Airstream trailer guns

K

kcub

New member
I saw a quaint little Airstream trailer on the freeway today. Probably taking a family out to a lake for Memorial weekend and it got me to thinking.

What if I retired and sold all my worldly possessions and went bouncing around the continent for the rest of my days. Which few guns would make the cut?

There's no fixed number but space is obviously limited.

I think my 6" Python has to make the cut because it is super accurate, versatile, and my dad gave it to me. It's pretty much a "cold dead fingers" gun.

I'll have to think on it some more beyond that.
 
5 guns to do it all:

12ga pump
.30-06
.22lr rifle

.357 mag
.22 lr pistol

Action types are more by choice, and I wouldn't blame you for getting a second barrel for the bird shooter, but what in North America could you not handle with these?
 
Ruger Mini 14
Walther PPQ 9mm
(insert CCW here) 9mm

Ammo used is .223/5.56, or 9mm. Affordable, common, and effective. Reliability is there, space consumption is minimal, and you could carry all three on foot.
 
I have downsized over the past few years. Thinking about retiring so my select few 357 revolver snub ,22lr of some type.
 
I once had a similar situation, trying to decide what guns would be the most useful on an ocean-going sailboat that traveled world-wide. After a lot of discussion and consideration of all the circumstances, it was left at a short barreled open-choked SXS 12 gauge, a Model 94 Winchester in .30-30 and a S&W 686 in .357 Magnum when the project was aborted. The trouble was that the legalities one runs into when traveling with firearms - nowhere is it legal to "import" weapons without some paperwork or confiscation or secure, bonded storage, and in many it is illegal no matter what.

An Airstream in just the lower 48 of the US, after a careful research would probably show that long guns are okay, but not into Mexico or Canada. Handguns are another issue altogether - in states like New York having a handgun without a New York CC permit is illegal, and you can't get one unless you live in NY, which has reciprocity with no other state. This is changing generally for the better across the nation, but each state's laws are different and ought to be researched before heading out armed.
 
For a handgun for SD/HD, my K frame 357 or maybe the N frame in 45acp - typically not illegal in states where hi-cap semis might be

I'D be traveling to different sporting clays venues, so a 12 gauge target gun would be there. I also like dove and quail, so a 20 or 28 gauge for that would be in the mix. Then there would be the room for ammo.......................
 
When I retired I downsized to 357 Mag/38 and 40 for carry guns (the 45 still hangs on though) and 223 and 30-06 for rifles. I will still have the 22lr's and the 12 gauge. I have 44 mags for hunting.
 
I'd have to have a "gun vault drawer" in the trailer...

a. with room for at least 4 shotguns ( up to 32" barreled O/U's - a 12ga for Trap, a 12ga and a 28ga for skeet and sporting clays, a 30" semi-auto 12ga).

b. and as a minimum - room for 5 handguns..../ a 5" single action revolver ---a S&W mod 27 4" .357 mag ---- a Browning Buckmark-----a pair of 1911's one in 9mm and one in .45 acp.

I'd still have a permanent home somewhere too ...so my reloaders, and big gun safe could stay there....but darn, it would be hard to leave that stuff behind..../ I could reload and carry probably 250 boxes of handgun ammo ...and some 28ga shells in the trailer...and then restock when I got home !!

a trailer about 32 Ft long should be enough ...and we could tow it with a full sized SUV ...and haul my wife's convertible on a dolly behind the trailer...( I could survive ...it'd be tough / but I'd make it !! ). I suppose I could put the gun vault in the SUV ...( or more guns / ammo / my reloaders,,...)...
 
If I thought I'd spend the rest of my life bouncing around the continent in an old Airstream, I wouldn't need but one cheap gun and one cheap round!!:eek:
 
12 ga. pump, 18" 7 shot for Home (trailer) defense
KAHR CM9 for CCW
T/C Contender and a bunch of barrels for hunting, target shooting, etc.
AR15 just for SHTF, and also target shooting.

But it's a mute point for me. I'd keep 'em all locked up in a safe in a secured storage locker somewhere near my "base camp".
 
The current price of gasoline is going to keep a lot of retirees from "bouncing around" the country.
Click to expand...

Yeah, well, that, and, in my case (and I'm sure a lot of others), just having a lot more to do than bouncing around the country in an Airstream! :D
 
But look at it this way . . . . if you're in an Airstream . . . and you have guns with you . . . you never have to look for targets because you'll be living in a tin can. :D

Now that I've ticked off "Airstream owners" . . (didn't mean it) . . . as mentioned, you would have to consider the gun laws in each location that you are planning to visit. Just remember that wherever you stay, the size of critters will be different (i.e. squirrels, coyotes, bears) . . . if you're camping "in the wild".

While this is in the handgun forum . . . remember that if yoiu are truly retired and traveling, it opens up a wide range of new experiences. There are lots of nice ranges around the country . . . you may not shoot skeet or trap now and you may not be a "shot gunner" . . . but I would think you'd want a good selection that would include at least one shotgun, a 22 (rifle or pistol or both), a more powerful rifle and a good center fire pistol.

I travel back and forth to AZ every year to send the winter - I've downsized as well and now pretty much limit myself to a 22 pistol, 22 rifle and my CC 357. Those allow me to shoot at a range and have fun. There are trap ranges near me as well but my shotgunning days are over.
 
Browning Buckmark

Kahr P40 40 S&W

Custom 1911 45 ACP

Ruger 5.5" Bisley 45 LC

Mossberg 930 12ga

Savage 12 300WSM

I might be able to drop a pistol from the list...
 
Since you are talking about selling you should tell us what you have and then let us pick five from the list. It would be much easier that way.
 
This is a real kind of decision thread that affects many as they move into their retirement years and the choices one may have to make about your personal belongings that you have spent a lifetime accrueing. It may relate to the SHTF preppers also.

You have limited space and you need to really decide what you are going to transport and carry to fit your perceived "need".

Keeping a sizable collection in a safe(s) at home may not be a reasonable option due to theft concerns, fire, and so forth. Or you may simply accept the risks and leave your collection at home and take your chances.

I would take two carry sized handguns (husband and wife); two 22 handguns; two 22 rifles; one shotgun; and a centerfire rifle. Sounds reasonable, BUT which ones? One would certainly be a Ruger Mini-14 and a 12ga Remington 870 shotgun. My S&W 442 revolver, and a middle sized Glock pistol in 40 or 9mm. At this point on the 22 handguns, it would probably be two S&W revolvers (M17 & M18), and two Remington 22 rifles since I tend to like them best of all. It is a tough call. I might add another 22 handgun like a Ruger Mark II, or the SR22P that I am just getting comfortable with.

If I thought I might have to "live off the land", I'd probably take a 22 Mag rifle too as I find the caliber hard to beat for real world needs but frequently utterly useless for normal day to day life.
 
My Five

12 guage pump (18") for home defense and bear if necessary
22lr rifle for cheap plinking and small pests
1911 45acp because I love 1911s
357 (4" bbl) due to versatility
LCP for when nothing else is concealable.

The first three are a certainty. The last two could be replaced with my Ruger SP101 (357) 2.25 " bbl.and a 22lr Ruger semi-auto pistol. It's kind of tough narrowing it down to five. I have considered narrowing down my collection to only three or four, but I can't decide and I am only 54 so hopefully I still have time to spend with them.
 
I live on a 42 foot boat half of the year, so it's more than academic.


This is the fitment for myself and my significant other:

(2) 9mm Beretta 92's

(1) Keltec Sub 2000 with the Beretta 92 magazine well. This is a perfect close-quarters carbine for stowage as well as use.

(6) 15 round Beretta 92 mags.

(1) Large Capacity (30 round?) Beretta 92 mag in the Keltec. Can't remember the exact size and it's on the boat (no surprise there).

(1) Keltec .380 for pocket CCW when in shorts off the boat.

(1) H&R single shot 12 gauge shotgun, with the BBl cut to 18 inches, disassembled and stuck away. Finish = black Krylon spraypaint. This is for utility:,shooting sharks alongside the boat after they are brought to the surface (we fish), etc., for shooting 12 gauge flares for signaling, and also as well as being the second "long gun" for defense.



Nothing else. We are not shooting for sport on the water. This is all about having a credible defense and not taking up the entire boat to store stuff. Bear in mind also that I deliberately use "Guns that are not "fine guns" as they are in a salt water environment and they are just tools for utility.



Willie

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