another newbie question: right gun 4 me?

[ridingonfumes]

ok so im thinking about buying a shotgun or a shotgun rifle combo like maybe a Springfield armory M6?
i dont know a whole lot about firearms but i will tell you what i want it for and maybe you guys can give me some options to think about.

ok so i may want to use it for home protection (if the need should arise) but MOSTLY i plan to do a lot of back country backpacking and fishing in the next few summers.

i dont know if you guys know just how BAD the mountain lion problem has gotten here in cali but im sorta scared not to mention a girl got messed up real good by one just last year in one of the place i like to go fishing. (i have my own mountain lion story but i will get to that later)

so i dont need a top end gun im thinking $200 or less? i wont be shooting it a whole lot just for practice maybe twice/three times a year and in a pinch if a lion is charging me (thats when i REALLY NEED it to work)
i would like to get something thats over 50 years old but still pretty reliable.
and light. because if im packing in it would be nice if it wasnt to heavy


so any ideas on on guns i should look into?




ok my mountain lion sorry.
i was running a campground about 5 years back and was on my way to town when i saw this pitbull walking down the road. i thought "hummm some campers dog got away or he got dumped here"
so i pulled up right next to him stuck my arm out the window and said "here puppy puppy"

now from the rear he looked like a pitbull a REAL BIG pitbull but still i thought he was a dog untill i called out to him and he turned around and i saw his face and ears

i was in my car (in park) 3 feet away from him with my arm out the window and im thinking "oh **** this is a mountain lion not a dog"

i hit the gas at the exact same time that he ran down the hill/cliff so he was a good cat he could have had some arm for lunch but he didnt

most of them are like that just as scared of us as we are of them but its the smaller skinny mountain lions that dont get enough food who will come after us (almost every time) and thats the one i want to be ready for

im also looking into buying a tall frame backpack so i can store a tent on top just behind my neck and have a bit of a shield if one pounces on me from behind (they like to jump on your back, bite you on the neck, and rake your spine with their back claws )

[ridingonfumes]

is the M6 scout even legal in california?

[blkA4alb]

is the M6 scout even legal in california?

Why wouldnt it be, theres nothing "evil" about it. I had never heard of it so had to research it myself, just a simple survival rifle. looks pretty uncomforitable to shoot though. I'm not sure how effective a 22LR would be at stopping a mountain lion though...

[ridingonfumes]

Why wouldnt it be, theres nothing "evil" about it. I had never heard of it so had to research it myself, just a simple survival rifle. looks pretty uncomforitable to shoot though. I'm not sure how effective a 22LR would be at stopping a mountain lion though...

i saw on another site where they said it only comes in a 10' or 16" barrel size.
and im pretty sure california says all shotguns need a 18" or longer barrel


but then i saw this site

http://www.smallarmsreview.com/may.htm

where the guy is talking about

"due to their ability to register their M6 Scout configuration as an Any Other Weapon (A.O.W.). That is right ladies and gentlemen, all this with only a $5.00 tax. The definition of an AOW includes "weapons with combination rifle and shotgun barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading". "


now im thinking that what they are saying there /\ is because its not just a shotgun it falls under some rules for A.O.W length requirements

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT lol i dont even know if that site is talking about california.

i thought maybe some of you guys would know

[jdberger]

The Scout is legal in Cali. I can't remember and I don't feel like opening up the safe right now, but it is legal.

It also comes in .22 Hornet. Not just .22lr.

This is not the fastest gun to get into action. There is a selector on the hammer that designates which barrel goes BOOM. It takes a bit of practice to get it right.

Mine is accurate enough. I can hit a clay pigeon at 50 yards with the rifle barrel and a thrown pigeon with the shotgun barrel. I'm no marksman.

The trigger is horrible, but you get used to it.

Hope this helped.

[ridingonfumes]

here is another link with pic's of the longer barrel
this site is where i first took notice of this gun i knew i wanted a over under shotgun/rifle combo i still think a 22lr - 20 gauge might be might be better then the 22lr - 410 M6 set up
but i dont know i just really have a hard on for this gun


here is the other link

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/v-shrake/m6.html

[ridingonfumes]

The Scout is legal in Cali. I can't remember and I don't feel like opening up the safe right now, but it is legal.

It also comes in .22 Hornet. Not just .22lr.

This is not the fastest gun to get into action. There is a selector on the hammer that designates which barrel goes BOOM. It takes a bit of practice to get it right.

Mine is accurate enough. I can hit a clay pigeon at 50 yards with the rifle barrel and a thrown pigeon with the shotgun barrel. I'm no marksman.

The trigger is horrible, but you get used to it.

Hope this helped.

i made my last reply before i saw yours and yeah that does help
the way the trigger is set up is part of why i like it not the kind of thing you see every day.


so i have some other questions maybe you can help me with (dont forget im a newbie)

about what do these cost new and used (even a guess would help)

and would the 22 hornet work better up close then the 22lr
when i say up close i mean like if a mountain lion was locked onto my leg up close or i guess they also make a 22 Magnum version would that be even better?

[socalguns]

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/springfieldrifles.html

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/springfield/M69101.asp

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/springfield/M69201.asp

Versatility is the Key
The Springfield M6 Scout covers a variety of needs in both normal and emergency situations. Improved and updated from the original U.S. Air Force M6 Survival Rifle, the Springfield M6 Scout is a tough, reliable, survival rifle you can depend on.

Specifications

Caliber .22LR/410 GA
Barrel 18 1/4", 1:15 RH
Rifle Barrel: Six-groove barrel
Shotgun Barrel: Full choke, smooth bore, 3" chamber
Sight Radius: 16 1/8"
Size: 36 ozs. 32" long

Also available in .22 Hornet/410 GA

Click here to visit Gunshopfinder's Springfield Armory rifle page. Or, to find a Springfield Armory dealer near you, select a state and then click "Submit."

[maxicon]

Back to the original question, I don't consider the M6 and similar stuff like the Savage 24c to be any good for anything but survival and plinking. They're essentially single shot rifle/shotguns, so not the best choice for self defense against much of anything, and are still relatively heavy for what they are.

An 18" shotgun is a good wildlife defense tool, but it's big and heavy, and can be awkward to get into position quickly without a lot of practice, especially if you've got a backpack on. Best bet would be a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, rather than an old shotgun, IMO.

If it were me, I'd carry a medium-sized revolver or semi-auto pistol in a belt or shoulder holster. .357 mag is a good bet, and I'd go with a 4" S&W 686 or Ruger GP100 as a good compromise between power and portability in that caliber. For a semi-auto, it would be hard to beat a .45, and there are a ton of models to choose from.

The plus of a handgun over a long gun is the ability to keep it more accessible all the time, faster handling, the ability to shoot it one-handed if necessary, and better concealability.

I can't imagine extended backpacking with a shotgun and ammo against the pretty unlikely event of a mountain lion attack. A handgun would be much less of a burden and arguably just as effective.

max

[big jon]

what to use

well i live in lion country and i need to walk everyday for my health,and i dont leave home with out a hand gun. i cary a 9mm,357,45lc,45acp,i personaly think you should consider one,spend more and practice you never know you might enjoy it more than you think,if you do, you can feel more at ease, when you in the field and you know your a crack shot.

[ridingonfumes]

yeah a hand gun seems the way to go at first. but it seems to me a shotgun would be better because if a mountain lion is charging i wont have a lot of time to aim?

not only that but i saw a story the other nite on some site about a guy who had one stalking him. when it finally charged him he shot it twice with his pistol (i cant remember what kind) and it still didnt stop so he whipped around his shotgun and dropped it dead like 3 ft away from him.


but yeah a shotgun does seem like a major pain on a long hike with a backpack but i guess the M6 is only 4lbs so thats not to bad.