Guns: The Truck Gun - Peace Be The Journey

A small number of gun owners keep a firearm in their car or truck but can't/won't carry one with them in their daily lives. There are a lot of reasons why I think this practice is unwise. For one, unless Mr. Criminal allows you to access your glove compartment, trunk, or center console before a fight, you probably won't have your gun when you need it. More importantly, I can think of only a handful of situations where you would be justified in fighting with a firearm near a vehicle rather than just driving the hell away. Clint Smith explains it best:



Still, I suppose there are isolated cases when having an extra gun in the car is worthwhile. Maybe your car breaks down in the middle of bear country and a tow truck is not forthcoming. Perhaps some large scale disaster strands you somewhere, along with a few hundred unruly rioters. Most people have a first aid kit and tools in their vehicle for those kinds of emergencies, so a vehicle firearm, unloaded and locked in a case, isn't too big of a stretch.

So what gun should it be? Preferably something inexpensive, rugged, and capable. That could be an old pump action 12 gauge, or a military surplus bolt-action rifle. Both would give you capabilities above and beyond your carry handgun, and both would make effective hunting weapons should the need arise. An additional consideration is that these types of common long guns are more likely to be legally carried in a vehicle than other guns (this is not legal advice - check your state and local laws!).

One last thing: the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 included a federal "safe passage" or "peaceable journey" law that is intended to pre-empt state firearms controls when you pass through these states on an interstate journey. Note, though, that there are a ton of restrictions and pitfalls that apply and you definitely risk being arrested anyway by a suspicious or ill-informed police officer, so please read up before you take that cross-country road trip with your Mosin-Nagant.