Backup Rifle in the truck?

[Rob5589]

I have never needed a back-up but, that does not mean someday it may be necessary. I am paranoid about theft so I won't leave anything of value in my rig. If I do have something I do not want to lose, I will stash it away from the rig, buried in some bushes or similar.

 

[SteveCNJ]

You could make a waterproof case for an extra rifle and stow it in the woods under a log/someplace nobody but you would find it.

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[LandYacht]

My wife and I elk hunt with one rifle. Even had the opportunity of both getting our elk together one right after the other.

I think I’d rather hunt with my buddy and share a rifle than have my rifle stolen out of my vehicle. That being said, it’s a lot easier to share your rifle with your wife.




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[CApighunter]

I always bring one. Depending on where I’m hunting it gets cable locked in the truck, left at the cabin, or back at camp on the tailgate(private property) I’m not going to let a weapon malfunction ruin a hunt, especially not one 14 hours from home.

 

[hodgeman]

I always take a spare...if a POS rips me off, that's on him. If I drive 10 hours and have a broken gun, that's on me.

 

[cmahoney]

I used to, but haven’t the last 5 years or so mainly because I’m afraid of getting ripped off. This year I took my $4,000 rifle out in the desert to shoot some steel and the Timney Calvin Trigger malfunctioned. I worked the bolt a few times and the trigger never set. I poured some water on it through the top and it started working. Since that experience I’ve decided to bring a spare rifle again.


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[TreyPound]

I don't think anyone here will advise you NOT to have a spare of your primary-use anything… it just makes too much sense to have one (or two) extras.

What you have to decide is how deep you want to go. An EXACT duplicate is best, of course, but in your case quite financially painful.

Now that I'm retired, and a shoulder gun is strictly a recreational-or-emergency-times (plinking and a bit of CQB practice, power outages, The Revolution, the odd zombie apocalypse here and there, etc. ) item, I don't feel the need for exact duplicates.

A few years back, the wife suddenly decided she needed to be proficient with a carbine. Great; every husband's dream, right? So I bought her a Colt 6720, set it up with an H-1 and white light, and she promptly decided that MY 6520 was what she preferred. Of course…

And that's when I found out that the 6520 had been discontinued, and the few NIB examples still around were demanding my first-born in exchange. So I learned to like the 6720; and last year, I stole a 2013-special 6920 that had been mis-priced at a big box store.

The only real difference between these carbines is the fact that one must employ a chin weld (as opposed to a cheek weld) with the 6520 due to the H-1 being mounted on the carrying handle. I learned to fight with this combo (actually, the optics were AimPoint 3000s, but you get the idea) long before flat-top upper receivers were even an idea, so I'm comfortable with it. And my wife has neck issues so that's why she prefers it. However, it didn't require much effort on my part to get accustomed to putting my head down farther on the rifle with the risered H-1 on the 6720.

And I ended up putting an InSight MRDS on the 6920. This holograph-type optic has a 7MOA dot (the H-1s have 2MOA, which I wish were 4MOA), and I find myself much quicker on the pick-up with it, so it has become my go-to carbine. But the point here is, I could pick up either of the other two and do good work without having to think about it.

IOW… as long as your "spare" is reasonably close in configuration and has the same manual-of-arms… you'll be okay.

 

[Boarmaster]

I have a backup in my truck when I am at our lease in Alabama. Private property and activity at camp so not much worry of thieves. I hunt in Ohio national forest as well. So we are parked along the road. I dont take a spare gun there but I do take a spare scope and mounts. They slip easily in my gear bag or under the rear seat of the truck. Out of site , maybe out of mind. I figure if I mess up something it will probably be the scope.
I think after 30 yeas of hunting I have never needed a spare. One time my action lever on my remington 1100 sluggun came up missing. I looked down at it was just gone. I used my flathead screwdriver on my swiss army knife to work the action. Semi auto so once loaded and one in the chamber pretty much ok.

 

[16Bore]

Has anyone ever had to ACTUALLY resort to the “back-up” or is it just more shit to worry about during the summer?

Hunting is 99 problems and a rifle ain’t one.....

 

[howl]

I always have a rifle in my truck. I put it together specifically to be cheap enough to not worry about when left parked at a boat ramp.

I carry a backup gun whenever I travel. A cheap bolt action with common ammo is not something I'd get upset over losing. I spend that on a weekend out. I have needed it twice.

A cheap rig with sentimental value is another story. Those are more valuable than expensive rigs and stay to home.

 

[mcseal2]

I always take one out of state for the same reasons others have listed. It's just insurance to me. If a $300 rifle with a $200 scope goes on hunts for 10 years before it gets stolen, it's a $50/year insurance policy on your hunt. Damage to the vehicle etc is extra, but if the rifle is behind the seat in a soft case anyone who steals it was breaking in anyway.

Depending who I'm hunting with relying on their rifle as a back-up can be ok or not. Before we fly on hunts my buddy and I shoot each other's rifles a few shots on our last trip to the pasture shooting steel. I have much more confidence if I need to use his rifle if I've done that. Confidence is a big part of shooting and it's a mental advantage for me. I'd rather use my cheap back-up than someone else's nice gun I've never fired before. I know what the zero is on mine and what the trigger is like.

If I'm worried about theft at all my back-up is a Remington 7600 30-06 with a 2-7x Redfield. I think I have around $350 in the whole set-up, got it used with some extra mags and stuff. It shoots 1.5" groups with ammo it likes. I practice with it before hunts out to 350 yards and it does just fine. It's a little more finicky to stabilize in the field with the thin action and pump instead of a full stock. It's just a little easier to botch a shot with than I'd like for shooting further than 350. As a back-up I'm fine with that.

My primary rifle on deer or antelope hunts is usually a 264 win mag. If I have any type of issue with my ammo for it there isn't much chance of finding any at a store on my hunt. That's also part of my reasoning for a back-up. I shoot 180gr Accubonds from the old 06, but it shoots darn near as well and to the same point of impact with Winchester 180gr soft points that Walmart sells.

I like for a back-up to be in a really common round like 270 or 30-06. Something that everywhere sells ammo for. It probably isn't a terrible idea to have it zeroed with Remington Corelokt or Winchester soft point ammo either especially for deer or smaller game since that's so common.

All that said, I see the other side of the argument too. I don't take a spare to places I don't drive to. I take my 300 win mag I set up to be as reliable as possible and just go. It's different in AK or places like that where the vehicle isn't a realistic place to return to for the spare gun. Most western hunts though by giving up a morning hunt I can get the spare gun and be back hunting that night.

 

[bucksandwich]

HOnestly I think you're over thinking it. Worst case scenario, you have to re zero if you happen to drop it. I'm a one rifle man myself..

 

[Wrench]

It amazes me that people would be willing to shell out $400.00 for rain gear that they might use and $500 on gas to get to the trip they saved vacation time for all year to go pitch their $800 tent in their $600 backpack but worry about the cost of a spare rig in the truck. For 600 bux you can sleep easy.

 

[bucksandwich]

It amazes me that people would be willing to shell out $400.00 for rain gear that they might use and $500 on gas to get to the trip they saved vacation time for all year to go pitch their $800 tent in their $600 backpack but worry about the cost of a spare rig in the truck. For 600 bux you can sleep easy.

Definitely not a cost thing in my book. I've got literally dozens of backup hunting rifles in the safe. Just don't see a need to take an extra with me.

 

[Boarmaster]

Come to think of it I have never used the spare tire on any of my vehicles, Im 56 years old.

 

[mcseal2]

I have a little old .44mag Marlin 336 that's been tucked under the rear seat of my truck for 10 years. It's reliable, accurate, light & not worth a great deal.
No, it's not a replacement for my '06 or 6.5 & it's really a sub 100yd proposition, but if I ever have a fall, accident or something else goes awry with my main rifle I know it's there & I'd rather have to stalk to 50yds than drive 800 miles home.....

Might surprise you what an older JM stamped Marlin is worth now. I got rid of my 44 a while back when I saw what they were going for. Mine just sat in the safe, I keep a beat up 30-30 in the ranch truck.

 

[HNTR918]

Here is my truck backup.
TC Compass 300WM.
$174 after rebate, $209 Vortex scope, $40 scope rings, $19 Ebay muzzle brake, $29 Ebay cheek riser.
Less than $500 all in, shoots sub moa with Nosler 190gr ammo.

 

[Miller8812]

There are savage rifle/scope combos on grabagun for $400. You can definitely get that to hit minute of deer to 300yards. The window the thief would break to get in my truck costs more than that.