Traveling with a long gun in addition to CCW

[rj112275]

Okay, after watching all these end of the world shows and listening to Michael Bane...

I've decided to have a long gun in the truck with me, when I travel out of town. I always carry my pistol, but now y'all have me thinking that it's no longer ridiculous to have a long gun at my disposal.

So, here's my question.  I have an 870 with a 20" slug barrel that is plenty short to stow in the truck... and I have my AR-15 with tactical gear.

Which do you think would be best to have?  The 870 with buckshot and slugs, or the AR-15 with several mags of ammo?

[DanPatWork]

Both   

[MikeBjerum]

Both   

Seriously, the AR15.  Self defense and more range for game gathering.  You lose out on bird hunting, but then again in a perfect world I would through in a Henry AR7 and a shotgun ... do you care to carry four or five guns?

[rj112275]

Agreed that multiple guns would be the ideal situation.

I don't fret too much about the hunting/gathering stuff at this point. My emphasis would be defending myself and family from other two-legged creatures trying to do me harm or take my stuff. Mobs and groups of bad people... something a handgun wouldn't defend against so well.

So, is more ammo (i.e. the AR15) better than bigger (12 gauge slugs and buckshot)?

[MikeBjerum]

In the unknown TEOTWAWKI situation you are preparing for I would always choose a carbine rifle over a shotgun.  As you refine the known you can get more specific, but I choose rifle for unknown.

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[tombogan03884]

They can't be loaded and if you are crossing state lines they have to be in locked cases.
Talk to a lawyer.

[MikeBjerum]

If you have a permit things change, and it all depends on the states.

Simple enough to check the laws!

Our only issue in Minnesota is the Department of Natural Resources and their laws on cased guns.  However, that only pertains to hunting, and most law enforcement understands that.

[fightingquaker13]

They can't be loaded and if you are crossing state lines they have to be in locked cases.
Talk to a lawyer.

In what states? A long gun isn't, by definition, a concealed weapon. Its not something that can be concealed, and you can't pull it on the cop who pulls you over. If its unloaded (again state laws may vary),  its not a crime in any state I know of if the weapon itself is legal. That's one more argument for the AR over the shotty. You can carry it behind the seat and out of easy reach unloaded and be kosher, and all you have to do is slap a clip into it and you're good to go. (Just seeing if Haz is lurking ).

[tombogan03884]

Me and NH  both have laws that specify no loaded long guns in vehicles.

[fightingquaker13]

Read the post Tom, I said UNLOADED. That's the beauty of the AR. It takes about five seconds to slap a mag in.Until then, perfectly legal. Seriously, no one can deploy a long gun instantly in a vehicle, that's what pistols are for. But if you keep an unloaded rifle behind the seat in your truck, and a mag in the door panel or console, you can deploy it in less than a minute if you know trouble is coming. Until then, you are just transporting a perfectly legal weapon.