Truck Guns

In "Truck Guns, Part 1: From Stagecoaches to Tacomas" at The Firearm Blog, the author contends  that anyone seriously interested in personal defense needs a truck gun, but doesn't really delve into why other than this brief comment: "Regardless of circumstance, when you find yourself on the open road, you need to be armed and ready for unexpected dangers that may present themselves in an emergency. In such cases, a pistol may be unable to provide an opportunity for gaining the advantage, but the truck gun has become a standard in mobile personal defense." The author purportedly has experience in special operations, so that might be shaping his thinking; but perhaps he has some specific scenarios or situations of which he is thinking but doesn't share.

    Self-defense--particularly outside your home--is based more about getting safely away from danger rather than directly engaging the threat. Having a truck gun presupposed having the truck (or some other vehicle), which means that the vehicle gives you the means of getting away. Consequently, a truck gun would be most useful if you can't get away for some reason: your attackers are in vehicles and intent on pursuing you (e.g., some of the motorcycle groups we've seen in the past chase down and attack drivers that have angered them); or your vehicle is blocked in or broken down or otherwise cannot move. But even then, will you be able to access your truck gun? It's no use to you if the weapon is locked in your trunk or a locked storage box underneath a seat while you are driving. 

    That said, if I go shooting in the desert--even if it is only to shoot handguns--I always bring along a rifle or carbine for self-defense purposes because of its longer range and greater ability to penetrate a barrier over the handgun at my waist. I've been harassed a few times while out shooting; and I know people that have had confrontations with angry drunks.  I leave the long arm where it is easily accessible and carry it with me if I have to walk any distance, such as to place or move targets. 

 

    The bulk of the article is on what makes a good truck gun. And, briefly, the author believes the truck gun should be the size and general configuration of a PDW (personal defense weapon) firing a rifle round. The two rounds he specifically mentions are the 7.62x39 (for those wanting an AK style weapon) and 5.56. I suppose you could add a supersonic .300 BLK round to the mix. He recommends using an inline compensator, blast deflector, or suppressor to contain or redirect the blast since you will be operating in or around a vehicle and all that glass; a folding stock or collapsible wire stock (which, if using an AR based weapon, means using one of the attachments that allow you to fold the buffer tube--he recommends the Dead Foot Arms MCS); a weapon light; and some sort of night vision attached to the weapon.