[PNWexplorer]

I saw on a Facebook KLR group that a guy had bought a nylon scabbard for his lever-action and mounted it on his KLR...

I thought that was a very cool idea. My camping carbine is a Henry Black Rifle and it would be nice to be able to have a rifle with me in the wilderness instead of just my 10mm pistol.

So, the guy shared a link to the scabbard and I ordered one in coyote tan. It arrived and was good quality. Then it hit me; it said it was for a shotgun/lever-action, and my rifle has a red dot, as do all of my hunting rifles.

I tried to mount it where that gentleman did, but I just couldn't get the proper angle where the front of the scabbard wasn't getting hit by the fender or the butt of the rifle wasn't hit by my knee or the handlebar, so I tried mounting it similar to my machete...

No bueno. So tried a hunting rifle...

Then I put in a rifle that actually fit; my Uberti Silver Boy lever-action .22...

Looks good and completely out of the way of my knees, handlebars, etc.

Then I tried to get on the bike. Nope. Not limber enough to get my leg high enough to clear the buttstock.

It might work on the left rear area, but I still can't use it for any of my rifles with optics. So, decided to just chalk it up to a bad idea. I can at least use the scabbard for an ATV.

 

[PNWexplorer]

Or you could do something like this.

I have that exact scabbard in my garage. It is huge and I have no idea how it would fit on my bike.

 

[PNWexplorer]

What is your reason for carrying a rifle with you on the bike?

Because when I go into the Idaho mountains, I typically like to have a rifle with me for predator defense, or survival.

I grew up here and having a carbine handy was just common sense. A pistol is good; a rifle is better.

I was camping and had a pack of wolves come in to check me and my dog out a couple of years ago. This photo was taken that night. I didn't realize they were there until I found all the sign the next morning. My dog was acting weird and stayed close to the fire, which he typically avoided. I was glad to have the rifle handy...

Wolf scat the next morning 25 yards from camp...

 

[PNWexplorer]

It depends on the situation. If it's a pack of wolves circling, then the carbine is better. If it's a mountain lion jumping on my back, then my pistol is better. I like to have a pistol on either my hip, or in my chest rig. The rifle is just back up for survival situations or extreme defense.

 

[PNWexplorer]

You think the wolves will know the difference between you shooting them with a pistol and a rifle? Do you really think carrying a rifle on the bike is worth the lack of maneuverability and the risk to your safety in a crash? I’d just take the pistol and call it good, but if you really think you need a rifle, have you thought about getting a small one that can fold and fit into one of your bags?

You might want to read my OP, as in the last couple of paragraphs I explained that I couldn't find a spot that didn't compromise maneuverability or utility of the bike, so I chalked it up to a bad idea.

As to the difference between ballistics and effectiveness on game between a 10mm with 200 gr bullets going 1200 fps and a .45 Colt load with a 300 gr bullet going 1500 fps...

Not sure what to tell you. I must just assume you are not familiar with firearms, ballistics, and hunting and leave it at that.