one handy gun to go anywhere by car in north america

thanks for replies. my question was semihypotheical. i intended north america to exclude mexico. i do lawfully road-trip quite alot while armed, even expeditiously and carefully transiting some unfriendly states’ highways, but only went disarmed into canada (so far). i follow updates on handgunlaw.us, and hold various and sundry nonresident ccw permits and, as needed, nonresident hunting permits.

besides not being a shotgunner i’m not hunting (large game at least). i have a henry lever-action 22lr carbine. it can be secured and carried unobtrusively in a non-descript duffel bag. i think it would be fine, but 22wmr offers more oomph for more effective defensive or wider hunting uses, if need be, but can still be a relatively cheap, occasional plinker when the opportunity arises. lever-action and rimfire seems to be the most law-accommodating rifle.

i don’t care what random others who i may encounter on my trips think of my peaceable exercise of any of our constitutional rights but at the same time they have absolutely no need to know what i read, how i worship or what i’m carrying. so i display nothing.

anyway i’m just curious to learn others’ more informed opinions here. thanks.
 
Blue Jays said:
They undoubtedly knew via databases that get shared.
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I don't see how. I have an AZ carry permit, but my car license plate wasn't one of the pieces of information required to get it. Even if you assume Canada checks all the carry permits in the 50 states and cross-references them to license plates from the state in which the permit was issued, a person with a permit could be driving a car belonging to their spouse or other family member, or a rental car.
 
Sub2000 if legal in NJ here,I'm thinking legal in most other states. I would definitely have knowledge before I went on said trips. And documents to prove laws in effect at that time.
 
I don't know the gun laws in every State, but I imagine the correct answer (although effectively useless) would be a single shot black powder antique rifle.
 
I've thought about the all states (but as I said, watch the city laws) for a gun easy to get into action and legally safe. Check to see if loaded mags or speed loaders are a problem. Theoretically, you could have them separate from the gun but is that everywhere?

A double barrel coach gun is easy to load from a box of ammo. However, wait till Clarence frees us! Yoohoo, Clarence!

About BP - in some states (have to look it up) it's not a firearm but once you load it, it's a firearm.
 
I was thinking along the lines of a coach gun or even single shot, maybe some caliber inserts in a butt stock for options. Could keep it cracked, and bring it into action fairly quickly.
 
Many state's game laws including Oregon where I live prevent carrying a loaded long gun in the vehicle.

My choices:
upload_2023-3-10_11-0-31.jpeg
 
I've taken this hammer double on a few trips, either car camping or B&B type places.

full.jpg

It takes down into a compact package that doesn't look anything like a gun, and I hope that a mixture of buck and slug would get me through most scenarios. As far as I am aware, no American state has particular regulations against such a thing. I am sure it would be a bad idea to casually take it into Canada, though, and would consider a trip into Mexico with it to be pure lunacy.
 
Forget handguns in Canada. Also any AR;s and large magazine type rifles or semi automatic rifles that have a capacity of more than five rounds. M-1 Garand' used to be exempt, but I don't know if they are anymore. My Son and I fished an outpost camp for years and I took along an M-1 and 12 Gauge pump. No problem, but their PM seems to hate all guns so better check first. These guy's were around every day. Smokey 1.png
 
Again check the cities. NYC for example. San Antonio had a local ordinance against long arm carry. It was successfully challenged as in conflict with the state law but it was used the local police for a bit.
 
MrShooter said:
Simply by running his drivers license, it's all there.
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They don't know who is on the driver license by checking the plates though.

Still this seems nuts to me, I don't remember giving my driver license number to get my carry permit. They wanted physical description, address, fingerprints, and I think OK to do a full background check. Plus the certificate of completing the training of course. In AZ you also don't have to volunteer that you are armed or automatically show your permit if you get stopped by a traffic cop, only if they ask you. If you're not carrying I think you don't have to show the permit. Not that I would mind, just trying to be complete here.
 
"I don't remember giving my driver license number to get my carry permit".

Nonetheless, running the driver's license will bring up the CCP.
The databases are interlinked.
 
Years ago a fellow I work with went into Canada. This was before KY had a CCW permit. He was a gun owner but had no firearms with him. He was detained and questioned for hours on where his gun was. They finally told him that it was because "everyone know everyone from KY carries a gun".
 
old lady new shooter said:
They don't know who is on the driver license by checking the plates though.

Still this seems nuts to me, I don't remember giving my driver license number to get my carry permit. They wanted physical description, address, fingerprints, and I think OK to do a full background check. Plus the certificate of completing the training of course. In AZ you also don't have to volunteer that you are armed or automatically show your permit if you get stopped by a traffic cop, only if they ask you. If you're not carrying I think you don't have to show the permit. Not that I would mind, just trying to be complete here.
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40 years ago you could enter Canada without any problems, nowadays you aren't allowed to enter the country if you have a DUI/OWI on your license. Now they check passports and drivers licenses at the border. Wisconsin doesn't require you to volunteer that you are carrying if pulled over. The sherifs who taught my class said they already know when they pull you over and to just keep your hands on the wheel in sight and if they want to address your carrying they will. I guess my original point was, Canada is so anti-gun that having a carry license shoots up a big flag at their border.
 
jstert said:
... my choice would be a henry lever-action carbine in 22wmr for the magnum’s extra oomph, muted recoil, rimfire legality, fairly common ammo availability. am i wrong?
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Nothing wrong with that choice. Wouldn't be mine. I'd probably take a Mossberg 500 Bantam 20 gauge with an 18-inch cylinder barrel. It is very compact. A selection of shot, buck, and slugs would make it very versatile. For a rifle, I like your choice of .22WMR for cartridge, but I prefer a scoped bolt action, like a Ruger 77/22.
 
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Legionnaire said:
Nothing wrong with that choice. Wouldn't be mine. I'd probably take a Mossberg 500 Bantam 20 gauge with an 18-inch cylinder barrel. It is very compact. A selection of shot, buck, and slugs would make it very versatile. For a rifle, I like your choice of .22WMR for cartridge, but I prefer a scoped bolt action, like a Ruger 77/22.
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Can't imagine a better answer for this hypothetical, a 20ga or 12ga pump with a separate ammo container filled with an assortment of different shot size target/hunting loads, Slugs and Buckshot. A clay thrower and a box of clays if storage allows, that way you have something fun to do if you're bored.

If it was me, I would avoid anything that looked tactical. Just my way of thinking however flawed, is that an overzealous NJ or MA LEO might deal with the firearm in a more relaxed fashion if it looks like a pidgeon/clay buster vs. a tactical john wick style assault shotgun....... you may be well within your rights in either case, but some LEO'S have been known to overreact with firearms possession whether legal or not.
 
MrShooter said:
You're so right, going to Canada while being a licensed concealed carrier is almost as bad as bringing a gun. Last year my uncle crossed the border into Manitoba pulling a trailer but without his pistol. The Canadian guard pulled him aside and pretty much arrested him. They kept asking, where is your pistol? He kept telling them its beside his bed at home. They then went so far as to pull my aunt aside and told her the only way she'll ever see her husband again without him being in prison is for her to show them where the pistol is. It took nearly 6 hours of being searched and hassled before they were released without so much as a simple apology.
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I have a hard time believing that they would be that intense for no reason as I’ve gone across the border multiple times in the past few years and everyone in the vehicle had a carry permit.

Now, you need to understand that there are many sensors starting probably a mile or more from the crossing. Some or many of those are microphones. They can hear what you are saying inside your vehicle. You need to keep your mouth shut. No stupid jokes about guns or drugs. NONE. Well, unless you want to spend half a day explaining yourself

We’ve also found it useful to have a detailed list of restricted items (alcohol and tobacco mainly) written down and readily available to the driver. When you’re going through take off your sunglasses and pay attention. Did I mention shut up and listen to their questions?

In the probably twenty years I’ve been going across, we’ve been “hard” searched once. We had to take almost everything out of our boat and truck. Open all the bags, etc. Took maybe an hour. They also checked all our fish.

My avitar picture was taken about 300 miles north of the border
 
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redneck2 said:
I have a hard time believing that they would be that intense for no reason as I’ve gone across the border multiple times in the past few years and everyone in the vehicle had a carry permit.

Now, you need to understand that there are many sensors starting probably a mile or more from the crossing. Some or many of those are microphones. They can hear what you are saying inside your vehicle. You need to keep your mouth shut. No stupid jokes about guns or drugs. NONE. Well, unless you want to spend half a day explaining yourself

We’ve also found it useful to have a detailed list of restricted items (alcohol and tobacco mainly) written down and readily available to the driver. When you’re going through take off your sunglasses and pay attention. Did I mention shut up and listen to their questions?

In the probably twenty years I’ve been going across, we’ve been “hard” searched once. We had to take almost everything out of our boat and truck. Open all the bags, etc. Took maybe an hour. They also checked all our fish.

My avitar picture was taken about 300 miles north of the border
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Believe it or not that's exactly what happened. He's a farmer who was on vacation. He's not a hunter or big shooter, had nothing to raise a red flag but his carry license. He's 71 years old for crying out loud, but for whatever reason they crapped all over him and threatened his wife. He's not a liar or one to exaggerate either.
 
MrShooter said:
40 years ago you could enter Canada without any problems, nowadays you aren't allowed to enter the country if you have a DUI/OWI on your license. Now they check passports and drivers licenses at the border. Wisconsin doesn't require you to volunteer that you are carrying if pulled over. The sherifs who taught my class said they already know when they pull you over and to just keep your hands on the wheel in sight and if they want to address your carrying they will. I guess my original point was, Canada is so anti-gun that having a carry license shoots up a big flag at their border.
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:barf:
 
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