A Lone Long Gun to Travel the Country

Which long gun?

  • Total voters
    76
  • Poll closed .
O

Old Bill Dibble

New member
Suppose you have decided to take a year and travel the US by motorcycle. You have decided to take along one "long gun" on your journey with the expectation of doing some opportunistic hunting of white tail sized game and under as well as get in the occasional target practice to stay fresh. The gun will also serve as a defensive firearm when encamped or staying in lodging. You can put whatever optics and accessories you like on the gun. Feel free to select your make and model number as well.

This would be a supplement to your regular CCHG.

Some choices may not be legal in some states. If you pick that gun you would have to avoid those states. All laws concerning transportation of arms will have to be complied with.

Which gun would you choose and why?
 
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While I voted shotgun, I would opt for a longer barrel - especially for hunting and target practice. Concealing any long gun on a motorcycle will be a challenge.
 
HIya Bill, wish I had read your post before I did the poll. A bolt long gun may not be the most sensible choice for a biking tour. I might go with a lever carbine or magnum pistol. Depending on your skills. Even a take down of some kind, ie, BLR takedown. I like the idea of he BLR TD.
 
An 18" barrelled, .308Win with 2-7X Leupold and receiver sight system would meet my needs. Could be a Rem Mod. 7, Ruger American, or other...preferably Stainless-Synthetic.
 
Having done cross country motorcycle trips in the past, size and weight are big factors. I wouldn't take a long gun with me. My last trip I took my stainless 4" GP100. If hunting is involved, I'd plan ahead and make arrangements to ship the proper rifle.
 
I saw a guy arrive by motorcycle at a BPCR match with his 30" Sharps rifle. He didn't do it but once, though.

If I were determined to take a long gun on a motorcycle trip, I would pick a lever action, probably a good old .30-30 or maybe a .35. Plenty for deer, adequate for camp defense, and less threatening to timid townspeople than an automatic or even a "sniper rifle."
 
Of the guns I own, this is the one I'd take.

An 870 20 ga youth shotgun with a 21"barrel that takes interchangeable tubes. If you can find the same version in 12 that would be an option too. While not ideal for every application it covers a lot of ground. The gun can be broken down for transportation. With the plug removed it makes a formidable SD weapon. The short barrel isn't ideal for wing shooting, but can be pressed into service and with 3" shells puts decent payload down range. You'd be surprised at how accurate a set of fiber optic sights that clamp onto the rib is with slugs.

I kinda lean toward the 20 ga because it is lighter and more compact. But the 12 offers more options for ammo.

 
I voted for the shotgun, one with interchangeable barrels. However, I would think a lever action 30-30 would also be a decent choice as cartridges are about universal in the western hemisphere, even Canada.

Also, consider a .22lr as you probably realistically won't be able to do much big-game hunting. How do you pack big game meat on a motorcycle???

Consider as well the legality and negative outlook on certain firearms: shotgun, lever-action and .22lr are fairly accepted and less likely to scare people.

I have thought about if I ever travel around in an RV, I would take my Stevens 320 with an 18.5" home defense barrel, and a 28" removable choke hunting barrel, shotguns can be made to do anything.

Then again an old combination gun or a German Drilling, or an interchangeable barrel single-shot would probably be ideal arms.
 
I'd go with a H-S precision PTD takedown rifle in .308. Small, concealable, powerful, accurate, uses readily available ammo, and while I don't follow every law states have subjected themselves to probably legal most places.

Only problem is they cost a fortune.
 
30-30 lever action. Good size, weight, capacity combination without setting off any "scary black rifle" bells anywhere. I would be willing to bet a 30-30 has at some point taken every type of game animal in North America.

Edit: I know from listening to my Grandpa that a .32 lever action can take salmon :)
 
I would think that the logistics of carrying and especially securing a long gun on a motorcycle would be almost insurmountable. It takes a lot of effort to lock up mine in my Jeep when I run into a store or restaurant while I am out hunting for one day.

I also don't believe that most people can distinguish between a "safe" lever action and other long guns. Guns are guns to most people. A lever action isn't going to get you a pass.
 
take down

I voted lever action, but it would have to be a custom take down number, preferably in .357/.44. There are such carbines made, the last I saw written up was based on the Marlin 1894. You could match the .357 to a suitable revolver, solving any ammo issues.

I thought about the Ruger .44 Carbines, both old and new models, and the Ruger Lever .44 as well, all discontinued.
 
This would be a supplement to your regular CCHG.

Some choices may not be legal in some states. If you pick that gun you would have to avoid those states. All laws concerning transportation of arms will have to be complied with.
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Just re-read that again. Highly probable that any of the poll choices are illegal, your CCHG might be as well. Secondly, if you have a CCHG for SD, then that might not need to be a major criteria for the other gun.

Maybe something more along the lines of a Ruger or Freedom Arms in 44 or bigger with a scope would do. Compact for a saddle bag, able to hunt and target shoot, could supplement the handgun for defense if necessary.
 
I also don't believe that most people can distinguish between a "safe" lever action and other long guns. Guns are guns to most people. A lever action isn't going to get you a pass.
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Most definitely true. I wouldn't take a long gun on a motorcycle. The only way to hide it would be if it was a take down version which won't be of any use if you need it in a hurry. Not to mention securing it while eating/gas/etc would be a hassle.

I'd choose a handgun and plan my route so that I could carry legally and bring some sort of locked container to put it in when going through areas where carrying isn't legal.
 
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