Where I grew up, in the farm country of northern Vermont, everybody owned at least one truck. And inside every truck, there was a gun. My dad even plowed the fields with a .30-06 1917 Enfield strapped to the tractor seat. So I consider a truck gun to be as natural a tool as a pair of jumper cables. But, over the years, my concept of what constitutes a good truck gun has evolved.

For most of my life, I viewed a lever-action carbine chambered in a pistol caliber as the best all-around truck gun. For about 20 years, I had a Winchester Model 1894 chambered in .44 Magnum behind the bench seat of my pickup trucks. I never felt under-gunned with that rifle. But, over the last few years, I felt the urge to move into the 21st century. So I retired the 1894 in favor of a 9mm, semi-automatic carbine. I’ve been happy with my decision, but if there were ever a gun that could entice me back to a lever-action rifle as my truck gun, that would be the Taylor’s & Company 1892 Alaskan.

John Browning Delivers
This rifle has about everything you could want in a truck gun. It is compact and easy to operate, it has a decent magazine capacity, and it fires a cartridge that will put down anything you point it at without dislocating your shoulder in the bargain. On top of that, it is a takedown model that takes up less room under my truck’s seat than my wheel jack. It is one sweet little rifle…