Reeder Custom Guns - The Sun is a Compass...

The other day I walked into a Barnes and Noble bookstore. It has been a while since they were open in the state of Massachusetts.

It was weird seeing magazines on the rack that were from March.

Anyways. I thumbed through one book written by a woman who backpacked 4k miles across Alaska.

The title is The Sun is a Compass. I checked out the index for firearms and discovered she did not carry one. I do believe it was foolish on her part and that one situation she did avert being bear breakfast.

Me on the other hand, I'd make sure I would have something.

I know this has been played to death but if you had a burning desire to do something like that what one gun would you pack ?

I would be tempted to have an old SBH converted to 510 GNR with a 6 to 7 inch barrel and the gunfighter grip. Nice rugged sights and an Al Goerg holster.

Or I would have the Ruger Hunter Gary worked over and have him rechamber it to 429 GNR for this trip. I could take a scope along in my pack.

Anyways. It was a long day on the computer constructing assignments and activities for our young generation.

Sooooo. What would you carry? Thanks

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Because that’s what i have.

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with 350gr. Swift A-frame flat point

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only a handgun, 510GNR with various cartridge types (350 light, 350 heavy and 435s)

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My SRH 500 L converted to a 4 inch Alasksn configuration 525 grn slugs. Von Ringler Cross draw holster

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Besides not being as worried as me about bears he fell quickly into a state of mind of solitude and survival awareness that one cannot soberly conceive. He would have left his .500 Max. had it not been so valuable I think. He trekked away from it many times as weight was such a consumer of calories and energy.

His personal account is one of a mindset I never would have envisioned. But then again it is Denning. I'd be talking to my bear gun like on Castaway, name it "Wilson". Honestly it matters little what a handgun caliber would be. Anything from hard bulleted 10mm Glock to a light and lively .510 GNR with those big holes. Just SOME gun for me. My little .429 GNR carbine at 6 lbs. is not very obtrusive and up to about any chore. Carrying a gun is said to be really tiring though. Armchair quarterbacking is comfortable and easy. So many good subjective choices. Seems lots more attacks these days too, maybe it's just more careless folks out.

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wouldn't be a problem as long as carrying it is comfortable. A good holster solves half the problem. I am so used to carrying a hunting gun in a crossdraw holster it wouldn't be any big deal. My 510 GNR with hot loads has blown 2 holes side to side thru a big bear so I would depend upon it again.

The bullets used would be a different subject and one I would have to think about. I have shot several big animals with a heavy hard cast bullet and it failed me every time. In fact it failed so many people in Alaska that George Faerber, our guide in Alaska outlawed them in his camp for bears. It seems the big flat nose bullets just push a column of air thru the animal pushing aside the vitals and exiting on the other side, allowing the bear to run off and never be found. I saw 2 bears hit with them and run off. Neither was ever seen again and in the video at slow motion you could see the bullet hit just behind the shoulder, and go all the way thru hitting the water in the stream behind the bear. George said he had lost several bears hit in the right spot with the wide nose hard cast bullets, so he doesn't allow them in his camps anymore.

So that would be a subject i would have to sit down and think about. Maybe a 400 grain jacketed soft point like the Hornady Dangerous Game bullet. Not sure, but something to think about.

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I had hiked for 45 miles by myself to the base of the Chinese wall in the Bob Marshall wilderness and was totally worn out. I still had to climb 4400 feet to the top of haystack mountain. I wasn’t “one with the mountain “ or even “fearless of bears”. I WAS totally exhausted. My practice climbs of 700 feet with a pack convinced me I would never make it carrying any weight. So yes I left my 500 max in my tent and left at 5 am with a headlamp a water bottle and 2 power bars. I made it to the top. Pissed on both sides of the continental divide and made it back to my camp before dark. In hindsight the trip was not the “smart” thing to do And lots of things could have gone wrong. God was definitely looking over me.

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and The Castle Reef. Shot my first buck there. Saw my first Grizzly there.

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in a chest holster.

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Unlike Gary and others here, I've never hunted bear. But I have had one real-world up-close encounter. And I talked to Rangers afterwards plus many who live in that country. Every single one, to a man or woman, agreed. It needs to be immediately and easily accessible and must be something you are comfortable with and have seriously practiced with. The WHY comes down to how fast these encounters develop WITH NO WARNING and second, just how amazingly fast bears are! They can run down a race-horse, we humans are child's play. You need to practice on moving targets, and it is a good idea to practice from lying on the ground as you may, unfortunately, get knocked-down in the encounter. Nothing in backpacks or excessively 'tied-down'. And nothing that takes 30 seconds between shots to recover - you may pay with your life!

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...And a 12 Gauge full of slugs

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6" Colt Python during all his travels across Alaska and he had occasion to shoot many big game animals. He says he has taken every big game animal in Alaska with his 357 Magnum, and that his gun has gone from the face through the back of the head of every animal he shot with it. He tried a 44 Magnum once but didn't like the recoil so he went back to his 357. The only big game animal he hasn't killed with his gun is a walrus and those are notoriously hard to kill. His theory is that if he hits the animal in the right place that he'll be okay and it worked for him. I carry bigger guns myself but I've never had to shoot an animal in my travels.

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The Sun is a Compass...

Alaskan Packer or Alaskan Hunter in 475 Lb

475 Linebaugh for me too

457 GNR Profesional Hunter

A 416 Rigby Beast , but if forced to

Pac- Alaska

Denning ditched one of his sidearms fast on the trail

I carry a gun everyday so carrying one a bit heavier

Thanks Sir Boggs but here is the rest of the story

Growing up I hunted a lot along the Chinese Wall

Ruger Toklat .454 Casull

Wild bear self-defense

Smith & Wesson 329PD .44 mag

A retired game biologist from here carried a