Best Gun for pack animal protection?
Question:
I recently saw (in my local gunshop) a small 2 barrel pistol made by [I think] "FMJ co." No, not one of the American Derringer guns that [I've heard] are such junk. This gun was very crude (a visibly welded steel frame), but looked very robust. And cheap, at $99. Like the American Derringer guns, it chambered .45 Colt or .410 shotgun. Single action, with a toggle on the hammer to determing which barrel would fire. Between .45 long Colt and .410, you could kill anything from a rabid racoon to a bear– but you only get 2 shots. Still, at that price I’m tempted to buy one to try. I don’t expect it’d be _comfortable_ to shoot, though <g>. Does anybody have any experience with this gun? -Dana Don’t use reply….. Above email address is invalid to defeat robot spammers! If replying by email, remove the exclamation points (!). The opinions here are my own. And since I’m self employed, they’re my employer’s, too.
Response:
> I recently saw (in my local gunshop) a small 2 barrel pistol made > by [I think] "FMJ co." No, not one of the American Derringer guns > that [I've heard] are such junk. This gun was very crude (a visibly > welded steel frame), but looked very robust. And cheap, at $99. Like > the American Derringer guns, it chambered .45 Colt or .410 shotgun. > Single action, with a toggle on the hammer to determing which barrel > would fire. Between .45 long Colt and .410, you could kill anything > from a rabid racoon to a bear– but you only get 2 shots. Still, at > that price I’m tempted to buy one to try. I don’t expect it’d be > _comfortable_ to shoot, though <g>. > Does anybody have any experience with this gun?
I have 2 of them. One single barrel and one double barrel. They aren’t as unpleasant to shoot as I thought they might be. About like shooting a .357. The .410 shells aren’t effective at very long range due to the rifling but with 45 Colts you can easily keep them on an IPSC target out to 15 or 20 yards. I am going to try loading a .410 shell with three OOO buck and see how that shoots. Might be interesting. Rifle Association (www.prairienet.org/isra); The Wildlife Society; USPSA/IPSC – - – - Illegitimi Non Carborundum – - – - – - – THOSE who trade essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin The dinosours died because they didn’t have a space program!
Response:
>I’d suggest an XP-100 in 7.08. Maybe a little light for black bear, you >may be able to find one in 350 Rem Mag. Kelly
Na Na, The XP100 is a great hunting weapon, but hell to handle for protection, in close. Go with the Ruger Super Black Hawk in 41, 44 mag, or 45 LC, with 250 -300 gr loads they will handle anything in the lower 48. The 454 Casull, with 280- to 300 gr loads will also work, but cost is high. They should have 4 5/8 to 5 inch barrles so they will be easy to handle. No need for long barrles here as this will be used up close and personal. C.H. NRA Life member, Handgun Hunters Int. TCA member Colorado Bonded Bullets http://members.aol.com/CoBonded
Response:
(SNIP) > * My encounters with black bears have always been short lived. After > * realizing that you’re there, they usually run off. However, if you feel > * the need to protect yourself with a firearm from a bear, you’re better off > * with a 18 inch 12 gauge loaded with buckshot. If you have to use a > * handgun, nothing short of a .44 mag should be seriously considered. You > * can get some commercially available revolvers chambered for .30 carbine > * that would be ballistically superior to a .44 mag.
Hmmm…. I had an encounter with a very large blackie in (of all places) the Los Angeles area. It was at a then-used "Designated Shooting Area" within LA County. It was a week day and I was the only one shooting. Being more concerned with gang-bangers than bears, I took my M-1 Carbine with me downrange to get my targets. I looked back at my truck to see a shadow at the tailgate. I unslung my carbine and chambered a round. I looked closer to see that it was furry brown. Realizing that I had a bear snooping in the back of my truck, I shouted and then fired in the air. It took slight notice of me and went back to his snooping. I fired a couple more rounds and drew closer to the truck (there was a small ravine between me and the truck). He drew back on his hind legs, turned, and slowly lumbered away. It was probably that he was quite used to the sound of gunfire that made him a little less shy, but it was quite an experience to not have a black bear run away at loud sounds. So, I tend to keep this encounter in mind. Even though, my grandmother used the SAME M-1 carbine to kill a bear on her farm, I would have liked to have had something with some more……substance to throw downrange at this large animal if he charged me. As much as I LOVE the 10mm, and would use one in a pinch on a bear, I would prefer my 44 Magnum S&W Mountain Revolver or Winchester 44 Trapper. Just my experience and decisions……. –Bart
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I d really appreciate some suggestions for recommended guns and loads > for protecting me and my pack string from predatory animals like black > bear and mountain lions. > I hike in the Washington state backcountry with pack goats (yep, hard to > believe but pack goats are good critters that don t mind carrying your > gear up to about 100#). I d like to have a firearm that is relatively > light and handy since I have to carry it all I need is to have my gun > running off at 25mph on a terrified goat! > Currently I have a Colt 45 Gov t model, a Beretta 92 9mm, and an old > Stevens (Savage) 77H 12 gauge pump that might be suitable. Although I > don t know if the Colt is powerful or reliable enough for this purpose. > How about a 44 magnum? Type? Other ideas? Saw off the 12 gauge? > Thanks for any advice or suggestions. > Matt Guss
I’d suggest an XP-100 in 7.08. Maybe a little light for black bear, you may be able to find one in 350 Rem Mag. Kelly — McMillan Fiberglass Stocks Inc. "Molding the Way America Shoots" 21421 N. 14th Ave Suite B Phoenix, Arizona 85027 (602)582-9635 http://www.mcmfamily.com
