camping rifle

[CRridermike]

This weekend i was camping with a couple of friends on one of thier grandparents farm about 40 miles out of town. When we got up thier we saw a fairly large animal run across the field and we had been told that there was a couger up thier. We set our tent from the WWII era up on top of a hill and called it good and one of my friends and i had our guns ready for the couger if it wanted to come check us out. Jeremiah, my frient with the other gun had his llama minimax 45 on his hip and i had my .30-30 out. At about 1:30 am our tent decided to let us down in the strong wind and rain and it collapsed so we moved into my bronco. The next morning we moved into the only shelter on the property which was an old barn, although it was old it was dry. While we were clearing a space in the barn to put out our sleeping pads we kept hearing something in the barn, this made me have my 30-30 next to me at all times. Later that night sitting around the campfire there was defenetly something in the woods behind us and Eric, the jumpy one, said he saw eyes reflecting in the light so me and Jeremiah set off to find this thing in the woods but had no luck. About 10 minuits after we got back we all 4 saw a skunk in the barn which was not cool. We finally chased the skunk out and took a couple of shots at it with the 45 but missed. The shots scared it off for the night and we were good till morning when we left.

The reason i wrote this is to ask, is there a better camping gun then a good old Winchester M94 30-30? i dont think so.

 

[TimRB]

We have been living in the woods about 17 years now, and I can no longer even imagine getting worried about sounds in the night. I certainly would *never* shoot a skunk in or near a camp site. Figure it out. Instead of having a stinky animal near you, you will have a stinky animal with a hole in it near you, and it will not go away.

Tim

 

[WillBrayJr]

SKS rifle with 30rd magazine and HP ammo. A Remington 870 with Buckshot will work too!

 

[shermacman]

You need to go camping more, the jitters will subside.

 

[Ash]

I agree about the camping more part. However, in most places a lever gun is about as good as it gets. A 12 ga pump works well, too, but if you have the 30-30, then you have all you need. The only exception would be in grizzly country, then I suppose you might want something beefier.

Ash

 

[DSRUPTV]

I might want a larger caliber like ash said if I knew there were some large animals capable of taking a couple hits with the 30-30. A levergun in .444 or .45-70 would be a nice choice, the latter having a bit more recoil.

 

[Soap]

I liked my Marlin 336CS in .30-30 when I used to camp more frequently. Nowadays, it would depend on my location but I'd more than likely tote the 336 again. If I were on my property in PA, I would probably carry my AR.

 

[GRB]

Hmm I always though guns like the one in question were good 'Camp Gun" not camping guns. In other words the gun you wanted to ahve while in the hunting camp not while camping out, drinking beer, telling shost stories, and eating spam. Oh wait a moinute that could be a hunting camp too, I guess - lol.

 

[buzz meeks]

30-30 lever guns are handy, unobtrusive, powerful enough, possessed of enough range for most tasks and low maintenance. Sounds like the perfect camping gun. I've used mine for that task even in grizzly country and never worried about it for an instant.

 

[BusMaster007]

That .30-30 sounds like a nice rifle to have around.
Maybe a .44 revolver to plink and practice with is in order...

 

[Bigfoot]

You're armed well, but be carefull what you wish for. Did you really want to find a possibly old, desperately hungry couger in the dark?

 

[Lennyjoe]

Who needs a rifle when you have a 10MM stoked with Doubletap ammo.

 

[Ed]

We used to camp with bb guns when I was little. I did take a 44 mag with me once in Colorado when we heard there were bears around.

 

[coylh]

Carry a .30-06 and a mildot scope of at least 16X. The scope allows you to identify your target for the longer range (700 meter) cougar shots. Get one of those nightvision head sets. Since you'll be able to see in the dark, you'll have an advanatage while tracking the cougar. Put a few pieces of bacon or smoked trout in your backpack while moving through the bushes to hide your scent.

 

[MaterDei]

Why...a Camp Carbine, of course.

 

[Mannlicher]

Shooting off into the woods, not knowing enough about the outdoors to know a Cougar from a skunk........... maybe you should camp out in the back yard.

 

[Ivy Mike]

I'd say a rifle/carbine in a decent caliber is a great idea.
The 12ga is a good one as well. Buckshot is fine for smaller dangerous critters and should you be camping in bear country, keep a few slugs handy.

Myself, I'd probably carry my new Arsenal SLR-105 (5.45x39) with some extra magazines and the cheapy spot (a whole lotta candlepower) I got from Big-5 that has never failed to work.

 

[WillBrayJr]

I'll add another to the list. The Ruger 99/44 Deerfield, should be plenty for just about anything you would encounter

 

[Bear Gulch]

Unless you want an excuse to buy a new toy, your 30-30 will settle the hash of any critter smaller than a griz.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

If the thread is about good camping guns, than pretty much any mil-surp rifle will fit the bill very well. Ditto for any popular 'ranch' guns, like the 30-30 or a .44 mag levergun.

As far as practicality, unless you live in bear country there isn't much good a rifle is going to do you. I think they are nice to have in the field all the same, especially if you are going deep into any 'wilderness'. It gives excellent excercise to haul it around and kind of marries you to the rifle.

I'm hoping my Saiga .308 makes a good one, however heavy it is.

Oh yeah- you might want to get some experience in the outdoors before you start shooting at every noise behind a bush. And an animal does not need to be shot at merely because it comes into close proximity to you (unless it's got plans on making you dinner. No problem with hunting, just gratuitous killing).

 

[campergeek]

Funny. As soon as I read the title of this thread I thought "Win 94 30-30". I guess what they say about great minds is true.

 

[arcticap]

Like those professionals in Africa that use a double barrel, but in 12 guage! I thought the couger was in the barn..

 

[bad LT]

arcticap: You know you want a 470 Nitro double to be just like those African guides...

It should probably be enough for skunk

 

[355sigfan]

A thirty thirty is too weak for my neck of the woods. We have bears up here in Alaska. I would prefer a Lever gun in 45 70 with some hot handloads of my Vang comped 870 with Breneke slugs.
Pat

 

[epijunkie67]

If we're talking general purpose camping guns then I'd also throw a lever action .357 into the ring. Still light and easy to use just like a 30-30. But you can go from .38 up to .357 depending on what you want to shoot at. If you decide to have rabbit for dinner the 30-30 wouldn't leave you much to eat but a .38 fmj would do just fine. And under 50-75 yards good .357 has plenty of power to take most anything you'd use 30-30 on.