Thinking of a "trunk rifle," suggestions?

[stiletto raggio]

7.62x39 Saiga. Personally, I think I will be getting an SU-16C, but mostly because it will do double duty as a backpacking gun and I have dozens of 30 round AR mags. Being able to keep it in a non-descript backpack is especially important for me, since my vehicle right now has no trunk.

 

[.45Guy]

My vote still goes with the Universal. You can find them up here for well below $200. It's not all that difficult to get them running reliably, and like I said before nobody will shed a tear when it rusts up from the humidity in your trunk.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Inexpensive Punch

Having reviewed the request and all the suggestions, I'll chuck a couple of pfennigs into the mix.

Saiga. Recommend .223/5.56 as the ammo is more widely available and commercially made in the U.S. at reasonable prices if you shop carefully. The un-converted Saiga rifle is legal just about everywhere. You'll need to get spare mags, as they're not a cash-and-carry item in most towns. You can usually get one for under $300 (I recently found a supplier who can get them locally for $260). Ballistics adequate for most uses. Sux for bigger game, but fine for car doors and vests.

The .30-30 carbines can usually be had for around $300. Shoots through schools. If you need more range than 150 yards, use Horandy's LeverEvolution ammo. It's 160 gr, spitzer style tip (plastic), and flies true out to 250 yards.

I would normally recommend the Marlin 1894C in .357 magnum, but prices have gone up and they're now typically over $400 -- unless you can find the Big 5 deals where they drop them to $350. Try also Walmart special order, which may be around the same price. Doesn't shoot through schools, but certainly through car doors.

I have the Kel-tec SU-16A. It eats everything, including generic gun show bag-o-bullets. Unhappily, it's just over your price requirement. Good rifle, though.

Likewise the M1 Carbine. Except that I'd hate to lose one in a car theft. I'd get all emotional and stuff.

Too bad about the "no pistol calibre carbines" thing. There are some nice and inexpensive ones out there.

If you can stretch a little, the Kel-tec would be just about ideal, meeting all but the "price" requirement.

Failing that, an unconverted Saiga (.223/5.56) meets all your requirements except "standard magazines" so you'd have to buy some spares in advance.

For what it's worth, we will be buying a matching set of Saigas for our family (4x 'cuz there's 4x of us).

Afterwards, when we're rich and famous (*smirk*) we'll upgrade to something a little more American.​

 

[Avenger29]

For 50 states legal, .30-30 rifle. I prefer the Marlin 336. Better designed and more durable than the Win. 94. Get 'em used at pawnshops between deer seasons.

Rock solid reliable. Ammo is a little pricey, though, but the 150 grain to 170 grain loadings will do a number on a person. Even in body armor.

I use a Remington 870 as my truck gun, and have a videocamera bag loaded with slugs and buckshot.

But I am right comfortable with my .30-30, too, so it rides along on some days. Although I need to pick another one up. My current one is my Grandfather's rifle, and it is flawless. I'd rather get a newer used one.

My plan for it is as follows:

Synthetic stock
Parkarized and duracoated flat black.
Ghost ring sights
forward picatanny rail with either a reddot or something like an ACOG or lowpower scope.
Removal of the safety, if applicable
Trigger job, WWG bearproof ejector, action tuning and smoothing.

 

[thebaldguy]

Check out the Saiga; in the 7.62x39 the price of ammo is cheap, and the recoil isn't too bad. Check your local laws; in my state you can't keep a gun in the trunk. It can only be in your car going to or coming from the range/hunting. I think the exception comes with a ccw permit and handgun.

I don't know exactly where you live, but in my city cars get broken into and stolen all the time. I would hate to have one of my firearms go missing and end up in the hands of some criminal, even if it's a cheap one.

 

[OneShot!]

Shotgun.......saiga 12

Like KCMARINE initially siad SAIGA 12. I think in shotgun, if you are not using it for sports or hunting purposes then it is your best option.

In a riot and panic situation nothing beats a shotgun. I placed SAIGA over other shotguns for its magazine capability and capacity, where you can have four or five mags loaded. Rest getting through a car doo, try steel or slug shot, it will make a hole big enough to deliver McDonalds meals thorugh it.

 

[Adam Lee]

trunk rifle

I do enjoy this thread; however, the premise is a little flawed, IMO.

If you and your wife want safety/protection that a "trunk rifle" would provide, isn't bottom dollar cost somewhat limiting?

For that reason, I'd agree with a number of the chaps on the board who have recommended folding AKM clones. They easily fit in any trunk in a cordura sack or the like; ammo is cheap and easy to get anywhere, and they are based on the most simple gun design of the 20th century: the Kalashnikov. WAY simpler than an M91 bolt action Nagant....you ever strip one of those bolts?

Anyway, those guns are always available, in many forms, on AuctionArms/Gunbroker/etc...for less than $350, if you try hard enough. The Saiga's would be a great gun, after converting them to side folder (if you need that)...plus, they have a sidemount for a scope, much better than the el-cheesoid action cover scope mount (who believes for a second that these scopes hold zero?)

My personal trunk gun, on a daily basis, is another gun you've written off in your quest; a Kel-Tec Sub2000 folding carbine in .40 S&W. I enjoy the compatibility it shares with my G22 pistol. Shared mags is great! Plus, the .40 S&W goes punch thru car doors (what doesn't?) and gets a MV and ME boost from the 16" barrel.

Ultimately, any gun is better than none, but alot of this "ultimate trunk gun" theory relies on what you can do with it.

No training means expect little return on your investment, cheap or not.

Plenty of training: you can deal with it!

My 2 cents.

Adam Lee

 

[stiletto raggio]

Roger that. If you are getting a gun for use in a dire situation, don't lowball it. I understand not wanting to trash a nice gun, but figure that this gun is, of all the guns you own, one of the most likely to be used in a situation where your life is on the line.

It doesn't need to be a Les Baer, but it shouldn't be the weekly special at the pawn shop, either.

 

[lathedog]

Not to sound wishy-washy, but I can see both points of view.

A low priced but reliable rifle that you can lock up in your truck just to be there - vs. - a higher priced rifle with better performance that you can really count on.

I have to say that you can really count on an SKS. I think the real value of an SKS is more like $350 to $400 as compared to other rifles on the market in terms of effectiveness. The fact that they blue book at less and can still be found for $150 underscores the tremendous value they represent in a firearm purchase. I would recommend replacing the wood stock on a Chinese made SKS unless it is an earlier one with the real dense hardwood. The later orangey varnished stocks with soft blonde wood inside break too easily.

An AR platform rifle or carbine (I would recommend a 16 inch heavy barrel if you go this route) is easily 5 times the cost, but not 5 times as effective as an SKS.

On an AR it is easy to pull the bolt assy and store separately. On an SKS, consider a cable lock through the mag well with the mag unlatched and the bolt back. Or pull the trigger group and store in a different part of your trunk. That is fairly easy to pop back in.

I'm keeping the "platform" examples generic as I really don't care what you buy. Your choice does not validate my picks. However, go with something common and proven, not something unique and distinctive. Stick with a common caliber you can buy at Walmart or Kmart or WhateverMart. Use factory ammo of good quality in your loadout and replace it regulary (annual?). Shoot it off to verify that it "would have worked", replace with fresh. Also test the fresh ammo by shooting a few boxes with the same lot number.

I have other suggestions but they are all non-gun and thereby non-related-to-this-post such as soft body armor, and most importantly training and practice.

 

[Rex B]

All good suggestions.
My first choice would normally be an SKS if it's just going to live in the trunk with only an occasional check.
Ideal choice would be that SU16.

But in a situation where you don't know what the social or LE situation is going to be, I'd much rather be carrying a traditional lever gun. I don't care who you are, if you have a black rifle or a military rifle, the first impression of most people is going to be "Bad guy". Carry a Winchester 94 or a Marlin levergun and everyone thinks you're Chuck Conners.

Even short of a SHTF scene, if you have to expose the contents of your trunk due to a wreck or other circumstance, a levergun is much less alarming to the average non-enthusiast.

My trouble is the only lever-action rifle I currently own is too nice to leave in the trunk. So I need a beater.

 

[roo_ster]

I like a lot of the suggestions made, some of which even meet the OP's specs.

I would recommend a lever gun (Win, Marlin, Rossi) in one of the traditional lever-gun cartridges (.30-30, .348, .35), .357mag, or .44mag.

.30-30, .348, & .35 need no explanation. They might, however, have more recoil than desired.

.357mag and .44mag can be had loaded with hardcast lead bullets (Corbon, Buffalo Bore, handload, etc). I am not sure, but I bet a hot, hardcast .357 or .44 at carbine velocities would give soft body armor a run for its money.

We bought my wife's Rossi 92 .44mag for $120 used. Once we cleaned the lead outta the bbl, it was a champ.

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

Personally I dont recommend any kind of rifle. A shotgun (something in 20 gauge) is going to be an easier kill shot than with 7.62x54. A M44 isnt going to scare most baddies, and forbid you miss your first shot, youre probably toast.

Any kind of big "scary" AK or an AR15 is likely to arouse the wrong sort of attention if it is visible when the trunk is open.

I have considered this myself, but I dont know the legality of keeping a loaded gun in a car trunk in Ohio.

 

[atblis]

Hmm

Personally I dont recommend any kind of rifle. A shotgun (something in 20 gauge)...

I'd have to argue the opposite. Considering that you might have to shoot at somebody through a semi hard object...the rifle would definitely be better. I also suspect you'd stand a better chance of disabling a vehicle with 54r heavy ball.

Why would you be more likely to get a kill shot with a shotgun? The thing with buckshot is that it is a horrible penetrator, and to get any sort of pattern density (especially from a 20), you use smaller shot, which makes the penetration even more of an issue. You can reduce the range which makes up for some of that, but then you loose the supposed advantage of a spread pattern. At close ranges you might as well be using a rifle.

I too worry about cops seeing an AK/AR/SKS and assuming your the bad guy. Not guaranteed to happen, but quite plausible.

 

[Wedge]

I'll vote some form of lever action for the reasons stated above

 

[the naked prophet]

For many of the reasons stated above, we've settled on lever-action .30-30 or the SKS.

I think that both of us could effectively use either one in a dire situation, and both rifles would be capable of everything we might need it to do.

 

[slow944]

I keep a Mini-14 for my SHTF rifle. It's light weight, packs a punch, I've taken several deer with it and you can find 223 ammo just about anywhere you can get any weight bullet from 40gr to 69gr. It's iron sights are good enough out to 100yds and it's so easy to disassemble and clean. Another plus is the light recoil, that makes it easy for my 100lb daughter to shoot without getting a bruised sholder. A shotgun it good out to about 40yds and that is to close if I'm in a fire fight.

 

[full metal]

How bout a thompson contender with three barrel's 22lr 308 and 410gauge that can also shoot 45lc that's four rifle's in one.
That should cover all game and self defense need's.