Ultimate USA Road Trip

[IJ1981]

You are travelling from Miami to Maine to Seattle to San Diego back to Miami.

You can only take one handgun and one rifle. What are your choices among these listed?

These are firearms that I own and intend to travel with. Therefore the questions. Don't want to be overladen.

 

[dweis]

None

 

[Riomouse911]

Unless hunting was on the docket, just a compact pistol and a locking case for me. (Along with up to date research on legal vehicle carry for each state I traverse.)

Stay safe.

 

[lightman]

A Glock, but not any of the ones listed, and an AR.

 

[IJ1981]

A Glock, but not any of the ones listed, and an I can?mm

The purpose of this poll is take along ONLY the items I own and get advice. Other firearms are immaterial

 

[Miami_JBT]

You are travelling from Miami to Maine to Seattle to San Diego back to Miami.

You can only take one handgun and one rifle. What are your choices among these listed?

These are firearms that I own and intend to travel with. Therefore the questions. Don't want to be overladen.

Being that I've somewhat done that, and started in Miami. A GLOCK 26 and a run of the mill Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. A shotgun is a handy long gun for hunting and self-defense. Also, it is fun to break clays in different places across the country.

 

[Buzznrose]

I’d carry the G26 before any of the others. I added the mini-30 but given a choice of any two I’d have taken the G26 and G29….

WHEN I travel, I bring two handguns that share the same mags. If I have to travel through capacity restricted places, I carry G43X and stock 10 round mags. Otherwise, I’m running 15 round mags.

We generally don’t travel with a rifle…when we do, it’s an AR with 5 loaded mags (where legal)

 

[Armored farmer]

I would choose a ccw (G26).
And my most familiar firearm of them all....(an 870.)

Mrs and I travel frequently. Sometimes a hunt or a trapshoot or sporting clays is planned, in which case I bring the appropriate gun. Otherwise she has her LCP MAX and I have my Hellcat.

 

[wayneinFL]

What are you using the guns for? Hiking in bear country? Shooting? Defense?

 

[tarosean]

State laws vary. Whatever you choose make sure you’re not on the wrong side the law

 

[drobs]

If you are driving take 3.
Glock 26, Remington 870, and the Ruger American 308.

Edited to add, you need an AR15 in your collection.

 

[CapnMac]

You are travelling from Miami to Maine to Seattle to San Diego back to Miami.

The number of "non permissive" places needed in that traverse is more than passing large.
And not all of those places "honor" the stipulations of FOPA '86.
Which complicates things.

You are looking at some of the least permissive places to drive through, too--NJ, NY, CT, MA, back again to go through IL (as Canada would be right out no-go), to then traverse WA, OR, and CA

And that's just the "carrying firearms" part--I simply cannot imagine driving that much of I-95 on purpose

 

[Show Me]

Don't like the choices. Except mini. Odd hand gun choices to me.

 

[Show Me]

What are you using the guns for? Hiking in bear country? Shooting? Defense?

I think you overlooked the words road trip.

 

[wayneinFL]

I think you overlooked the words road trip.

I didn't overlook it at all. "Road trip" doesn't specify the utility of the firearm. I extrapolated that to assume there would be activities on the way, or that it might be kept for defensive purposes.

But if "road trip" denotes exactly what the gun is to be used for, driving a car. I'll comment on that.

I suggest a revolver with a short pencil barrel and tall front sight to steer the car- it will be the best thing to hook the wheel. I suggest a 22 bolt action to adjust the passenger side mirror.

 

[Show Me]

I didn't overlook it at all. "Road trip" doesn't specify the utility of the firearm. I extrapolated that to assume there would be activities on the way, or that it might be kept for defensive purposes.

But if "road trip" denotes exactly what the gun is to be used for, driving a car. I'll comment on that.

I suggest a revolver with a short pencil barrel and tall front sight to steer the car- it will be the best thing to hook the wheel. I suggest a 22 bolt action to adjust the passenger side mirror.

I agree it's been boring around here for a while.

 

[bluejeans]

G26 and rem 870 (neither of which I own or have much affinity for..) just seems like the most practical and balanced options

 

[AlexanderA]

What about the option of simply leaving all the guns at home? That way you wouldn't have to worry about (a) running afoul of local laws, or (b) having the guns stolen. You can also plan your route to avoid high-crime areas, so that self-defense would not be so much of an issue.

 

[Robert]

I'd check the laws of some of the states you may have to travel through to make sure you don't end up on the wrong side of the laws there. And I've never felt the need to travel with a long gun. Unless hunting or some other specific task.

I'd bring my G45. So I guess, take the one you like/are most proficient with.

 

[tarosean]

I didn't overlook it at all. "Road trip" doesn't specify the utility of the firearm.

Nor does it specify type of vehicle.. My RV has very different laws covering a weapon inside than a passenger vehicle.

 

[bearcreek]

Why does the Ruger Mini 30 option say "7.62x39 & .308"? Did I miss something?

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

"7.62x39 & .308"?

Yea, in case someone wants to carry their Ruger XGI across the country and back. You know, a 1 in 200 rifle would be the perfect thing to bring on a roadtrip like this.

 

[Old Dog]

Edited to add, you need an AR15 in your collection.

Not happening through NY, WA or CA...

Don't like the choices. Except mini. Odd hand gun choices to me.

These are guns the OP actually owns, hence why he's asking opinions.

Of the choices, I'd go with the S&W snub 686 Plus for self-defense (can 7 rounds truly be considered enough?) and the Marlin levergun in .45/70 in case I needed to reach out and touch someone (or for that odd encounter with a brown bear).

Can't run afoul of the mag capacity restrictions foisted on so many states. Why I have to travel a lot of extra miles to get down to Arizona or over to Michigan or Florida with my preferred firearms.

I'd go with a shotgun if the OP was a Mossberg 590A1 type of guy...

 

[drobs]

Not happening through NY, WA or CA...


These are guns the OP actually owns, hence why he's asking opinions.

Of the choices, I'd go with the S&W snub 686 Plus for self-defense (can 7 rounds truly be considered enough?) and the Marlin levergun in .45/70 in case I needed to reach out and touch someone (or for that odd encounter with a brown bear).

Can't run afoul of the mag capacity restrictions foisted on so many states. Why I have to travel a lot of extra miles to get down to Arizona or over to Michigan or Florida with my preferred firearms.

I'd go with a shotgun if the OP was a Mossberg 590A1 type of guy...

He still needs one in his collection.

 

[hso]

You can only take one handgun and one rifle. What are your choices among these listed?

You haven't explained what you want to do with them so what are folks expect to recommend.

Are you just wanting a self defense recommendation?

Are you wanting to visit indoor ranges? Outdoor ranges?

Are you wanting to hunt?

You say you're going to WA and CA, but are you going to drive through VT, RI, DE, CT, NY, NJ, MA, CO where there are magazine and other restrictions? Do you intend to adapt your firearms to those restrictions?

What are you driving? A motor home? Towing a camper? Staying at hotels?

The answer's inform us for the recommendations.

Otherwise carry the 4" .357 and the 12ga with you.