Would a shotgun be better?...

[sprice]

I've decided on my next guns... a Remington 870 xcs marine magnum,(http://www.remington.com/products/fi...ine_magnum.asp), Dan Wesson Pointman seven (http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=65), custom m14, Glock 19 and 29, Sig p226, 10mm and .45 1911s, winchester 70, marlin thirdy thirdy, and a couple others. anyway, my question is should i get the remington or dan wesson first. Lets just say im a teen so my dad will buy it with my money, but were going on a weeklong campout in the summer and need a self defense type gun for backpacking (and outdoors imparticular). I plan to use the shotgun for everything you can do with a shotgun and the pistol is gonna be for outdoors and possibly my dads right to carry permit. so shotgun or pistol first? Mostly, what would be more convenient and better for defense/ survival on the summer campout? We don't have any pistols so one would be nice- but we also only have one 12 guage and 1 16 guage- another 12 would also be nice. This isn't a straw purchase so take it easy, and we're very safe with guns- my dad has military training so we treat our guns better than that standard in every aspect.

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[nrthwoods]

I hear how the pistol is tempting, but for your purposes the shotgun would be greatly more universal. You can do just about anything with those, really the most all purpose long gun. Pistols have their outdoor applications too, but you won't be sorry to have that 12 gauge with you, esp the magnum. Two of those would probably be more ideal and efficient than one 12 gauge and one pistol, imo.

 

[Milkmaster]

The shotgun is more versatile. Just remember you asked this in a shotgun forum. The answers will be biased I would think!

 

[ReadyontheRight]

You already have two shotguns. Shoot those and get a 1911 IF you plan to get some training and shoot it a lot. A 1911 like the Dan Wesson Pointman is not a gun for those uninterested in training and practice. Especially for daily carry.

If you plan to get training and not shoot a lot, get a double-action-only pistol like a Glock or Springfield XDm. Alternatively, a .357 is a great companion for hiking and can even be used to hunt whitetail. A Ruger SP101 is just about perfect for carry, hiking and target shooting.

Either way, get some training and get out and practice. I also suggest finding some competitions with any gun you have. You and your Dad wil be welcome to any event and the event leaders will likely help you and answer any questions you have.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Well, what 12 gauge do you already have, and why would it not work camping? Weather damage?(A valid consideration in my opinion.)

I'd reccomend a .22 or 9mm for your first pistol, so you can afford to shoot, or at least get a BB or airsoft pistol so you can practice frequently.

.45 ACP is not the best caliber for defense from animals, but it has good stopping power for self-defense from people.

But for just these 2 guns: A shotgun will have more stopping power, be easier to hit with, and can take everything from doves to deer with the right loads, in case you are lost. The shotgun you want will also be more reliable than the handgun. The handgun might be better for self-defense inside a tent, however.

Also, keep in mind the marine magnum will kick more than a heavy hunting shotgun, it only weighs about 7.5 pounds.

 

[czarjl]

I think it really depends on what you mean by “defense/ survival” and you mentioned backpacking.
Defense against things like lions, and tigers, and bears… or bad guys?
Survival such as living off the land or more along the lines of personal defense?
Backpacking like carry everything you need to for the whole week on your back or is it more of day hikes with a base camp?
Just trying to get a better idea of your needs.

Both the pistol and the shotgun have pros and cons.
The pistol is lighter and easier to carry but harder to hit a target with and may not have the same stopping power as the shotgun.
The shotgun is heavier and harder to carry but is easier to hit your target and with the appropriate load should have ample stopping power. The shotgun also is more vestal (bird shot, buckshot and slugs)

I know this was not on your list of guns but what about a rifle in .22lr like a Ruger 10/22 (personal favorite). It will not have that much stopping power for defense but would work well for survival and is fairly light for backpacking. Ammo is cheap...ish and you can carry a fair amount of it. And its fun to shoot…always a good time a camp.

I would most likely go with the shotgun because of its versatility, buckshot for defense, slugs and birdshot for survival/hunting. But if I was mostly concerned with defense and was planning to be carrying a weeks worth of stuff in my backpack I think I would opt for the pistol due to its lower weight.

In the end you are the one that has to pick the gun, carry it, know how to use it, and trust it to perform when called upon.

 

[UnclePete]

I just read a detailed account of the death of the bear-lover (and idiot) Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend. Foolish Tim screamed and struggled for more than six minutes as a grizzly ate him alive, and that is no way to go. His girlfriend was left alone in the wilderness as the bear dragged Tim away, utterly beyond help, and shrieking in terror. The bear came back for her, and nobody knows how prolonged her ordeal was.

Three rangers arrived at the scene the next day. One was armed with a .40 pistol, the other two had 12g shotguns loaded with slug. The killer grizzly was still around, and it charged them. It took eleven .40 rounds and ten slugs to drop it.

Sure I know that bear attacks are not very common, and I am sure the OP is not such a fool as to deliberately camp on a bear trail so he can make some nice cuddly friends. But however small the risk of an encounter is, if you lose the bet you're in a fight with a 1000 pound killing machine that will tear the flesh off you until you die of blood loss and shock.

If ever I am in a North American wilderness - extremely unlikely! - I want a shotgun loaded with slug, my companion to have the same.

 

[pps]

As a teenager, how much experience do you have with pistols and revolvers? Has your dad had you try out a .45 or 10mm? Has he taught you gun safety, sight alignment, how to strip out your guns for cleaning et al?

As far as needing the gun for camping, where are you going? Alaska...12ga, or 45-70 guide gun and a slow friend. If it's in the lower 48 then maybe the 10mm. I say maybe because I don't know if you have actually handled one or could hit the broad side of a barn with one.

When I hike (pack all you need on your back + 30# of photo gear) I'm not interested in carrying the weight of a long gun so I carry a .357. I do not live in Alaska, and the bears here rarely go over 300# so the .357 has served me well for backpacking and in the backup role during boar hunts. The reason I bring up the .357 is that the revolver can hold snake shot in the first chamber (useful in rattlesnake country) and you don't have to worry about if there is enough power to chamber the next round.

 

[CoRoMo]

Lets just say im a teen so my dad will buy it with my money...

Isn't this an illegal straw purchase?
Commit a felony, and forget about owning any firearm ever again.

Posting this in the shotgun forum certainly got you advised to buy the shotgun, and I agree. The Marine Mag 870 is an awesome machine. That is the very gun I chose to defend the castle I call home. I'd recommend that you buy the gun when legally able. Barrow someone's gun for this outdoors trip.

 

[huntsman]

but were going on a weeklong campout in the summer and need a self defense type gun for backpacking (and outdoors imparticular).

First choice would be a shotgun just not the one you picked. Next would be the.30/30

 

[czarjl]

Next would be the.30/30

The .30/30 in a lever action would be a great all around gun...never crossed my mind.

 

[jakemccoy]

You can't go wrong with another shotgun.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Isn't this an illegal straw purchase?

I think his dad will be the actual owner, so it's not a straw purchase. If it was, a bunch of people would throw a fit.

 

[MCgunner]

Pistols work best for self defense where portability and possibly concealment are needed. For killing things in the field, hunting, that's what shotguns are all about. They can take anything that walks, crawls, flies, and I even took a redfish with a 12 gauge once.