Truck Gun Advice

[keith44]

it is a shame they frown on carrying live rounds on training maneuvers 

[Hodr]

I am a senior uncle by marraige into an extended Navajo family.  The neices often watch grandma's sheep on the reservation.  I pick up cheap, beat up 20 ga handi shot guns.  After reworking and checking actions, I cut them to an 18.25" barrell, then the stock is cut for an overall length of 34".  I generally camo the metal and sand the stock before staining and sealing.  3 lengths of latigo are braided for the sling with a couple of nickel conchos woven in.  Last is a side saddle on the butt with 2 buckhammers, 2 6 chill, one 4 cill and another 4 chill in battery.  This makes a great truck gun, a gun to carry pony back, and since total weight is under 5 lbs easy to wlk with.  I have been told it is a definite coyote and peccary stopper.  I suspect it is also used to bring in camp meat up to mule deer.  By the way these young ladies, oldest 16, prefer no recoil pad and no front sight,  watching one take down a running cotton tail she appeared to keep both eyes open and looked sort of  alongside the barrel.
 
Hodr

[cwlongshot]

Mornin Dinny,
 To my mind its a perfect opportunity for a Shotgun/Handgun combo!  I have done this myself many times, but I go Rifle/Pistol. My CF rifle, is usually my 25 or 32-20 and my G23. The pistol being my close range/defensive gun and the rifle longer or precise shots.
 
Another thought but brings you away form Handis, but is using a H&R Cousin the Savage 24. Its a PERFECT combo gun in a shotgun /Rifle in many flavors. A 22M/20 would be nice a 357/12Ga if you could find one the "Turkey special" 223/12Ga in camo would also the "bomb"...
 
But your 45Colt WILL BE FINE! I hve shot a couple pigs with my own Bisley 45COLT. Not a single complaint! Properly loaded, with a good accomplished and experienced shooter there is not a critter walking you could not put in the freezer.
 
Buck shot, from a rifle sited barrel within the ranges your talking (Shot like a rifle) will dispatch the biggest hog! I am not a fan of buck shot used like bird shot, its a great wounder, but shot like its a single projectile, from a barrel that patterns it well, with in proper distances, its devastating. #4 magnums are my favorite.
 
CW

[jeepmann1948]

Kinda off topic but anyone that has been to Polk knows it isn't the hogs you got to worry about it is them Skeeters. They should have FAA numbers and marker lights on them 

[petemi]

Spanky, Very nice of you to make the offer    We gotta take care of our soldiers.

Dinny, generally my Handi 16 inch Maxi is my truck gun along with my .357 Blackhawk.  The butt stock wears an Allen nine cartridge holder.  In it are three .38s, 3 mags and 3 maxis.  My walk-around gun is usually my 22 inch mod 20 ga. Pardner.  The butt stock wears three of each, #6s, slugs and buckshot.  It only has a bead front sight, but I can put 3 slugs in 6 inches at 40 yards.  I'm going to put rifle sights on it when I get a round tuit    It's light and Handi.  I can't begin to tell you the game it's taken over the years from deer to chipmunks.

Pete

[Singlebarrel]

Dinny, I can offer two options.  One is to try a Pattern Master choke tube in the 870.  The adds claim 100% in 20 inches at 40 yards with 3" 00 Buck and mine does that easily.  If you can live with the heavier shot, say #4 on up to buckshot this is really going to give you a range boast.  I have mine on a deer barrel with rifle sights.  It shoots so tight that I had to sight it in like I was shooting slugs.

Option 2:  I had a similar problem floating the bayous and small rivers around the house.  The squirrels were too far away for a shotgun or they were running and hitting one way up in the trees with a 22 out of a 12 foot pirogue was almost impossible, anyway.  It did not seem to matter what I saw to shoot, the gun in my hand was not the thing to shoot it with.  It was too far away, or moving too fast or too big or flying or something.  I solved the problem with a 12 gauge Topper model single shot with a 28 inch barrel and a three inch chamber and a full choke.  With number 5 shot and buckshot handy I could take down just about anything.  It is amazing how far you can kill a squirrel with #5 shot from a full choke 12 gauge.  Even with the full choke it did pretty well with buckshot.  The downside to this is recoil.  That pirogue would take off like it was jet propelled when I shot that thing.

[gendoc]

I am a senior uncle by marraige into an extended Navajo family.  The neices often watch grandma's sheep on the reservation.  I pick up cheap, beat up 20 ga handi shot guns.  After reworking and checking actions, I cut them to an 18.25" barrell, then the stock is cut for an overall length of 34".  I generally camo the metal and sand the stock before staining and sealing.  3 lengths of latigo are braided for the sling with a couple of nickel conchos woven in.  Last is a side saddle on the butt with 2 buckhammers, 2 6 chill, one 4 cill and another 4 chill in battery.  This makes a great truck gun, a gun to carry pony back, and since total weight is under 5 lbs easy to wlk with.  I have been told it is a definite coyote and peccary stopper.  I suspect it is also used to bring in camp meat up to mule deer.  By the way these young ladies, oldest 16, prefer no recoil pad and no front sight,  watching one take down a running cotton tail she appeared to keep both eyes open and looked sort of  alongside the barrel.
 
Hodr

hodr, sounds like you and i like to support tha yung'uns with shoot'n fun.........
your technique is great and i bet your scatterguns are excellent shooters.
great to hear your contributions and teaching to tha young hunters !!!!!!!!!!!!!