Rifle carried in vehicle for self defense

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JVaughn

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In my state (Tennessee) CWP holders are legally allowed to carry loaded long arms in their vehicle as long as it is not chambered. Further, that same law allows the chambering of said weapon(s) for the purposes of immediate self defense.

Choosing to exercise my rights in this manner, I normally carry a loaded rifle in the truck if I go out for a drive to the country or on a trip; and occasionally if I am just going to be out for a short while - as you never know what situation may arise when on the road. Normally, I carry my lever action Marlin 30-30 for this purpose, sometimes my mini-30.

Does anyone else carry a rifle for self defense on the road? If so, what do you carry and why?
 
I don't know anyone that lives around here that does not
carry a loaded rifle in their truck, when going out of town.
Some do prefer a shotgun.
 
Same here Carne Frio. Texas has basically no long gun laws so rifles are very commonly carried here. I kept a Mini-14 in several vehicles pretty much full time.

Now I have an AR with me on most road trips but not just driving around town.
 
I keep a rifle and a shotgun in my truck at all times, plus the two handguns I usually have on me. They do me no good locked up at the house, so why not?
 
I always have something in the truck. Generally it's a .22 rifle which isn't really for self defence. I like my most of my guns to much to beat em up in the truck. But as soon as I find a beater 30-30 it's gonna be added! Before I stuck the 22 in there I kept a 12ga.

For ya'll that keep em in the truck.....whats your setup?
 
For ya'll that keep em in the truck.....whats your setup?
Click to expand...

I got a cheap-o rifle case (zip-up cloth one) and attached it underneath my seat with wireties. it holds the rifle up and out of sight, and I only have to unzip about 8" to slide the rifle in and out. That way I have pretty good concealment from window shoppers if I leave in in the parking lot and go into a store or something.

Bear in mind, I take in in the house at night, every night, and put it back in the morning - I never leave it in the truck.
 
Nope, Keep the XD on me, loaded and locked. One of these days when I get a CCW, I might even take it with me when I get out of the car :D
 
I never carry a rifle in my truck unless I'm going shooting.

There's really no where to hide the rifle, and if I stop for a bite to eat or to go inside a store I can't take it inside with me, so it would have to remain in the truck....
which is not a good idea since someone could smash my window and steal the rifle.


Plus I have a hard time coming up with any likely self-defense scenario where I would be justified in using the rifle....

If I'm outside my truck, and my life is in immediate danger, I'm going to use the pistol on my side.

And if I'm inside my truck, and my life is in immediate danger, I'm still going to use the pistol on my side.
It's just quicker to draw and fire my pistol rather than grab the rifle, chamber a round, and try to aim from within the confines of the truck cabin.

And if I'm outside my truck, and I had time to return to my truck and get my rifle, chamber a round, and then shoot, then most likely my life was not in any real immediate danger.
 
I've carried a rifle in a vehicle, I wouldn't say for self defense since I couldn't keep it loaded in the car and the process of retrieving, loading and chambering and then putting the rifle to use seemed that it wouldn't be a realistic choice for SD for any kind of two legged threats. I mainly had it for if I needed to go into the woods or a situation occured where a long gun would be handy. I have toyed with the idea of a rifle caliber pistol such as an AR or AK pistol carried loaded in the car since it is technically a handgun but have never tried it.
 
I often carry a rifle in the truck but I usually do it with 4 legged vermin in mind not 2 legged. Never know when you will run across a hog or something.
 
I usually toss my M44/Winny 94 in the back seat when going across country (twice a year) or if I'm headed to some place where I know there has been trouble before; this is in addition to my CC pistol.

I suppose any time someone's gotten into a mess they've never wished for a smaller gun and that's the sort of philosophy that I stand by.

For ya'll that keep em in the truck.....whats your setup?
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I don't have a truck but I usually have it in the extra hoodie that I keep stashed in the back of my car. I've got so much stuff back there (clothes, bag, books) that it's not even noticeable.
 
No rifle in my truck, just my handgun. I can better manipulate the shorter weapon within the confines of a cab.
 
Depends where I'm going

It depends where I'm going.

If it is remote area, I take a long gun. For example, on a trip following the Pony express trail in western Utah. I saw about 6 cars for the whole day while below Dugway Proving Grounds. There is a lot of open country out there. I took the AK47. It has a side folding stock that makes it much easier to access from the floor behind the passenger seat. In open country like that, you could need more range than a shotgun can provide.

Around town I only take my XD.
 
I see it as making sense, if you don't have a CCP, and are legally able to keep a long arm in a vehicle, but, I would question, if at SD distances you would get greater utility out of a rifle than a pistol.


That said I would take a stocked shotgun or rifle over a pistol in a gun fight.
 
In open country like that, you could need more range than a shotgun can provide.
Click to expand...
Range for what?

Shooting someone 200 yards away with a rifle is going to be a hard sell in the courtroom when claiming self-defense.
 
if ccw in ohio permitted the carry of a rifle with loaded mags here i would. however in ohio you can't have a loaded mag in the vehicle as ohio considers the magazine to be part of the firearm. at least that is how i understand the law.
 
I was out where Scottie was just the other day. And I had my SKS with me.

Why? Why not? I am a firm believer that handguns are always backup. I will ALWAYS grab a long gun first if I am able to. Will I have time? Maybe. Maybe not. But if I DON'T take it, I KNOW I WON'T have the option. I have a tricked-out SKS in my truck pretty much all of the time. Now, it is not ONLY for defense, I am the kind of guy who might run out to the hills or desert at any given time. I have started threads in here about the explosive growth of pot farms in my favorite recreational areas. If I ever needed a gun out there, I would want something bigger than my .45. Just always have it, not complicated.
 
An AK with a folder or a Draco with a couple of 20 or 30 rnd mags, will readily dispatch any problems(well in most cases it should)!!
JT
 
Same as above
DSC05447.jpg
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I'm 14, so I'm not the driver here, but If I'm going into the city I get my 12 guage, with a cheek piece that holds 5 rounds, which is one, "Ultra handicap 7-1/2 shot, and the others are 400 grain slugs, I put it in the back seat, unloaded, but only when I'm with my mom, I figure I would be better off taking my .308, that's shorter and handier, over my Winchester 1200 with 28" barrel, but I like to be able to just toss it on the floor of the car.
So that's all I can legally do, I mean I've had a Glock on my hip in the car, but, unloaded, and no mag, just because we were going straight home from the range, and I felt like just keeping it under my coat until we got home because it was raining at the range..
I think if I ever got an AR, I'd get a 20" with heavy barrel, and an MOE stock, with a 1-4 optic, perfect Vehicle gun to me, and I'd be able to justify having it, for hunting and target shooting.
 
For all who carry a long gun in a vehicle- how do you secure the firearm against theft when the vehicle is unattended?

lpl
 
I carry a cheap stevens 12ga under the back seat of my truck. I leave it in ther 24\7. How ever my carbine I take that w me every night and put it back in ever morning.
 
I usually have a rifle of some sort in the truck. I have an extended cab with fold up rear seat. I put the rifle in a sleeve and put that under the back seat. You can't see any part of it from the window or even when the back door is open.

I usually have my level .357 with a box of ammo. Sometimes I throw my SU16 (original model) in there instead. I bought an sks a couple of years ago with the intent of using that as my truck gun but I never got around to using it as I hate the reload system. I keep kicking around the idea of getting an AK with a folding stock instead but haven't stumbled across one that is both accurate and cheap enough for my taste. lol
 
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