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Old January 8, 2013, 01:07 PM   #1
sccoty
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Hiking Shotgun

I am new to shotguns and would appreciate some advice. My goal is to have a 12 gauge shotgun for protection while hiking. I'm thinking something like a modified Remington 870? I would like to put a collapsible or telescoping stock with a pistol grip on it and the shortest legal barrel for slugs yet able to carry a sufficient number of shells. Additionally, I would like a sling or holster with quick draw access. I'm not looking for the most expensive gear either. What would be a good reliable gun, stock, barrel and sling for this? Thanks for your help.
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Old January 8, 2013, 01:29 PM   #2
Chief Brody
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I'm an 870 man, but ah... This might be an option:
http://www.mossberg.com/products/sho...urpose/500-jic
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Old January 8, 2013, 03:49 PM   #3
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Any of the three main pump makers - Remington, Mossberg or Ithaca would work. I believe the Ithaca would be the lightest of the three
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Old January 8, 2013, 04:18 PM   #4
Nasty
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When I hike, my gear weighs about 16 pounds total.

No way would I even consider adding a shotgun and ammo...

Learn to shoot a handgun.
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Old January 8, 2013, 05:28 PM   #5
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Taking a shotgun would require leaving behind imporant things, like food. I wouldn't carry the weight of a dozen shells, let alone a shotgun. A handgun, and the smaller the better, is the only real option.
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Old January 8, 2013, 06:16 PM   #6
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I carried a NEF 20 ga youth gun with a 22" mod choked barrel as a woods bumming / camp gun. Handy little gun.
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Old January 8, 2013, 06:29 PM   #7
BigD_in_FL
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Unless you need bear protection, a handgun would be more practical. Even for bears, spray and a powerful handgun will weigh less and be easier to hike with..
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Old January 8, 2013, 06:38 PM   #8
PetahW
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And, AFAIK, posession of any firearms in a National Forest is against the law - IF your hiking takes you through one .................


.
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Old January 8, 2013, 07:37 PM   #9
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Guns in Natl PARKS are generally prohibited. Guns in Natl Forests are generally allowed, depending on what hunting seasons are open and regulations will vary...
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Old January 8, 2013, 09:25 PM   #10
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I would take along a LARGE caliber, long barrel magnum revolver(think Clint Eastwood) with waist holster in order to keep my hands free for other uses. Lighter and more ammo could be carried. As far as bear spray goes, if I was faced with a charging bear and had the choice of using my magnum sidearm or my bear spray I would choose door number 1. My life is more valuable to me than the bears. Let them arrest me.

Regardless of what you choose, if your not proficient with shot placement nothing is going to help.
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Old January 8, 2013, 09:35 PM   #11
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Quote:
Guns in Natl PARKS are generally prohibited. Guns in Natl Forests are generally allowed, depending on what hunting seasons are open and regulations will vary...
That was changed about 2 years ago. If you have a valid carry permit in the state where the NP is located you can now carry guns in NP's. They are not allowed inside Federally owned buildngs, but in the outdoors, yes.

Quote:
I carried a NEF 20 ga youth gun with a 22" mod choked barrel as a woods bumming / camp gun. Handy little gun.
For woods bumming, yes, for backpacking, no way any shotgun is going to be worth the weight. The goal is to keep everything down to 35-40 lbs. A shotgun with ammo is 8- 10 lbs. and takes up a huge amount of space in a pack that would be better used for other gear and food. When you start walkng 15-20 miles day after day, you quickly understand how useless that extra weight is. I will compromise on a 1.5 lb handgun.
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Old January 8, 2013, 10:26 PM   #12
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Quote:
if I was faced with a charging bear and had the choice of using my magnum sidearm or my bear spray I would choose door number 1
And with that bear's head bobbing all around as it charges and your adrenaline is surging, hitting the bear will near impossible, let alone landing a fatal shot. The bear spray will be more effective at the moment
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Old January 9, 2013, 05:36 AM   #13
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Serbu Super Shorty 12ga...

For a slick SBS(short barrel shotgun) you can take in a daypack or outdoor hike, I'd see; www.serbufirearms.com . You can convert a 870 or Mossberg 500 pump shotgun. They have 20ga too. You would need a tax stamp & meet certain ATF requirements, www.atf.gov .
For outdoor use, you may want to get a 12ga treated with Robar NP3+ or T2. Bearcoat, www.bearcoat.com is a good value too.

Clyde
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Old January 9, 2013, 11:38 AM   #14
scottycoyote
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i agree with the others on the size of the shotgun bring prohibitive to packing along while hiking. My woods gun is a g29 in 10mm, we only have black bears and 2 legged predators here to deal with and i feel good about my chances.
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Old January 9, 2013, 11:51 AM   #15
hogdogs
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Some folks just don't worry with pack weight...

I reckon an ex-mil, or even current perhaps,looks at a 50#+ pack as an easy carry...

Some likely prefer their old surplus pack and frame over civvie offerings...

That being said, either my M-500 with 18 inch barrel or my Stevens 5100 double gun with 20" barrels, Both sub 6 pounds, both 20 gauge, will lash vertically to my modern mil-surp pack and alloy frame nicely...

Brent
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Old January 9, 2013, 01:06 PM   #16
Nasty
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This is a case of packing the keyboard along.

I'd welcome company for a typical 15 mile hiking day by someone carrying what they *need* and then add on the shotgun and ammo.

I'm betting that before we reach camp, the shotgun is offered for sale for a very cheap price.
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Old January 9, 2013, 04:26 PM   #17
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For a daypack that has a gun sleeve, I would prefer a Stoeger Coach Shotgun in 12 or 20 gauge. It's probably the shortest "legal" barreled shotgun, that you can purchase. I would slide it in a Voodoo Shotgun Scabbard.
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Old January 9, 2013, 05:11 PM   #18
BigD_in_FL
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The shortest would be the Serbu mentioned above -but they are not nice to fire, especially with anything more powerful than basic target loads - but they are short and compact.
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Old January 9, 2013, 05:55 PM   #19
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The OP might consider canoe or kayak trekking as an alternative to hiking by foot. You can carry a lot more supplies, including a shotgun via a canoe or kayak. A good friend of mine did this up in the boundary waters of Northern Minnesota and said it was the trip of a lifetime. He and his sons camped along the waterways, using two canoes. They did a lot of fishing and sightseeing. In a typical canoe you can carry 3 to 4 hundred pounds of supplies.
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Old January 9, 2013, 07:20 PM   #20
Evan Thomas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rifleman1952
The OP might consider canoe or kayak trekking as an alternative to hiking by foot.
As a dedicated canoeist, I have to agree with this as a general statement -- but wanting to carry a shotgun along doesn't seem like a good reason for a dedicated hiker to give up hiking. There's something profoundly wrong with the idea that you have to stop doing something you love, the better to carry the weight of something you're unlikely to need.

I feel a lot safer in the boonies than in the city or on the highway, but were I to feel the need for a defensive tool, I'd rank the choices: #1 -- bear spray (also effective on 2-legs); #2 -- whatever handgun I'm comfortable with, and #3 -- a shotgun if I'm going into brown bear or (especially) polar bear country, as a last resort after #1.

(And, #1a, a nice little .22, just to plink and have fun with. Take that to the woods any ol' time. )
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Old January 10, 2013, 02:37 AM   #21
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I recently bought a single shot H&R pardner for its light weight and simplicity. Refinished the stock, put on a grind to fit recoil pad, a butt cuff to carry five rounds and sling swivels. I really like it (now) and it's as light a 12 gauge as you'll care to shoot and its super easy to carry with a sling. I totally understand liking to have a shotgun somewhere nearby. Good luck.
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Old January 10, 2013, 04:48 AM   #22
Rifleman1952
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Vanya:

Quote:
As a dedicated canoeist, I have to agree with this as a general statement -- but wanting to carry a shotgun along doesn't seem like a good reason for a dedicated hiker to give up hiking. There's something profoundly wrong with the idea that you have to stop doing something you love, the better to carry the weight of something you're unlikely to need.
True, but I don't think it an either/or proposition. One can do both. Most of my hikes take place on trails where there are no Brown or Black Bears. The only predators one might meet on those trails are the two legged variety. Once in a while we head down to the mountains in Tennessee where there are Black bears. I carry a .357 magnum revolver on those occasions.

However, if I were to visit and camp in Brown bear country, I could see having the added insurance of a shotgun, loaded with 1 3/8 oz Brenneke Black Magic slugs (or similar) on hand. That's a 600 gr, magnum slug, with an effective range out to 100 yds. In my younger days, I could carry a lot more gear on my back. Day hikes are all we do now. However, the idea of camping/trekking by canoe/kayak sounds very appealing.

Last edited by Rifleman1952; January 10, 2013 at 04:57 AM.
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Old January 10, 2013, 10:58 AM   #23
Evan Thomas
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Rifleman, I think we're basically in agreement. It isn't an either/or proposition, but I'd come down on the side of "carrying a shotgun is excessive" whether hiking or canoeing, except under the circumstance you and I both mentioned, i.e. traveling in very-large-bear country. And even then, it would depend -- if you're in a group of 4 or more and practicing routine "bear hygiene," you're unlikely to be bothered by brown bears in actual wilderness, where they're not acclimated to humans. On the other hand, a friend (no longer with us, alas) who was addicted to solo canoe travel in the far north never went without her Winchester Defender, and, yes, Brenneke slugs (totally with ya on those). And I'd never travel in polar bear country without one.

But carrying a shotgun on a local dayhike, outside of hunting season, would feel a bit... ostentatious... to me. And I'm not gonna lug the weight of something that's no fun to plink with!

Quote:
... the idea of camping/trekking by canoe/kayak sounds very appealing.
There's nothing finer... you can travel hundreds of miles in 2-3 weeks if you want (we like to go slower than that), and at least in a canoe, take gourmet food and pretty much whatever creature comforts you desire. And it's a lot easier on older bones, especially if you have a young relative along to carry the heavy stuff on the portages.

Last edited by Evan Thomas; January 10, 2013 at 12:50 PM.
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Old January 10, 2013, 12:48 PM   #24
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A single shot is smaller and lighter but if you miss you will have a big problem. I've never been hiking in my life, so this is just my guess. I'd rather have a revolver and atleast a .357 Magnum. But, if I was dead set on a cheap long gun, maybe a Mossburg 500 with an 18 inch barrel. To save weight, could use a synthetic stock. But I'd rather have a handgun. You could go with a 20 gauge to drop a little weight.
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Old January 11, 2013, 01:48 PM   #25
sccoty
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Thanks for all the replies. I guess I should clarify. Hikes will be up to 5 miles in distance. I will also use the gun at camp. So weight isn't a big issue but lighter is better. The largest predator I could encounter is a grizzly bear. I do carry spray but would also like to increase my defenses with a shotgun. The gun doesn't have to fit in a pack. I would like it to have a folding or telescoping stock with a pistol grip, rather than just the pistol grip. Additionally a shorter barrel for slugs while still holding maximum amount of shells and a quick draw sling or holster of some kind. Hopefully this clarifies things a bit.
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