Hillbilly-40
New member
Does anyone else carry a handgun whenever they go metal detecting? I do everywhere except where i cannot by law, schools ect. Was just wanting to get some input on this.
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Does anyone else do this?
- Thread starter Hillbilly-40
- Start date
MNCoinhunter
Active member
I'm assuming that it's not wild animals that you are worried about. I guess I should consider myself lucky that I don't have to do that up here.
Hillbilly-40
New member
I dont encounter many people out where i live and part of the carry is for animals but the other part is i live in the meth capitol of the world and when your out in the middle of nowhere you just never know.
Might advise to hunt with a buddy or two as safety in numbers. If you carry better be willing to use it and the consequences can be overwhelming either way..Guess it depends on the situation and area and certainly a debateable topic where a yes or no answer is not always correct.
Myself having carried one for 30 years in my profession would only do so in extenuating circumstances...
Myself having carried one for 30 years in my profession would only do so in extenuating circumstances...
Hillbilly-40
New member
I myself am a military veteran and my long time detecting buddy is a retired federal law enforcement officer but we live 50 miles apart and only get to hunt together occasionally so i do alot of hunting alone. Peace of mind i guess.
MNCoinhunter
Active member
I think there would be less consequences with pepper spray maybe. You guys just reminded me of the movie "Deliverance"....nothin' like Ned Beatty in his tighty whities to give you bad dreams...lol.
newbiehunter
New member
Yep, everyday, everywhere I go not just while detecting. 25 years in Law enforcement make's a lot of enemies and bad blood. Better to have and not need rather than need and not have! I live in a town of less than 50 thousand people but the per capita crime rate here is worse than a community 5 times it's size.
Hillbilly-40 said:
About the only time I do is when I'm on my own property. Like you say, mostly for mean critters,
and I'm out in the middle of nowhere. Don't know if it's the meth capital of the world, but they
have their fair share around those parts.. :/
I don't carry on the street as I don't have a concealed license and I'm too cheap to get one.
But on my own land, I'm almost always wearing this.. Almost 30 rounds of mean critter/meth head
kick butt in that package. One mag in the pistol, and another in the holster pocket. That's a .40 S&W..
Hillbilly-40
New member
Nice NM5K i carry a taurus pt745 45 auto sub compact
I wouldn't mind having a 1911 style .45, but too cheap to spend the money for a good one.
But for mean critters I like a heavy fat slug. With the .40 S&W out in the woods, I use
regular old 180 grain FMJ instead of hollow points. I worry about HP's expanding too
much, and not penetrating as far as I would like. I could go even heavier duty and
use the cast "woods" slugs, but.. again, I'm too cheap to pay the extra $$$.. :/
That's a S&W Sigma 40VE. A pistol many like to rag on, but for me it's been fine so far.
They have pretty much fixed the issues they used to have on earlier models.
And it was cheap.. I only paid $250 for that brand new after the rebate. And I got two
free extra mags.. So I have four 14 round mags with it. In the real world, I never use
more than two at a time.. :/ But nice to have extras in case one gets weird on me.
The reason many rag it is due to the long semi hard trigger pull. It feels like a revolver
as far as pull pretty close. But that doesn't bother me. In fact, I think it makes it a bit
safer than one with an overly easy trigger. With a wild hog, dog, or whatever bearing
down on me, I'll never notice the trigger pull.
It's purely a defense pistol. You wouldn't want it for target shooting. Lots better out
there for that. I also usually take my Ruger 10/22 rifle with me too. But walking around
the woods, I don't really like having to carry a rifle everywhere, so I usually have the
pistol on my hip. I hardly notice it. I use the 10/22 as my plinker play toy..
Lots cheaper to shoot too..
But for mean critters I like a heavy fat slug. With the .40 S&W out in the woods, I use
regular old 180 grain FMJ instead of hollow points. I worry about HP's expanding too
much, and not penetrating as far as I would like. I could go even heavier duty and
use the cast "woods" slugs, but.. again, I'm too cheap to pay the extra $$$.. :/
That's a S&W Sigma 40VE. A pistol many like to rag on, but for me it's been fine so far.
They have pretty much fixed the issues they used to have on earlier models.
And it was cheap.. I only paid $250 for that brand new after the rebate. And I got two
free extra mags.. So I have four 14 round mags with it. In the real world, I never use
more than two at a time.. :/ But nice to have extras in case one gets weird on me.
The reason many rag it is due to the long semi hard trigger pull. It feels like a revolver
as far as pull pretty close. But that doesn't bother me. In fact, I think it makes it a bit
safer than one with an overly easy trigger. With a wild hog, dog, or whatever bearing
down on me, I'll never notice the trigger pull.
It's purely a defense pistol. You wouldn't want it for target shooting. Lots better out
there for that. I also usually take my Ruger 10/22 rifle with me too. But walking around
the woods, I don't really like having to carry a rifle everywhere, so I usually have the
pistol on my hip. I hardly notice it. I use the 10/22 as my plinker play toy..
Lots cheaper to shoot too..
Steve In Michigan
Active member
The only time I ever packed was when I was Hunting a old ghost town in the U.P. near Newberry out in the middle of the woods. Lots of bear around. had the ol .45 strapped to the hip. Didnt have to used it when I saw one though cause we saw each other bout the same time, he went one way and I went the other.
Steve In Michigan
Active member
Not really, was real swampy where we were at. My brother in law found a couple newer dimes but thats bout it.
shawnrmartin
New member
Dan-Pa. said:
Dan is right about the consequences, either way. I myself had to put down a 2 legged critter about 20 years ago. Took almost 2 years before the court battles and Grand Jury was done with me. (and about $25,000.00)
Finally got my "Good Shoot" from the Grand Jury, only to then realize that I could never work the streets again. (Knowing what would happen if I ever got into another altercation, I knew I would hesitate; probably endangering the lives of all around me.)
A career in Law Enforcement chained to a desk was not my cup of java.
I had to give up a sweet career, paycheck, pension, and all hopes of ever being able to retire, all because some dirt-bag decided to commit suicide-by-cop on April 1, 1989.
I make $15.00 per hour doing tech support now, a full 2 bucks an hour less that when I entered on duty as a rookie in 1982.
The 2 million dollar lawsuit is a whole 'nother story. The only reason someone hasn't dragged me into court for that one, is that I am currently not worth suing. (Remember? I make $15.00 per hour.)
I can never own a home, land, a retirement account, any investments, without someone showing up to claim them.
I can't even get married without exposing a potential mate's assets to potential risk. (They wouldn't get a spouse's assets, but would bankrupt us trying.)
Remember, this was a GOOD shoot. In a time of stress, it's too easy to make a mistake, and have it be a bad shoot.
In the case of a bad shoot, add 30 years or so in prison to the above.
Train your situational awareness, and find a hunting buddy.
I just renewed my concealed carry permit and carry my little revolver with me everywhere except church and public buildings. I would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. An 83 year old man was beaten to death by thugs in our area two years ago and a 72 year old woman was shot to death by a 19 year old burglar last month and she was unarmed.
Wyatt Earp made the comment that an armed society is a polite society. Having said this, I have only had to pull my weapon once in my 57 years and did not have to use it as the perp sought an easier target after that.
I have seen 3 snakes this week, all non poisonous. If I see a poisonous snake, I go around it, but you never know what you will run into in the isolated places I get into metal detecting. Owning and carrying a gun will not solve all the world's problems, but it will deal with an immediate threat to your life and protect your family as well. If you are mature enough to respect other people and have the mindset as the late Col. Jeff Cooper talked about concerning guns and the will to use them as necessary, you are safer than without one.
The main thing is to know your limitations. Realizing that with my physical disabilities and my age, I can't go toe to toe with some thug, I will continue to exercise my right as a law abiding citizen to carry a weapon. Stay safe and happy hunting.
Wyatt Earp made the comment that an armed society is a polite society. Having said this, I have only had to pull my weapon once in my 57 years and did not have to use it as the perp sought an easier target after that.
I have seen 3 snakes this week, all non poisonous. If I see a poisonous snake, I go around it, but you never know what you will run into in the isolated places I get into metal detecting. Owning and carrying a gun will not solve all the world's problems, but it will deal with an immediate threat to your life and protect your family as well. If you are mature enough to respect other people and have the mindset as the late Col. Jeff Cooper talked about concerning guns and the will to use them as necessary, you are safer than without one.
The main thing is to know your limitations. Realizing that with my physical disabilities and my age, I can't go toe to toe with some thug, I will continue to exercise my right as a law abiding citizen to carry a weapon. Stay safe and happy hunting.