Some of the author’s favorite truck guns include (top to bottom) his Blaser R-93 in .308, a Grizzly Custom scout rifle in .308, and Kimber’s little Montana in .223.

If, like me, you spend a great deal of time bouncing around on a ranch or in the back country, I’d wager you keep some sort of long gun handy. I carry one because I never know when I might need it to drop a marauding pig or predator, take out a cull buck, or confront a group of “foreign exchange students” crossing the South Texas ranch I hunt in pursuit of the good life. I don’t have a problem with most of them, but an increasing number of violent criminals are walking across these days, and you can’t be too careful.

I refer to these firearms as truck guns. By truck gun, I don’t mean a road hunting rig; true hunters don’t drive around and shoot big-game animals out the truck window. Rather, I am talking about the kind of tool you keep behind or between the seats just in case. Be it a rabid raccoon, a quick morning hunt on the way to work, or dealing with some slimy scoundrel with bad intentions, a truck gun can solve just about any problem that requires the precise application of copper-jacketed lead.

Selecting a truck gun is simply a matter of taking your environs into consideration. Folks in the eastern states often lean towards pump or lever guns for the heavily wooded areas typical of that area. A good bolt action is almost a lock out West, where the shots are long. When I choose a rifle for a trip to the lease, the first things I take into consideration are what I may need to shoot and the distances at which I am most likely to shoot it. For example, my off-season gun is usually a .223 bolt gun because predator control and self-defense are the main reasons I’ll chamber a round that time of year. If I do see a boar that needs shooting, a 69-grain MatchKing behind the ear will write “paid” across any pig’s account.

The gun I choose during deer season is usually chambered for a more powerful cartridge, but it will share certain traits with my off-season rifle. Chief among them are a short barrel and lively handling qualities. That’s because a short-barreled rig is much faster and easier to bring into action in the close confines of a truck cab. Compact size and lively handling also help get the gun on target quicker, a must when trying to get a shot on a wily coyote.

Whether I’m tracking a client’s wounded deer, culling, or hunting, my rifle of choice is usually some sort of .308 bolt gun. The short-action cartridge is easy on the shoulder, and it’s powerful enough to drop any deer. The compact guns I prefer are as handy in the brush when I’m rattling whitetails in close cover as they are in the truck.

Selecting the right cartridge for your truck gun is pretty straightforward. Simply decide what you are most likely to use your gun for and pick a cartridge to match. For varmints and predators, a fast .22 centerfire is a good bet. I like the .223, but the .22-250 or .220 Swift may be a better choice if you live in the wide-open West. If bigger game is on the menu, a little more power is in order. I am fond of the .308 for such work, but whatever cartridge you like for deer will work just fine.