Precision guns and shorter SUVs?

[ToddM]

So I've always driven longer vehicles, 4runner, 4dr blazer, pickups etc. I've recently been shopping for new vehicles and like the idea of going to something shorter, more off-road orientated. 4 door jeep, Gladiator, FJ, new Bronco coming out, etc. It's hard to find good cargo measurements, most only list volume for cargo "dimensions", but it seems like a lot of these have a max cargo length of 55-60" at best or less depending on where the front seats are adjusted.

However, when I see how short some of these vehicles are, I wonder how well longer precision rifle cases in the back with the seats down. Some of these longer precision rifle cases are getting to 60"+ long. I suppose it's a good excuse to convert to all folding stocks!

Do any of you guys that drive shorter vehicles like this run into any issues getting your stuff to/from the range?

Thanks

 

[Doc68]

I have a Toyota highlander. I fold the seats down and have zero issues

My gun case is 60"

Doc

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Just quit being a poor and get you a range truck and a sports car for the regular running around and picking up chicks.

 

[E. Bryant]

I don't have any problems with transporting full-length Pelican cases in my vehicle.

 

[chevy_man]

I daily a crew cab long box.
Work and personal trucks are both big enough to fit stuff in. 8' of locked storage in the steel topper with tool bin sides. I drop the cases in the side bins, stack targets in the back, most times fragile gear gets tossed in the back seat depending on how many kids are with.

If I'm feeling froggy I'll take the old Denali, but it has second row captains seats so 3 hard cases fit nicely between the console and lift gate. Rear seats have been in the garage for years. AWD annoys me so it generally just sits, but 15mpg beats 12mpg on the longer road trips.



If you go test drive a cclb 1 ton, you'll think that tahoe/4 runner turns on a dime and is tiny. Jeeps are pointless (I have a cj-7). While we have fit 5 deer in the back, the mess and smell ended that.

 

[roostercogburn98]

The gladiator is small and I notice the space issue every time I load stuff into it. I’m just getting over being spoiled with the crew cab Ram 1500 though. It has some space with the back seats folded down, but that means lifting up and over to get on top with things. I have under-seat storage but it isn’t big enough for a rifle case

 

[Cowpokey]

I have a 2-door JK Wrangler Rubicon, no problem fitting stuff in to go to the range. Of course, the back seat Was taken out and it somewhere buried in the back of our giant walk in closet. Did the same thing with my TJ Wrangler Rubicon...back seats take up too much space in a 2-door Jeep. My wife has a 4-door Wrangler Rubicon, my daughter has a 4-door Wrangler Sahara...the 4-door versions have a lot more space when you lay the back seat down.

I'm not a fan of the 4-door Wranglers. Been driving 2-door Wranglers since 1993.

 

[Aaros143]

I test drove a 4 door tacoma. I took along my pelican 1750 and it didn't fit anywhere. Would have had to get a shorter case and fold the stock.

 

[grinnergetter]

Wanted a 2 door Bronco.....reserved a 4 dr. due to space for cases. Even diagonally without rear seat it was going to be tight. I just couldn't see strapping 7-8K to the roof for a range day.

 

[10ring'r]

I use to drive a Jeep 2-door Rubicon. When I went to the range, I use to lift the back window, point the barrel of my "Sniper Rifle" out the back and always wondered why nobody was ever in my rearview mirror.
No, really, When I used my wife's Escape, I just laid one of the back seats down and all was good and if I had to go in somewhere, for a short time, the windows had a very dark tint to them and it was hard to see any of my "stuff".
Now I drive a p/u with a hard/lockable bed cover. Mac

 

[Snipe260]

I don't have any problems with transporting full-length Pelican cases in my vehicle.

View attachment 7583145

That’s a great vehicle to pick chicks up in. Especially when the chloroform is strong!

 

[accurate obsession]

With mid-sized cross-overs size isn't a problem as long as you don't need the rear seats.

 

[Redmanss]

Hard cases are for flying, soft cases are for range day. I drive a 2dr Explorer from the 90s, wife has a Subaru Crosstrek, and I have zero issues getting our stuff to the field.

 

[JbBooks]

My wife drives an excursion with a 7.3 sitting on 35’s, and she’s a girl. So yeah go ahead and get something smaller.

 

[Bullfrog08]

Our cases fit in back of her 4 door wrangler with seats down with 6-8" to spare. Nice weather we put them in bed of my tacoma. We have Caseclub cases.....they seemed higher quality than my buddies Pelican, and they come with precut foam.

 

[Bigfatcock]

4RUNNER is off-road oriented.

 

[elwarpo]

I own a 2 door jeep wrangler and can fit full 1720 pelican cases, you just have to be creative.

 

[M8541Reaper]

Put a scope and crown cover on your rifle and throw it across the seats or diagonally in the back.

As stated above, you don’t need to transport a rifle in a hard case. If your rifle can’t handle being inside of a car/suv with just a padded S/C cover, then you have a bigger problem than cases not fitting.

If you have a gunslinger style pack, you can store it vertically with the pack on the seat and the rifle scabbard running from the floor to the ceiling. I had to do this when I had a car seat in the back of an older access cab tundra (no topper at the time to lock it up when dropping the child at daycare so it couldn’t be left in the bed).

 

[ToddM]

4RUNNER is off-road oriented.

Absolutely true! I should have mentioned I'm currently driving a 1/2 ton GMC, nice truck, but even lifted it's anything but trail worthy. I thought about putting a topper on it, and building sliding drawers in the back, but I still want something more capable off road on tight trails. To be honest going back to the 4runner is probably the best fit for my needs/wants. That said it seems like no one is really having issues getting all their stuff into smaller vehicles, so I definitely won't rule them out.

 

[Tokay444]

I drive this. I don’t think you’ll have an issue in anything considered an, “SUV”.

 

[johnnyvw]

Since I ski in the winter, the length of the cargo area is an important factor in a car purchase, so I brought a tape measure with me when I was taking a look at the VW Tiguan I purchased last year. I only fold the rear up when I have more than one passenger...which has been exactly zero times in the last year LOL
I really love this car....handles extremely well for an SUV, and averages 27 mpg

 

[TurboTrout]

If you’re just going up dirt/mud/snow and don’t need to clear anything super high, look at Subaru, they’ll put off road most “suvs” which are mostly just minivans with body kits these days.

 

[BikePilot]

My 195cm skis will just fit in the back of my LR4 for reference. It’s legitimately great off road and somehow managed to seek huge inside and small on the outside. My buddy’s new defender looks to have similar space in the back and a touch more off road capability.

 

[TurboTrout]

My 195cm skis will just fit in the back of my LR4 for reference. It’s legitimately great off road and somehow managed to seek huge inside and small on the outside. My buddy’s new defender looks to have similar space in the back and a touch more off road capability.

A rover?

Be better off with a 4 runner limited or Cherokee for that style, outside of the vintage stuff, or the 90s American V8 swapped stuff, meh

 

[BikePilot]

I don’t care for the 4Runner. Gutless motor and 5spd transmission are not fun in the mountains. A GX460 is more tolerable but still feels antiquated even compared to a 10yr old Rover. They are also much smaller on the inside. The LR4 can legitimately sit 7 adults. Have a JGC also—great car but much smaller and less capable off road than the rover. Rover hasn’t been any more trouble than my other vehicles (which include Toyota, Ford, jeep and Porsche).

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Go to the range like a man!!!!

 

[TurboTrout]

I don’t care for the 4Runner. Gutless motor and 5spd transmission are not fun in the mountains. A GX460 is more tolerable but still feels antiquated even compared to a 10yr old Rover. They are also much smaller on the inside. The LR4 can legitimately sit 7 adults. Have a JGC also—great car but much smaller and less capable off road than the rover. Rover hasn’t been any more trouble than my other vehicles (which include Toyota, Ford, jeep and Porsche).

I hear the “antiquated” interior line a bit, what does that mean and what do you expect/need in a car interior?

I’m a simple guy, give me leather, short throw shifter, good stereo, a USB port, full sweep gauges with rpm, speed, oil pressure, oil temp, batt, water temp, ideally real ones not some dumb screen, and I’m happy

 

[ZiaHunter]

On my second 4Runner and currently drive a TRD Pro. Put over 200K miles on the first one and sold it for a good price. Both vehicles problem free and TRD is an excellent off road vehicle. Pack it full of gear without issues including a couple of long barreled F Class and ELR rifles without issues. Both have been off road in the mountains of NM and in San Juans in SW CO. True the engine looses power at high altitude (10,000+) but gets you where you want to go but more importantly gets you back.

 

[hollowoutadime]

Buy an AI folder and a soft-case. Done.

 

[chevy_man]

Absolutely true! I should have mentioned I'm currently driving a 1/2 ton GMC, nice truck, but even lifted it's anything but trail worthy. I thought about putting a topper on it, and building sliding drawers in the back, but I still want something more capable off road on tight trails. To be honest going back to the 4runner is probably the best fit for my needs/wants. That said it seems like no one is really having issues getting all their stuff into smaller vehicles, so I definitely won't rule them out.

That's plenty trail worthy, unless you care about your paint.

I have an 88 k1500 regular cab long box. I've taken it where the Jeep guys won't follow me. It entertains me to unload a rifle/bike/sled/4 wheeler out of it while people give me weird looks knowing what's in the back is worth 10x what the truck is.

I think the real solution is for you to buy a TJ to cruise the trails, and keep the truck for a daily. I may not be the best influence as my wife is irritated with the 6 rigs I have scattered around my house and shop right now.

 

[Mr.BR]

 

[Waco Kid]

Haven't tried a hard case in there yet, but I picked up a new 26" barreled bolt gun a while back, in the factory box inside another slightly bigger shipping box....in my Corvette I can't speak for smaller suv's, just wanted to show how redneck I was transporting guns in a sports car hahaha.

 

[ToddM]

That's plenty trail worthy, unless you care about your paint.

I have an 88 k1500 regular cab long box. I've taken it where the Jeep guys won't follow me. It entertains me to unload a rifle/bike/sled/4 wheeler out of it while people give me weird looks knowing what's in the back is worth 10x what the truck is.

I think the real solution is for you to buy a TJ to cruise the trails, and keep the truck for a daily. I may not be the best influence as my wife is irritated with the 6 rigs I have scattered around my house and shop right now.

Heh, my first vehicle was a 76' blazer, and that was trail worthy but a bit big, wish I still had it. The 1/2 ton just has too long of a wheelbase and is too wide for some tight trails, but yeah with the right mods you can get a pickup a lot of places that would surprise people, as long as it's not between two boulders that are 6" narrower than the truck is . I had a 98' S10 blazer for quite a few years that went places no one would believe an S10 would go. Aside from it eating ball joints like a fat kid eats cake and a few cracked engine and transmission mounts it was solid for 200k all over CO/NV/UT. These newer ones though, they simply will not take trail abuse without several if not tens of thousands of $'s in mods. I suppose the answer might be to just keep the guns in the back, and put a quad on the top of the bed for trail use, or use one half of the bed for the KTM, but no way to secure anything then on the other half.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I've seen him before... I know where! He worked for the FBI!



Sirhr

 

[ToddM]

I hear the “antiquated” interior line a bit, what does that mean and what do you expect/need in a car interior?

I’m a simple guy, give me leather, short throw shifter, good stereo, a USB port, full sweep gauges with rpm, speed, oil pressure, oil temp, batt, water temp, ideally real ones not some dumb screen, and I’m happy

It will sound like whining, but when I bought my GMC I have to admit, I felt the 4runner was the best "fit" for my needs, and I was sure that's what I was going to by when I started, but the lack of technology and power was a real turn off at basically the same price point. This was a couple years back, but the 4runner had horrible headlights, didn't have great safety results, especially on side impact, no sunroof in the TRD, no auto headlights, nav screen was clunky and tiny, no cameras, no blind spot, no auto climate, the one I drove was pretty noisy inside, and the low end torque was pretty weak. While anything was a huge upgrade compared to the 98' S10 blazer I was coming from, to me it was hard to justify $45k for that when my GMC came with way more features, and a 420hp v8 with basically the same gas mileage.

That said I'm sure those lack of features/technology is one thing that makes the Toyota so reliable, it will be interesting to see if Toyota responds now that you can get top level tech/features in the Jeep and soon to be Bronco, or if they are happy to stay a few years behind the tech/feature curve. It's not like the 4runner is cheap, a new TRD pro is $51k. If Toyota put a bigger motor in it and added some tech I might swing back to it. But the Bronco, while still vaporware, offers more power, all the bells and whistles, what should be even more off road prowess, significantly more power for mid 50's with almost every available option.

 

[chevy_man]

Heh, my first vehicle was a 76' blazer, and that was trail worthy but a bit big, wish I still had it. The 1/2 ton just has too long of a wheelbase and is too wide for some tight trails, but yeah with the right mods you can get a pickup a lot of places that would surprise people, as long as it's not between two boulders that are 6" narrower than the truck is . I had a 98' S10 blazer for quite a few years that went places no one would believe an S10 would go. Aside from it eating ball joints like a fat kid eats cake and a few cracked engine and transmission mounts it was solid for 200k all over CO/NV/UT. These newer ones though, they simply will not take trail abuse without several if not tens of thousands of $'s in mods. I suppose the answer might be to just keep the guns in the back, and put a quad on the top of the bed for trail use, or use one half of the bed for the KTM, but no way to secure anything then on the other half.

Oh that's simple. Put a vault floor box in and put the ktm on top!

Or a sled deck. They work great to haul 2 4 wheelers or 4 bikes on a short box and store all the gear underneath.

 

[BikePilot]

I hear the “antiquated” interior line a bit, what does that mean and what do you expect/need in a car interior?

I’m a simple guy, give me leather, short throw shifter, good stereo, a USB port, full sweep gauges with rpm, speed, oil pressure, oil temp, batt, water temp, ideally real ones not some dumb screen, and I’m happy

I'm talking about the chassis/suspension, motor and transmission. It gets the job done, but feels like a savage while the land Rover (and to be fair land cruiser) feel more like an AI AX to me anyway.

 

[Maxduty]

I hard case my rifles and toss them in the back of my 86 Toyota pickup. Have to crawl part of a trail to get to the cabin. with a chainsaw, gas, bar oil and a 158 quart cooler back there. Soft cases in the Rogue and the rear seat folded down.

 

[Smith1]

I started doing this in the wife’s Cherokee when I didn’t want to fold the seats down and it just got to be way more convenient than a case. One of their $5 Home Depot gear ties and hasn’t spilled over once over thousands of miles

 

[TurboTrout]

in

View attachment 7585098I started doing this in the wife’s Cherokee when I didn’t want to fold the seats down and it just got to be way more convenient than a case. One of their $5 Home Depot gear ties and hasn’t spilled over once over thousands of miles

Check these out

https://www.amazon.com/Kotap-BB-11B-Bungee-11-Inch-25-Piece/dp/B00DPLM62G/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=sail+tie+bungee&qid=1616117386&sr=8-2

Westmarine sells them with the ball at both ends, mostly for securing sails, but they are very handy

 

[TurboTrout]

I'm talking about the chassis/suspension, motor and transmission. It gets the job done, but feels like a savage while the land Rover (and to be fair land cruiser) feel more like an AI AX to me anyway.

I haven’t done the rover thing in a while, I’ll have to check one out, normally I ether like something I can fling around corners, or the other side something I could fling over some whoops

 

[Smith1]

in


Check these out

https://www.amazon.com/Kotap-BB-11B-Bungee-11-Inch-25-Piece/dp/B00DPLM62G/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=sail+tie+bungee&qid=1616117386&sr=8-2

Westmarine sells them with the ball at both ends, mostly for securing sails, but they are very handy

That’s a good idea also

 

[Snipe260]

Just got the wifee one of these. Lots of room in cargo area and all wheel drive

 

[sirhrmechanic]

View attachment 7585475
Just got the wifee one of these. Lots of room in cargo area and all wheel drive

That looks like one of them Fancy Porsches that LL takes his guns to the range in. Though I suspect the bowties on the wheels mean it's not from Stuttgart...

Sirhr

 

[Snipe260]

That looks like one of them Fancy Porsches that LL takes his guns to the range in. Though I suspect the bowties on the wheels mean it's not from Stuttgart...

Sirhr

Nah. Blazer srs. We not high class here!

 

[wade2big]

I drive this. I don’t think you’ll have an issue in anything considered an, “SUV”.
View attachment 7583510

I didn’t know you were gay.

 

[Lowlight]

I use the Ski Slot between the seats on the rifles that don't fold

We traveled across the country in a small SUV with two shooters, full gear, no issue, most of the seats fold down.

Today most stuff folds and fits fine, even to the point of using a small case.

 

[TurboTrout]

I use the Ski Slot between the seats on the rifles that don't fold

We traveled across the country in a small SUV with two shooters, full gear, no issue, most of the seats fold down.

View attachment 7585810
Today most stuff folds and fits fine, even to the point of using a small case.

That a slick setup

 

[ToddM]

View attachment 7585475
Just got the wifee one of these. Lots of room in cargo area and all wheel drive

A neighbor just got one of these, I put almost 250k on a 98' S10 blazer, drove it from 2000 to 2018. It wasn't even the vehicle I wanted at the time, it was a good deal on a low mileage 4x4 but over the years I grew to love that thing. It might not keep up with the old ones off road, and it's quite a bit smaller overall, but the new ones are a really sharp looking vehicle. I really liked my old S10, it was just long enough that I could fold down the rear seats and either get full length gun cases in back with enough room in front of the cases to stow gear totes, and if I moved the driver's seat up just a bit I could fully stretch out in back to sleep hunting, and it was just tall enough you could put mountain bikes in the back with the front wheels off and seats lowered.

I appreciate everyone chiming in, it seems like even the small SUV's today are pretty impressive in their ability to open up cargo space. Still sounds like a good excuse to convert everything to folders I really want to try out one of the newer Bronco's but probably won't till their second year, if Toyota adds some features/power to the 4-runner that could be in the mix too.

 

[johnnyvw]

Well if you don't mind used, the 4runner did come with a 4.7 liter V8 for a few years