Overhead rifle rack in an XJ

[fizassist]

Ok, guys, any constructive input you have would be very much appreciated. To head off the non-constructive input:

(1) It is legal to carry any legal firearm in your vehicle in NM.

(2) Why? Because I want to. 'nuff said.

Now, the specifics. I would like to put a locking overhead rifle mount in my XJ (just behind the front seats. Ideally, it would be something like you find in a police cruiser (hidden unlock button, etc). The rifle would be a 16" AR15 with an Aimpoint mounted on the flattop receiver. So far, the following looked promising:

Pro-gard G5040ut (-3?)
Big Sky ELS-270 + UCB (undercover bar) mount
Galls "VP217"

Does anybody have any experience with these? Another option would be to install a roll bar, which would open up more possible mounting options. Neither the manufacturers nor the retailers I have talked to have been very helpful, probably because I'm not in law enforcement.

The main goal here is for me to be able to step away from the Jeep for 15 minutes and not have the rifle stolen. Again, thanks for any help!

fiz

 

[sportsguy]

Well if your roof was anything liek the roof in my '94 XJ, it's not going to carry a lot of weight slung-under with a smile. The only thing I can suggest, not being able to provide a direct answer, is to make sure you tie into the structural hoops in the roof itself (which you'd likely already thought of).

This doesn't fit your idea, but any chance of modding under the rear seat to use that space?

...and 16" - I've been out of firearms for a while, so bear with me - seems kinda short for a rifle...unless that's just the barrel length...

My last gun was a Colt King Cobra .357 - that was fun...LOL

 

[crystalship1]

Here's a possible soultion: http://www.pace-edwards.com/othersi.asp#rifleit

As far as legality.... Contact (or visit) your local state police post.

Enjoy!!! :wave:

Ok, guys, any constructive input you have would be very much appreciated. To head off the non-constructive input:

(1) It is legal to carry any legal firearm in your vehicle in NM.

(2) Why? Because I want to. 'nuff said.

Now, the specifics. I would like to put a locking overhead rifle mount in my XJ (just behind the front seats. Ideally, it would be something like you find in a police cruiser (hidden unlock button, etc). The rifle would be a 16" AR15 with an Aimpoint mounted on the flattop receiver. So far, the following looked promising:

Pro-gard G5040ut (-3?)
Big Sky ELS-270 + UCB (undercover bar) mount
Galls "VP217"

Does anybody have any experience with these? Another option would be to install a roll bar, which would open up more possible mounting options. Neither the manufacturers nor the retailers I have talked to have been very helpful, probably because I'm not in law enforcement.

The main goal here is for me to be able to step away from the Jeep for 15 minutes and not have the rifle stolen. Again, thanks for any help!

fiz

 

[fizassist]

Well if your roof was anything liek the roof in my '94 XJ, it's not going to carry a lot of weight slung-under with a smile. The only thing I can suggest, not being able to provide a direct answer, is to make sure you tie into the structural hoops in the roof itself (which you'd likely already thought of).

The ones I've been looking at tie into the side of the headliner right above the door and don't pull down on the roof itself.

This doesn't fit your idea, but any chance of modding under the rear seat to use that space?

It does fit down there if I break it down.

...and 16" - I've been out of firearms for a while, so bear with me - seems kinda short for a rifle...unless that's just the barrel length...

Yep, 16" barrel, about 33" overall.

My last gun was a Colt King Cobra .357 - that was fun

Yep, wheelguns == fun.

 

[fizassist]

Here's a possible soultion: http://www.pace-edwards.com/othersi.asp#rifleit

Yep, I have a Rifle-It right now. It works fine if you take out the IR keyless entry receiver. The only problem is theft. It's not very strong at all, and it wouldn't take much to steal the rifle even with a cable lock.

 

[SPSERG]

Read this over carefully, before you do anything...

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/statelaws/25thedition/newmexico.pdf

 

[Beezil]

Read this over carefully, before you do anything...

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/statelaws/25thedition/newmexico.pdf

are you implying that what he wants to do is illegal?

thanks for the link, I am checking out illinois laws right now.

 

[SPSERG]

Not at all. But in my experience... knowing the law is easier than finding out about it the hard way by breaking it, unintentionally or not

 

[DBenz]

Prime example of why Bush shouldn't have allowed that atomatic weapon ban expire. People carrying atomatic weapons around in their vehicles.....because they want to. Around here, we carry our shotguns, 44s, whatever in the truck if you're going huntin, but on a permanent basis? Also think about rust and stuff if it's in there for long periods of time. As far as I'm concerned, unless you are a marksman that uses this for practice in competition, these guns are unecessary. Hunting deer? etheics. Defense? You're crazy, police find you with that in your jeep for blowing a stop sign, haha....

 

[XJ_ranger]

make sure its unloaded and the ammo is in a LOCKED container not in reach of the driver...

 

[XJJPR]

Prime example of why Bush shouldn't have allowed that atomatic weapon ban expire.

RIGHT....... NOT


hinkley

 

[dmillion]

Difference between freedom and totalitarianism:

In a free state you do things just because you want to. In a totalitarian state you have to provide the rulers with a reason.

 

[fizassist]

Regarding legality, I guess nobody read the second line of my original post. In NM, your vehicle is "extended domain". Here is the law:

30-7-2. Unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon.
A. Unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon consists
of carrying a concealed loaded firearm or
any other type of deadly weapon anywhere, except
in the following cases:
(1) in the person's residence or on real property
belonging to him as owner, lessee, tenant or
licensee;
(2) in a private automobile or other private
means of conveyance, for lawful protection of
the person's or another's person or property;
(3) by a peace officer in accordance with the
policies of his law enforcement agency who is
certified pursuant to the Law Enforcement Training
Act [Chapter 29, Article 7 NMSA 1978];
(4) by a peace officer in accordance with the
policies of his law enforcement agency who is
employed on a temporary basis by that agency
and who has successfully completed a course of
firearms instruction prescribed by the New Mexico
law enforcement academy or provided by a
certified firearms instructor who is employed on
a permanent basis by a law enforcement
(5) by a person in possession of a valid concealed
handgun license issued to him by the department
of public safety pursuant to the provisions
of the Concealed Handgun Carry Act
[Chapter 29, Article 18 NMSA 1978].

Both items (2) and (5) apply to me. That means I can carry my loaded semi-automatic Sport Utility Rifle in my vehicle. You guys need to learn how things work in free states. If you have a problem with my rifle(s), sell your Jeep and get a Metro.

If you lived near the heroin capitol of the US, you might find comfort in 30 rounds of 5.56x45mm.

Edited to add: I didn't mean to be rude to anybody but DBenz, who was calling me "crazy" and spouting off at the mouth about things he didn't understand. I think the rest of you guys were just trying to keep me out of trouble. I appreciate the sentiment, even if it isn't needed here.

 

[fizassist]

Difference between freedom and totalitarianism:

In a free state you do things just because you want to. In a totalitarian state you have to provide the rulers with a reason.

Darned straight. I thank God every day that America is not a land founded on the principle of necessity, but that of liberty.

 

[fizassist]

Prime example of why Bush shouldn't have allowed that atomatic weapon ban expire. People carrying atomatic weapons around in their vehicles.....because they want to. Around here, we carry our shotguns, 44s, whatever in the truck if you're going huntin, but on a permanent basis? Also think about rust and stuff if it's in there for long periods of time. As far as I'm concerned, unless you are a marksman that uses this for practice in competition, these guns are unecessary. Hunting deer? etheics. Defense? You're crazy, police find you with that in your jeep for blowing a stop sign, haha....

Please try to have at least a modicum of information about a subject before speaking on it. I have owned AR15s and other "assault weapons" for the past 10 years. They were either purchased before the ban or had cosmetic modifications made to transform them from baby-killing-monsters to happy-hunting-tools. The thing you don't understand about the AW ban is that it made such weapons much more popular among law abiding citizens. For example, 10 times more AR15 rifles were sold during the 10 years of the ban than in the 10 years before it. That's right, a tenfold increase in the number of "assault weapons" on the street. How does that correspond to the decrease in crime claimed by the proponents of the ban? That decrease in crime is coincident with a huge increase in the number of AWs in the hands of private citizens.

 

[Beej]

It seems to me that the old adage "out of sight, out of mind" is what needs to be capitalized on here, right? Why not try building a long metal box that goes across the ceiling line above the b pillar. It could be trapezoidal in shape when looking at one end or the other. That way it would slope down from the ceiling, run flat for a small stretch and slope back up to the ceiling. It would be easy to mount a piano hinge along one edge of it and a couple of cabinet locks to hold a full length drop down door shut and locked. Then you could fab a couple of clips to hold your rifle to the drop down door. When shut, it would only sit about 3" lower than the rest of the ceiling, and be tapered to prevent it from obstructing your rear view. It would also put your rifle totally out of sight, and hence out of mind. If nothing else, even if a thief saw it, they wouldn't know it holds a rifle, and the locks would slow them down a bit anyway. You could fab it out of some stout sheetmetal for strength and to prevent jimmying a la tuffboxes. I have thought of building something similar just to hold valuables up and out of thieves eyes.
Beej

 

[biscuitboy87]

so...
you wanna shoot heroine addicts?
just kidding (or am I?)
actually, it saddens me to see this post, but you have fulfilled the letter of the law and so should be able to find some sort of rack/locking device to meet your needs. personally, i think if you use anything more powerful than a bow (except wild boar) you need to brush up on what hunting skills are truely about. i'm not saying you shouldn't have the right to do whatever you want but, remeber that kill is the better part of skill.
i would also like to point out that having a weapon in your car, regardless of how safe you think it is, may just lead to the teft of your car...or in some wierd eco-ban way, make you a target for the greenies.
bad kharma man...lol

 

[DBenz]

Sorry, not familiar with laws of your state. Here, it's different. Humidity would definetly not be an issue, since I see you are in NM. I agree, if you have ammo anywhere within reach and you get pulled over, that's not good. On a side note, there wouldn't be anyway of fitting it under the rear seat with a little fabrication would there?

As for the guy from Texas, I'd expect that comment from you.

 

[basalt51]

Prime example of why Bush shouldn't have allowed that atomatic weapon ban expire. People carrying atomatic weapons around in their vehicles.....because they want to. Around here, we carry our shotguns, 44s, whatever in the truck if you're going huntin, but on a permanent basis? Also think about rust and stuff if it's in there for long periods of time. As far as I'm concerned, unless you are a marksman that uses this for practice in competition, these guns are unecessary. Hunting deer? etheics. Defense? You're crazy, police find you with that in your jeep for blowing a stop sign, haha....

Ignorance is bliss isn't it? Well I guess in the case of guns ignorance just leads to whinning liberals. AR-15s aren't automatic unless modified and those modifications are illegal in every state without the proper permits. I don't know ANY gun ban advocate that, after they spent a day shooting with me, did think it was really fun. I CAN tell you of numerous people that wouldn't even touch a gun for years and after shooting with me for a while they have several guns of their own.

biscuitboy - it saddens me that this state is full of people like you. If you want to hunt with a bow then go right ahead. Why is it ok to use a firearm on boars but no other animal?

I don't really hunt, not enough to justify having firearms in the eyes of people like you that is (if thats even possible). I have 2 shotguns, a 45LC revolver, a mini-14 (might as well be an AR-15, oh and I bought my 30 round clip BECAUSE of the AW ban) a 30-30 levergun, a heavy barrel 22-250, and a sig 229, probably others I don't remember. I don't compete, I just like shooting my guns. Guess I'm some kind of militant freak huh?

 

[fizassist]

I don't really hunt, not enough to justify having firearms in the eyes of people like you that is (if thats even possible). I have 2 shotguns, a 45LC revolver, a mini-14 (might as well be an AR-15, oh and I bought my 30 round clip BECAUSE of the AW ban) a 30-30 levergun, a heavy barrel 22-250, and a sig 229, probably others I don't remember. I don't compete, I just like shooting my guns. Guess I'm some kind of militant freak huh?

+1 I'm not a hunter; I'm a shooter.

Beej, That's an interesting idea. I certainly don't want to advertise the presence of firearms in the vehicle (there's always at least a handgun in a lockbox). I'm an NRA life member, but I don't put the stickers on my vehicles. That's why I was leaning toward the idea of a roof-flush mount. Rigging up some kind of box is better still; I'll mull that over.