That's what I have and it works for me.
Pump action shot gun for flyfishing
- Thread starter twig_40
- Start date
That's what I have and it works for me.
Thanks for all the ideas guys!
Yes it is for bear defence. I am not scared of bears, been around them all my life. Normally they run if they hear you, but I am not so naive to think that always happen. Especially when they are hungry and you have fresh fish at your feet. My wife used to work for fish and wild life and dealt with nuisance bears. She used to say that all bear spray did was mark them ( it contains a dye).
I didn't really want to mention "bear defence" as someone would mention that other thread.
We are also planning a trip to the Territory's this summer and I just want to have some peace of mind.
Yes it is for bear defence. I am not scared of bears, been around them all my life. Normally they run if they hear you, but I am not so naive to think that always happen. Especially when they are hungry and you have fresh fish at your feet. My wife used to work for fish and wild life and dealt with nuisance bears. She used to say that all bear spray did was mark them ( it contains a dye).
I didn't really want to mention "bear defence" as someone would mention that other thread.
We are also planning a trip to the Territory's this summer and I just want to have some peace of mind.
No one said it so far so I guess it's down to me, lol: better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it. Whew! Got it off my chest!
Quite true but personally, I'd prefer more than two shots.
I would suggest mossberg 500 with short barrel, much ligher then the 870 and anyone who doubts their quality needs to check out demolition ranch. I have an 870 and a 500. Prefer the 870 on the range but like carying the 500 in the field much more. Plus i prefer the contols on it. No bears here but like bunny hunting so do a lot of walking.
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redshooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
Probably exceedingly rare, but if you can afford and carry a portable powerful firearm why not? There are some outcomes though unlikely, I'd do as much as possible to prevent. Getting shredded by an angry animal happens to be one of those things.
This is one of those things we should be agitating for that might have success. De-restricting this or that is never going to happen, but a well thought out campaign to allow a Revolver for Wilderness Carry has a slim chance (relax the conditions a little). Forget a Semi it has one of those death multiplying magazines.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
My preference is the Mossberg over the Remington, because, due to my location, the gun must be shipped to a gunsmith for attention, and Mossberg parts are neither held in place by stab-locks or rivets, so are easy to replace ith little more than a screwdriver should a part fail. My gun is the 590, but a 500 with a short barrel is lighter, although the solid magazine tube end makes cleaning the magazine tube more challenging. That said, I'm not a fan of the Maverick 88. The stock is light and flimsy, and doesn't handle recoil very well. The actions of the ones I've handled are gritty and need much work with valve grinding compound to smooth out and slick up, and I prefer the tang mounted safety to a cross bolt.
Another consideration is the choice of a semi-auto shotgun. The advantages over the pump, is that in a stress situation the gun won't short stroke, the solid front end feels more stable, and provides a better platform should you need to shoot from a supported slung up position, than a magazine or barrel mounted sling attachment which is typical of most pump guns.
There is very little advantage to a long magazine on a bear guns, even though many bear guns seem to be equipped ith them. I upgraded to the a Magpul SGA stock from the Speedfeed for the adjustable LOP, and the improvement in gun handling and recoil control is remarkable, although I'm not crazy about the look. I epoxied a course thread swivel stud to the underside of the stock for convenience. Because the rocks along the coast are slippery, I got a heat shield to help protect the barrel from dents if I take a fall. When it comes to barrel lengths, I don't recommend a barrel length any shorter than 14", in fact I don't want a barrel so short that I can get my support hand out on front of the muzzle with the gun held in my shoulder. If, on a cold wet day, in the heat of the moment, you energetically cycle the action, and your hand slips past the slide just as you press the trigger, and the gun fires while your hand in front of the muzzle, its a game changer. If you do choose a very short barrel, ensure the gun is fitted with a hand-stop.
Rifle sights, of the ghost ring and rectangular post variety are extremely fast and accurate. The habit of mounting the bead right on the top of barrel without an intervening pedestal, on a pump or auto shotguns leaves much to be desired, since the front sight has to be equal in height to the rear if the gun is to hit point of aim. The receiver of the pump and auto shotgun is always higher than the barrel, and a tapered barrel increases the error. If a bead front sight is mounted right on the barrel, you'll have to depress the muzzle until the bead disappears from sight, in order to hit your intended target, otherwise the gun will shoot high.
Here's an example of the type of encounters I have experienced over the years . . .
Another consideration is the choice of a semi-auto shotgun. The advantages over the pump, is that in a stress situation the gun won't short stroke, the solid front end feels more stable, and provides a better platform should you need to shoot from a supported slung up position, than a magazine or barrel mounted sling attachment which is typical of most pump guns.
There is very little advantage to a long magazine on a bear guns, even though many bear guns seem to be equipped ith them. I upgraded to the a Magpul SGA stock from the Speedfeed for the adjustable LOP, and the improvement in gun handling and recoil control is remarkable, although I'm not crazy about the look. I epoxied a course thread swivel stud to the underside of the stock for convenience. Because the rocks along the coast are slippery, I got a heat shield to help protect the barrel from dents if I take a fall. When it comes to barrel lengths, I don't recommend a barrel length any shorter than 14", in fact I don't want a barrel so short that I can get my support hand out on front of the muzzle with the gun held in my shoulder. If, on a cold wet day, in the heat of the moment, you energetically cycle the action, and your hand slips past the slide just as you press the trigger, and the gun fires while your hand in front of the muzzle, its a game changer. If you do choose a very short barrel, ensure the gun is fitted with a hand-stop.
Rifle sights, of the ghost ring and rectangular post variety are extremely fast and accurate. The habit of mounting the bead right on the top of barrel without an intervening pedestal, on a pump or auto shotguns leaves much to be desired, since the front sight has to be equal in height to the rear if the gun is to hit point of aim. The receiver of the pump and auto shotgun is always higher than the barrel, and a tapered barrel increases the error. If a bead front sight is mounted right on the barrel, you'll have to depress the muzzle until the bead disappears from sight, in order to hit your intended target, otherwise the gun will shoot high.
Here's an example of the type of encounters I have experienced over the years . . .
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- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
On a recent trip we made to Haines AK, we encountered a female grizzly and her cub sharing the Chilkoot River with a herd of fly fishermen. There was plenty of salmon for everyone, so there was no competition for food to cause problems, but the curious nature of the cub was a potential issue, given the protective nature of the female . . .
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Boomer;
Happy Easter to you sir.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your real world experience with us, I for one very much appreciate both the content and the way you articulate the information.
The photos are grand as well.
I will say that I'm not totally enjoying the way the Speedfeed stock on my ancient Lakefield Mossberg handles the recoil. I may have to try a Magpul now based on your recommendation - you know for the sake of science and all.
Thanks again.
Dwayne
Happy Easter to you sir.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your real world experience with us, I for one very much appreciate both the content and the way you articulate the information.
The photos are grand as well.
I will say that I'm not totally enjoying the way the Speedfeed stock on my ancient Lakefield Mossberg handles the recoil. I may have to try a Magpul now based on your recommendation - you know for the sake of science and all.
Thanks again.
Dwayne
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Dwayne, I think you'll like the Mag-Pul stock, it uses a spacer system to achieve the correct LOP, and it fastens to the receiver by means of a short Allen bolt, which is accessed at the top of the pistol grip. This compares favorably to the typical Mossberg or Remington style stock screw that seem to be very long You might find the style of Allen key that has a ball end helpful. Hope Easter was as happy for you as it was for us.
