The all arounder/utility/truck rifle

S

Slimfinn

Handloader
Nov 28, 2018
961
837
So yesterday loading up for a day out and about( boots, backpack, snack, skis (downhill and crosscountry), ice fishing suppys, snowshoes, handguns and a rifle). Dropped daughters off at the ski hill with their uncle and the wife and I looked for adventure. Then we realized we did not pack snow pants or either of us wearing thermals, besides it was in the 30s so why would you? Unless you wanted to ice fish or ski.. so we drove around the mountains ended up in a small town grabbing lunch at the place of our 'first date', The Wise River Club, back in the late 90s the place hasn't changed a bit. I digress
When I was loading up I got thinking about what rifle to bring? Wasn't planning on hunting but i do have a wolf tag and season is open, and could have came across any number of other predators. I wanted big enough but not too big and decided on my Sako 260rem. I was thinking there could be better though for less pelt damage on a fox or coyote but still effective on a wolf, maybe a 243 or 25 class? Thoughts?
 
I recently took a small dog with a 85gr Sierra out of my 6x45 moving at a modest 2650. Behind the shoulder, caliber size entrance maybe a 3/4” exit. No problem with sewing that up.
 
For many years I had an Indian blanket seat cober iin my 79 Ford 4x4. It had a "pocket" that you could store a rifle. Usually had a Winchester M94 that lived in that "pocket". When I bought my 93 Toyota 4x4, I made a rack of sorts and hung it behind the seat.. I sold the "toy" to my grandson and bought a Suzuki Samurai. No place to hide a rifle so a handgun went into the glove box. Traded it off on a 2004 Toyota 4 door 4x4 and in 2016 traded it off on a 2015 Ford 4x4. Again no real place for a rifle.. Totaled the 2015 and used the insurance money to buy my current 2019. Guess if I want a truck where I can store a rifle, I'd have to go back to a two door, no club cab type and no 4 door trucks. I'm particularly incensed that Ford no longer sell F150s with 4x4 and stick shift., plus they want way too much for new ones. To get what I want I'd have to go to an F250 and no way am I paying $70K+ for any truck. I do like that 3.5 EB though. That truck will haul when you push down hard on the foot feed.
Paul B.
 
Guess I’m the oddball, whenever we’re bouncing around the farm or down in Alabama hog hunting, the little AR-15 6.5 Grendel is usually what’s in the truck and UTV. Loaded with 120 NBT’s it has a cheap 1-6 Monstrum scope and 45* offset flip up iron sights. So far it’s been great on coyote and a few hogs..and a cotton mouth. Never cared for the 30 round mags, I find a 10 round suits me better.
 
Last edited:
PJGunner said:
For many years I had an Indian blanket seat cober iin my 79 Ford 4x4. It had a "pocket" that you could store a rifle. Usually had a Winchester M94 that lived in that "pocket". When I bought my 93 Toyota 4x4, I made a rack of sorts and hung it behind the seat.. I sold the "toy" to my grandson and bought a Suzuki Samurai. No place to hide a rifle so a handgun went into the glove box. Traded it off on a 2004 Toyota 4 door 4x4 and in 2016 traded it off on a 2015 Ford 4x4. Again no real place for a rifle.. Totaled the 2015 and used the insurance money to buy my current 2019. Guess if I want a truck where I can store a rifle, I'd have to go back to a two door, no club cab type and no 4 door trucks. I'm particularly incensed that Ford no longer sell F150s with 4x4 and stick shift., plus they want way too much for new ones. To get what I want I'd have to go to an F250 and no way am I paying $70K+ for any truck. I do like that 3.5 EB though. That truck will haul when you push down hard on the foot feed.
Paul B.
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The have options for transporting but not really for hiding
 
When I was a young man I worked as a logger in Oregon and Alaska. I kept a rifle on the dashboard. Shot quite a few black tail bucks on the way to work in the morning.
Was very common to have deer and elk come into the unit while we worked. Call the tower on the radio, next turn they send the rifle down. Between turns of logs going to the landing we would dress the deer or elk. Send it up on the rigging at lunch or the end of the day.
 
Well, I no longer own a truck, I've never hunted wolf, and I've never shot a fox. But, it seems to me that there have been a lot of good options put forward. I suppose that if it were me, I would personally trend toward the pistol carbines, but for the sole reason that I have such a fondness of them. From a pragmatic point of view, I would think the following would be important:

Cheap. Yeah, not anything about calibers, but if you leave a gun in your vehicle, getting it stolen is something to think about.
Functional. How accurate does it need to be? 1/4 MOA? 2 MOA?
Durable. I mean, it's going to be riding in a vehicle.
Caliber. Like I said, I'm fond of the pistol carbine, I also have comparable pistols. Thing is, I don't think it's the most practical choice. To me, I'm thinking that something (.243? 6.5?) where you can put together one load, sight in, and just forget about it. AND (key part) have it be good enough to shoot anything from a woodchuck to a whitetail (mulie, if that's what you have).

So, form my admittedly ignorant point of view, those are my thoughts.
 
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