Trail guns: What do you pack?

[destinbeachman]

Kimber 45 CDP and AR 15.Full of mojo!

 

[BadDog]

Those of you not so worried about Grizzleys, but wanting something more than a handgun that is easily accessible and maneuvered from the driver's seat while not breaking the bank should look into the M17S I mentioned. AR18 action which is much "cleaner" than the much beloved AR15 (mainly less carbon fouling) and full length 21.5" barel for accuracy plus it can fire NATO 5.56 or .223 Remington rounds (1 in 9 twist) out of common (and cheap) M16/AR15 30 round clips.

Below is one setup very similar to my intended goal. All that and only 30" long (though they can be cut down)...

 

[jekbrown]

one more thing worth mentioning while we're talking about killing animals is the importance of using the right types of ammo. Considering some of the weapons people are listing here, I'd be willing to bet that they are carrying "anti-human" defensive ammuntion. For defense against people, expanding hollow points are the thing to use... against BIG animals though, the heaviest bone-shattering bullet you can load is going to work best. Ball-type projectiles are pretty common in big game hunting... mainly because they are better at penetrating/breaking the bones/skulls etc of large animals while a HP just doesn't have enough energy left to get the job done. This is one reason why a 12ga loaded with slugs is a decent weapon to carry in "bar" country... the velocity isn't too great, that a 700gr slug is a serious defense against big charging pissed off animals.... as an added bonus, it'll stop a person too.

j

 

[FreedomIsntFree]

357 mag has 448 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 170 grain bullet
40 has 413 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 155 grain bullet
10mm has 452 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 180 grain bullet.

41 mag has 630 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 210 grain bullet
44 mag has 839 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 240 grain bullet

454 Casull has 1470 ft/lbs at 50 yds with a 260 grain bullet.

Go big or go home right?

500 S&W has 2409 ft/lbs at 50 yards with a 400 grain bullet. I shot a few .500 rounds out of the 5" S&W revolver. I thought I broke my damn wrist!

 

[3 on the tree]

Anybody know the ME on a 12 gauge slug??? Just curious.

 

[FreedomIsntFree]

Anybody know the ME on a 12 gauge slug??? Just curious.

1660 at 50 yards on a Winchester SuperX 1oz rifled slug. That's on a 3" shell.

 

[rugger03]

for a 3" magnum rifled slug right around 2000lbs at 50 yards

 

[odoa3]

I agree with Jekbrown. research your ammo. For the .44 mag- check out the 265 grain Barne's Solids. I examined one that was pulled out of a brown bear that was shot in self defense- hardly deformed at all. Other than a small downslope on one edge of the bullet you would not have thought it had been shot. I don't remember what the bullet is made of for sure, but I want to say bronze. I love shooting large, magnum handguns but I only shot one of these and was done. However, in a emergency situation you will not notice the recoil, just the results.

 

[Pookster]

You can get a mossberg 18" persuader, with pistol grip.

That and get a folding stock from copstock, the recoil reducing one.

Rifled slugs, and Hollow points are both good- I'd mix and match the two.

Having never personally having to encounter any bears, so I dont know its effectiveness- I prefer to stay with 2 3/4 shell stock size, and if necessary, move to higher velocity rounds.

I'd toss at least one bird shot in. You might just get lucky and hit the bear in the eyes. That being said though, bears have incredible sense of smell- the'll smell you and just be a pissed blind bear.

Check also local ordinances. Somtimes you arent even allowed to carry slugs!

 

[OLD DAWG]

If it's bad and you need to drop it now I'd say the 454 cassul or 500 SW for a handgun/cannon. Sure it will kick like hell but I don't think you'd notice at the time. And you most likely would'nt even need to to shoot it at at a 2 legged varmint once they saw the business end.

 

[Thunder]

IMO If i was to use a 12 Ga for a Bear protection. I would use Winchester partition Gold Supreme Sabot Slug. You will be slinging out a 380 grain .50 cal slug at 1900 FPS with 3000 Ft lbs of stopping power with deep penertration.
Its a little slower than my 7MM Mag but has similar energy.
It will definatly put the hurt on Mr or Mrs Griz.
If you want to use a hand gun go as big, hot, and hard as you possibly can.

 

[tch777]

Go big or go home right?

500 S&W has 2409 ft/lbs at 50 yards with a 400 grain bullet. I shot a few .500 rounds out of the 5" S&W revolver. I thought I broke my damn wrist!

Well the real point of my post was to make people think about the ballistics of their choice, and know what it can do. Then make the correct choice for what they intend to hunt or defend against.

I know that 500 S&W is out there but it is still a huge pistol to have to pack even with its 5 inch barrel. And not to mention wrecking your wrist trying to practice with it.

That is why I really think the Alaskan in 454 casull / 45 colt is such an ideal bear country gun. It has a 2.5 inch barrel and is easier to pack than the 500. Also you can actually shoot it for fun and practice with 45 colt rounds, especially with the Cowboy action loads out there.

I really like all guns in fact I want an AR-15, but I have to be realistic about it, by the time you got enough rounds of 223 bullets into a charging bear you will probably be mauled or killed.

Tim

 

[Z3PR]

.50 Desert Eagle. It's my fav toy. Just alittle expencive too shoot.

 

[tch777]

I agree with Jekbrown. research your ammo. For the .44 mag- check out the 265 grain Barne's Solids. I examined one that was pulled out of a brown bear that was shot in self defense- hardly deformed at all. Other than a small downslope on one edge of the bullet you would not have thought it had been shot. I don't remember what the bullet is made of for sure, but I want to say bronze. I love shooting large, magnum handguns but I only shot one of these and was done. However, in a emergency situation you will not notice the recoil, just the results.

Barnes bullets are all copper.
And these are excellent points too you have to use the correct bullet type. All of the loads I listed in my post were from hunting loads, except the 40 as it is not used for hunting. Another proven choice for pistols is a heavy HARD CAST lead bullet. As they are so hard they barely expand and hold together going thru bone too.

Tim

 

[jfabert]

Eather a .40 Desert Eagle or a Norinco 1911A1, depending on my mood. Usualy the .45 with hydro shocks though.

 

[ntx78k5]

I've got a .40 desert eagle polymer and I disagree that it has no stop power. Was chased by a 600lb hog is west TX after coming across her little one's Dove hunting 3 weekends ago. Fired 4 times and missed once, She died almost instantly after th 3rd shot and I was 6 feet from her at that time. 180 grain HP's. Not a single shot to the head.

I also carry a home defender with 6 rounds of OOO buck and sling with 15 more rounds on it for the trail or camping.

Otherwise its a 30:06 when actually hog or deer hunting. Very few bears in TX, few black bears in east TX and they are like over grown racoons.

 

[BranndonC]

i prefer to take 2 cannons with me *pics* lol j/k but i dont have any guns yet, but definately will in a few years

 

[jekbrown]

forget the 12ga ME at 50 yards... you probably wouldnt shoot a bear at that distance (unless you're hunting it). What is it at 50 feet? 1oz slug has some pow-ah.

j

 

[rcurrier44]

If you are realy looking for a defensive bear gun it would be better to look at the enegy at the muzzle for 2 reasons.

Unless you are walking around with it in your hand all the time you'll be lucky to get it out and armed before the bear gets to you. Most bears don't like to be around you just like you don't like to be around them...you are both deadly. Every bear (black or griz) I have run into have herd/smelled me before I saw them and were moving off. Most bad encounters around here are because neather the bear or the person knew the other was there untill they were right on top of eachother...a bear moves ALOT faster than you do.

The other is if you do shoot a grizly at 50 yards (or even 50 feet) you are most likely going to jail, will loose that powerfull gun, the truck you drove in there with and alot of $. At 50 feet thats poaching a protected species. That bear has to be so close that it can almost touch you. I think the average stoping distance for a bluff charge is around 20 feet...so I would think that to legaly shoot a griz he should be closer than that.

 

[FreedomIsntFree]

If you are realy looking for a defensive bear gun it would be better to look at the enegy at the muzzle for 2 reasons.

Unless you are walking around with it in your hand all the time you'll be lucky to get it out and armed before the bear gets to you. Most bears don't like to be around you just like you don't like to be around them...you are both deadly. Every bear (black or griz) I have run into have herd/smelled me before I saw them and were moving off. Most bad encounters around here are because neather the bear or the person knew the other was there untill they were right on top of eachother...a bear moves ALOT faster than you do.

The other is if you do shoot a grizly at 50 yards (or even 50 feet) you are most likely going to jail, will loose that powerfull gun, the truck you drove in there with and alot of $. At 50 feet thats poaching a protected species. That bear has to be so close that it can almost touch you. I think the average stoping distance for a bluff charge is around 20 feet...so I would think that to legaly shoot a griz he should be closer than that.

I don't know where I picked up the saying but it goes like this...

I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6