When I first got out of the Corps, I worked at Hot Shots on Austell Rd.
One day a customer came in with a handgun he had just purchased at Adventure Outdoors. He was planning a salmon fishing trip in Alaska and was worried about brown bears. He had asked the clerk at AO what handgun he recommended for defense against these big, Alaskan bears and he purchased what the clerk had recommended.
It was a 6” Smith & Wesson 686 .357 Magnum.
He had come to Hot Shots afterwards because AO didn’t have a leather crossdraw holster or the load recommended by the clerk; Georgia Arms Deerstoppers.
I made some comment about using a .357 Magnum on a brown bear and the customer got upset with me. I also handed him a box of Georgia Arms Deerstoppers and showed him on the box where it stated that it was for use in rifles/carbines and Ruger revolvers only, not recommended for S&W’s. I also showed him a Galco Phoenix holster that can be worn crossdraw.
The customer said, “Sonce you’re such a big bear expert, why don’t you tell me the best place to shoot one with this gun.”
I replied that I was in no shape or form a big bear expert and that I had never seen a live one outside of a zoo. I also stated that I was an Instructor, though, and had done quite a bit of studying on how humans react under stress.
“I can’t imagine anything more stressful than one of those big brown bears charging at me”, I told him. “You’re not going to have time to formulate a plan, and you may not be able to think clearly in this situation, so you want to train until you can do it instinctually. Put on all your fishing equipment when you train, and hold your rod and reel. Triple check that your S&W is empty. Face a mirror when you practice so you can see what you’re doing and self-critique. Time yourself.”
“I figure you’ve got 2 seconds to drop your rod, draw your Smith, stick it in your mouth, and pull the trigger before that bear gets you.”
He didn’t think it was as funny as I did.
One day a customer came in with a handgun he had just purchased at Adventure Outdoors. He was planning a salmon fishing trip in Alaska and was worried about brown bears. He had asked the clerk at AO what handgun he recommended for defense against these big, Alaskan bears and he purchased what the clerk had recommended.
It was a 6” Smith & Wesson 686 .357 Magnum.
He had come to Hot Shots afterwards because AO didn’t have a leather crossdraw holster or the load recommended by the clerk; Georgia Arms Deerstoppers.
I made some comment about using a .357 Magnum on a brown bear and the customer got upset with me. I also handed him a box of Georgia Arms Deerstoppers and showed him on the box where it stated that it was for use in rifles/carbines and Ruger revolvers only, not recommended for S&W’s. I also showed him a Galco Phoenix holster that can be worn crossdraw.
The customer said, “Sonce you’re such a big bear expert, why don’t you tell me the best place to shoot one with this gun.”
I replied that I was in no shape or form a big bear expert and that I had never seen a live one outside of a zoo. I also stated that I was an Instructor, though, and had done quite a bit of studying on how humans react under stress.
“I can’t imagine anything more stressful than one of those big brown bears charging at me”, I told him. “You’re not going to have time to formulate a plan, and you may not be able to think clearly in this situation, so you want to train until you can do it instinctually. Put on all your fishing equipment when you train, and hold your rod and reel. Triple check that your S&W is empty. Face a mirror when you practice so you can see what you’re doing and self-critique. Time yourself.”
“I figure you’ve got 2 seconds to drop your rod, draw your Smith, stick it in your mouth, and pull the trigger before that bear gets you.”
He didn’t think it was as funny as I did.
