New Polar Bear Tickaller

[basegroupie 0]

Well I don't jump by my buddy does and I love to go watch. Anyways I have been searching for the right gun for wilderness protection out west in the rockies. So i have been asking all the gun guys I know and posting on gun forums and that Marlin 1895 Guide Series is what I am everyone said would be the best, so I am picking one up next week. But I only found it in 450 marlin, 45-70, and .444 . I havn't seen it available in .457 . Did you special order it?

The only other option I have seen is getting a 12 gauge and use slugs but shotguns don't break down as easy as that marlin will. But you might think about looking at a Mossberg 500 JIC Cruiser (Just in Case).

http://www.brianneely.com/Misc%20Info/firearms/armory/Cruiser.jpg

It is basically a pump action 12 gauge with only a pistol grip and no stock. Assembled it is 28 inches (only 8 inches longer than the marlin disassembled) but you could jump with that assembled and not have to mess with it when you land. The 12 gauge with high power slugs would be just as effective at 75 yards or less as the marlin. Plus 12 gauge can have so many other uses. You can get like flares and alot of other stuff for them. But then again I don't know if shotguns without stocks are even legal in canada, probably not because they are short and black and evil.

Anyways I don't wanna say that the marlin is a bad choice because thats what I am getting and it will work quite well, but you might wanna look into that shotgun, its about $300 and nice to have either way. I just wanted to shair the research I have been doing on a wilderness gun with you, Hope your trip goes well.

[RiggerLee 63]

A shot gun is a really good choice. Nothing is more versitile. pistol grip and folding stock shot guns are legal in Canada. act what I have caried in the past. Canada is in some cases more rational about these things then the US. They have a baral length requirement of 18.5 in. and an over all length requirement if it is fireable. A take down shot gun is ok becouse it can no be fired. I think any thing with a folding stock would meet the requirement. There are some good hot loaded big game slugs that do ok. Ordenary slugs suck. They do not penatrate well enough. I've done some research as well. I wanted something with a lot of power and I wanted something better then a shot gun slug. I wanted a good jacketed bullet that would punch through bone and get deep. An expander that would mushroom with out breaking up and loseing mass. That's a tall order for just a chunk of lead which is all a slug is. Most slugs lack the sectional density to punch deep. The 50 Alaskan fires a 450 gr bullet. It's as heavy as a ordinary slug. It moves at over 2000 ft/sec and it's a good dense soft point bullet with a heavy jacket. That was what I wanted.
Marlin builds good guns. This one is a custom rebuild from Alaska, see link in earlier post. The 457 is their baby. It's just a step above a wildcat. Starline builds brass. There are a couple of people selling loaded ammo. Unless you want to get a big thumper in 50 Alaskan, you don't need that, then get a gun in 45/70 or 450 marlin. There is good hot 45/70+p out there that you can get off the shelf. Don't bother with the old pussy stuff. 45/70 gov. was a black pouder round originaly and is low presure. 450 is nice but in the end it isn't any better then hot 45/70. In the end it's just more exspencive and harder to find. The brass in nicer and I think tougher. There is actualy a bit less case volume. By the way now that I have my gun Marlin has anounced that they are going to start selling the same take down rifle for 1/3 the price. Such is life. I recamend you call Wild West Guns in Alaska and get one of his trigers. The ejector and big lever are also worth the money.

Oh, and magnaporting is so worth it. I have one in 450 Marlin. The new one is ported. It really stops the muzzel rise. I was sighting it in on a bench rest. The diffrence was obveous. The new one is neutral. The old one would jump up out of the rest with out the second hand to hold it down.

Lee

Lee
lee@velocitysportswear.com
www.velocitysportswear.com