Opinion or Advice I seek

twin50 · 11-06-2010, 06:00 PM

Ok, here goes. I am going to be working in the mountains of WV, Western Md, Southern to Mid PA. Most of the work will be fairly private, rural remote depends on who's talking I guess. The question is black bear and the bigger cats what firearms would you like to have or that you use. A few conditions I have are:It will be dragged around in and out equipment and vechicles always close to me. If I get in a Law Enforcement situation I don't need to be spending hours explaining myself. Keep in mind I have what I need and I probably will not be mobile with those though. So....12ga. with slugs and handgun to compliment it. .357 .44 .454 or go with 45 or 44 rifle handgun combo. With the added self protection as well other than wildlife. Thanks
Money is an issue to a degree.

Pogo · 11-06-2010, 10:47 PM

Well, my preference would be a 12 gauge shotgun with a slug. But it could become a problem to pack around with you all the time.

When I'm in black bear country, I carry a .44 Magnum. That's plenty powerful for them. In fact, a .357 would do the job, but you would have to be more precise in bullet placement. Anything bigger than .44 Magnum would be great, but then again you are going to have additional weight.

I carry a .44 Magnum and feel plenty safe. Just be alert and don't allow one to catch you by surprise.

5knives · 11-06-2010, 11:21 PM

What Pogo said!*

Load the 12 gauge pump with Brenneke slugs, a .44 mag with soft points NOT hp's and your good to go any place in North or South America.

Least that combo has given me more peace of mind than any other over the years.

Moreso than carrying a rifle for some reason, believe it's because the closer "IT" gets, the more "IT's" going to get hurt.

Best if the .44 is D.A and a 4" bbl is plenty, I've never been able to handle a D.A in .44 so I make do with a SBH w/4 5/8" bbl. Minimum pistol would be a 45acp 1911 or any reliable .357 revolver.

Believe you might possibly encounter some surly hogs and their families in that part of the country too, might include that possibility in your plans.

Siss cat likes to jump on your back from above and bite your head, but she's comparitively easy to make extinct. Brer' Bear is the main concern, just plain unpredictable, stronger than most folks can imagine and the vitlal organs are not where most folks think they are.

If I could have only one it'd be the 12 bore, and I'd keep it right close to me ALL the time.

All JMHO, as always, OMMV and that's fine too!

Regards,

...

ErikD · 11-07-2010, 03:30 AM

Just throwing an idea in here, and as we don't have black bear here, I don't have any personal experience with that.

However, I do have a friend who has spent most of his life carrying a revolver for self defence in the wilds of Africa. Due to elephant being a potential problem, he has carried a S&W 329 for some years, but if they were not a problem, and the only dangerous animal he faced were lion, then he would go for a .357mag S&W model 60 with a 3 inch barrel. With either hard cast bullets (such as Cast Performance), or bullets made by a guy named Ken Stewart in South Africa. His reasoning being that there is not a whole lot of difference in "knock down" power between the the 357 and 44 (with the right bullets), but the model 60 is so much slimmer and handier that it makes it a lot easier to carry it with you all the time.

Maybe he's full of shit, but on the other hand, he's shot more 4 legged and 2 legged dangerous animals than most people.

This is of course as a back up in addition to a long gun.

With that said, I don't know how tough black bears are compared to African lions.

10 Bears · 11-07-2010, 08:04 AM

With a little "research" I think you will find that an African Lion is a hell of a lot more tough than a black bear.
That being said, shot placement can be difficult when either critter has your head in their mouth.

twin50 · 11-07-2010, 08:25 AM

I do believe I am going to stick with a 12ga and .44 plus I have always been real comfortable with a 12 ga laying around with different loads. Thanks

gunkgy · 11-07-2010, 11:38 AM

I like 45LC with 250 or 260gr Keith type semi wad cutters. Seemed to have allot of poop to them.

Of course these were shot from a modern gun, not an old or replica cowboy gun. A tad bit hotter load.

RetVet · 11-07-2010, 12:35 PM

The bigger threat in any of those areas would be coons or red necks that don't get out of the hollows too often. Shotgun should do nicely on either vermin.

5knives · 11-07-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetVet

The bigger threat in any of those areas would be coons or red necks that don't get out of the hollows too often. Shotgun should do nicely on either vermin.

Regards,

...

twin50 · 11-07-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5knives

Regards,

...

Yep, I have been fairly deep into the "backer woods" within the last month scouting work. A realtor that I met told me when I asked about LEO's he said they don't come this far back too often. When people say they going to shoot you for stealing or whatnot THEY DO. To a certain degree I am the same. The area seems to be about 30-40 years behind but, I love the raw beauty of the area.

The work I will be doing is pasture reclaiming and slope brush mowing up to 45 degrees. The only thing my wife does not like about it is that I will be alone. I enjoy the solitude for short periods of time 2 years is about my limit.

Desert Rat · 11-07-2010, 04:26 PM

I take a sort of different tack on questions like this and the first thing I consider is the likelihood of such an attack happening to me. In your case I think the odds of a Mt. lion jumping you would be very, very slim.

I have a friend in Canada who works in forestry and has for several years. His weapon of choice is NOTHING. He keeps a 12 ga back at his camp but carries nothing and in spite of seeing LOTS of bears, has never had any serious trouble with them. 0 from cats.

Don't know what your work scenario will be at all but of course it's hard to do most work while carrying a shotgun.

Bottom line is considering the very low odds of you having a serious encounter with anything, I think I'd opt for something VERY comfortable that I could wear all the time and ALWAYS have with me. Keep in mind most animals in this hemisphere understand a warning shot pretty well. (A starter pistol could work)

But I wouldn't saddle myself with some big clunky gun that you'll get sick of packing around and 90 days into the job start leaving it at your camp etc.

To be specific, I think I'd get a good stainless .357 in 4" and wear it all the time. For camp, some used but reliable 12 ga. It sounds to me like your most likely to have a dangerous encounter with hogs than anything.

JMHO

Pogo · 11-07-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunkgy

I like 45LC with 250 or 260gr Keith type semi wad cutters. Seemed to have allot of poop to them.

Of course these were shot from a modern gun, not an old or replica cowboy gun. A tad bit hotter load.

Yep. A 45 Long Colt (in a modern firearm) can be loaded up to about the same as a .44 Magnum, and it's a wee bit larger diameter.

In my Ruger Flat Top or in one of my Vaqueros, it would be a definite bear killer.

ErikD · 11-07-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

Bottom line is considering the very low odds of you having a serious encounter with anything, I think I'd opt for something VERY comfortable that I could wear all the time and ALWAYS have with me.

Which is why I think a S&W Model 60 with a 3 inch barrel might be an idea for him. The J frame is smaller and more comfortable to carry than the larger L (686, 586 etc) or N (629, 329 etc) frame. OK, the J frame only has 5 shots, but if you need much more than that, you're going to need a speedloader or two anyway...

twin50 · 11-07-2010, 06:31 PM

Also, Is anyone reading a pretty good series? I am an avid reader and that is one of the ways I will spend my downtime doing. I really like William J. Johnstone

Desert Rat · 11-07-2010, 07:33 PM

If you liked James Bond stories, I'm doing a somewhat similar series now by the author Ted Bell. First in the series is "Hawke" followed by "Assassin, Pirate and Spy." (And a couple more after that.)

What TYPE stories do you like? I know lots of good series.

11-06-2010, 06:00 PM	#1
twin50 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,080	Opinion or Advice I seek Ok, here goes. I am going to be working in the mountains of WV, Western Md, Southern to Mid PA. Most of the work will be fairly private, rural remote depends on who's talking I guess. The question is black bear and the bigger cats what firearms would you like to have or that you use. A few conditions I have are:It will be dragged around in and out equipment and vechicles always close to me. If I get in a Law Enforcement situation I don't need to be spending hours explaining myself. Keep in mind I have what I need and I probably will not be mobile with those though. So....12ga. with slugs and handgun to compliment it. .357 .44 .454 or go with 45 or 44 rifle handgun combo. With the added self protection as well other than wildlife. Thanks Money is an issue to a degree.

11-06-2010, 10:47 PM	#2
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,997	Well, my preference would be a 12 gauge shotgun with a slug. But it could become a problem to pack around with you all the time. When I'm in black bear country, I carry a .44 Magnum. That's plenty powerful for them. In fact, a .357 would do the job, but you would have to be more precise in bullet placement. Anything bigger than .44 Magnum would be great, but then again you are going to have additional weight. I carry a .44 Magnum and feel plenty safe. Just be alert and don't allow one to catch you by surprise. __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

11-07-2010, 03:30 AM	#4
ErikD Mzungu Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the land of socialist nepotism and corruption. Posts: 6,342	Just throwing an idea in here, and as we don't have black bear here, I don't have any personal experience with that. However, I do have a friend who has spent most of his life carrying a revolver for self defence in the wilds of Africa. Due to elephant being a potential problem, he has carried a S&W 329 for some years, but if they were not a problem, and the only dangerous animal he faced were lion, then he would go for a .357mag S&W model 60 with a 3 inch barrel. With either hard cast bullets (such as Cast Performance), or bullets made by a guy named Ken Stewart in South Africa. His reasoning being that there is not a whole lot of difference in "knock down" power between the the 357 and 44 (with the right bullets), but the model 60 is so much slimmer and handier that it makes it a lot easier to carry it with you all the time. Maybe he's full of shit, but on the other hand, he's shot more 4 legged and 2 legged dangerous animals than most people. This is of course as a back up in addition to a long gun. With that said, I don't know how tough black bears are compared to African lions. __________________ ------------------------------------------- Cut along dotted line, discard top part.

11-07-2010, 08:25 AM	#6
twin50 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,080	12ga and .44 I do believe I am going to stick with a 12ga and .44 plus I have always been real comfortable with a 12 ga laying around with different loads. Thanks

11-07-2010, 11:38 AM	#7
gunkgy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Now, North Carolina Posts: 6,594	I like 45LC with 250 or 260gr Keith type semi wad cutters. Seemed to have allot of poop to them. Of course these were shot from a modern gun, not an old or replica cowboy gun. A tad bit hotter load. __________________

11-06-2010, 11:21 PM	#3
5knives KaBoom Kontrol Modulator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado, Western Slope Posts: 16,229	What Pogo said!* Load the 12 gauge pump with Brenneke slugs, a .44 mag with soft points NOT hp's and your good to go any place in North or South America. Least that combo has given me more peace of mind than any other over the years. Moreso than carrying a rifle for some reason, believe it's because the closer "IT" gets, the more "IT's" going to get hurt. Best if the .44 is D.A and a 4" bbl is plenty, I've never been able to handle a D.A in .44 so I make do with a SBH w/4 5/8" bbl. Minimum pistol would be a 45acp 1911 or any reliable .357 revolver. Believe you might possibly encounter some surly hogs and their families in that part of the country too, might include that possibility in your plans. Siss cat likes to jump on your back from above and bite your head, but she's comparitively easy to make extinct. Brer' Bear is the main concern, just plain unpredictable, stronger than most folks can imagine and the vitlal organs are not where most folks think they are. If I could have only one it'd be the 12 bore, and I'd keep it right close to me ALL the time. All JMHO, as always, OMMV and that's fine too! Regards, ...

11-07-2010, 08:04 AM	#5
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	With a little "research" I think you will find that an African Lion is a hell of a lot more tough than a black bear. That being said, shot placement can be difficult when either critter has your head in their mouth.

11-07-2010, 12:35 PM	#8
RetVet Statistical Error Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Homeless Posts: 43,702	The bigger threat in any of those areas would be coons or red necks that don't get out of the hollows too often. Shotgun should do nicely on either vermin. __________________ ^^^ For entertainment purposes. Use only as directed. ^^^ III

11-07-2010, 04:26 PM	#11
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	I take a sort of different tack on questions like this and the first thing I consider is the likelihood of such an attack happening to me. In your case I think the odds of a Mt. lion jumping you would be very, very slim. I have a friend in Canada who works in forestry and has for several years. His weapon of choice is NOTHING. He keeps a 12 ga back at his camp but carries nothing and in spite of seeing LOTS of bears, has never had any serious trouble with them. 0 from cats. Don't know what your work scenario will be at all but of course it's hard to do most work while carrying a shotgun. Bottom line is considering the very low odds of you having a serious encounter with anything, I think I'd opt for something VERY comfortable that I could wear all the time and ALWAYS have with me. Keep in mind most animals in this hemisphere understand a warning shot pretty well. (A starter pistol could work) But I wouldn't saddle myself with some big clunky gun that you'll get sick of packing around and 90 days into the job start leaving it at your camp etc. To be specific, I think I'd get a good stainless .357 in 4" and wear it all the time. For camp, some used but reliable 12 ga. It sounds to me like your most likely to have a dangerous encounter with hogs than anything. JMHO

11-07-2010, 06:31 PM	#14
twin50 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,080	Reading Also, Is anyone reading a pretty good series? I am an avid reader and that is one of the ways I will spend my downtime doing. I really like William J. Johnstone

11-07-2010, 07:33 PM	#15
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	If you liked James Bond stories, I'm doing a somewhat similar series now by the author Ted Bell. First in the series is "Hawke" followed by "Assassin, Pirate and Spy." (And a couple more after that.) What TYPE stories do you like? I know lots of good series.