Antipiracy SHTF for a fisherman?

[roger_witten]

This is kind of an odd question. If you've seen in the news recently it's getting dangerous to be operating in international waters.

What is a good SHTF weapon for a fishing vessel? It needs to be something suitable to engage targets out to 350m, with a good rate of fire and stopping power. My vessel is 32m long, so portability is important.

I also need to be able to discreetly stow this weapon for reasons having to do with laws in gun-unfriendly places or police.

Sidearms are easy. Easily acquired, heavy hitting things I'm at a loss for.

 

[caseypj]

An SKS would be inexpensive and pack a punch. Since it will be near water we'd expect some deterioration, I'd rather get a cheaper firearm such as one of these for this role.

 

[moojpg2]

Anyone make a stainless semi auto in 7.62?

I would go with something cheap, sks is too light of caliber though.

Get two M44 mosins (gotta have one for the first mate clean out the cosmo, test fire em, grease em up real good, stow them in a gun sock in a rod locker, put a couple of battle packs in a .50 cal can. and your good to go IMHO. Bayonet comes in handy if they try to board the vessel

If ya want something really heavy hitting and have a big budget, just pick up a barret .50

 

[Samgotit]

Phalanx (not the Greek one) disgusted as a Pinocchio metal sculpture.

 

[loose cannon]

lol goalkeeper disguised as a VERY LARGE pinnochio metal sculpture.

 

[loose cannon]

32m translates to 90 + feet you have enough room for a 25mm bushmaster chaingun on the foredeck.

gives ya the same oomph of a bradley ifv.

 

[spyder1911]

You are not going to hit anything at 350m on water. A Navy friend of mine said that the M-2 .50 BMG only has an effective range of about 100 yards when they are at sea.

 

[X-Rap]

Kinda odd question for a 1st post doncha think

 

[mbt2001]

If the pirates can take over a Saudi SuziMax oil tanker, then a fishing vessel has no chance....

 

[Jeff White]

Why would they want a fishing vessel? Who would pay any kind of ransom for it? What kind of commercial fishing is done off of East Africa?

 

[paintballdude902]

a buddy of mine used to do marine electronics on yachts( untill a few weeks ago he got layed off becaus of the economy nobody is buying big boats) they had a hatteras come in i believe a 100footer it had bullet holes in it and the radar had been shot off. he talked to the owner who said they were by samolia and some pirates came for them and when they saw the guns on the boat the yacht radioed for help and announced that the pirates must say what they wanted or they would open fire well the pirates kept coming so they went and got their own guns from below deck (2 m1s and 3 m1as) they fired enough on the little boat of pirates (it was a zodiaq as i understand) that they actually sunk it but their boats radio, radar had been shot out they had a few bullet holes in the hull but nothing below the water line so they did a quick fiberglassing while at sea they came home called the coastguard then got their boat fixed



if i ever have a large boat im having a gun for each person on it alot of people dont understand that just outside the us waters we still have pirates, in the caribean and all over africa the ones id fear is the drug runners just off the coast

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

I'd go with an AR-15 5.56 or an HK MP-5. I'd rather go down in a blaze of lead, then be held captive by those people.

 

[SoCalShooter]

I'd go with the *loose_cannon*'s suggestion you can fit a 25mm bushmaster on there and have no issues with pirates.

 

[catfish101]

I believe I would want some firepower. These guys are armed big time.

One of my field trips I went on was on a cargo ship that went through the Suez Canal. When we were waiting to go through a message came across the wire that pirates were running around. We started patrols on the ship and saw nothing. A ship did get hit. Crew killed and the ship run aground.

I was told that ships that go through the canal have to pay in cash. There is no IOU. Maybe there are exceptions, I don't know. The ship I was on had over 1 million in American cash in the safe. I remember the Third Mate on the ship told me that all ships carry cash and allot of it and pirates weren't uncommon at all. He did say that it was very rare that a ship flying the American flag would be bothered.

 

[Samgotit]

Why would they want a fishing vessel?

Maybe it's a 105' Hatteras Convertible?

 

[.38 Special]

Somewhat hard for me to understand how the the folks on the supertankers are losing to the folks in the inflatables. Guess I just don't know enough about it.

Having said that, were I to depart on a trip, in international waters, on a large cargo vessel, I would appreciate a crew trained in the use of -- and with access to -- =/> .50 caliber machine guns. I would very much prefer not to be subject to a "hand-to-hand" type confrontation where personal weapons become important. I would want to keep the goblins off the vessel in the first place. Heavy artillery would not be excessive, IMO.

 

[David904]

These tankers and cargo ships often run with skeleton crews. As such, they may not be as vigilant as the situation warrants. Plus they aren't military - so the mindset is a bit different.

Piracy is alive and well even off US waters. I know of several incidents in which some guys fended off some folks who tried to board their fishing boats in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

[paintballdude902]

good point sam

jeff some of those hatteras go for over 1mill its a nice boat with alot more in electronics

the big sport fishing boats arent a mill but are expensive have lots of electronics and fuel not to mention 3-10 people who all have families

 

[22-rimfire]

I would probably buy something cheap and disposable. AK works but 350m is a long shot with an AK. I would actually have several rifles on board. One for closer encounters and one for longer range stuff.

 

[.38 Special]

These tankers and cargo ships often run with skeleton crews. As such, they may not be as vigilant as the situation warrants. Plus they aren't military - so the mindset is a bit different.

If they so much as scan the occasional newspaper I would think their mindset would change rather quickly and drastically. Again, though, I really don't know what I'm talking about re. high seas hijinks.

 

[jakk280rem]

Anyone make a stainless semi auto in 7.62?

yes.

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firea...n=Mini Thirty® All-Weather&bct=Yes&type=Rifle

Kinda odd question for a 1st post doncha think

yeah, but what the hey, i got nothin better to do.

 

[BullpupBen]

In the incredibly unlikely chance you are actually hit by pirates, I doubt you'll be sure its a threat until they are practically boarding you. If that is the case, you'd be best off either trying to steer away or getting to a place in your boat where they cant shoot at you. I also don't think a boat is still enough to hit anything with a non-automatic weapon from any distance. Then again i've only spent time on wooden sailboats so maybe I have no idea about that..

ANYWAY, my point is any fighting you do will likely be very close and very quick. My reccomendations would be either the smallest 12 gauge you can find (that has stock) or a compact rifle like an AK, ar-15 or pistol caliber carbine.
One of my personal favorites is the Kel-tec sub2000. It folds up so you can easily hide it from any kind of authorities, no matter how much they search your boat. its good for 100-150 yards at least, and with the carbine barrel packs a serious punch and is much faster to aim then a pistol

By the way most of the piracy you're hearing on the news is probably from Somalia, where the lawlessness of what is left of the UN-mandated (go figure) country of "Somalia" is practically in chaos, and pirates are actually strong enough to raid even large vessels carrying things like oil and military supplies. Unless your taking trips to Africa this really isnt much of a worry.

 

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

If I had a waterborne investment worth protecting I'd go with a Mossberg Mariner or something with the same finish, loaded dutch with 00 and slugs.

On the inflatables vs tankers--tankers have biggish blind spots. Makes it easier at night or if the boat in question is close to the coast.

 

[ericyp]

Don't professional piracy boats usually have crew of men and machine guns mounted to it? I don't think anything you can legally buy here is going to be of much use.

 

[catfish101]

If they so much as scan the occasional newspaper I would think their mindset would change rather quickly and drastically. Again, though, I really don't know what I'm talking about re. high seas hijinks.

It would be prudent to have a few lookouts.

What ships I have been on the crews are very busy and spend days without seeing the water. Also pirate activity in the Med. sea, Red sea, and Persian Gulf is pretty common and very few ships get hit in relation to the total number of vessels. The shipping lanes are pretty busy places.

It is also easy for those guys to take those ships. Big ships like that don't turn fast and very slow compared to the bad guys boats.