trunk rifle

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greyling22

greyling22

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I'm looking for a sub-$500 rifle to ride around in my trunk. I would like small, fast handling, and semi-automatic. I'm left handed and picky and have pretty much ruled out all AR style guns because the controls are on the wrong sides. My sks is too long, my marlin too levery, my m1 carbine too pricey to rust in a humid trunk. or get stolen.
 
Maybe a pistol-caliber carbine? Hi-Points might be ugly, but they go bang every time. They come in 9mm and .40 and are well within your price range.
 
If you can find one

A ruger Deer Field (I think that is what they were called) would be great. It is a 44mag carbine that is about the same size as a 10/22.
 
A semi-auto rifle for a trunk gun while spending $500 huh?

Well for that you have quite a few choices.

AK with side folding or under folding stock (the bolt handle is on the right side so it would work great for a lefty). You can find one at any gun show. Yugo's and the Polish ones would be the best for that money IMO.

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EAA Saiga AK in 7.62X39. Basically it's an AK with a sporting stock.

Everything that is said about the AKM you can say about this as well (stone reliable/you can drag it behind a truck and it would still probably work etc). For $270 this would be the one I'd pick to stick in my trunk as it's cheap, it works well, it's semi-auto and you can always fit it out with a scary folding stock and a pistol grip later if you want to.

http://www.militarygunsupply.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=FIEAA762

If it gets knocked around a bit in your trunk and it picks up a few dings or scratch's it isn't that big of a deal as it's an AK and it was $270 plus tax.

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Ruger Mini-14 (I personally like some of the others better, but the controls would work for a lefty as the bolt is on the right side). You can find one of these at just about any sporting goods store that sells guns.

Ruger Mini-14/The price here is more that $500, but you can easily find them for cheaper.
http://www.impactguns.com/store/736676058013.html

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Daewoo DR-200 in .223 Rem (also has the bolt handle on the right so it would work for a lefty), they seem to be going for between $600 to $800 though. I've seen some over at www.ar15.com and http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16 for $600 to $800.

They don't import them anymore, so if you got one you'd have to get one used. I saw one at a gunshop for $550 ($600 out the door with tax) a couple months ago and it had sat there for 8 or 9 months. Finally the owner just took it back and decided that he didn't want to sell it. So you can find them cheap sometimes.

Daewoo DR-200
http://world.guns.ru/assault/as32-e.htm

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The Kel Tec SU-16 .223 Rem carbines are going for about that amount as well (and it just so happens that they have their bolt handle on the right side as well).

Kel Tec SU-16 .223 Rem carbine.
http://www.impactguns.com/store/kel_tec_su16.html

Anyway due to price and the semi-auto requirement these are basically your options.
 
the deerfield, like the mini-xx's, is out b/c I don't like the placement of the gas port. got me thinking about the old ruger deerstalker though. but they seem to be going for around 600-700, at least, the only 2 I found for sale were going for that.

I had no idea you could get an ak style gun for under 500, how interesting. The keltec is the strangest thing I have seen in quite a while. but I like it. that saiga is intruiging too.

thanks.
 
nah, norinco sks, and shoots super great. don't really want to mess with cutting on that one. the only ruger carbines I see are the mini's. what is chambered in pistol?

stag's are neat, saw one at a gun store one time, but WAY to pricey for me.

thanks for all the feedback by the way. and I thought I had considered most everything, new guns, whee!
 
Saiga 308

I carry a saiga 308 with the short barrel in my trunk. It is factory configured so no folding stock or anything. It's a sweet little rifle and fast becoming one of my favorites. So far mine has been 100% reliable and the accuracy is fantastic out to 100 yards. For perspective, I have a DPMS 308 with the long bull barrel and nice optics. It's not that accurate. I also have a couple of AK's. It pretty much falls between the AK and the DPMS for accuracy.

For me it feels so sweet when I lift it to my shoulder. The heft and balance are just right. You said you're picky so you might not like it. You ought to try one out if you can. It comes with an 8 round magazine but you can get 20 rounders.

EDIT: I overlooked the fact that you are left handed. That might be a problem. However, my brother shoots one left handed and hasn't complained. You might want to install a brass deflector to keep the hot brass off your face.

Can you tell that I like mine:).
 
Try classicarms.us if you want an underfolder. Everyone I know of has had good experience with them.
 
I have a Hi-Point Carbine in 9mm in my trunk I bought new for $179! It's effective just past 100yrds fast handling and has gone bang everytime. Needless to say for a trunk gun it's perfect. I have a couple of AR's but not going to let them slide around back there. An AK would probably be a good trunk gun for SHTF. I also have my CWP and have a 45acp that I carry IWB.

P. S. If the BG's have body armour than stay in the car and drive away/run away. You won't have time to go digging in your trunk if they are that prepaired!
 
I realize that you said 'trunk rifle'. and you may need something that goes distance. But for your price point, reliability and ease of maintenance, a trunk shotgun may be worth consideration.
 
Look for a norinco SKS para (16 inch barrel) will run you about $200-300. Nice reliable handy short rifles. That's what rides in the back of my trunk.
 
I am using a chopped former Turk Mauser in 8mm. The origional rifle had a shot out barrel, so I bought a replacement from Numrich, cut to 17" OAL, added a M1 Carbine rear sight and a Numrich basic front sight, and for <$120 I have a dandy trunk gun in a fairly heavy caliber. It will do 4" groups at 100 yards.
 
I think a trunk rifle is a good idea. I keep a beat up old Winchester '94 30-30 in my trunk. If your not married to the semi-auto requirement, you might consider a Winchester '94 30-30 Trapper.
 
Hi Point Carbine. Cheap enough to shoot every day if you want. Accurate and powerful enough at 75 meters unless the bad guys have level IV armor. Always works. You will care little if it rusts or gets stolen. If you store it in your trunk it will likely get stolen eventually.
 
Lots of options in that price range. My personal pick would be an AK of one flavor or another with 30 or 40 rounds mags. Battle proven in the gunkiest of conditions.

YMMV
 
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