If you’re aware what a truck gun is what are some of you guys running? I’ve been tossing around .223 . Been considering investing in a red-dot rather than glass. It’s a bumpy ride out there. I’ve been running a .17 HMR but the jokers tended to stay just out of range last year.

I carry my S&W M&P 15. It has an adjustable stock and with it I can reach those coyotes out to 4-500 yards. I have a Sig Sauer Romeo 5 1x20 with a co witness with my iron sites. LLL

i've got a h/r single shot 223 with more miles on it than Monica Lewinski.

In the truck is a 458 SOCOM on the four wheeler a 223WSSM

Depends on what time of year it is!

Besides the .17 WSM which I recently added, I have always kept a .220 swift and more often a .243 Tikka with 55 grain loads in the outfit. If the prey is too far for those to reach, they are too far for me to be taking the shot.

Osky

I tend to shoot at hogs more than coyotes from the truck. 300 blackout, suppressed, is the way to go. Only good out to 100ish, but it sure is easy on the ears.

Since I don't shoot coyotes from the truck. I just carry a 22/410 over and under and my 22 single six.

depends on the time of year and what im doing. i usually have a 17hmr, 223, 300 bo, 308, or 30-06 with me. 95% of my guns can become truck guns at any time.

Thanks for the input. Kind of what I figured all over the place. Larry I’m liking your set up that appears to be something that would work and take some beating. Beav sometimes you’re out in the middle of a field with cattle and there’s coyotes involved. We don’t just let them walk away.

Got ya, but I don't have that problem here. I'm more into the occasional pheasant or rabbit or other small game.

In this situation I would have AR15 .223 with small magnification scope.

it's going to depend a lot on what you need it for.

I lost a nice AR to Theft from my truck , so I don't leave guns in truck anymore

I also have the issue of teen drivers now , who borrow my truck some times , they can't go the same places I can with a gun in the vehicle.

now I have some guns that are easy to grab and take with but come back in the house when I come home.

of those the one I would grab first is a Mossberg Patriot Predator in 308 2-7x32 scope and a Hornady cheek riser bag with storage that holds 2 loaded mags and 5 rounds in loops it also has a muzzle brake on it makes it light recoiling and protects the crown. flip up caps on the scope.

it can sit next to the door and be grabbed and it is ready to go with 15 rounds of should be able to kill anything in north america 180 gr soft points that it is sighted in for and I know where to hold to 400 yards


there are a couple different major schools of thought on truck guns

A. cheap this is it will get beat up , cheap tools can be ok but what are you giving up in performance , durability , reliability to save on cost.

B. technically a pistol. In WI you have to unload a long gun although we used to have to unload them and have them cased and out of reach. With a WI CCL they only have to be unloaded. Handguns/ Pistols can be loaded (having a mag in even with no round in the chamber is still loaded technically)

C a good tool for whatever your intended target is , adding that a synthetic stock , lock-tite everything you don't want moving , a good optic if you run one and I think a muzzle device is a good idea chances it will end up muzzle down on the floor of the truck between the front seats while you drive around is real something protecting the muzzle is a good idea in my opinion. yes your going to have real money into a real good tool but if you are saving cattle that bring good money , having good tools that work make sense when it is something you need to get done.


this is a pistol it has a 10.5 inch barrel it is chambered in 5.56/223 it has a prism sight it works red / green and also with a dead battery it is black it has an etch glass reticle that can be lit either color or if daylight no batter power is really needed.
it shoots decently well at 200 yards well enough to keep on the steel plate which while running that optic on a 16 inch barrel AR was really all the better I could see. short barrel means a little less velocity but no less accuracy.

it could fall into B and C you loose about 10% of the velocity from a 20 inch barrel if you go shorter it starts to drop off fast and about 8% compared to a 16 inch barrel

if a 17hmr inside 100 yards was going to get it done , a 223 even 10% reduced power should definitely get it done to 250 or better.


it is also fairly light 6 pounds even and easy to carry on a sling across the back , doesn't take up much space


whats a good tool for your purpose? then what do you do to make it ride around in a truck better?

Regardless of what you choose, do yourself and your investment a huge favor and purchase a Seizmik gun holder. Might seem a little steep and I admit I was leary at first, but man are they awesome. Protects your gun no matter the design from being beat up riding around in your vehicle. Super secure, quick to release gun when needed, and super soft non-marring material your gun rests in. Check them out, I doubt you'll be sorry.

I found a shotgun duck hunting a several years back, that has become a permanent fixture under the back seat. As is the Springfield XDS .45 in the console. Both have come in handy on several occasions.

I just bought a new Savage Axis 223 for $240 shipped. It will get a $100 scope and become a disposable truck gun.

You can shoot 400 to 500 yds with a Romeo 5 red dot? I have one on my Ruger Mk3 22 pistol and cant see past 200 yds.

X2

If ya saw what I haul around on a daily basis, you'd either be envious or think I was plum crazy.

Each individual item is perfect for a certain situation. Some overlap, but I tend to be specific in my application of said items to any given situation.

I believe you should 'dance with the girl ya brought' so I tend to haul around a whole danged harem.



Charlie

Get yourself a short, light carbine style AR and don’t look back.

My oracle (truck/wheeler/“beat around” gun) has payed for itself a few dozen times over now.