I kayak and camp in grizzly country. I am trying to decide whic gun to go with, a sawed off single shot 12ga with slugs or a 45Colt with 300 gr hard cast handloads (five shots)
Take both if those are your only options, and have both on hand. And I would use Breneke slugs, unless your 12 ga. is rifled bore, then the sabot rounds would be good.
But, 5 shots is always better than one. Even though I love single shot firearms, I wouldn't rely on them without somebody backing me up in bear country.
But they do beat a stick
Dave
Considering that your 12 gauge is a single shot, I would probably opt for the handgun. If it were me, I would want a 454 Raging Bull or something similar.
Jeez, best action I`d imagine if you used the single shot, if confronted by a cantakerous grizzly would be to shot your buddy in the leg with it and run like hell..
I`d want at the very least, a few rounds. So I vote revolver.
You can buy an 870 clone named Pardner that Marlin Imports that is said to be identical to the Remington and just as well made.
You can inter change the parts as well. Go to the H&R web site to see them and they have a sawed off version too. You can also see the different model singleshot shotguns and rifles they sell too.
Your very best bet though would be a Maverick by Mossberg, sawed off shotgun with 20" barrel that can be bought cheap too and is an excellent choice for what you want it for.
A pistol would be handier but probably cost more...A.H
I have a Rem. M31 Riot gun but since I'm traveling by sea kayak with all my camp gear. room is a factor. Re the 454 whatever, I load my Freedom Arms 45 Colt pretty hot, 26gr W296 and 300gr hard cast semi wad cutter. About all I care to handle.
I haven't had an encounter yet but have see plenty of sign in some places I've camped.
what type of velocity's are you seeing with that combo? I am loading 23grs of lil gun with a 325 hard cast. It pushes 1200fps out of my 7.5" ruger blackhawk and just under 1100 out of my 5.5" bisley.
If you're going to go with the single shot slug gun, you better aim true! That .45 colt is barely going to have the sting of a house fly to a grizzly. LOL. You'd be much better off with a .44 mag or bigger. If you have the luxury, pack both the shotgun and the pistol...you really have to decide how much your life is worth to you. I would say it's worth the cost of a .45-70 guide gun, or a .44 mag at the very least!
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i wouldnt want a single shot anything.
and the most powerful firearm i could get my hands on would be my choice.
get a hand cannon and get good with it.
this might give you a chance.
__________________ "I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to."
Last edited by billy; 12-20-2007 at 07:24 AM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Go with the 12 gauge 3 inch chamber and
Remington buckhammer ammunition for the following two reasons. 1. You will most likely have to make a "raise and point the barrel instinctive shot" at close range if a bear attacks. 2. A buckhammer load is vastly superior to any handgun load in put down/stopping power which is what you must have.
Go with the 12 gauge 3 inch chamber and
Remington buckhammer ammunition for the following two reasons. 1. You will most likely have to make a "raise and point the barrel instinctive shot" at close range if a bear attacks. 2. A buckhammer load is vastly superior to any handgun load in put down/stopping power which is what you must have.
Remington Buckhammer ammo is only recommended for rifled slug barrels.A sawed off with a souped up,or any other kind of load would be a handful and the BH probably wouldnt be any different than any other slug in a short smoothbore.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun
is the 45 Colt a ruger if so you can take the power to 454 capabilities
You will never get a .45 Colt up to .454 capability,s.You cant even get them up to .44 Mag capability,s sam.
Last edited by samuel; 12-20-2007 at 11:32 AM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Go with the 12 gauge 3 inch chamber and
Remington buckhammer ammunition for the following two reasons. 1. You will most likely have to make a "raise and point the barrel instinctive shot" at close range if a bear attacks. 2. A buckhammer load is vastly superior to any handgun load in put down/stopping power which is what you must have.
You are correct , if there is an attack it would probably be very close and very fast. Multiple shots probably aren't in the picture.
You will never get a .45 Colt up to .454 capability,s.You cant even get them up to .44 Mag capability,s sam.[/quote]
I beg to differ You can easily exceed any safe load for a 44 mag with the 45 long Colt. You just have to have a strong gun to handle the pressures. The Ruger Blackhawk in its many guises and the Freedom Arms guns are strong enough.
Last edited by okole; 12-20-2007 at 06:47 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I agree with okole that infact you can load the .45LC hotter than the .44Mag. If you look in the Sierra reloading manuals or others they have two different .45LC loading data. The data for the Colt Single Actions and all clones and then the Ruger blackhawk and T/C Encore reloading data. The later is much hotter than the first and compared to the .44Mag they are pretty much the same. I have read on many sites that with the larger case capacity of the .45 it can be loaded hotter.
shaun, you canNOT take the 45colt to the same power levels as a 454 casull- even in a ruger. for a guy who supposedly runs a reloading company, you've come up with some serious BS regarding the 45 over the years! i'll disagree with sam also, you can load the 45colt to the same power levels as the 44mag in a ruger superblackhawk. but for someone who is "in the business" shaun has come up with some humdingers over the years regarding loading cartridges.
A big revolver that you can handle. A single shot might not do the job. Maybe a short 870 Remington or similar shotgun with more than one shot. Make sure the shotgun is not too short, federal laws and such.
