The Homestead Firearm

Actually as a former outfitter in Alaska i carried a Ithaca pump 12 gauge (you can hold the trigger down and slam fire it). First round was loaded with BB shot and remaining rounds were sabot slugs. First shot was to be to the face to blind/disorient remaining slugs were to kill. I also carried a custom 44 mag super redhawk side arm with a 4 inch barrel with hand loaded sierra silhouette bullets (no expansion for deeper penetration). You dont want a handgun with a longer barrel since in theory if the bear is still coming at you after you used the shotgun/rifle he is going to be on you. You need a sidearm with a short barrel so you can work it around between you and the bear to get off a shot at his vitals. The longer the barrel the harder it is to "turn" it under the bears weight if he is on you mauling you. Just my 2 cents on the bear thing....


As a follow up.... i use to love it when lower 48er's came into my shop wanting to buy a 9mm for bear protection on their trail hikes. I would ask them if they would like to purchase a file to go along with it. Their general response would be something like "why would we need a file?" I would tell them "you will want to file the the front sight off so it doesnt hurt so bad when the bear shoves it up your arse!"

Good article-for my homestead I like my old 1917A1 with 10gal water jug and battery operated water pump...Makes a mess out of varmints,but I was'nt going to eat them anyway....

The mythical stopping ability of birdshot that is constantly promulgated just bugs me to no end. Birdshot doesn't generally produce wounds severe enough to stop people let alone charging bears. While blowing up chunks of ice is cool and fun as all get out, it isn't an analog to a human or a bear. Based on the actual ballistic evidence I've been able to gather #1 buck is about the best compromise between lethality and over penetration in a home situation.

__________________
Respect The Cactus!

I too question the effectiveness of # 9 bird shot. So do many turkey hunters who use #4 and #5 loads.

A couple of things here. First, three words; blunt force trauma. You do not need penetration to stop someone.

At close range, around 10 feet, a load of #6 shot center mass would stop just about any human attacker. I've posted the numbers before, a light load of #6 shot (7/8 oz) is equal to the bowling ball moving at 70 mph. A bowling ball is going to have about zero penetration but do you thing someone would be able to continue an attack after taking one to the chest?

I don't know if a head shot would kill a bear but I'm fairly sure it would inflect enough damage to allow you to live. If nothing else it should slow his ability to attack to the point you could stick the barrel in his side and pull the trigger. The shot plus the gases would do the trick (think shark bang stick).

__________________
Remember, when seconds count. . .
the police are just MINUTES away!

Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. . .Davy Crockett

What people generally don't understand about shotguns(too much TV crap)is generally speaking the load opens about 1" per foot of travel,so yes a load of light bird shot will make a mess in a human from 5ft away,but you've allowed the threat to get too close at that distance..I've found #4 buck is quite effective at usual shotgun range 20-50 ft..Birdshot on a bear??I don't think so-Slugs and as many as you can hit him with would be my preference.

Unfortunately that isn't the case. You absolutely need penetration to stop and attacker. Man or animal.

Have you actually read any of the numerous studies on wound ballistics? Start with the studies done by Martin L. Fackler, MD and the ones done by Duncan MacPherson. They debunk many of the myths and explore the actual science of wound ballistics. Go through the library and see if you can obtain copes of The Wound Ballistics Review put out by The International Wound Ballistics Association. Lots of good information there.

__________________
Respect The Cactus!

I had no idea that there were so many bear-a-phobics on this forum who have done so much thinking about bear attacks in the lower 48 (read black bear, not grizz or brown). Iis there a big probem with bear attacks in the lower 48? If so, I haven't heard on it. We've found the best way to fend off bears in our neck of the woods is to clang two frying pans together....works everytime.

__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

Not as long as Cabin Fever keeps em skeered away with his pans.Has worked so far. Either that or the fact Indiana has no bears.
Every gun is a good gun

Anyone using #9 birdshot on a bear has bigger cajones than me. I wouldn't use the 12 gauges firepower, with #9 shot, on an ice block as a viable 'test'. A better test might be a wet phone book. I have shot grizzly bears in AK, with rubber bullets, and firecracker rounds... they hurt, but don't kill. I've seen grizzly bear hides, and wouldn't trust any 12ga round smaller than buckshot, to even break through the hide. I can tell you from experience, that a boar hog (wild or feral, take your pick) has a shield, that even buckshot won't hurt. Was raised on hog hunting... back in my youth, we'd catch with dogs, or trap them. The 'shields' were very tough. Just this January, my BIL shot a 250lb boar, through the shield, with a 30.06 fifty feet away... it made it through the shield and stuck in the near side rib cage...

Point is, a wild boar hog is tougher to kill than a grizzly, in a full on charge.

Grizzly bears, as a general rule, aren't out to Kill you and Eat you. If you pose a threat, they want the threat (you) to go away. They'll 'kill' you... if you play dead, you'll probably live.... unless you're unlucky enough to stumble upon an injured bear, through wounds or through loss of teeth. If the bear keeps mauling you, you have to fight back. Be aware that grizzly bears sometimes don't know they're dead. A bear that might have bluffed charged you..... if you shoot it and injure it, decide to go ahead and attack... and even though it's gonna die in a few minutes, will be able to kill you...

If one follows proper bear avoidance techniques, bears aren't an issue.

The people that have the most problems with bears (grizzlies) are the people that are actually hunting them... poking around in tight areas... not making noise (trying to sneak up on one)...

More people die of hypothermia each year, than from grizzer bears... but no one is rushing around worrying about cold weather...

nice blog!

__________________
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Well, I must be very good then 'cause I've shot a few moving dogs with my little .410

They would be bigger than most of us carry around! I am merely pointing out that at 5 feet the shot from a modified choke shotgun hits with almost the authority of a 12 gauge slug as all the #9 shot is still together and has not spread at all. Shoot a piece of old tin or a paper at 5 feet and you will find the hole is not much bigger than 12 gauge. At that range you would basically be hitting the target with a 1 1/8 ounce piece of lead. It will destroy the ice block at that range. As the range increases and the pattern opens the penetration decreases rapidly. Remember, I said if you had the nerve to let it get five feet or less from the barrel. Not many would.

Thanks, ET

__________________
Make time for the important things in life.
http://wildedtexas.blogspot.com/

http://wildedtx.blogspot.com/

Black bear numbers are recovering in most remote areas of TX, LA, and ARK and may become a concern on remote homesteads if they start coming by for a snack. Wild pigs are a different matter and the Boars require some respect when you think about a weapon that will stop them with a well placed shot. The 12GA with slugs might do the job, but I have little confidence since I've never fired the combination. Buckshot could be deflected by a charging boar's shield instead of reaching vitals. I believe I would rather have a comfortable, easy to climb tree. A heavy pistol in a chest holster would be welcome once I was up the tree. A smart dog is a very good thing in wild hog country.

The .22 rimfire is so handy, it is always a favorite..I did select a RF rifle that is accurate, accepts a real 1" scope and digests .22 shorts as well as .22 LR without any adjustment or problems.

For the life of me, I don't understand the attraction of the little rifles like the AR-15 or Ruger Mini-14 that are neither fish nor fowl. The poorest third world nation on earth would never buy either for their armed forces. They would require true assault weapons capable of laying down automatic fire to supress an attack. A .243 Win. bolt action rifle in the hands of a rifleman would be more effective for almost any homestead situation requiring a rifle than either the Ruger or AR-15. Neither is known for accuracy.

An easy to swing 12GA mag. with a 8 shot capacity would be handy in the dark of night when/if someone kicks down the door. That extra long tube makes a good place to clip a light. I like Zants idea of no.4 buck for close work in the dark.
Whadda you think?...Glen

__________________
The more a man travels, acquires wisdom and learns about life, the more likely he is to marry a Country Girl.

I used to feel the same way as you about the .223 in an AR-15. I still do not care for the Ruger as it is hard to make accurate. I worked with an exotic game ranch where we had to harvest extra does and kill all feral hogs and the AR-15 with proper hunting bullets was the rifle of choice. I became a believer but these are not the same rifles that were available after the Vietnam Conflict. You might like to read an article I wrote on Todays Black Rifle. Some people will never like the rifles and that is what makes the world go round. My girls and my wife now deer hunt with them every year. ET

http://wildedtx.blogspot.com/2008/02...ack-rifle.html

__________________
Make time for the important things in life.
http://wildedtexas.blogspot.com/

http://wildedtx.blogspot.com/

Ed..Sounds like you have given the AR-15 a good work out and test. I admit I haven't ever fired an AR-15 although I packed the M-16 around DaNang a long time ago. I recall the frequent comment, "made by Matel, it's swell" which was wry, war zone humor about some feeding problems and the plastic stock.

As a reloader and wanna-be benchrest shooter, my comments reflect my opinion of the .223 round which started life as a trade off by Remington but served well for those grunts that had to pack in enough ammo for a sustained firefight. Lots better than the 7.62 NATO in bulk and weight. Later, abudant resupply choppers made it less important.

For what ever reason, I believe rifles exist for accurate shot placement and for me that is MOA or better for 5 rounds from sand bags. I understand why the Military and Law Enforcment need to forsake accuracy for rate of fire, sometimes...Glen

__________________
The more a man travels, acquires wisdom and learns about life, the more likely he is to marry a Country Girl.

AR-15 type rifles are shockingly accurate. They can be real tackdrivers. Sub MOA rifles. Even the box stock basic ones from many manufacturers are MOA rifles. I've got one set up for National Match competition and it is more accurate than I generally am able to utilize. It was advertised as a MOA rifle and it does better than that. I've used my NM AR for coyote hunting ever since I've owned it.

Another great appeal of the AR platform is its great ergonomics and versatility. Like i said before I have a National Match AR-15 but I have another configured as a homestead utility rifle. Instead of the long heavy barrel it has a short 16 inch barrel, collapsing stock and is equipped with an EOTech holographic sight. I've used this to dispatch vicious stray pitbulls who were intent on liberating large chunks of flesh from my delicate person. I've used it on coyotes, stray dogs, coons, foxes, cats, bobcats, groundhogs and other pests which have had aims on the livestock. And of course, if ever, god forbid, it would be necessary to defend myself and family against feral vermin of the two legged variety it does well in that capacity also. You can even set the AR up as a pistol if you feel the need.

While I agree on the .223 being less than optimal it is quite effective for many tasks on the homestead. It is also very easy to learn to operate and one rifle can be made adjustable for every member of the family with adjustable stocks and grips. there is a reason why the AR is one of the most widely sold and popular rifles in the country and why everyone and his uncle currently manufactures them.

It has its problems like anything. The .223 is weak for extreme distance shooting or large game like deer but now they build ARs in .308, .300 win mag, .338 Lapua, .204 ruger, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel and more. The gas system is inherently problematic. It has to be kept clean and is less than optimal. That can also be corrected though by aftermarket short stroke gas piston retrofits or a newly manufactured AR with a gas piston.

__________________
Respect The Cactus!

My newest AR with free floated bull barrel and custom trigger is 1/2 MOA with the right load and if I can do my part at the bench. It is a flat top equipped with a Varmint Scope. They are not anything like the OLY Arms AR I had in the early 80s.

__________________
Make time for the important things in life.
http://wildedtexas.blogspot.com/

http://wildedtx.blogspot.com/