Gun Porn- Truck Gun Edition (for exurbankevin)

A couple of days ago, Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes asked about a "Car Gun"- something that is more than a pistol, but less than a rifle.  This is something I have been chasing for years-  in these parts, we spend lots of time in vehicles.  It is nice to have a compact gun that has a bit more reach and "oompf" than a CHL handgun, just in case.

The compact size is more about portability and being discrete than moving about and firing from a vehicle as some people expect.  I am a firm believer in Clint Smith's doctrine- Drive OR Shoot.  Not both.  However, you don't want to leave a weapon in a vehicle unsecured.  You want it compact so you can be discrete transporting it back and forth from the vehicle.  Another consideration is that some of these are technically pistols, and open carry of pistols is illegal (in TX).  So they do need to fit into a case or container of some sort.

Here are the different iterations of car guns that I have used:

From Top to bottom:
AR Pistol
THUD- a custom .44Mag NEF Single Shot
Rossi Ranch Hand .357Mag
UZI Carbine 9mm
Kel-Tec Sub2000 in .40S&W
Home Built AK Pistol

I'll start chronologically:

THUD-

My only 'named' gun

Description: NEF .44Mag single shot carbine, barrel cut down to 16.25", custom rattle-can paint job, home made kydex buttstock ammo carrier, Williams peep sight, Williams fiber-optic front sight.
Pros: Accurate, Powerful (I've used this to harvest a few whitetail deer), very handy. Versatile- works will all sorts of ammo. Does not look scary and tactical to the uninformed.
Cons: Single shot.  Larger than other options.

Kel Tec Sub2000-

Description: Bone stock .40 cal Sub2000
Pros: VERY compact when folded.  Can match ammo and magazines with a carry gun.  Very light. Technically a rifle, so it open carry (here) is legal, but it can be hidden very easily to not scare the neighbors.
Cons: Cannot fire when folded. Lower power than other options.  Difficult to add optics without getting Rube Goldberg on it. Odd charging handle location.

Uzi Carbine-

Description: Uzi Carbine in 9mm.  Dummy suppressor barrel shroud, LaserMax laser on a custom railed handguard
Pros: Can share ammo with carry gun.  Inexpensive 30 round mags.  Super fun to shoot.  Can fire with stock folded. Reliable.  Technically a rifle, concealment is not mandatory
Cons: HEAVY.  Lower power.  Does not share mags with carry gun.  Hard to mount optics

Rossi Ranch Hand-

Description: Bone Stock Ranch Hand in .357 Mag
Pros: Can share ammo with carry gun.  Mid level  power. Very handy, very light.  Versatile with ammo  selection.  Does not look tactical and scary to the uninformed. technically a pistol and very easy to conceal in a bag or pack
Cons: Slow reloads.  Lower capacity.  Hard to mount optics.

AK Pistol-

Description: Home built AK Pistol in 7.62x39
Pros: Handy.  Good power level.  Cheap ammo and magazines. Reasonably accurate. Technically a pistol and conceals easily in a tennis racquet bag with a 20 round mag. Fun to shoot.
Cons: LOUD.  Optics mounts are more difficult than other options

AR Pistol-

Description: Home Built AR Pistol.  Del-Ton Lower, 7.5" bbl, Palmetto State LPK and buffer tube, Burris Fast Fire red-dot
Pros: Light, handy, Accurate, easy to mount optics and accessories. Good power.  Cheap mags and ammo. Technically a pistol, and with a 20 Round mag, fits in the same tennis bag.
Cons: LOUD.  To make it compact, you go with a short barrel which robs some of the power of the 5.56

Are any of these the perfect choice?  No.  Are all of them fun and worth owning?  Yep!