Cheap Truck Gun set ups

[JASmith]

The kind of use a truck gun gets, as I understand it, is typically for fleeting targets within about 300 yards.

Even with the Grendel, one loses very little in the way of drop and drift over this distance when going as short as a 16" barrel.

Second, the AR platform is truly hard to beat in this arena, with bolt rifles being a very close second. The principal question is how often a timely follow-up shot would be appropriate.

 

[crazyhorse]

Another vote for the Ruger American.

I have one in 300BO and it easily holds MOA @100. I had an old Leupold 4x12 laying around and it works perfectly for the little cartridge. Been loading the Barnes 110 Tac-TX and they are pure poison on a whitetail and lots of fun for armadillos out of the truck window while checking fences, plots, etc.

Its a compact little bolt rifle with a 16 1/2" bbl and with a can screwed on its still very manageable and doesn't ruin my ears while doing pest control out of the window!

 

[ARCaveman]

Another vote for RARR m, mine is in 7.62x39 with a Vortex Crossfire scope. great little rifle for the farm. killed everything from armadillos to deer with it. Added bonus of super cheap ammo

 

[sixfivefanboy]

Well, I am not very patient. I just bought a new howa mini in 6.5 grendel for $330 about 10 min ago. Its $80 more than the compass, but I really wanted the grendel. The barrel is a little longer than I wanted - 22".

 

[azsugarbear]

On a whim, I bought a Savage Axis in .243 for a beater truck gun. I was dumbfounded when it shot every bit as good as my custom .243. Only has 1 in 10" twist, but it will group 90 gr. bullets at .50 - .75 MOA groups. I did change out the scope to a lower-end, used Sightron scope. Not set up as a long-range rig. Just a fast-handling, short rifle with a good, low power scope.

 

[Tatsnscoots]

I have a Ruger American Ranch 7.63x39 with a Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40. Amazingly accurate gun with cheap bulk soft point ammo. It's a fun fun to shoot, cheap and with 16" barrel is easy to pack around.

 

[jlw1974]

My grandfather had an old Topper 12-gauge single shot chambered for 3" as his truck gun with a mix of slugs, 00 and #7.5 shot-shells.

95% of the shots were well below 75-yards (your mileage may vary). And he never missed... He us to wipe it down every now and then with motor oil from the truck's dipstick rag. After he passed away, everybody in the family wanted that shotgun.

But I can say that at 8-years of age he let me shoot that thing, with a 3" slug...thought he didn't love me anymore after I shot it...Kicked like a mule!!!

 

[nmbsniper]

Based on your information; stay away from anything with optics, it'll never hold zero bouncing around and wasted money. Ruger American/Predator has a great selection in many calibers. Or go cowboy as one poster said, lever action! The original truck gun! Pistol calibers are available or go big, 45-70!

 

[sturner]

45/70 just in case you see the OH MY in the brush

 

[C S Fever]

Savage Axis in 7-08 great little rifle. It's light, short, easy to handle. Reasonable recoil and fairly accurate. And not a big cash outlay comes with a weaver scope. But you can pick any of the short action calibers.

 

[DJ Fergus]

Hey - long time lurker, first time poster. I want to put together a cheap truck gun. Need some advice on rifle, caliber and optics. would like to keep it as inexpensive as possible in case its gets stolen.

my initial thought for a rifle were a TC compass in maybe 6.5 creed or 308 or a howa mini in 6.5 grendel.

Any other ideas?

what about optics - need something cheap that will hold zero. I dont really care about magnification.

Heavy or Sporter barrel? If heavy, the savage 12FV from cabelas is a dandy cheap rifle. With factory federal 140gr non typicals( cheapest ammo I could find in6.5cm) it will hold moa out to 400yds. Good cheap trigger on it. Mine was 1.5lbs pull weight out of the box. As for a cheaper scope, I like the sightron 4-20x50 stac. Great tracking for the price. If you want an even cheaper scope, the hold overs on a Bushnell doa 600 lr reticle matches up good with the federal 140 non typicals.

 

[Meats25]

Savage 10 in 308 with a 1x4 bushnell elite

 

[Flare]

I have to say I have an issue with leaving guns in vehicles As a police officer we see countless guns stolen from unlocked and locked vehicles Out state has made a law where we can be liable I believe for not securing a gun securely I think as gun owners we can do better and let guns so easily fall into criminals hands Believe me I get its in your vehicle and they committed a crime in taking it but we don't need to give the media and leftists more ammo This is just my opinion

 

[Gater]

Hey - long time lurker, first time poster. I want to put together a cheap truck gun. Need some advice on rifle, caliber and optics. would like to keep it as inexpensive as possible in case its gets stolen.

my initial thought for a rifle were a TC compass in maybe 6.5 creed or 308 or a howa mini in 6.5 grendel.

Any other ideas?

what about optics - need something cheap that will hold zero. I dont really care about magnification.

Cheap or inexpensive?