Back in February of 2019 Miguel posted I made the decision on a Truck Gun & Travel Combo..
His post got me to thinking about the elusive truck gun.
What are the characteristics of a good truck gun for me?
- It has to fit in the truck
- It has to be unobtrusive when in the truck and going to and from the truck
- The weight of the ammunition can’t exceed the my limits
- It can’t be another exotic caliber
- It has to be easy to handle
- It has to be low maintenance
- It has to be accurate at urban ranges
- It has to pack enough punch
Well the PC 9 was mentioned. It meets most of these criteria. It lives in a gun bag that doesn’t look like a gun bag. It looks like an oversized briefcase. It is gray. It doesn’t have any tacticool stuff on the outside. Inside it holds the PC 9 broken down, a pistol an a boat load of magazines. The ammo and mags weigh more than the pistol and rifle combined.
Nobody ever left a fire fight saying “I wish I had less ammo.”
Right now it has just iron sights. I did have a red dot on it, but that got moved to another rifle. It is light, carbine length rifle. It is easy to put round after round in the 10 ring from urban distances. It is ambidextrous.
It has been very reliable. And it fires 9×19.
So the cons. It is a Ruger which to me means that it is overly complex to break down and clean. It is simple blowback so it gets dirty, fast. If you take it down far enough to clean the receiver properly you have springs that want to go that away.
The magazine release is on the left side instead of the right side.
Still it is fun to shoot and it is my truck gun. Being able to sling the bag over my shoulder and walk out of the parking lot and nobody give you a second glance is wonderful. The nosy neighbors know every time I go to the range because it is pretty damn obvious what’s being loaded into the truck. But this? nobody notices.
I’ve had conversations with cops with the bag hanging off my shoulder without them twigging. Of course it does make for a sort of weird dynamic…
I’ve got my EDC on my person. I’ve got the EDC bag which happens to have IFAK and another firearm (and spare mags and boxed ammo), and then I’ve got a bag slung over my shoulder with another pistol plus a rifle. And all I’m doing is driving to work…
The reality is that the EDC bag is also my computer bag. People see me pull my laptop out of it all the time. People have seen me pull my first aid kit out from time to time. At no time has anybody seen the rest of what is in that bag. You can take the laptop in and out without even opening the main compartment where the IFAK+ is stored.
When things are not overly stressful, i.e. before “mostly peaceful protests” became a thing, I didn’t feel the need for a truck gun. So it was just the EDC bag and the EDC on me.
One of the selling points of the PC 9 is that it uses a compatible magazine. Since it takes Glock mags it means that a single magazine can be used in both a side arm or the rifle. The ads talk about taking the mag from your pistol and putting it in your rifle. I don’t see that as happening. But being able to carry spare magazines that fit both is a big win.
So that bag also holds a holster. If it is time to bogie and I have gone to “needing a rifle” mode, I’m going to switch out the .45 on my belt for the Glock in the bag. Yes, I know they shot differently. I practice with both so I hit where I want with both.
It isn’t my go to rifle. Depending on what is going bump in the night determines what I pick up. A LBV with IFAK, 180 rounds of ammo and my ready rifle if it seems to be two legged bumper. Or a 30-30 lever action for something with four legs. This is a rifle with a particular niche and in that niche it does very well.
What make and model is the over-sized briefcase-gun bag? I’ve done what you have essentially accomplished using an Eberlestock Big Trick backpack. Holds everything I use daily, with plenty of room for additional items when needed. And as you say, no one is the wiser as to what is in it. Three firearms, all 9mm, a laptop, essential business items, but has a quick detach medic’s case on the top. The top section has ear protection and laser protection eye wear. Left Side compartment has bear spray, right side has hydration. This EDC provides ever thing needed for a blocked-traffic deadly-assault criminal event. And all firearms have cameras attached to the rails. When deployed, they automatically activate to record audio and visual witness accounts of the deployment. When there’s no way out of a lethal threat attack, everything will be recorded to establish a solid legal defense.
PC carbines are an inovative piece. I have 2 “truck” guns currently- Fox .45 cal carbine soon to be 8 inch barreled 16 inch now with 14 30round mags(heavy, yes. 6 of them go in truck). Fits in its factory briefcase. And a 10.5 inch AR15 in a camera case with 10 30round mags. AR has a 1-4 scope on it. Carry gun is one, sometimes two FULL size 1911 with 10rd mags and multiple spares…
“Be prepared,son, be prepared…
I’ve been thinking about this lately, and I’ve settled on a 357 lever gat with a 16″ barrel. Should be 50 state legal and a modern gun should be able to handle hotttt loads for hiking/camping. 44 might be better but I’m partial to 357 and already priced in with other guns for ammo commonality. Plus boy do I love reloading that caliber 🙂
Be sure to get one that shoots 38 special as well as .357 rounds
If it shoots 357, it shoots 38spl. But, good thinking, the extra capacity of 38 with some good defensive rounds might be better!
This is supposed to be true, but. My first rifle was a Rossi lever action in .357 Mag. You could, supposedly, fire .38 Special in it, but every third or fourth round would not feed properly. Just, they are different rounds, and sometimes that will make a difference.
I could see the different OAL causing feeding issues. Thanks for the heads up.
Well written and good points. The PC9 is also just FUN to shoot and 9mm out of rifle length barrels does a lot more work than people think.
I’m really digging the grey man layered unobtrusive approach you’ve taken to carry the gear and seems like its already paid off.
My truck gun is a Kel-Tec SUB2000. (https://www.keltecweapons.com/firearm/rifles/sub2000/)
It folds to a compact size (16.25 x 7 inches) and lives in a black canvas Compaq laptop shoulder bag, along with 5 – 32 round S&W mags, a single loaded 10 round mag, and 200 rounds of ammo. To assemble you simply flip the catch holding the 2 halves together, and fold one 1/2 of it 180º. You are not trying to fit 2 separate pieces together in a stressful situation. It uses S&W 5900 series mags (of which I have a metric butt load) and shoots the reliable 9×19 cartridge – FMJ, JHP, or SCHP.
Why did I settle on the Kel-Tec SUB2000 you ask.
There are actually several reasons. It is a reliable firearm. It’s blow back operated. It is inexpensive.
The #1 reason is it does NOT have a recognizable profile – I.E. it is not an “evil” AR or AK – It may not even be recognized as a firearm by many people; especially if it is still folded.
Thank You all for reading & commenting
Weighing in at just over 4 lbs. and $400 you really can’t beat this, Kel Tek. Nice choice, thanks for posting the info.
The only reason I don’t have a Kel-Tec SUB2000 is that when I first saw it they didn’t have it in 9x19mm. It sounds like it is a fun firearm. If I did buy one, it would need to eat Glock magazines as I’m not investing in yet another magazine design.
They make it to take Glock mags here’s the link – https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/640832004830
The mag release is reversible, as is the charging handle. I have both on the left even though I’m right handed so I don’t have to do the AK reach_around to charge it.