2015 Bahamas gun check-in update

[timbenner]

Originally Posted by paulanthony

I wont go into it but at a 1000 yards you would not be able to hit a building sized target on a sail boat let alone a pirate. A rifle wont help you much unless you are on a relatively stable platform like a monster cargo ship. Combating intruders would be at close quarters unless you had a long range automatic with tracer rounds fixed to the deck. Have you ever tried standing up or laying down on a moving platform with no hands to steady yourself whilst looking through a telescopic lens? You would lose your target the same moment you acquired it.

Not sure Canadians are afraid of anything. They simply don't have a second amendment like most other sensible nations in the world.

You're probably right about the 1000 yards, but 100 to 150 is very doable, even with a high caliper hand gun, like a 50AE Desert Eagle or S&W 460 XVR, 14" Barrel, with bipod, both in my anti pirate inventory. However, I'm not interested in shooting people at that range, just engines and hulls. That's enough to re-route them to an unarmed boat.

[iancoombe]

What does a pirate look like at 1000 metres or for that matter 50 metres or do we just shoot them all and let god sort them out

[RTB]

212 posts about checking into the Bahamas with guns? Wow, you guys must be pretty insecure. I'll be following to see if the OP gets past "Chicken Harbor"...

Ralph

[paulanthony]

Originally Posted by timbenner

You're probably right about the 1000 yards, but 100 to 150 is very doable, even with a high caliper hand gun, like a 50AE Desert Eagle or S&W 460 XVR, 14" Barrel, with bipod, both in my anti pirate inventory. However, I'm not interested in shooting people at that range, just engines and hulls. That's enough to re-route them to an unarmed boat.

Pirates have upped the anti since armed security has been granted on merchant shipping. If it was a coastal ambush they would attack at night from two points very fast with armour plated boats, throw smoke grenades on your boat and pepper it with machine gun fire then stand off and wait for you to sink whilst you are plinking your .50 cal.. Then when you were in the water they would rescue you and hold you for ransom and cut your fingers off maybe to prove they have you - or do they cut a horses head off and put it in your bed. No.. It is the fingers.. The horses head is another film.

[paulanthony]

Originally Posted by iancoombe

What does a pirate look like at 1000 metres or for that matter 50 metres or do we just shoot them all and let god sort them out

You just look for the parrot and an eye patch.

Wooden legs and hooks should be considered suspicious too.

[RTB]

The OP is back in Florida buying a new dinghy. Looks like updates about checking in with guns will be slow coming. Forget the guns, Bud. Hurricane season is sneaking up on your a$$.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by RTB

The OP is back in Florida buying a new dinghy. Looks like updates about checking in with guns will be slow coming. Forget the guns, Bud. Hurricane season is sneaking up on your a$$.

Did somebody sink the old dinghy with a RPG? OMG you cannot continue a voyage without a stash of on board firepower or a working dink! Rather more important pre departure check in my book would be to sort the reliable dinghy question and forget the gun stuff?

I'll get my coat on the way out....

[goboatingnow]

you just have to laugh and this thread and where its gone, I love the bits about spotting pirates etc

dave

[GordMay]

quote=SniperSailor]
I for one have had extensive firearms training. I wont go into it but lets just say I can hit a man sized target at 1000 yds...[/quote]

Originally Posted by paulanthony

I wont go into it but at a 1000 yards you would not be able to hit a building sized target on a sail boat let alone a pirate...

At 1000 yards range, I’d think you're not defending - you're hunting or sniping.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by RTB

The OP is back in Florida buying a new dinghy. Looks like updates about checking in with guns will be slow coming. Forget the guns, Bud. Hurricane season is sneaking up on your a$$.

yes the reality of cruising intervenes , a good dinghy, over that advanced sniper rifle, might make more sense

[paulanthony]

Originally Posted by timbenner

You're probably right about the 1000 yards, but 100 to 150 is very doable, even with a high caliper hand gun, like a 50AE Desert Eagle or S&W 460 XVR, 14" Barrel, with bipod, both in my anti pirate inventory. However, I'm not interested in shooting people at that range, just engines and hulls. That's enough to re-route them to an unarmed boat.

No.. You dont want a .50 cal in anything. You still need 2 hands for that. You need a 9mm or max 10mm.

I would recommend a Glock G17C with swedish 9mm M39B (armour piercing) ammo in an after market 33 round magazine.

It will give you lots of fast and accurate fire power in one hand that still packs a big enough punch to also enable you to take out the engines whilst letting you use the other one to hold on to something. I think those bullets are incendiary as well so you will be able to make some toast if you hit a fuel tank.

The 10mm will have too much recoil to allow for sustained rapid shooting and not sure you can get the same ammo for it. Depends how strong you are but the .50 cal is an absolute no no. It will have you flat on your back unless you have stable ground.

To complement this may I suggest a flare gun that your partner could use quite legally but that's another story...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by paulanthony

No.. You dont want a .50 cal in anything. You still need 2 hands for that. You need a 9mm or max 10mm.

I would recommend a Glock G17C with swedish 9mm M39B (armour piercing) ammo in an after market 33 round magazine.

It will give you lots of fast and accurate fire power in one hand that still packs a big enough punch to also enable you to take out the engines whilst letting you use the other one to hold on to something. I think those bullets are incendiary as well so you will be able to make some toast if you hit a fuel tank.

The 10mm will have too much recoil to allow for sustained rapid shooting and not sure you can get the same ammo for it. Depends how strong you are but the .50 cal is an absolute no no. It will have you flat on your back unless you have stable ground.

To complement this may I suggest a flare gun that your partner could use quite legally but that's another story...

personally given free reign, an AK47 would be best, ammo available everywhere, virtually indestructible. etc etc . variable accuracy useful on boat too.

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

yes the reality of cruising intervenes , a good dinghy, over that advanced sniper rifle, might make more sense

Yes, that evidence of prioritization at the outset of a circumnavigation is somewhat amusing...

What's next, another change of plans, and a second return to the States to pick up a better anchor?

:-)

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Jon Eisberg

Yes, that evidence of prioritization at the outset of a circumnavigation is somewhat amusing...

What's next, another change of plans, and a second return to the States to pick up a better anchor?

:-)

indeed, possibly by the time he gets to requiring the rest of the cruising supplies , hell have such a low waterline , that the 3x Glocks, semi-auto shotguns, 50 cal sniper, and other assorted personal protection hardware will have to be left at the departing dock


dave

[Exile]

GBN -- Thanks for your most sensible comments, especially since you have stated you are an experienced firearms enthusiast yourself. On top of your many cruising miles, this only lends credibility to a topic that all too often is sorely lacking in that dept.

FWIW, my take-away is this:

1. If one takes reasonable precautions about choice of cruising grounds & anchorages, the probability of a hostile incident reasonably falls in the 'highly unlikely' category;

2. This rather remote probability must be balanced against most nations of the world taking a negative view of visiting boats with guns on board, and the resulting impracticalities & hassle/worry factor;

3. The scenario of pirates in fast boats brandishing AK-47's that some on this thread apparently envision is highly unlikely if one avoids a few notorious parts of the world. More likely is someone feigning distress while underway or a local fishing vessel, i.e. a scenario to draw you close. The other scenario is likely to be at anchor, obviously. The point being that a long-range, high-powered rifle doesn't seem like the best tool for what would more likely unfold as a close-quarters engagement;

4. In addition to suitability for the job, semi-auto rifles & handguns, and/or any military style firearms, would probably be highly disfavored by many customs officials. To me, that leaves a shotgun & maybe a revolver. With some countries banning handguns altogether, that leaves the shotgun; and,

5. With the possibility of being greeted by dogs trained to detect firearms and/or ammo, now you're looking at having your gun impounded (at best) if you declare, or going through all sorts of (illegal) hoops to cloak your gun (& ammo) which could well be defeated. Then you might be facing boat impoundment vs. just your gun, and potential jail time.

In sum, and with no restrictions, I might opt to have my Mossy Mariner and GBN's AK-47 onboard, I'm nevertheless in agreement that it's probably not worth it, and would consider some of the alternatives & precautions previously discussed. To each his own, however, provided the decision is an INFORMED one!