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CompVest wrote:Small towns are great. It is nice to take the truck out buy stuff, put in the truck bed, go in another store and know your stuff is still in the truck bed!

That is VERY well said. That is a very true statement.

I've seen trucks loaded down with tools in the bed, with the ignition still running, and the owner is nowhere in sight. I often have a couple full tanks of diesel, a shovel and some other tools, sitting in the back of my truck and I've never had anything stolen.

That's not to say it wouldn't happen, but it's just far less likely in a small town. I love small towns and will never live in the city again.

TheArmedFarmer wrote: That's not to say it wouldn't happen, but it's just far less likely in a small town. I love small towns and will never live in the city again.

I'd love to live in a small town, unfortunately, due to the nature of my job (Technology in Transportation, modern communications, advanced electronics), There will never be any job opportunities for me in small towns :( So Unless I want to commute for hours a day, I'm stuck

There is no way I would leave my AR in the truck...it is too easy to steal.

dicion wrote:So Unless I want to commute for hours a day, I'm stuck

I would be in the same position but fortunately I've been blessed to have a job working remotely for a company in another state. So that leaves me free to live where I want and to do my fun farming activities without financial pressure.

Don't give a thief that gun is my opinion. I have a $100 Mauser for that because I don't want a criminal to get my "good guns". I also lock them up in the safe too if I am not using them. I don't see a reason to risk losing that gun to a gang or otherwise violent person. It doesn't take someon seeing your rifle for them to come "fishing" for something to take.

Back in the day, I too had a rifle in the truck at all times, especially during deer season. In the fall, just about every pickup truck at the high school would have a full gun rack in the back window.

Speaking of which, I think you would best be served by getting one of those cheap rear window gun racks. Academy has them for under 10 bucks. You can also get models that allow locking the gun in place. Just make sure the forks are such that the rifle is stuck and can't bounce. This makes it less likely to go flying when that fateful day comes when you "Roll Yer Truck".

As far as it being an AR, I probably would opt for something in the lever action family. For no other reason but that they can take more abuse and the 30-30 has a bit mor punch than the .223.

But of course, we must carry the gun we have.

I have a 30-30 but I find that I just can't get the accuracy with it that I can with the AR-15. And when you're shooting a running dog across the pasture, accuracy is the key to success.

Interesting post. In a "few minutes" a decent car burglar can burglarize a few cars. I guess that if you live in a small, safe town, what is it that makes it necessary to carry an AR in your truck? Or are you just actually going thru town, and heading out to shoot critters in the pasture, therefore not really carrying the AR for your protection? Or, is the original pic posted to elicit comments? Just wondering....

GrayHawk wrote:I guess that if you live in a small, safe town, what is it that makes it necessary to carry an AR in your truck?

Ahh, very good question!! I don't know if I said so earlier, but I lost 3 calves during the past year to packs of roaming dogs. They roam through the pasture and have a great time chasing my herd. The joy on their face when they have a chase is equal to my anger upon finding yet another dead calf.

So, I have the rifle with me always. The rifle is not for self protection (although that's a fine side effect of it being there, but I rely on my Kimber sidearm for that purpose).

Ditto what the Farmer said... for several years in the 70's I lived on and managed a "demonstration farm" that was (and still is) operated by our local junior college. It was located just outside the city limits of a small, rather depressing little town of about 3500 population, although the college campus was some 8 miles away in the "big town" (my home town). I carried an old 7mm mauser on the gunrack in my farm truck for varmint control 24/7 and rarely thought about locking the doors when I went to town to the feed store, hardware store or gas station. It's part the small town upbringing, and part memory of days gone by. I can sympathize with anyone that loses calves to feral dog packs as they are probably responsible for more destruction than all other predators combined.

Having the rifle in the truck all the time is like American Express in reverse... Never COME home without it..... that's always when you get the magic shot to reduce the predator population!


surv

In that case I think you've made an excellent choice, both the AR and the Kimber!

mr surveyor wrote:Having the rifle in the truck all the time is like American Express in reverse... Never COME home without it..... that's always when you get the magic shot to reduce the predator population!

Man, that is such a true statement. It's strange but I have most often sighted dogs when I'm on the way in or out of the property. It's not just me and you, either. I had a neighbor in Kerrville who only saw the feral dogs when he was in his truck, so he started carrying a truck rifle. A couple weeks later he bragged to me about a 400 yard kill he made from the driver's seat of his truck, using his .243 rifle.

GrayHawk wrote:In that case I think you've made an excellent choice, both the AR and the Kimber!

TheArmedFarmer wrote:

mr surveyor wrote:Having the rifle in the truck all the time is like American Express in reverse... Never COME home without it..... that's always when you get the magic shot to reduce the predator population!

Man, that is such a true statement. It's strange but I have most often sighted dogs when I'm on the way in or out of the property. It's not just me and you, either. I had a neighbor in Kerrville who only saw the feral dogs when he was in his truck, so he started carrying a truck rifle. A couple weeks later he bragged to me about a 400 yard kill he made from the driver's seat of his truck, using his .243 rifle.

I made a scabbard from some cheap Mexican chaps for my old Winchester Gallery Model .22 short pump for "quiver style" carry while on the tractor hauling round bales. The dogs and "yotes" felt totally safe while the tractor was running at a steady rpm... I dropped one at a hundred yards off the tractor one day, dead on the spot, from the running tractor... it took three shots... each shot that missed he thought it was a field mouse in the hayfield stubble and jumped over to investigate... third shot was a charm. Very well might have saved a newborn calf a couple of months later when the Fall calves were hitting the ground.

I miss the farm! Thanks for bringing back the memories.

surv

mr surveyor wrote:The dogs and "yotes" felt totally safe while the tractor was running at a steady rpm... I dropped one at a hundred yards off the tractor one day, dead on the spot, from the running tractor...

I know what you mean about the tractor. Predators seem to intuitively "know" they are safe when you're on the tractor. I used to carry a shotgun with #4 shot while mowing. Nowadays I just keep my handgun on and hope that if I need it I'll be able to get enough accuracy (wishful thinking, probably). I love your scabbard idea! I have a 30-30 that would make a perfect tractor gun.