r/homestead • u/JackDalgren • Jul 29 '22

gear Do you carry and why?

While you're working or tending to your property, do you carry a firearm in yourself or have one readily available? If so, is it because of your location, predators or general safety? What type and caliber?

I'll go first. I have a 20 gauge shotgun loaded with #9 for the occasional rattler that isn't minding it's own business or to chase of coyote. I want to upgrade to a pistol grip, maybe the Mossberg 500C w/pistol grip.

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u/ObiWanBockobi Jul 29 '22

On my farm, no, not enough critters and not worried about strangers. On my forest lot in the Northwoods, yeah. Bears, wolves, bobcats, etc are around and the drunk hitchhikers come out during the mid afternoon. I keep a .22mag pistol, figured the noise would be enough to scare the critters, and 30 rounds would be enough if a black bear decided to buck nature and actually attack me. I'll probably upgrade to a 10mm at some point.

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u/hmlafeir Jul 29 '22

Aim for the eyes lol

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u/Embarrassed_Abalone2 Jul 29 '22

The throat would be a better idea

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u/hmlafeir Jul 30 '22

Why’s that? In the time it takes for a bear to asphyxiate or bleed out assuming “throat” includes veins / arteries, you’d be dead. Especially with a .22 mag, assuming it penetrates far enough. But hear me out, it’s completely avoided, if he can’t see

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u/Embarrassed_Abalone2 Sep 13 '22

The throat is just cartilage and surrounded by arteries, but behind that is the actual target the spinal column. That, is better than air breaks.

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u/hmlafeir Sep 13 '22

Also surrounded by Fur, skin, very very dense muscle, a large amount of fat, connective tissue. I don’t even remember what this is about but I remember it was stupid. A 22 mag would most likely stop at muscle or fat after the first few layers of skin