First off,
buy used.
12 ga Pump ShotgunI went 12ga pump for my truck gun. The base was a police trade-in 870, so I have something over $300 sunk into it, after adding the Knoxx COp Stock and Choate black corncob & mag ext:
I don;t yet have a sling, but do have the hardware to mount a sling.
dogmush went through your list and I agree with his assessment.
I keep it stoked with 000 buck and have slugs handy in case I need serious penetration. It is good out to 100yards vs human sized critters and is powerful enough to handle anything in N America.
Any quality used 12ga pump with a 18-20" bbl will have similar characteristics.
I think that there are enough 12ga pumps sold out of Wal-mart with black plastic furniture that it has become a non-issue for pumps.
Lever GunA used lever gun in any of the usual lever gun calibers is also a fine contender: .30-30, .35Rem. If I don't expect to have to go out to these cartridges' extreme range, I would run with a WIn 92 clone (cheaper than real Win 92s) in .44mag, .45Colt, or .454Casull. All can be loaded to "Holy s**t" power levels in a WIn 92 clone and the .454 Casull heavy loads will nip at the heels of factory .45-70.
I have never come across a "cheap" .22LR lever gun. All have been more expensive than the common .30-30-class lever guns.
As for your list:
1) Many are concerned about keeping the cost of the firearm low, since it's more likely to be lost to theft than firearms stored in a safe.Common used lever guns look like $300-ish items
2) Should be effective for self defense against all threatsNo argument except the largest of all critters. .454,however, is used to hunt thoae critters with a handgun. A hard-cast .30-30 would likely have similar or greater penetration, IMO.
3) Shouldn't cause public hysteria when unmasked for useHysteria over a lever gun? Get them a fainting couch and a stiff drink.
4) Others (on the opposite side of 1) and 3) above) suggest that cost is no object, since the only time the truck gun comes out is to repel Zombies and Soviet/Cuban paratroopers, anyway.Baloney.
5) Should be very durable to withstand life near the jack handle and logging chains.Lever guns are very positive and have lots of extraction power
6) Should be able to be carried slung, since one may have to de-truck and UA the AO on foot.DOne easily.
7) Would NOT be the only firearm available, since everyone knows we all CCW, all the time.If you went .44mag Win 92 clone and SW629 as your CW< you'd have ammo interchangability (or .45Colt/SW625, or...)
Cheap MilsurpThis is the realm of med-heavy service rifles. Mosin-Nagant, Yugo Mausers, Turk Mausers, etc.
As for your list:
1) Many are concerned about keeping the cost of the firearm low, since it's more likely to be lost to theft than firearms stored in a safe.Some Mosins & Turk Mausers are sub-$100. I think I paid $200 for a pristine M48 Yugo some years back and they are still in that range for decent examples.
2) Should be effective for self defense against all threatsAll but the largest of N American predators. 8x57 in euro spec, 7.62x54R.
3) Shouldn't cause public hysteria when unmasked for useAnother bolt-action gun.
4) Others (on the opposite side of 1) and 3) above) suggest that cost is no object, since the only time the truck gun comes out is to repel Zombies and Soviet/Cuban paratroopers, anyway.Still baloney.
5) Should be very durable to withstand life near the jack handle and logging chains.They were made to survive battlefield conditions. Likely more reliable than anything else mentioned on this thread
6) Should be able to be carried slung, since one may have to de-truck and UA the AO on foot.Yep
7) Would NOT be the only firearm available, since everyone knows we all CCW, all the time.Yep
Short/Handy EXPENSIVE MilsurpThis is a wonderful category of rifles/carbines. Alas, they are getting pricey. The best of this breed is the Swede M94 in 6.5x55. The prices on those preclude use as a truck gun.
Same goes for Enfield Jungle carbines. Spanish FR8s are getting up there, too. The FR7 and 1916 are still cheap, I think, but are best left to handloaders who can download from 7.62NATO specs to accommodate their weaker actions.
Still, these suckers are some of the handiest battle rifles ever.
I do NOT include some of the shorter Mosins in this category. They still weigh as much as a Yugo Mauser.
1) Many are concerned about keeping the cost of the firearm low, since it's more likely to be lost to theft than firearms stored in a safe.I think all save the FR8 are firmly above $300 and the FR8 has got to be pushing $300.
2) Should be effective for self defense against all threats.303, 7.62NATO, 6.5x55, yep.
3) Shouldn't cause public hysteria when unmasked for useAnother bolt-action gun.
4) Others (on the opposite side of 1) and 3) above) suggest that cost is no object, since the only time the truck gun comes out is to repel Zombies and Soviet/Cuban paratroopers, anyway.Still baloney.
5) Should be very durable to withstand life near the jack handle and logging chains.They were made to survive battlefield conditions. Likely more reliable than anything else mentioned on this thread
6) Should be able to be carried slung, since one may have to de-truck and UA the AO on foot.Yep
7) Would NOT be the only firearm available, since everyone knows we all CCW, all the time.Yep
Auto-Pistol caliber & Intermediate-caliber (5.56,7.62x39) fail #2.
