Need a Truck Gun

[SoldMyHat]

Hi guys,

 

I am looking to get a Tuffy lock box that fits under the rear seat of a truck. I would like to know everyone's thoughts of a good rifle under $500 for the whole package. My current pick is a Ruger American Compact 308 with a Vortex Crossfire 2 3-9x scope. That pretty much maxes out my budget. I would like it to be a capable deer caliber out to 200 yards and be under 38" long. 

[Patrick Henry]

Marlin 30-30

[enfield]

Model 94 Swede.

[Raoul]

[peejman]

AK or AR pistol.

[nightrunner]

Marlin .45/70

Great deer rifle, plus would be handy for when the rabid elephants start roaming around, you know just in case.

[TripleGGG]

Marlin .45/70

Great deer rifle, plus would be handy for when the rabid elephants start roaming around, you know just in case.

Absolutely.

[Oh Shoot]

 

Yup, quickly accurate on COM to 150 yards or more with just cheek weld with iron sights, plenty of velocity with 5.56 out of 10.5" barrel or even shorter with softpoints or other expanding bullets, with 20-30 quick chances too. :)

 

Can do it for 'bout same price as a Glock, so if stolen it's not the worst financial blow.  Also, can legally carry it outside the vehicle in TN in normal times if necessary, and do it quite gray man if you keep it in something like this:

 

 

Here's mine,  lives in the above racquet case behind the seat in my toy truck:

 

 

 

 

- OS

Edited March 16, 2016 by Oh Shoot

[jb980]

I recently bought a ruger American ranch in 5.56. They have threaded 16 inch barrels and also come in 300 black out. I've been using mine as a range toy but it would be great for a truck gun.

[SoldMyHat]

Thanks for all the suggestion guys. I guess I should have specified that it would be my only deer/large game rifle as well. I was looking hard at a Marlin 336 youth. But I worry a little about the 30/30 for deer past 100 yards especially with a 16" barrel.

Keep em coming

[quietguy]

Thanks for all the suggestion guys. I guess I should have specified that it would be my only deer/large game rifle as well. I was looking hard at a Marlin 336 youth. But I worry a little about the 30/30 for deer past 100 yards especially with a 16" barrel.

Keep em coming

I wouldn't go with the youth model, but a 336 is a great option.  .30-30 is more than enough for deer sized game out to 200yrds, especially with some of the modern rounds.

 

I personally prefer the Winchester 94 because is it lighter and slimmer, but the Marlin makes mounting optics a lot easier.  

[Jonnin]

30-30 is easily good to 200 and with a lighter bullet you can push that a little more, probably get 300 if you were really careful with a stout handload.  I know the 30-30 is considered weak but goodness you can drop a deer at 100 with the right ammo using  357 or 44 in a rifle.    You want to kill it in one hit so a little overkill is not a bad thing but 30-30 is often treated like a .22 LR or something ...

 

An ak47 is a lot like a 30-30 except you can put more holes in the target (not talking deer ... you wanted a truck gun which implies a bug-out rifle of sorts).  Or a 300 BO AR.

[Oh Shoot]

..... you wanted a truck gun which implies a bug-out rifle of sorts).  Or a 300 BO AR.

 

Yeah, when I hear "truck gun", I think primarily of a SHTF situation. Not many folks' vehicles are used where you can just jump out of the cab and take game whenever you happen to see it in normal "legal" times.

 

- OS

Edited March 16, 2016 by Oh Shoot

[SoldMyHat]

Yeah, when I hear "truck gun", I think primarily of a SHTF situation. Not many folks' vehicles are used where you can just jump out of the cab and take game whenever you happen to see it in normal "legal" times.

 

- OS

 

yeah. i'm trying to multipurpose. deer rifle, SHTF, zombies, long range, cheap, relatively compact. i don't have the budget for dedicated rifles for everything

[Oh Shoot]

yeah. i'm trying to multipurpose. deer rifle, SHTF, zombies, long range, cheap, relatively compact. i don't have the budget for dedicated rifles for everything

 

Well, any "all purpose" tool is generally not optimum for any single purpose.

 

If you just leave optimal "long range hunting" (meaning say over 175 yards) out of the equation, you can meet the rest of them pretty well. I know you're "out west", but relatively few deer taken in east and middle TN past 150 yards, and inside that 5.56 and 7.62x39 work pert well, especially in push comes to shove situations where personal defense might be mission number one.

 

And while a bigger whomp bolt or lever gun might be better for deer, it's a sub par tactical choice for even a small group of two legged critters. :)

 

- OS

Edited March 16, 2016 by Oh Shoot

[quietguy]

yeah. i'm trying to multipurpose. deer rifle, SHTF, zombies, long range, cheap, relatively compact. i don't have the budget for dedicated rifles for everything

I would still stick with the Marlin 336, but a budget AR or AK would be great choices as well.  

 

Just to save a few bucks, you can look for a Glenfield Model 30A.  They usually run about 25-30% less than the Marlin equivalents.  The stocks aren't as nice, but that shouldn't matter for a truck gun.  

[Oh Shoot]

.....

 

Just to save a few bucks, you can look for a Glenfield Model 30A.  They usually run about 25-30% less than the Marlin equivalents.  The stocks aren't as nice, but that shouldn't matter for a truck gun.  

 

Currently, only the Marlin 3336 C and SS come with the nice walnut stocks. The rest have laminated something-wood.

 

- OS

[quietguy]

Thanks OS.  I wasn't even thinking about current models.  

[Wingshooter]

yeah. i'm trying to multipurpose. deer rifle, SHTF, zombies, long range, cheap, relatively compact. i don't have the budget for dedicated rifles for everything

It comes down to what you want... bolt, lever, semi.

I'd go Marlin 336 30-30 for a best truck/deer hunting set up. It's tough, durable, faster than a bolt for defensive purposes, can put deer down out to 200, availabe ammo, lays flat under a truck seat without the bolt handle.

I think the Ruger American you mentioned is a good choice if you'd rather have a bolt gun. I don't think a bolt gun makes quite as good of a dedicated "truck gun" as a lever, but what you want is important.

An AR or AR pistol in 300 blackout is a great truck gun that is also a capable deer gun.

To me, the bolt gun tips the scale towards hunting. The AR tips the scale towards a defensive truck gun. The lever gun balances the scale. Just my opinion though. Get the one you like best.

[SoldMyHat]

well i have been thinking hard about a Marlin 336. maybe i can find an old used one for 300 or so

[SoldMyHat]

and i will say, I held some at a store and the lever guns felt way more comfortable from a standing position compared to the longer hunting rifles. 

[Wingshooter]

well i have been thinking hard about a Marlin 336. maybe i can find an old used one for 300 or so

The older ones are best. I haven't checked the used prices lately, but there's always a couple at the pawn shop.

  

and i will say, I held some at a store and the lever guns felt way more comfortable from a standing position compared to the longer hunting rifles.

Yeah, they balance really well. I kept a winchester 94 in 30-30 in my truck for a long time. One of my favorite deer rifles is a Marlin 336 in 35 remington with a fixed 4 power Nikon scope. A 30-30 is much better for ammo availablity though.

[Jonnin]

Well, any "all purpose" tool is generally not optimum for any single purpose.

 

If you just leave optimal "long range hunting" (meaning say over 175 yards) out of the equation, you can meet the rest of them pretty well. I know you're "out west", but relatively few deer taken in east and middle TN past 150 yards, and inside that 5.56 and 7.62x39 work pert well, especially in push comes to shove situations where personal defense might be mission number one.

 

And while a bigger whomp bolt or lever gun might be better for deer, it's a sub par tactical choice for even a small group of two legged critters. :)

 

- OS

 

Yep.

 

Im going to stick to my AK or 300 BO suggestion. 

 

I respect a skilled lever gun shooter in a "situation".   It takes a lot of practice,  but don't sell it short either.   I would rather have the higher capacity and faster semi-auto, of course.

 

My advice in these situations is to sit on it.    I see this a lot -- "I have $500 to spend what can it get".   Now, 500 might get you what you want, and if so, that is awesome.   If you are drooling after something that costs 750 ... sit on it until you have 750.    Or get the gun now and the optic for Christmas.    The point is to remove the budget restriction from the equation.  If you had 2500 bucks in hand today, right now, what would you buy to put in your truck?  Answer that one, and then see if its a workable goal in a workable timeframe.   And don't forget used ... that 750 gun new might fall into your hands for 600, 500 used if you find one.

[Preacher357]

[quote name="Wingshooter" post="1367265" timestamp="1458104197"]The older ones are best. I haven't checked the used prices lately, but there's always a couple at the pawn shop.

I picked up a 336 from a pawn shop in Jackson a few months ago for $250 out the door.



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[joebreeding.jb]

Man if I wasn't at 308 I would say it M6 Scout or Marlin matched set series or something like that

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