Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Truck gun on the cheap?

I'm sure it's easy keeping track of your shiet when you're living in a van.

I always preferred blind magazines for my big game rifles too but somewhere along the way I evolved.
Of the four center fire rifles I have left, two have detachable magazines, one blind, and one floor plate.

Sam,

The Zastava M85 might do the trick. aka Remington 799.

- Bob

Sam, do you have a Walmart near by? The one closest to me always has the M700 ADL packages for around $370 + tax. The youth model in .243 has a 20" barrel and 12.5" LOP, which should make for a fairly handy truck rifle.

The Howa's and Vanguards are the best value going in a push feed.



Dave

I'm kinda looking at the same thing as Sam. I've a Montana in .223 that lives on an ATV and tractor. Carried everyday, aside from my main CC gun it is the most used gun I own. Hasn't been inside anything besides a metal building in years. I really need to get a RAR to sit in it's place. I'd be an angry mother if it was stolen....

Amen, Travis.

Howa Ranch in cartridge of your choice. A truck gun is one place that hideous Hogue rubber stock might be a plus.

MT, TN and 17 other states have no prohibitions against loaded long guns in vehicles. 31 states prohibit loaded long guns in vehicles.

A $200 Ted Williams post 64 30-30 fits the bill for me. Equally good for deer, coyotes, hogs, or people out to reasonable ranges with a serious caliber. If stolen, I will scour the pawn shops for its replacement.

Actually, I already have its replacement. A $150 Bubbaed 1943 Mauser with a 2.5x Weaver in the even more serious caliber of 7.92x57.

With Ruger AR's running $475 and coyotes running Mach IV I'd throw brass all over the windshield.

Pretty sure The Ranch bbl is thinner than the Predator. We have both, the Pred in .308 is 18-in. V. 22-in. for other cals. All are threaded.

Sam, I know you're in the Great Wide Open, and suppressors will definitely save whatever you got left of your hearing.

They are a bitch to get out a truck window, unless you drive with it positioned out the window which is only cool on private property.

I'd say 5.56, /250, or .243 Preds would work well.

Those Fiocchi 50 grainers punched a .253 group w shots 4-6 in that new Ranch I just got.

Even so, I've got a locking Montana Sky Rack for my old Silverado I need to install.

And Sam lives in Montana, so he doesn't give a hoot how it's done in Merryland. Nor do I.

Along the same lines, I've seen 700 Stainless ADL's in 223 at a couple of local Sportmans Warehouse locations for $499. They have the 24" barrels, but you could easily cut this. I like the barrel profile on these, and have one in 243. Accurate and no frills....

My truck gun is a 20 inch barreled Howa Lightning 204 with a Redfield 4X12 scope. It stays in my truck 24/7. I've killed coyotes, a bobcat, crows, and other assorted critters with it. I am not a huge fan of the 204, but this rifle is scary accurate, and I have a bunch of 32 grain VMax's on hand, so I use it. I think, if I were getting another "truck gun", I'd look at the Howa mini action. Whatever I'd get, it would be in 223.

Based on the fine recommendations of the 'Fire I did a little research and found what I may be looking for.



Weatherby Vanguard H-Bar

20" #3 contour barrel threaded for a suppressor(if I ever get one...).

Hinged floorplate, only 40" OAL for the rifle which is an inch shorter than the Montana. Sounds about perfect and I see they go for under $600 on-line.

http://www.weatherby.com/products/rifles/vanguard/vanguardr-weatherguard-h-bar.html

Then all you'll need is one of these:

Racken Rest

Savage hog hunter. 375.00

Everyone likes what they like but my vote still goes for the CZ Carbine.

I know you say magazines give you heartburn but the CZ comes with two.
I can't see how changing magazines is any more cumbersome than feeding a few more rounds from the top.

Two magazines, controlled round feed, 9 twist, hammer forged 18.5" barrel well known for accuracy, 37.4" OAL, fully adjustable double set trigger, and under 6#.

That's a lot of rifle for the money as far as I'm concerned.


Course the Vanguard does have a "Griptonite" stock so there's that.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/626128121

If I was to get a replacement for my Remington 788 in .222 I would get the Howa in .222.

I purchased a Remington 788 in 1973 new for, as I remember, $99.95! I fitted it with a discontinued Japanese 8x scope I purchased for $19.98. I specifically purchased it for a pickup/knock around firearm. It proved accurate and reliable. Amazing enough for me the scope is still on the gun and worked out to be pretty rugged and maintained its zero after rough use. I've use the rifle for varmint hunting, mainly for ground squirrels at range and rock chucks on local ranches. Even popped a few 'yotes and jack rabbits with it. Worked out a load with various 50 gr. bullets and various makes of brass and 20 gr. of H-4198.

you will be happy in the long run with a stainless truck gun...