Carrying A Rifle?

[Amphibious]

i tested the 8.5" quite extensively, I liked it's size, but disliked the muzzle flip and the reduced mag capacity. it's certainly better then nothing though, and is very concealable. i found the 12.5" to be a nice balance between size, weight, and follow up shot time. now don't get me started on the Dominion/norjunko shotguns. seen better machining in highschool shop class. but they are cheap... what's with all that stinky grease #### they come covered in?

 

will put in for my ATC if I get a bush job again this year, hopefully I can take the .44 out to play again. it's lonely and dark in the safe. **** canadian handgun laws

[Freefall]

i tested the 8.5" quite extensively, I liked it's size, but disliked the muzzle flip and the reduced mag capacity.

 

 

The dominino arms one is magazine fed so still holds 5 rounds even though its only 8.5

[donnybrook]

Don't know if this is current but I'm sure you used to be able to apply for a permit to carry a sidearm as a commercial bush pilot. I doubt it would be worth all the hassle, though. Shotguns are way more practical for defence and survival IMO.

[dimit]

Some time ago I was talking with an old prospector about bear protection. He had some advice about carrying a hand gun. "File off the front sight", he told me. "That way it won't hurt so much when the bear shoves it up yer ar$eh0le."

 

I think he was trying to tell me how hard it is for the average shooter to inflict lethal damage when being charged.

 

Since I'm only, at best, an occasional shooter I make sure to practice with my shotgun before I tote it into bear country. Could be the best weapon and ammo in the world but it won't help me if I can't hit Yogi.

 

FYI When I'm in grizz country I carry a (registered) Mossberg Defender 12g and alternate loads of 000 shot and magnum slugs. Not as concerned about northern Alberta/Sask/BC blacks. If I were to work in polar bear country it'd be with me fer shur.

 

DM

[YTS Jockey]

My 2 cents, for what it's worth. I've personally shot 2 blacks while on the job. The first one was in a tree plant camp in Northern Ontario, where we had 5 bears in camp, and one was trying to make food out of some lonely planter while he was sleeping in his tent. A conservation officer (C.O.) had been in camp the same day and shot the same bear with a non lethal shot to make the bear "weary" of coming back. After having a conversation with the C.O. to ask him what we should do if it came back, I got a green light to "defend" myself and any person I thought was in immediate danger. Bear came back for one last sniff and lets just say that he never came back after meeting a slug from my Remington 870 defender. Next morning I had to deal with the typical tree huggers response to my potentially saving a persons life, I was the "cruelest guy on the face of the planet and I had no right to shoot that bear". Being the nice guy that I am I said to the huggers that "I'd make note of what tent they were in and let the bear have at them". Score Me 1 Bears 0

 

Second incident happened right after I dropped of a ship full of prospectors again in Northern Ontario. I was going to stay out with the guys instead of returning to base to do some stream fishing. I landed the machine in a recently harvested cut block, grabbed my telescopic pole my fishing vest and my trusty old 870. I was maybe 300' from the ship when a big old boar came out of the shrubs and started to charge me. This wasn't the first time I've encountered this behavior, dominant boars will often "fake charge" to let you know who's boss and then leave you alone as long as you leave most likely with an un-commanded bowel movement substantially moistening your underpants. I then fired a shot into the dirt to try and scare the bear, he stopped for a few seconds and then pounded the dirt once or twice, by this time I was back on him with the sights. Before I could even decide what I was going to do next the bear decided he had enough of me, and started to charge again, so I never hesitated, and let 'er fly. I hit the bear square in the chest and he turned away from me and headed off into the woods where I fired off my last shot broadside in the vitals area. I wasn't going to stick around to check the accuracy of my shots, I might've even missed it completely but the main thing is he was gone. Talk about an adrenaline rush. When I shot the bear, there was perhaps 40 or 50 feet between us. I did a 180 and headed back to the old long dawg, fired up, crossed the stream and went fishing on the other side of the creek. Caught a few specks that day. Score Me 2 Bears 0. I'm going to try and keep it that way, so that's why I carry a firearm.

 

I'm a big advocate of pilots carrying firearms specially during the summer months or when heading up the James/Hudson bay coast. I recently got an Authorization To Carry (ATC) a restricted firearm in Ontario. The old defender is parked and I'm now carrying a Smith and Wesson 460 magnum. This revolver is more then adequate to kill a polar bear as long as the shooter is proficient. This is not a gun that you're going to shoot with one hand at a fast approaching bear, I shoot this gun once a week at the range when I'm home. It has some serious bite and I have to say that my wrist is tender after shooting 5 consecutive rounds. The process to get an ATC is a little lengthy but relatively painless. You need to take a weekend long course and do a practical test, where you need to shoot 36 rounds at 3 different distances not missing the 9 ring more then 6 times. Then comes the application, a few questionnaires, couple reference letters from a few of your "old" buddies and a letter from your employer saying he doesn't condone firearms, and a few months later as long as the chief firearms officer doesn't think your going to go postal on anyone you get an ATC.

 

The biggest thing with firearms in any persons hands is that you really need to be proficient. I used to guide before I got into flying and many times I'd see guys and sometimes girls come into camp and they'd never shot their guns since the previous year. Well a lot of these peoples would miss their bears and then find excuses. Practice, practice, and more practice is all I can say if you're going to consider carrying a firearm in the machine. One more thing make darn sure that a loaded gun never makes it onto the helicopter. I used to do the spring break-up on the James Bay coast and if I could safely get out of the machine and check each firearm being loaded onto the ship I would. Countless times shells would come flying out of the gun, with a native guy looking at me in disbelief and then start to laugh. Never assume it's unloaded and that includes your own. Anyone who's taken any firearm course in Canada knows to P.R.O.V.E. any firearm safe before accepting any gun, and that should include in the helicopter. Well I could go on for many more paragraphs, cause I really like firearms but I should probably stop, I guess my two cents turned into a nickel. I'm guessing this one might get interesting.

 

Cheers

 

Keep the shinny side up and fly safe.

[Grasshopper]

Bladestrike, if you do end up carrying one, be sure to secure it WELL. Back in the day, when I flew Bell 47's in northern BC, I carried a Winchester 30/30 mounted on the firewall behind the passengers heads. In a major tangle with some trees one sad day, it came adrift and tore most of my right ear off. Major lesson for young buck, over and above the wreck.

[Bladestrike]

Thanks for all the great replies.

 

I have my restricted but sold off my last 9mm a few months ago, too much money going out the door at the meets, and that would probally just p### off any bear, but with 10 rounds I could really p### him off!

 

I do alot of hunting, and shoot quite regularly at the range, hundreds of .308 rounds every year, mostly free hand, so I do know how to shoot, but it's not required in my flying career at present. I'm flying Super Pumas and S61's, so I have no lack of room to carry something, but 200 miles out in the North Atlantic I doubt any firearm will do me much good. I flew Northern Ontario/Quebec for many years but have been offshore for the past ten. I was just curious as to what was required, in case I end up in your neck of the woods some day.

[DNH INC]

Thanks for all the great replies.

 

I have my restricted but sold off my last 9mm a few months ago, too much money going out the door at the meets, and that would probally just p### off any bear, but with 10 rounds I could really p### him off!

 

I do alot of hunting, and shoot quite regularly at the range, hundreds of .308 rounds every year, mostly free hand, so I do know how to shoot, but it's not required in my flying career at present. I'm flying Super Pumas and S61's, so I have no lack of room to carry something, but 200 miles out in the North Atlantic I doubt any firearm will do me much good. I flew Northern Ontario/Quebec for many years but have been offshore for the past ten. I was just curious as to what was required, in case I end up in your neck of the woods some day.

An Authorization To Carry (ATC) and a .454 Casull revolver does the trick nicely as well....

[ISE DA BY]

I pack a 45/70 guidegun or shorty 12 gauge with slugs that fits in my backpack.

 

Have to agree with the 45-70. Marlin makes a nice one, the 1895GS guide. Ways only 7 lbs and 37" long, lots of stopping power and all stainless. Bit expensive but she's purdy.

[Iceman]

I remember a particular engineer named Barry....he was a mini rambo...and he saved all our lives at camp.

what he did was totally a show of bravery and I admire him for his skill.

when he first saw the bear about half mile from camp, he set his plan into effect. he got his gear, guns, knives (and i do believe facepaint and camo jacket) together and kept a watchful eye on our wandering intruder. We felt safe in Barry's hands. He was here to protect us.

Several hours after the bear was spotted, and almost 6 km's away Barry slayed the beast that strayed with-in sight of our camp.

Without Barry, I think one of us in camp could have been bear food.

 

Thank you Barry for being young fit and determined to save us from impending doom.

 

Barry sounds like a total arseh0le, almost as bad as the hero that clocked a moose in the head with a carrousel and killed him, once upon a time.