Elevated threat level-will you now carry a rifle in the car too?

[AK103K]

Lets get to the basics here....who is going to arm up in this situation?

Whats this situation got to do with it? I've had a rifle and/or shotgun in the truck and a 1911 in its holster daily for about 30+ years now. Terrorists dont scare me, its them damned rabid raccons, skunks and squirrels that are the real dangerous things!

 

[geekWithA.45]

Didn't toss a rifle into the car,

But I did swap out the P245 (6+1) for the Para 14.45 (14+1)

My "normal" load out is the sig, 1x6 round mags, 1x8 round mags. Nice and light.

In honor of the orange, I'm keeping the para and 3x14 mags close to hand.


Do I really think I'm going to run into an Al-Q?

Probably not.

But perhaps, the point is that they should be worrying about running into ME.

They don't know who I am, what I look like, or where I'll turn up next.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

What if you saw them in the preliminary staging period of an attack? Maybe stuffing a bomb in the back of the truck a few blocks or even miles away from their target?

So you are going to shoot someone stuffing a "bomb" in a truck?

I have no idea what a truck bomb would look like, do you?

You have got to be kidding with this idea of a pre-emptive strike. Hope you have a good lawyer on retainer... this looks like a good way to get charged with murder unless you really know what you are doing.


Wasn't the UT sniper a case from 40 years ago?

 

[LASur5r]

NOw?

You did ask if we will start carrying a rifle in the car NOW?
I thought most of the gun folks were already carrying one in the car trunk, especially after the Hollywood bank robbery....
Of course, in Kali, we are not supposed to use our rifles....not unless we are really in close range.....hard to justify self-defense in this state for closer than really really close range, even with a handgun.
I carry one just for the warm and fuzzy and a reminder of the 60's when we could mail order a weapon and have it delivered to our homes.

 

[JohnKSa]

The main difference in the arguments between not having the desire to pack a rifle and CHL arguments made by the anits is the "C" part.

My own view is that a concealed handgun is practical because it is a go anywhere, do anything proposition. A rifle, at a minimum, is brandished upon presentation.

None of the arguments I listed had anything to do with concealment.

As far as brandishing, substitute 'pistol' for 'rifle' in your statement and you will see that they are identical...

I agree that handguns are good for things that rifles aren't--that's why there are no CRL (concealed rifle licenses ), but it's also true that rifles can do things that pistols can't. Having one in the trunk where it's legal is surely not going to cause any harm and it just might come in handy.

Lone_Gunman,

Are you trying to talk people out of legally carrying long arms in their vehicles? Why would you want to do that?

 

[warrior23]

Always did always will...

 

[Jim730]

As someone who lives in NJ (just outside of NYC), and frequents NYC, I can honestly say I have no intention to carry a rifle in my truck, not only is it a problem in NJ or NYC I really dont see the point. As mentioned before, I cant use it to shoot down a 747 and wouldnt know it was a truck bomb until it blew up. They will hit the area again as sad as it is to say. And around here we deal with elevated threats all the time and everyone just seems to have gotten used to it. After 9/11 it became a fact of life here, seeing cops on ever street corner, hitting traffic at the bridges for searches and airports, etc. No one around here or the country for that matter will ever forget 9/11, however, I doubt another attack is completely preventable rifle in the truck or not. Just my opinion at least.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Are you trying to talk people out of legally carrying long arms in their vehicles?

No, I just think people should recognize their limitations. Pre-emptively striking suspected terrorists might get you a trip to jail.

Carrying a rifle in your trunk is an OK idea, from a general preparedness standpoint, but just because the "threat level" is increased doesn't seem to me to make a better idea.

Basically, though, I think the threat level system is pretty bogus. You, for example are in North Texas and I am in South Georgia. Both are pretty low on the list of potential targets I would suspect, and I would guesstimate having a rifle in either our trunks will in no way change our chances of getting killed by a terrorist.

 

[George Hill]

Already do. Duh.

 

[JohnKSa]

For various reasons I don't carry a long gun in my vehicle and have no plans to start. I was just curious to know why you seem so dead set against it.

You, for example are in North Texas...pretty low on the list of potential targets I would suspect...

Pretty low crime in my area too, but I still carry a pistol.

Seriously, don't you see that your arguments are virtually exactly the same ones used against CCW in specific and firearms ownership in general?

 

[magsnubby]

Maybe if Dubya signed a national shall issue bill.......

"Be very,very careful Abdul....those crazy Americans all carry guns."

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Seriously, don't you see that your arguments are virtually exactly the same ones used against CCW in specific and firearms ownership in general?

Yes, I see the arguments are the same, but thats not really relevant.

I could use the same argument to justify not owning a lot of things.

Lets instead say we are talking about carrying a fire extinguisher in the trunk.

I say not to carry one because the chances of needing one are very small.

If you do need it, you won't be able to get to it in time.

If you do get to it, you might get burned up while using it.

And if you are using it, you might get run over by a firetruck arriving at the scene to put the fire out properly.

This is the exact same argument. Whether the argument is valid or not is subjective. I happen to think keeping a handgun nearby makes good sense. A rifle is less handy, harder to get too, and makes less sense, despite it being more effective. A Bradley fighting vehicle is even less handy than a rifle, but even more effective. The question is where to draw the line. If you want to carry a rifle, go for it, but I just don't see a good enough reason, or big enough threat, to justify having a gun in the trunk.

 

[geegee]

Carrying a rifle in your trunk is an OK idea, from a general preparedness standpoint, but just because the "threat level" is increased doesn't seem to me to make a better idea.

I agree with both of your points. I guess that part of what I was thinking when I posed this question was the quote by Clint Smith (which I'll have to paraphrase): A pistol is best used to fight your way to your rifle. Needless to say, the chance of engaging a terrorist in a gunfight and then trying to fight your way to your rifle is next to zero. But what about gauging the level or mindset of our preparedness? This is what I was interested in. If there are increased levels of danger in our country, should we then increase our own level of self defense options? A rifle surely offers that, but is not a reasonable choice for many of us.

Basically, though, I think the threat level system is pretty bogus. You, for example are in North Texas and I am in South Georgia. Both are pretty low on the list of potential targets I would suspect, and I would guesstimate having a rifle in either our trunks will in no way change our chances of getting killed by a terrorist.

Bogus? Yeah, probably. I think it really feeds the "Chicken Little" mindset for many Americans, and is completely ignored by the vast majority.

Interestingly enough, North Texas has been home to The Holy Land Foundation (which has been bankrolling a variety of terrorist organizations), and in fact the mastermind of the first WTC bombing lived in Arlington, which is twenty minutes away from me.

 

[Jiml3]

I live on Long Island, a surburb of NY and I have no intention on putting a rifle in the trunk nor carrying a handgun at this time of elevated alert. I
travel back and forth over the Whitestone bridge every day and and see the security. It's not the best but I'm not going to know for sure if that suspious truck ahead is carrying explosives or not. I'm going going to try something stupid like trying to stop him. If I feel it necessary, I will use the best weapon at hand, namely my cell phone. Call 911 and tell them my suspions and where I am located and a description of the vehicle and license plate. There are plenty of cops in vehicles there and I'm sure they have a plan for such a situation. I'll leave to the pros.

 

[JohnKSa]

.

 

[Matt G]

I had gotten away from carrying the SKS, which was my old truck rifle, in my vehicle. Something about driving a Civic, I guess.

At the inspiration of this rifle, I believe I'll just change that tomorrow.

 

[atek3]

Come to Jesus, towelhead

*** is that? "towelhead" on THR.
Come on.
towelhead

atek3

 

[atek3]

If I had a car, I'd have a BOB and my m-39 mosin in the trunk. Not to "fight terrorism", but as a general SHTF protection kit.

atek3

 

[Lone_Gunman]

atek3, I think the person who used the term towelhead (it wasn't me) was doing so in reference to terrorists, and not Middle Easterners in general.

Obviously racial slurs at all Middle Easterners or bad and not to be tolerated, but I am not sure how much sense it makes to get offended at the use of racial or other slurs against terrorists.

I mean, if you are willing to shoot and kill them, it would seem verbally insulting them really wouldn't be much of a big deal.

I guess you don't want them to die with low self esteem.

 

[jAK-47]

IMHO (no flame), the argument that one would probably not need or be able to use a trunk LG isn't very good. If it is illegal to have a LG in your trunk or you are afraid it will be stolen THOSE are valid arguments against having a LG in the trunk.

Personally, I carry a CCW pistol every day. The odds of my winning the lottery two weeks in a row aren't much lower than my having to ever use a gun against a BG. The odds of my ever having to use a trunk LG in self defense or to stop a terrorist/nutjob are ASTRONOMICAL.

Having said that I have a Saiga .223 arriving this week and it will go in the trunk of my car. It will be secured with a quick-release combo lock (it would only slow down a determined thief but...) and UNLOADED. I plan to keep loaded mags in my car gun safe along with about 100 rounds in the glove box - for plinking at the range, not to start WWIII.

I want a LG in my trunk for plinking/varmint opportunities. As I said before, the odds are very much against my ever using it for defense or to prevent something nasty from happening. And the way I plan to secure the LG would make it VERY difficult to bring it into action quickly.

There are scenarios where it could be useful to stop a nut from doing something BUT, as someone already pointed out, responding LEO's may not ask you politely if you are on their side. You could also take a round in the back from an off-duty LEO OR another CCW who thought YOU were the problem.

It would be a very UNIQUE situation where I thought I could do more good than harm and could actually bring my LG into the fight. And I would be taking a BIG chance that I'd get shot by the BG or someone else OR ruined by a DA or the family of the BG in civil court. I just cannot be sure what I'd do.

Getting out of the way and using my cell phone to call the professionals would probably be the best course of action. If I saw a nut shooting at a loaded school bus or some similar tragedy I couldn't walk away; I'd have to do whatever I could - including ramming the idiot with my car.

All the arguments that a LG in the trunk would probably never be helpful are hard to dismiss. But if someone like me wants to legally keep an unloaded, "secured" LG in the trunk I don't think it makes me crazy. They're selling a LOT of parachutes to people who work in tall buildings and a lot of us store over 5,000 rounds of ammo, multiple mags, multiple guns, etc.

Maybe I've seen too many action movies but I just don't understand why the topic of LG in trunk stimulates such heated debates, and from PRO-GUN people. You either think it's useful or not; you either would or would not put one in your trunk. If it's legal for you to carry a LG in your trunk I can't see how it would make you LESS safe. If you want to carry 4 backup guns in your undies - go for it; having women stare at your crotch can be good for the ego

Don't plan on ever using a trunk LG, a parachute to escape from a building or any of the 4 backup guns in your undies. But if you're not breaking the law and it makes you feel better, don't let people decide what's right for you. Even Theresa Heinz Kerry believes in people having an opinion

WAIT - NEWS FLASH - Here's what Tom Ridge discovered in HIS trunk today!

jAK-47
P.S. - Using the term "towel heads" to describe terrorists is the same as using the term "spic" or "******" or "kike" to describe a criminal who happens to be Hispanic, Black or Jewish, etc. It cannot be justified and is a sign of ignorance. Using an ethnic slur to describe even a tiny percentage of a certain population is still JUST THAT - AN INTOLERABLE ETHNIC SLUR.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

.

 

[pax]

The person who used the term "towelhead" won't do it again.

No need to pile on.

pax