Help with a GUN

[Jen Nayfly]

Most everyone on here knows I fish 99% of the time from my FishCat tube. Here's my question I ' d like help with.........I can't afford to buy a Real pistol to carry in my tube so am wondering if anyone has CO2 experience with a BB pistol. Also since I live alone would this be helpful against an intruder as well as Snakes?

[Jen Nayfly]

Hey Keith info was great and what I was looking for!!!!!!! What lake are you talking about in southeastern OK? Planning a fishing trip down that way.

[Keith Owen]

Jen,

Sorry about us "Gun Guys" taking over your post...

Hope the information has helped.

Keith

[Keith Owen]

David,

I HATE wasps! If I was a better shot I would carry one of those little cork-shooter guns and whack them out of the air! : ) As a Park Manager/Park Ranger I am asked all the time "Will this critter bite?" or "Will that critter bite?". My response is always... anything with a mouth can bite, some bites are just more hazardous than others.

In the catagory of THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SAY HMMMM: If snakes can't/don't bite in the water, how do they catch fish? (wink, wink)

I'm with you Dick,

Never had any real problems with snakes. I've had a few serious pucker moments with non-venomous water snakes that made me injure myself far more than they would have though. When I am in venomous snake territory my "Situational Awareness" dials up and I am just more careful. In this part of the state maybe one in ten snakes you come across is in the nasty variety. We fish one spot in far southeastern Oklahoma where if you see a snake, its a bad one. In the heat of the summer (when this spot fishes the best) they are cranky and very aggressive. In this area I do carry some "long range deterant". I have had a few close calls but never any need to use it. Besides... you tend to forget about the snakes while being obsesively watchful for the alligators.

Best Fishes,

Keith

[dick tabbert]

Most people are deathly afraid of snakes and because there fear is so terrifying to them they want to eradicate every snake on the planet. Just like every other animal on the planet snakes do have a purpose and do much good and aren't here just to do us in. There are so many species that are nonvenomous and because they are snake they are all on that kill list. I personally would find out the snakes in your area and find out which are venomous and not. But I have never herd anybody going fishing and getting attacked by man eating snakes. Learn to avoid them and if they are poisonous and you think a threat to your well being and you can't avoid it then I guess you have to  make yourself comfortable. Just don't kill a snake because its a snake.

[dick tabbert]

Thank you Keith for the important words. Anybody can get a gun but we need to go through the proper channels in obtaining it. Anybody can shoot a gun but we have to get very familiar with it like it's second nature and be proficient at shooting it. We don't just shoot it one time and then put it away till we need it. But the very most important thing is to enroll in a CCW class there you will learn much and don't be afraid to ask questions.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ill leave the gun talk to everyone else after this. I'm with Keith down the line on this, also LOFR. The choices are many here, but the purposes in this case are few - fortunately. Snakes and human assault deterrence. Well, snakes of both kinds, we might say.

These can easily be handled in one firearm.

My interest is more towards snakes and their habits. Most of what my research suggests is snakes are not able to deliver an effective strike in the water. There simply is nothing for them to push against. This fear is pretty much unfounded. In fact, you are more likely to be stung by an insect,  or drown, as be struck a deadly blow by a venomous snake in the water.

Here's a general statement on the matter - 

"Can snakes bite while swimming?
Only if the snake and the human swim into each other. A snake can raise its body 1/4 to 1/3 of its length from the water surface using water tension, but water tension is insufficient for a coiling strike or for jumping into boats. Snakes usually flee humans, both in and out of the water..."

More here: 

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/watersnakes.htm

[Keith Owen]

Sure thing David... always glad to add my two cents worth without any expectations. : )

I sure do think the Judge and Judge type pistols are way cool! They just didn't work for my wife. She has really small hands and found them to have trigger distances beyond what was comfortable for her. She did fine single-action even though she had to change her grip to ear the hammer back, but it was just a no-go on double action.

Heck... if Jen can carry and shoot a full size 1911 well, that's what she oughta carry. I have no loyalty to any one configuration. Carry and shoot what ya have the most confidence in and ability with I say.

You are absolutly correct about small guns being harsh. I'm not a big fan of hardly any of the new (or old) .380 AUTO guns. Too much bounce for to little bite. They are TRULY harsh. Lisa's little revolvers do bounce some, but a good ergonomic shape and proper grip helps her manage it fine, even single handed.

Since this is a fishing site and not a gun chat I probably ought to bring it back to that. For a simple, cheap gun to have for critters while fishing, a .22 MAG with rat-shot rounds will take care of about any slithery critter who might be close enough to be a bother. Outside of its range and ya really need to consider if they are a threat. A .22 MAG is NOT a defense round though.

Like LotFR said, have a pistol for critters while fishing and a different system for home defense. Hard to beat a Remington 870 for that. Most anyone can learn to run a pump action with good skill.

Keith

 

[Leo Nguyen]

Since budget and water safety is an issue, why not utilize a rubber bullet pistol? You have various models both uses nitrogen/CO2 gas to the common gun powder. It can also be used as a personal protection weapon. I prefer a 9mm glock as a deterrent, at a budget. Since you may be living in areas where guns are considered the show-and-dominate scenarios, David and Keith will be your go to men for domestic weapons. However, I still say for snakes on the water, I have plenty of opportunity to scare them away using my rods and fins to create water disturbance to scare them away before they can get close to me. Plenty of float tubers have crossed paths with snakes in the water, literally within grabbing distant, and all it requires is a nice little flick of the rods' handles to tossed them away without further confrontation.

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

  I have been pondering this all day, 2 different jobs for the same gun, snake gun defense gun , for a lady that dosent like recoil?  Answer 2 guns,a 410 pistol for the float tube, lightweight and dosent take up a lot of room in the tube, and a shotgun for home defense. I use 410 pistols and full size 410 guns on snakes and found them to be very effective on them. As for varmits both 2 and 4 legged I have toted a S&W 629 for the last 21 years, although a little heavy I sleep better knowing its around.    LOFR                

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

PS Thanks, Keith. Your perspective is awesome!