Takedown gun
A takedown gun (typically a takedown rifle or takedown shotgun) is a long gun designed to be taken apart significantly reducing its length, making it easier to store, pack, transport and conceal. A variety of barrel, stock, and receiver designs have been invented to facilitate takedown. For example, the hinged design of many break-action firearms allows takedown. Some regular firearms can be modified to allow takedown after custom gunsmithing.
Rifles
Since the late 1800s, American gun manufacturers including Marlin, Savage, and Winchester and Ruger have made takedown rifles. The Browning semiautomatic .22 rifle and centerfire rifle made by FN and Remington Arms were takedown guns. Both centerfire and rimfire rifles are available in takedown configuration.
Shotguns
Most single barrel and double barrel shotguns readily break down into separate buttstock, barrel and forestock and are often transported cased as takedown guns. Among repeating shotguns, the Winchester Model 97 and Model 12 shotguns were factory made as takedown guns. Savage also makes a series of takedown over/under rifle/shotgun combination guns.
Usage
Takedown guns were especially popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when hunters often took public transportation; takedown guns of that era were often sold with compact luggage-style carrying cases. Today, takedown guns like the Marlin Model 70P and Henry U.S. Survival are frequently stowed in vehicles used in wilderness areas for emergency forage or defense use, or packed by hunters as a secondary hunting weapon.