a truck gun, as in this case I did not have my sidearm. I left it behind that morning because I had the shotgun and would not be away from my truck.
My goal is not super quick access with my shotgun. I have my FiveseveN for that. I just figure that I may be in a situation where I need a long gun and like to have the option. In my work truck I always have an AR-15 for aggressive self-defense, and that is set up for much quicker access, but my personal truck I opt for a shotgun for the variety it gives me.

I keep a P-64 9mm Makarov in a safe bolted under the seat of both of my vehicles. Inexpensive firearm,($150) accurate,easily concealable, ample firepower and if in the event of a theft your not losing a huge investment.

I keep a Saiga 7.62 in my SUV. Since I park in my garage, I don't worry about leaving it in my car overnight. In addition, I have an old car that isn't likely to be stolen and I keep the rifle in a canvas duffel bag from Academy so it won't attract attention.

I also don't leave anything in sight in the SUV that would attract attention.

I don't carry the rifle for carjacking; keep an M&P 45 in a Wilderness Safepacker in the front seat with me for those issues. I carry the rifle more for if something happens at a mall or store.

stroo wrote:I keep a Saiga 7.62 in my SUV. Since I park in my garage, I don't worry about leaving it in my car overnight. In addition, I have an old car that isn't likely to be stolen and I keep the rifle in a canvas duffel bag from Academy so it won't attract attention.

I also don't leave anything in sight in the SUV that would attract attention.

I don't carry the rifle for carjacking; keep an M&P 45 in a Wilderness Safepacker in the front seat with me for those issues. I carry the rifle more for if something happens at a mall or store.

I too have a sidearm in my vehicle for carjacking, but like the idea of having more firepower on hand. I would never leave anything in sight in my truck and I too drive an old vehicle that has no aesthetic appeal what so ever.

I personally have had to deal with an opossum, angry dog, and enraged/intoxicated father of an ex-girlfriend and wish I had a long gun every time. I do not want it for quick access, but just to have it. I checked and my insurance will cover a firearm or laptop or Picasso or motorcycle helmet...whatever it is will be covered.

anygunanywhere wrote:Take those NRA and TSRA stickers off of your vehicle.

Put on an ACLU and Brady bunch sticker.

Anygunanywhere

NRA/TSRA stickers will get your car robbed...


ACLU, Brady Campaign stickers will get YOU robbed.