I don't think an AR is the answer....

[shane45]

If I were roaming around the areas of NM our friend JodyH frequents, indeed I would want a carbine on hand as I envision that the sky is the limit on what you may run into out there!

[Josh Runkle]

I agree with John's practical recommendation of Paul Howe's advice.

That being said, IF I did need a long gun, I would want it to be the long gun that I shoot often, which would be some variant of an AR. All of my ARs have the same grip and trigger and the same light in the same place. I honestly rarely, if ever, shoot other long guns (though, I own other types). While a shotgun or a lever gun might look better to some, I'd rather it be a gun I shoot regularly, rather than one that I do not.

ETA: if you shoot a bolt action every day, then you might, to some degree, be better with that gun, and that might be a better option than an AR. Additionally, living somewhere like Alaska is going to shape your outlook of what a "threat" looks like, compared to living in a heavily populated state.

[LittleLebowski]

"Training" is the answer.

[Failure2Stop]

I polluted Rob S' thread on what AR to recommend to post Orlando panic buyers, and decided I should just start a new one.

I love long guns. In Alaska, I walk around with a long gun in my hands almost daily. Nobody thinks twice about someone walking around with a long gun around here.

However, in urban areas, for non LE I see the role of a long gun almost exclusively for home defense, and in a very limited number of situations outside your home. For a non LE person, I just don't see carrying a long gun around in the vehicle as very useful. You have to protect it from being stolen. It is added weight to carry in and out of the hotel room. It may not sit well with LE if you get pulled over. And, in an Orlando type situation, you will almost certainly be fighting with the gear that is on your body.

Not sure about you, but I don't want to be the dark haired male, not in uniform, grabbing my long gun and heading into a shooting situation, as it seems like a good way to identify yourself as a shoot target to an active shooter, law enforcement or a concerned citizen.

I don't have a long-gun in my vehicle with the intended purpose of retrieval for sustaining a fight.
I have one because when I am away from home (where I keep most of my guns, ammo, and support gear), I like to have more capability than I can carry on my waist, just in case something that calls for a rifle needs my attention.

[OldRunner/CSAT Neighbor]

Part of Howe's handgun operator class was 50-80 yard shots on A-zone steel from cover if I remember the distance and target correctly. The idea was effective precision fire down hallways vs active shooters.

Love me some Paul Howe. Very down to earth, practical, and professional.

Well since an SME like John & now WarpedCam mention my neighbor/mentor/friend I tend to agree, albeit from a biased standpoint.

Besides viewing his Panteo DVDs, consider taking his AS or AIT classes, my training partner & I have several X's as Paul tends to bring reality back into the picture, CLEARLY IMO. Another VG option is a HITs class, we've also done that numerous X's & will add two more before year end. LL said it succinctly, training.

[JHC]

I'd love to keep one of my Win 94s in my truck just out of principle and style but fret too much about control & recovery of it if I'm in a big wreck. I've totaled a couple of vehicles but never been in a terr attack. Securing important hand carried effects is enough trouble.

[GJM]

I don't have a long-gun in my vehicle with the intended purpose of retrieval for sustaining a fight.
I have one because when I am away from home (where I keep most of my guns, ammo, and support gear), I like to have more capability than I can carry on my waist, just in case something that calls for a rifle needs my attention.

If I drove one vehicle, it had a truck/SUV style locking long gun vault, and it was legal, I would be all over the long gun as part of the installed equipment of my vehicle. I had an 870 and Colt AR stolen in a burglary last year, and it has made much more sensitive about keep firearms secured when not under my direct control.

[MistWolf]

I don't have a long-gun in my vehicle with the intended purpose of retrieval for sustaining a fight.
I have one because when I am away from home (where I keep most of my guns, ammo, and support gear), I like to have more capability than I can carry on my waist, just in case something that calls for a rifle needs my attention.

There it is

[Failure2Stop]

If I drove one vehicle, it had a truck/SUV style locking long gun vault, and it was legal, I would be all over the long gun as part of the installed equipment of my vehicle. I had an 870 and Colt AR stolen in a burglary last year, and it has made much more sensitive about keep firearms secured when not under my direct control.

I believe that we have a certain degree of reasonable responsibility to ensure that dangerous items have some degree of security.
I have a safe at home not because it will prevent theft of the contained items, but that it deters a simple hasty invasion from resulting in the acquisition of a potentially dangerous implement by a person that should not have such access.
The same goes for my vehicle. I can't completely protect against it, but I can deter and delay.

[GJM]

I believe that we have a certain degree of reasonable responsibility to ensure that dangerous items have some degree of security.
I have a safe at home not because it will prevent theft of the contained items, but that it deters a simple hasty invasion from resulting in the acquisition of a potentially dangerous implement by a person that should not have such access.
The same goes for my vehicle. I can't completely protect against it, but I can deter and delay.

This sums up my thoughts, too. I will say that a Browning gun safe kept everything inside protected in that burglary, and everything outside got scooped up.