Trunk gun?

I own or have owned several beater truck long guns and most ran towards being inexpensive, easily replaced and effective on game that could be pressed into self defense. Like a Western Field 30-30, a Chinese SKS, Romanian AK, Mossberg 500 or Ithaca 37 12 Ga. shotguns.

Back then SKS's and 30-30's were cheap. $75-$150 anywhere so mostly those got the nod. The thing is now days even those are expensive.

Plus today we have to worry about something that self respecting Southerners didn't have to worry about back in the day...Vehicle burglary. Back in the old days if you had a bunch of vehicle burglers that were victimizing the private property of citizens by stealing from their vehicles in the drive-ways of homes or in parking lots they would've electrocuted them in the electric chair in Huntsville or they would have been picking cotton on a chain gang with their only pleasure being drinking cold Coke a cola or having hard boiled egg eating conests. Now they have it easy and it's A/C, 3 hots and a cot, cable TV, free tats and sex and gambling and making up stories with their bros about how they were livin large.

Unless I'm actually going hunting usually what I end up doing now is having several spare loaded mags for my main carry pistol and then that's it. I have a shitload of mags and while it would piss me off to have them stolen at least that's better than having my shotgun stolen and then having it get used in a robbery where a Joe's Crab Shack waitress gets her face blown off for $85. I'd feel pretty shitty if it was my gun and not secured better than being just hidden behind glass in a locked car.

I had a CZ 75 stolen a few years ago and I actually got it back from the police. I was pissed off about the theft, but mostly I was worried some innocent person would get murdered with it. So if I have a gun in my truck and I'm not in it it's locked up in a steel box.

That's pretty much why I keep extra mags and ammo, but not a truck rifle/gun anymore.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea or anything, your area might differ completely from mine. Just saying what my experience is. :Shrug

If I regularly rolled in remote rural areas, I might put an old AR or something else in the back of the auto (maybe in a box that says 'open in case of banjo music...' or something like that). In my current urban AO, I can't think of a scenario where the probability of needing a long gun would outweigh the possiblity of it getting stolen. I wouldn't think a person is weird if they did, though, because I grew up in a rural area where the shotgun in window rack was actually pretty damn common.

My concern in a Charles Whitman scenario would be more geared towards GTFO of the area so the cops could do their thing then in running towards the sound of the gunfire and trying to engage a barricaded gunman.

The general direction of replies is leaning towards a "no". I am in a similar mindset, with the realization that the odds of my car getting broken into are higher than the odds of a complete societal breakdown happening while I am at work.

But what about your Bug out / GHB bags? If you keep them in your vehicle, do you have anything "extra" packed? Until recently, I kept a Keltec Sub2000 in my bag, (folded up and fit in the hydration pocket like it was meant to be) but took it out a few months back. I do have several spare mags for my daily carry pistol, but that's currently it.

Thanks for the input. Further discussion is always appreciated!

I'm with y'all, certainly not a mandatory item. Societal breakdown is a very rare occurance until it isn't. However, those things are usually predictable thus just don't go to that area. Who didn't see riots in Ferguson coming? Who didn't hear about protests in Oakland? Then just don't go to those areas.

Plus, the world is a big place, even if there were a riot or prolonged unrest, how easy would it be to just avoid them even if on foot. A extinguisher sized can a pepper spray would probably be better.

Still, I don't think nor can I see the need for a rifle, we're just not there. Even right in the middle of Ferguson I think you'd be able to be just walk away. Someone stops you for whatever, just yell "Down with whitey!" and keep rolling.

I'm not against rifles in cars and don't think someone is loony for doing it.

I am on the fence on this issue. For me, if you live somewhere where you don't need to worry about car break-ins, then Hell yeah...keep a trunk gun in there. Of course, if you live somewhere safe like that, why would you need a trunk gun? But yeah, for city folk...no, don't keep guns or anything valuable in your car, just a minimal roadside emergency kit. Typical suburban neighborhood...I still wouldn't keep a gun in the car unless your street had minimal in/out traffic. Country...fuck it, pintle mount a PKM!

My daily driver use to have a breakdown Rossi .22LR/.410 in the spare tire compartment. More of an emergency game-getter more than self defense. Now, I keep a Ruger LCR .38spl in the glovebox, more for my wife now that we just have 1 family vehicle and she is out and about by herself more (still wanting her to just get her damn CCW already, I mean, you could fit an under-folder AK in her goddamn diaper bag!).

I always have a cheap Marlin .22 in my work truck that bounces around behind the seat. Some days I sling an AR on the back headrest, but that always comes in the house with me after work. Basically, I don't keep guns in the car that would hurt the pocket too bad if they went missing.

I do keep a substantial FAK in the daily driver, but I will be replacing that soon. I am in the process of putting together a new car bag (now that most space is taken by baby-related items) in a "bail out bag" format that will act as "Tactical Diaper Bag/FAK/minimal GHB"

I do think, in terms of trunk guns, the Kel-Tec sub2000 is an outstanding option--especially if you are running compatable mags with your carry pistol.

Nothing.

You just have to be disiplined enough to lock and unlock it each time you get in or leave the vehicle to guard against theft. I've done it before, it's just a bit of a pain in the ass for something which will see even less use than your primary CHL pistol.

Well two thoughts.

Cable locks won't really stop a theft. The vast majority of those cables can be clipped with a pair of bolt cutters. Those cable locks are enough to slow the owner up though, which leads to my second point.

The speed that attacks take place is fast. I mean whatever you're going to respond with has to be right there right then to do much good. Shit pops off at lightening speed.

So it's kind of a balancing act and you're spending some time locking and unlocking the weapon up each time you entered/exited the vehicle and my life just isn't that high risk.

I mean unless the weapon is just always secured in the trunk or something real well and then if you hear something on the news or in social media that makes you go immediately to the trunk to pop the lock and have the mag fed long gun immediately accessible.

I just don't usually scan the news or social media that often when I'm away from home and shit would have to get hella bad in a hurry to go through five 17 to 15 rd mags, plus a 7 rd backup pistol and 100 rds of spare ammo and not make it back home before all that is expended. Not saying it's not possible period, but doubtful.