one handy gun to go anywhere by car in north america

[jstert]

handguns by definition are out, leaving shotguns and rifles. several states and canada impose various and draconian styling, caliber, action and capacity restrictions on long guns

i’m not a shotgun guy. indeed shotguns are useful and found everywhere, are associated with “allowable” hunting and clays sports in the anti2a hive-mind and have the joe biden seal of approval.

anti2a states seem to leave alone and unrestrict rimfire and/or lever action rifles. these don’t carry the stigma of being evil, modern assault rifles, they are just “cowboy” guns. california and ny exempt rimfire, tube-fed, lever-action rifles from capacity limits.

so my choice would be a henry lever-action carbine in 22wmr for the magnum’s extra oomph, muted recoil, rimfire legality, fairly common ammo availability. am i wrong?

 

[Blue Jays]

Do you intend to visit all 50 states plus Canada and Mexico?
Will you be staying only in hotels or will you also be camping?
I will have to contemplate my detailed answer. Good luck with planning!

 

[shafter]

"Stigma" doesn't matter, nor does association as a "cowboy gun. If the law is on your side then carry whatever you choose and you'll be fine. If not, and the police catch you, it won't matter how cowboy your gun is. You'll be on the hook because the firearm is either legal or not.

 

[horsemen61]

Marlin 336 30-30
Marlin 1894 .44 mag

would chose between those 2

 

[PapaG]

You better restrict your travels to the US lower. Try taking a firearm into Mexico or Canada without some extreme planning and pre approval and kiss us all goodbye.

 

[Riomouse911]

You better restrict your travels to the US lower. Try taking a firearm into Mexico or Canada without some extreme planning and pre approval and kiss us all goodbye.

Ya, it may be Adieu, or Adios, for several years if you do.

I have a Henry .22 WMR, they aren’t very compact.

For general travel convenience, maybe a 10/22 takedown? They’re certainly better made and more reliable than the AR-7 types I have been around.

Stay safe.

 

[lightman]

It would be a tough choice, not knowing all of the State laws. I know you can legally take a rifle into Canada, at least certain times of the year because my Wife and I have hunted there. Forget Mexico, I ain't going!!!

 

[bannockburn]

In a rimfire rifle my 10/22 with a Butler Creek folding stock:


In a centerfire rifle my Rossi Model 92 .45 Colt:


In a shotgun my Maverick Model 88 12 gauge:


My travels would be strictly within the Continental United States along with certain detours around the West Coast and certain areas of the East Coast.

I have no desire to travel to Alaska or Hawaii either.

 

[Roverguy]

Rossi R92 16” in 45 Colt.

Mexico is out. Period.

Canada only requires a declaration filled out in advance (anvailable online - as per above, handguns are haram) and on arrival at the border.

 

[dcloco]

No folding stocks.

 

[Elkins45]

Be careful with your ammo. HP is verboten in at least one state I believe.

When I went on a cross-country drive in 2021 I took a Mossberg 500 with a 5 shot tube. Ammo was buckshot and slugs. Part of the trip involved camping in brown bear country so that heavily influenced my choice.

 

[hso]

I don't think any state limits any caliber other than .50 and the NJ hollow point restrictions. That should open your options for lever guns.

 

[Dotar_Sojat]

Chiappa/Taylor 1892 Takedown Rifle in 44 mag. When broken down it's only about 20" long so it packs away in an inconspicuous little package.

 

[citizenconn]

If just one across the lower 48, I would choose an 18.5" 12 ga shotgun. Were I to choose two, which I think would offer more versatility, the second would be a lever action of your choice. Two won't take up much more room than one and a rifle AND a shotgun will give you many more options.
I no longer travel much outside of the Free State of Texas so I don't know the peculiarities of what is legal in each state. I personally always carry the holy trinity of firearms anywhere I go by car in Texas: 1911, folding AR and 12 ga Shockwave along with a pack that holds them all with spare ammo as well as med kit, food, water and portable charging station for my phone.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Some states like Mass require either a reason to have a firearm and ammo in their state or a license. You can't just drive into the state with firearms and that includes ammo by itself.

 

[d2wing]

I would not assume that any firearm is legal in every state. It should be but I would do a check of each state I intend to travel in and restrictions on how it is stored as well.

 

[Meeks36]

Single shot 12 ga with a 44 mag barrel for it. Not scary looking and can handle anything walking around in America. Or a lever action 41 mag.

 

[MrShooter]

You better restrict your travels to the US lower. Try taking a firearm into Mexico or Canada without some extreme planning and pre approval and kiss us all goodbye.

You're so right, going to Canada while being a licensed concealed carrier is almost as bad as bringing a gun. Last year my uncle crossed the border into Manitoba pulling a trailer but without his pistol. The Canadian guard pulled him aside and pretty much arrested him. They kept asking, where is your pistol? He kept telling them its beside his bed at home. They then went so far as to pull my aunt aside and told her the only way she'll ever see her husband again without him being in prison is for her to show them where the pistol is. It took nearly 6 hours of being searched and hassled before they were released without so much as a simple apology.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Marlin 336 30-30
Marlin 1894 .44 mag

would chose between those 2

If you are looking to stay compliant and/or just want to shoot targets for fun and what not.

If this is some kind of emergency gun (that you're actually serious about) that stays in the trunk, I'd opt for the most common rifle in America...

 

[drobs]

I do my best to plan my road trips and vacations around states that recognize Missouri's CCW License.
https://ago.mo.gov/criminal-division/public-safety/concealed-carry-reciprocity
Why vacation to a state and spend $ in a state that doesn't recognize my basic human rights?

Unfortunately my Step Dad and a few friends still live in Illinois. While I can't carry there, I still have to go there every so often. I take my standard carry guns and the most common rifle in America, with me my AR15.

 

[GEM]

You need to check cities. For example,

It is unlawful to possess firearms in New York City without a possession permit issued by the Police Department. All rifles and shotguns owned by a permit holder must be registered with the Police Department.

You might argue that you are passing through based on Federal law but that probably won't stop ride to Rikers for awhile.

 

[jmr40]

I'd take my 870 turkey gun with a 21" barrel that takes choke tubes. But if it had to be a rifle, I'd think a Ruger 10/22 with a bunch of 10 round magazines would be legal everywhere I'd go. The take down version would be ideal

 

[Captains1911]

When I travel the east coast into less permisve environments, my 18” Remington 870 comes along, with a bunch of extra buckshot and slugs. Is it legal in all 50… I don’t know.

 

[old lady new shooter]

You're so right, going to Canada while being a licensed concealed carrier is almost as bad as bringing a gun. Last year my uncle crossed the border into Manitoba pulling a trailer but without his pistol. The Canadian guard pulled him aside and pretty much arrested him. They kept asking, where is your pistol? He kept telling them its beside his bed at home. They then went so far as to pull my aunt aside and told her the only way she'll ever see her husband again without him being in prison is for her to show them where the pistol is. It took nearly 6 hours of being searched and hassled before they were released without so much as a simple apology.

How did they know he had a carry permit?

 

[Blue Jays]

"…How did they know he had a carry permit?…"

They undoubtedly knew via databases that get shared.