I just removed the 47lb. bayonet lug/sight wing/muzzle cap,took off all the top wood,and shortened the lower part of the fore end to just in front of the barrel band and rounded it off. It feels like it`s half as heavy now and shoulders nice and fast. What a difference! There are "Mk7" Jungle carbines available in .308 as well as some clones in .303,they`re usually about $50 more but they have a shortened barrel and flash hider already. I`ve also seen a MkIII "Tanker" with an 18" barrel. I believe Navy Arms has a pretty wide selection of different styles all for cheap. Marcus
The "ultimate" trunk rifle
- Thread starter thaddeus
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Daryl Waldron
New member
What a thread! Excellent information, and really got me thinking. Some very good ideas here.
Anyway, Lever action rifle in 30-30 gets my vote.. I have Marlin and it is hard to beat for an over all rifle. I have seen used marlin 30-30 at guns shows, here in fla, for $180 or so. You can find 30-30 ammo at any store that deals in Ammo.
Dare I say, I carry new BlackHawk 44Mag in place of the Rifle at times when out chicking the cows. Good at 50 yds and will take a hog or deer and other dangers animals.
[This message has been edited by Swamprat (edited May 05, 1999).]
Anyway, Lever action rifle in 30-30 gets my vote.. I have Marlin and it is hard to beat for an over all rifle. I have seen used marlin 30-30 at guns shows, here in fla, for $180 or so. You can find 30-30 ammo at any store that deals in Ammo.
Dare I say, I carry new BlackHawk 44Mag in place of the Rifle at times when out chicking the cows. Good at 50 yds and will take a hog or deer and other dangers animals.
[This message has been edited by Swamprat (edited May 05, 1999).]
Lot's of great ideas here. Guess I'll pass mine along. Friend of my son's had an old looking Winnie 94 carbine, that he said would not shoot. He was asking $100 for it. Well being the kind hearted fellow that I am, I bought it. He was right, it would not shoot. No firing pin. Well I found one and although it looks like it has been through the Indian wars, it shoots great. It permanently resides behinf the seat of my pickup. I'm playing with another 94 in .45LC using .300 gr. bullets. Can't use that one. Costs too much, and the loads are reloads. Oh well!
Paul B.
COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!
Paul B.
COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!
Thaddeus, Can't your car engine handle the extra pound and a half? 
Seriously, this seems one of the few places where rifle weight is irrelevant. Your vehicle is your gun bearer. And unless someone is planning to reach back behind the seat, pull the gun out and shoot from behind the wheel, the only limitation on length is that it fit in the trunk.
Why do so many seem compelled to modify or sporterize milsurp rifles? You ruin collector value this way and most of the rifles are well thought out to begin with. The features are there for a reason, and most of the rifles are much more rugged than the sporters we are so familiar with. I see the modified abominations in gun shops and pawn shops regularly and marvel at the thinking of the 'improver'. Compare the value of an unmodified Trapdoor Springfield or Krag with one that Billy Bob has "gunsmithed".
Seriously, this seems one of the few places where rifle weight is irrelevant. Your vehicle is your gun bearer. And unless someone is planning to reach back behind the seat, pull the gun out and shoot from behind the wheel, the only limitation on length is that it fit in the trunk.Why do so many seem compelled to modify or sporterize milsurp rifles? You ruin collector value this way and most of the rifles are well thought out to begin with. The features are there for a reason, and most of the rifles are much more rugged than the sporters we are so familiar with. I see the modified abominations in gun shops and pawn shops regularly and marvel at the thinking of the 'improver'. Compare the value of an unmodified Trapdoor Springfield or Krag with one that Billy Bob has "gunsmithed".
I'd say the best idea is definitely the 30-30. It is the cheapest non-bolt action mentioned. I'd personally love to find an inexpensive .357 lever action carbine for my trunk, but I'm not going to hold my breath! Goodto point out the problem of corrosion HankL. Maybe just a really healthy dose of oil and not keep it loaded for us cheaper folks?
I've got to agree with AC and his view of sporterizing a milsurp. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye!
BTW, 4V50 Gary, There are straight pull AR15s. They are made by Olympic Arms. In England, they can't have semi-autos, so Oly made some that were as you described. (I talked to a Brit gun owner who said that there were 50 AR owners in the Isles.) Maybe they could make up some more if there was any interest.
Gino
I've got to agree with AC and his view of sporterizing a milsurp. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye!
BTW, 4V50 Gary, There are straight pull AR15s. They are made by Olympic Arms. In England, they can't have semi-autos, so Oly made some that were as you described. (I talked to a Brit gun owner who said that there were 50 AR owners in the Isles.) Maybe they could make up some more if there was any interest.
Gino
Keith Rogan
New member
I would think any rifle named in this thread would solve the problem.
My choice would depend on the locale and political environment where I lived. A rifle is a better choice than any handgun so I would assume that in any bad scene(given the time), you're going to go for the long arm to deal with the situation.
I think that the type of weapon you pop out with may very well determine whether LEO's arriving on the scene decide whether you are one of "them" (whoever them might be) or one of "us" and shoot at you or back you up. Such situations are chaotic and a LEO arriving to see a man shooting perhaps towards a school, with a "black rifle" is going to think the worst.
Thats why I'd vote for a rifle in sporting configuration - the Browning BLR (or Savage 99) lever actions are as innocent looking as rifles get and yet they have detachable mags that give you instant reloads in realistic calibers like .308.
Just my thoughts - good thread!
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
My choice would depend on the locale and political environment where I lived. A rifle is a better choice than any handgun so I would assume that in any bad scene(given the time), you're going to go for the long arm to deal with the situation.
I think that the type of weapon you pop out with may very well determine whether LEO's arriving on the scene decide whether you are one of "them" (whoever them might be) or one of "us" and shoot at you or back you up. Such situations are chaotic and a LEO arriving to see a man shooting perhaps towards a school, with a "black rifle" is going to think the worst.
Thats why I'd vote for a rifle in sporting configuration - the Browning BLR (or Savage 99) lever actions are as innocent looking as rifles get and yet they have detachable mags that give you instant reloads in realistic calibers like .308.
Just my thoughts - good thread!
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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
Sporting gun or black rifle or even handgun, any LEO responding to a call of "man with a gun" is going to have an adrenalin rush and unless preinformed by Dispatch, won't know if you're a good guy or some mistreated and deprived victim who now only expressing their anger at the world - in self defense of course. Unless you're already side by side with a uniformed officer or known to the responding officer, expect initial treatment to be tense.
My vote is for the Enfield. Navy Arms offers a modified #4 called the Tanker that would be perfect for you. The 303 ammo is very plentiful and cheap. The #4 has excellant iron sights (choice between ghost ring battle sights and long range peep sights) and is capable of very good accuracy. You can reload it with either an extra 10 rnd magazine or stripper clips. There is no finer bolt action battle rifle made. I have a milspec #4 Mk 1, a milspec #5 Mk 1 Jungle Carbine and am having a scout rifle built on a #5 action.
The 91/59 Moisin Nagant isn't a bad choice either (I had to buy one of those. It was only $70!!) but given the choice the Enfield is my pick every time.
The 91/59 Moisin Nagant isn't a bad choice either (I had to buy one of those. It was only $70!!) but given the choice the Enfield is my pick every time.
Edmund Rowe
New member
Thad: What version of Lee-Enfield do you have and is it difficult to use in its current configuration?
One nice thing about the Lee-Enfield action: if you pull the firing pin to half-cock, the trigger is "safe" and the bolt is frozen, so unauthorized hands cannot easily make it work unless they know the "trick" which is pull the firing pin to full cock. I end up never using the manual safety and just using the half-cock feature.
Also, the L-E is the only bolt action I know of that puts the bolt handle aft of the trigger, making manipulation a tad faster than other actions.
I personally like all the weight of the battle-version #4 L-E: makes for more stable shooting and soaks up recoil. Also helps in my visions of beating off the hordes.
Edmund
One nice thing about the Lee-Enfield action: if you pull the firing pin to half-cock, the trigger is "safe" and the bolt is frozen, so unauthorized hands cannot easily make it work unless they know the "trick" which is pull the firing pin to full cock. I end up never using the manual safety and just using the half-cock feature.
Also, the L-E is the only bolt action I know of that puts the bolt handle aft of the trigger, making manipulation a tad faster than other actions.
I personally like all the weight of the battle-version #4 L-E: makes for more stable shooting and soaks up recoil. Also helps in my visions of beating off the hordes.
Edmund
I have a few suggestions...
Glock 24 (too evil looking?)
Sub-9: accurate, compact, evil-looking?
Parkerized 12 Gauge.
SKS. A 16" barreled "Commando" would be ideal, especially with the 20-round mag.
It's not detachable-mag, but my FR8 is a good bet. Inexpensive, proven action, short barrel, relatively innocuous-looking, .308.
I have seen bolt-action 12's dirt cheap. I picked up a decent condition Mossberg bolt to make a "pseudo-scout" with! Cut it down to 18.5" barrel, and add a sling for a start. Test it out with slugs, and you may be surprised at what you find.
Other possibles:
44 Mag Ruger auto rifle. (I'd hate to lose one of these, though!)
Marlin "Guide Gun". Too expensive?
10/22 Mag. Not enough firepower?
Glock 24 (too evil looking?)
Sub-9: accurate, compact, evil-looking?
Parkerized 12 Gauge.
SKS. A 16" barreled "Commando" would be ideal, especially with the 20-round mag.
It's not detachable-mag, but my FR8 is a good bet. Inexpensive, proven action, short barrel, relatively innocuous-looking, .308.
I have seen bolt-action 12's dirt cheap. I picked up a decent condition Mossberg bolt to make a "pseudo-scout" with! Cut it down to 18.5" barrel, and add a sling for a start. Test it out with slugs, and you may be surprised at what you find.
Other possibles:
44 Mag Ruger auto rifle. (I'd hate to lose one of these, though!)
Marlin "Guide Gun". Too expensive?
10/22 Mag. Not enough firepower?
Folks,
This thread has reached that magic number of posts at which we begin to get concerned about load time. Hence, this one is locked. To add additional posts, please feel free to start another thread, same title, but identified as "Part-II".
Thanks for your participation & indulgence,
Mykl
This thread has reached that magic number of posts at which we begin to get concerned about load time. Hence, this one is locked. To add additional posts, please feel free to start another thread, same title, but identified as "Part-II".
Thanks for your participation & indulgence,
Mykl
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