What kind of maintenance on a trunk gun?

[Moparmike]

Ok, suppose I get an SKS for a trunk gun, and get mounts on the under the deck of my back seat or on my trunk frame. What kind of maintenance should there be? Can I keep the ammo in strippers in a box or something in the trunk as well?

*By maintenance, I mean: How often should I take it out and clean it? What kind of beating should I avoid (not that I will be using it for a boat paddle or hammer )? Any other ideas? How will sitting in a trunk through cold and hot affect it?


Besides, how many Benzes do you see with an SKS for a trunk gun?

 

[Lawyerman]

I have a SMLE in the truck. I take it inside every couple of months and run a patch through the bore and wipe the metal down with CLP. The stock gets a soaking with Lemon Oil. Goes back in the rack the next morning.

 

[Coot]

I know up here keeping a firearm in your vehicle is a good way to quickly turn it into a pile of rust: with the huge temp changes between day and night the guns will get lots of condensation; even stainless steel isn't immune.

So, probably best to lube it sooner than later, depending on your climate.

 

[Mulliga]

You'll need a good cleaning with Breakfree to lube it up every few weeks, I'd say. It's just an SKS, right? - no need to kill yourself maintaing it when you could just buy another one for 90 bucks .

 

[RustyHammer]

This reminds me ... time to clean my trunk gun(s)!

Lock and load,

Rusty

 

[Mannlicher]

I pull the SKS into the house after every outing. I don't drive the pick up every day, more like a few times a week. The SKS stays in the safe if I am not driving.

Still, I clean it often. My life is too important (especially to me) to leave critical maintence to chance.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I take my Steyr out of the trunk twice a year to oil it and check for corrosion. No problems so far.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I have a Mosin-Nagant M38 that goes with me often, but it doesn't live in the car. However it gets shot all time time because ammo is so cheap. Consequently it gets taken care of very well.

ZM

 

[MeekandMild]

I had a Beretta I carried in the trunk for several years. What I did was 1) lightly lubricate it with vasaline, which would not evaporate in the heat, 2) pack it in tightly wrapped clothing, 3) pack the whole thing into a sealed ammo can in the trunk. I suppose I could have put in a couple of silica gel packs, but that seemed to be overkill.

 

[Wildalaska]

Rust Guard it or SAheath on all metal parts, except trigger

WildaspritzadaykeepstherustawayAlaska

 

[Bob R]

I have a SMLE in the truck

I like the way you think. My trunk gun is a Jungle Carbine. Actually it is a "back of the van" gun.


bob

 

[Feanaro]

Are you gonna bring it inside when you're home or leave it there? If you are bringing it in you won't have to clean/lube it as much, I would think. Leaving it outside all the time... the hot and cold changes might attract a lot of moisture. Especially down here in the South-lands.

 

[DMK]

If you are bringing it in you won't have to clean/lube it as much, I would think. Leaving it outside all the time... the hot and cold changes might attract a lot of moisture.

Actually, wouldn't leaving it outside be better? If you bring it in from the cold to a warm house regularly, that can be a pretty drastic temperature change.

 

[Lawyerman]

To me it's pretty hard to beat the Enfield as a truck gun.

What could be less threatening than a rifle made in 1918? Decent safety, good capacity, $125 price, full power round, good commercial, surefire, new production ammo available most everywhere, bolt works like lightning and there is NO amount of lint or dust that will ever accumulate in my truck that comes anywhere near what this rifle might have seen in the muddy trenches and fields of Flanders or Verdun-it will work when I need it to.

 

[Johnny Guest]

"Trunk gun" vs. "Car gun"

I simply believe either one (both, in my case) need to be well lubricated and cased against moisture. Maintenance? I usually take take them out every couple of months to shoot or at least examine them. Nothing special. I'd suggest at lease keeping a racked long gun in a "gun stocking" cover, as opposed to uncovered.

I keep a spare sidearm in my car, for the times I might get away from home with only a pocket pistol, and a need arise - - An unexpected call to the office, or being in the vicinity of a deputy needing backup. This sidearm is something semi-expendable, a full size service handgun. It is currently a Glock 19 in a Fobus paddle holster, with two loaded magazines, one mag carrier, an empty mag, and a box of mixed GDHP and ball. The G19 is heavily coated in BreakFree, and all nestle (Yum. CHOCOLATE!) in a padded .30 cal. ammo can. Other times, a Sistema Colt M. 1927 with similar accessories, riding in the ammo can. One thing I do - - Any time I shoot either one, I clean carefully and mark the date on the box.

My "Trunk gun" is usually a short, scoped, AR15, well lubed, with two loaded mag, in a padded cordura case, also with empty mags and some boxed ammo. Yup, if something hapened RIGHT HERE, and I went to the car trunk, the AR would be the "Go-To" arm. But it looks a little aggressive if I'm just going to contained situation to help out . . . .

Best,
Johnny