SMD 12 saved my bacon and killed a charging cougar!

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BabySeal

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I like to hike out away from everything. I bring a shotgun just in case.

When I saw this, I did begin to wonder if I would be running into any big mean yellow kitties.


cougarpoop.jpg




So there I am walking along singing to myself, enjoying life when there she was straight ahead on the narrow little trail I was on, crouched like she was ready to pounce and bearing her teeth!

She was only about 15 meters away. I was crapping my pants before she shot out towards me. I couldnt believe she was so agressive right off the bat.







Cougar1.jpg


Doesnt she look mean!!! haha.

First I tried some slugs. First one from the hip didnt hurt too bad but it missed low. So I had to bring it up to fire the other three shots. The accuracy was pretty good at 15 meters and was also damn loud. But my god, its 3 hours later now and my hand still hurts! The top of the grip really bites into the web of your thumb and gives that pressure point there a good jab.

CougarSlugs.jpg



Then, happy to switch away from slugs I tried one shot of some low recoil 00 buck. It only has nine nickel plated pellets per shell and it was quite a bit softer than the slugs. This one I fired from only 10 meters, but the patern is actually tighter than what I used to get from my 12 inch IC choked 870. This is a pretty workable level of recoil. I just have to work on my aim! (that is all nine inside the circle)

CougarBuck.jpg



Then I began running a 25 rd box of #8 shot through the gun. This was ok. You can one hand it if you arent already briused and battered from slugs I imagine. Two handed is nothing and I found I was starting to ge the hang of aiming this little guy when firing from the hip.

CougarDead.jpg


So there is my range report. I am going to go soak my hands in some cold water now!!!

OUCH!!!

* EDIT * Oh, and the rails on the slide dont hurt at all. In fact, I think the traction they provide is VERY good.
 
So are you gonna get it stuffed? This brings up a point. Lots of people have a camp gun or hiking gun but how many of them actually get out with it and learn how to shoot it?
 
Lol BabySeal good hustle:) About shootiong position I read that shooting PGO shotguns your height above the waist is determined by the grip angle. The more vertical the grip, the higher you hold it. So you want your wrist to be as straight as possible. If you've got a bird's-head grip you fire down around the waist, and a pistol grip you fire up by the armpit.

Might be useful to try point or 'snap' shooting as well. you line your index finger up with the barrel and pull the trigger with the middle finger, so you just point with your finger at the target and the shotgun follows.


P.S. so cougars leave hairballs like that?
 
Ref the poop, It could be rabbit I suppose, but the hair is very thick. Bristly.

I wonder if its from a deer and digestion turned it white. I know they take down deer.

For grip angles, when I am not so sore anymore (Still am) I will give some different heights a try. Belly button height seemed to work the best but I didnt really experiment that much.

I have a long way to go before I can feel 100% confident with this gun.

Its a whole new ball of wax really. I felt pretty damn competent with my old 870. This one is not a smooth transition. It is REALLY small!

But you know... I really think that this is not an impossible thing to get handy with. And I like a challenge.

All round this is just an exciting gun. And I am quite pleased with its performance. (its me that needs work!)
 
wat he said!!!

I have a fairly powerful laser and at night time its the cats pyjamas. But in daylight it all but disappears.

Just goota learn to shoot this puppy instinctively.
 
Shooting slugs ***ANY*** pistol grip shot gun BITES you, especially on the web of your hand.

This causes you top not shoot it much, and not practice much, which is a HUGE mistake.

If you want a firearm to be dependable for you then you GOTTA practice wiht it, with the ammo that you choose to use for defense.

i suggest that owners of this shotgun use only 2 3/4" slugs (they are just as effective) suck it up, wear a BIG padded glove, and keep in practice.

I guarantee you that the "ouchy" you feel from shooting that gun is nothing compared to a bear taking a roast out of you with thier teeth.;)
 
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Try to use your front arm more to absorb the recoil.
Push forward on the loop with your front hand and pull back a bit with the rear hand to tension the gun between both arms.
 
I don't know what kind of slugs you were using, but if they were 1600fps standard slugs, you have another option....
Try some Remington "Reduced Recoil" slugs @ 1200fps. Big difference.
 
Start out your time at the range with a bunch of trap loads to get the basic aim feeling more instinctive, then switch to a pile of 2 3/4" slugs. This is what I did when I was getting used to my pistol grip.

I also found different grips really affected that webbing of the hand, the pacymayr grip didn't hurt me with a "normal" sized shotgun. I haven't tried the hogue that ships with this unit though.
 
Firing it normally isnt what did it.

It was firing that group of 3 slugs. Since I missed from the hip I wanted to look down the front sight at the target. Theres really only one way to that and it begs to be tried with this gun.

When I fired like Can-Down described, I found it quite manageable. Its just that I was already bruised.
 
If you try the trap loads and the recoil is o.k.you could reload or get someone to reload buckshot or slug loads with the same power/recoil. Not all slug/buckshot loads have to be 1600fps, 1000-1200 fps. with buckshot or my .715" round ball would be deadly.
 
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