Ar pistol trunk gun concerns?

[BCHunter]

Ok, so I'm trying to think threw the pro's and con's of an AR Pistol,...Never held one or shot one so trying to anticipate uses before I start spending money on components. I don't know if I would ever use it for the reasons most state. And that building a 16" carbine as light as possible who be sufficient for my needs? Which is primarily hunting and varmint/predator control.

Those of you that say you use it as a "trunk gun"
1) How do you store it in the vehicle?
2) are you concerned about accidental discharge? Floating pin on a locked and loaded firearm bouncing down the road?
3) We have had vehicle break ins in my area, do you keep it in 24/7 or only in certain situations? remove it daily?
4) do you consider it a primary or secondary option as a defensive weapon?

Those that store it in a pack for concealment/transport how easy is it to access?

any pictures of your soulution for secure vehicle storage would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Frontier Gear]

A lot of that depends on where you live. Around here I'd say that about 25% of the trucks have a bolt action rifle on the seat and the keys in the ignition. The guns get dinged up, but they don't get stolen. In a small town of 100 people, it's bad for your health to steel from your neighbors.

Don't load it. One nice thing about an AR Pistol "truck gun" is that it is mag fed. Many bolt guns are not mag fed and most lever guns are not. Mag fed means that you can have a loaded mag in the glove box and the gun in the trunk or behind the seat. In WA you can have a loaded pistol in the vehicle if you have a concealed pistol permit, but you can never have a loaded rifle in a vehicle. Personally, I don't keep any AR style weapon (or any long gun) loaded. It's just not worth it and ARs are fast enough to load.

For people around here, it's not so much about self defense. We live in the middle of the national forest so its about pack rats, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, cougars and bears.

I have a few "truck" guns for my Jeep that I rotate through. It comes in the house with me when I leave the vehicle. It isn't loaded in the vehicle. It sits on or behind the passenger seat. It gets dinged up and scratched.

I wouldn't keep a gun in my car, especially if I lived in town.

Here is my Grendel AR Pistol "Truck gun".

[BCHunter]

Thanks Frontier G,

I have lived in rural ND for a few years and understand the need out there.

Currently I live in WI subburbia of 60k+ city,...I currently take a .22 pistol daily to work for dispatching said vermon in live traps, because of the risk of catching neighborhood pets we don't use kill traps. And due to surrounding houses the use of a rifle caliber firearm although legal is not wise. Rifles/long guns are required to be unloaded and cased in a vehicle, that is what I grew up with and don't have an issue with.

As for personal proctection I don't see a scenario where a ar pistol is an advantage, vs a pistol that is locked and ready? In the confinements of a vehicle? The only advantage here being since it's a pistol it qualifies under conceal carry and can be loaded and uncased in a vehicle. Having higher capacity mag and more knockdown, but if it isn't loaded your at a disadvantage in a surprised or fast developing scenario. Hence would be a secondary personal defense option only if things got really out of hand.

so am I justified in being concerned about having an ar lock and loaded in a vehicle accidently discharging because of the floating bolt?

[VASCAR2]

I carried rifles and shotguns in vehicles for many years as a LEO. In most vehicles my rifle and or shotgun spent the majority of their time locked in the trunk. My 870's carried four rounds in the mag tube and when I was issued a Ithica it carried six or seven in the magazine tube. My Mini 14 or AR-15's were carried bolt down on an empty chamber with a loaded magazine in the mag well or in the gun case with the rifle.

If I was involved in a high risk situation the long gun was very close at hand. Depending on the vehicle dictated the location of the long gun in the passenger compartment. Sometimes there were two Officers in the car which might dictate the passenger hold the long gun. Some police vehicles back in the late 70's and early 80's had shotguns in locks mounted to the dash or in a scabbard in front of the front bench seat.

As more electronic gear was added bucket seats became the norm and the addition of air bags relegated the long gun to overhead mounts, mounts on prisoner partitions/cages, standup mounts between the bucket seat or cargo areas of vehicles.

After the 911 terrorist attacks the rifles became a common fixture close at hand especially if you were the only person on duty patrolling vast sections of interstate highways.

Since retiring I routinely have a Tavor or AR-15 in my vehicle if I travel very far from home. My concern when traveling on the highways is an active shooter on a closed access highway. Fortunately this is not a common occurrence but I prefer to have a weapon capable of engaging targets further than the handgun is suitable. Another concern is civil disorder in a metro area. Look at the problems around St Louis where rioters stopped traffic on the highways. Things can go bad very quickly in such situations and you can't always escape by driving away from the trouble.

I generally will not leave a rifle in a gun case visible in a vehicle and generally do not leave a rifle over night in a vehicle. I do not have any decals, stickers or any other means of identifying me as a gun owner or LEO which might indicate the pressence of a weapon in my vehicle. To me most pistol AR-15’s are not that much smaller in size as to be easily concealed and have a significant size if in a bag or gun case. I would tend to treat the AR-15 pistol in the same manner as I do my Tavor. The Tavor gun case takes up noticeably less space than a 16” in my gun case. I believe the AR-15 pistols in rifle calibers do extend the useable range to warrant their use. For carrying in a vehicle where absolute size is not a factor I still like my Tavor bullpup.

It seems strange but I've carried firearms for so many years it seems unnatural not to have them on my person or in my vehicle.

[Lastrites]

Priorities, the AR pistol compliments a handgun and vise versa as neither replaces the other as they both serve different but similar roles. The same can said about a rifle / handgun combo, but the advantage of an AR pistol to a rifle pending on state laws is different as they are recognized as pistols and are allowed leeway on how they are handled. The AR platforms advantage is that they are on a whole different level of effectiveness if needed, it's really situation dependent so have both.

I would have no concern having an AR pistol loaded as they don't just accidentally discharge because of the firing pin or you would have heard about by now, negligently discharged is a whole another matter.

[1Shot]

Like has been said it depends on your situation. Where I live in TN you can have a loaded handgun in YOUR car without having a carry permit. It has to be YOUR car. You are not allowed to exit the car with the loaded handgun unless you have a carry permit. If you have a carry permit it is legal to have a handgun loaded on your person or in your car and you can have a long gun in your car with rounds in the magazine BUT NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE IN THE CHAMBER. Laws are laws even if they are stupid.
You must also take this into your thinking. Statistics show, at least in my area, most firearms that are stolen come out of automobiles. I never leave any firearm in a automobile over night and feel really bad about having to leave my handgun in my car when I go into some place that forbids the carrying of it even though I have a carry permit. I usually don't leave it in the auto unless where I am going would be a felony offence if caught carrying. I have made the decision that I would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6 and it is only a fine for carrying in places that are posted that would not be felony offences like gov. property, schools etc.
Also take into thought. While in an automobile a handgun that you can carry on your person or close by that can be operated with ONE HAND and be brought into action in under 3 seconds is what will save your life in 99% of any self-defense situations. So the only reason that you would need a "truck or trunk gun" would be in an extended range situation of some sort and for me personally I would want a scoped rifle of some sort. Just some thoughts from an old codger that has been around the block a few times.

[BCHunter]

Thanks all,
1 shot i' m probably have similar thinking as you. I have a cc license and most situations I believe I would be better served with a pistol for the ease of bringing it to bear. If I have a situation with longer engagements then I would have time to acquire my carbine load and bring up. And be better served with a stock and optics.

Vascar2 I follow the same thinking about having my vehicles common no political or telling stickers of my hobbies. My truck has a lockable hard tonneau cover out of site out of mind.

[StoneHendge]

The Hornady Rapid Rack is the solution to any chambering issues - I use it for my 300 BLK truck AR pistol and also have one for my 300 BLK carbine which is kept very handy at home.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1165137689/hornady-rapid-rack-chamber-indicator-flag-aluminum-red

[FOGII]

BCHunter,

1) I have multiple vehicles and multiple AR-15 pistols. Resto-mod 3rd gen Camaro and Porsche 911I fold down the back seat, secure a case that fits with the seat belt, case opened, muzzle outboard towards the passenger side mag well towards the rear. Trucks and sedans in a case secured to the floor that blends in (color and texture) in same orientation. I can reach back with one hand and retrieve while still buckled up.

2) Not worried about AD/ND.

3) Generally not worried about break ins in my location. Occasionally remove them depending on circumstances (away from home/traveling). I do have a light tint on the windows makes it harder to peer in and see anything.

4) Secondary, though close second. Grab the AR based pistol if possible.

S/F, FOG

[BCHunter]

The Hornady Rapid Rack is the solution to any chambering issues - I use it for my 300 BLK truck AR pistol and also have one for my 300 BLK carbine which is kept very handy at home.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...g-aluminum-red

Thanks Stonehenge will have to get a couple of these.

[LRRPF52]

Riding down the road with a chambered round isn't going to do a thing towards mechanical AD.

[Klem]

BCHunter,

1) I have multiple vehicles and multiple AR-15 pistols. Resto-mod 3rd gen Camaro and Porsche 911I fold down the back seat, secure a case that fits with the seat belt, case opened, muzzle outboard towards the passenger side mag well towards the rear. Trucks and sedans in a case secured to the floor that blends in (color and texture) in same orientation. I can reach back with one hand and retrieve while still buckled up.

S/F, FOG

What country do you live in where you honestly believe the threat level justifies such a level of readiness (a loaded AR15, case open next to you on the passenger seat)?

I guess I take my way of life for granted.

[FOGII]

Klem,

I live in the USA. Not next to me but behind me.

Threat level is kept as low as possible.

Justify?????

S/F, FOG

[Klem]

Sorry if that came across a bit critical. Not my intention to be condescending. In my experience carrying serious deadly force comes with a certain amount of stress. An AR15 is way more potent than a handgun so having that loaded and within arms reach implies (to me) danger.

To the OP, have you considered using a LAW Tactical folding stock and keeping that muzzle-down in a dedicated day pack? Discrete while in the car plus you can quickly exit the vehicle and have it still concealed. A few spare mags in the front pouch and a ballistic plate in the lining. Use it as a grab bag next to you.

[BjornF16]

As far as storage, I've been contemplating one of these for my truck:

https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-424-f-150-under-rear-seat-lockbox-wo-subwoofer.aspx