Short Shotgun or AR15 For Yacht Protection

pilotj@execpc.com

What would you recommend for protection onboard a 45' yacht?
Thinking about a short barreled 12ga. with a rust resistant finish.
What do you think?
Or, I have an AR-15 that would be good, but not sure what the officials in the Bahamas would feel about it.
Does anyone have any experience going to the Bahamas with firearms onboard?
Piracy exists and we want to be prepared.
Any info would be helpful!!!
Thanks,
Jay

(pilotj@execpc.com is no longer my address)

moonshine

Both long and short range....

Nwcid

One of the .45 or .50 cal AR rifles. [:D]

Wehrmacht_45

Well, an AR15 would be best for all around use, but I might be inclined to get something with some more firepower like an AR 10 or an AR in 6.5 Grendel or 6.8.

MrOrange

12 ga would work. The 5.56mm round just doesn't get through enough cover for my tastes, and the shotgun is a lot less likely to set off alarm bells. The main limitation of shotguns for social use in any terrain is ammo capacity, both in the gun and in total. I'm guessing the firearm would be stored away in the "Break Glass In Case of Emergency" case, and when you pick it up you'll be moving fast, need to be somewhere else, and in no mood to track down, pick up and drag along a duffel bag of ammo? I'd get a speed-feed stock AND a side-saddle AND a bandolier sling.

If it was me, I'd use slugs and a dot sight. That'll give you a good 100 m of useful range, and your chances of hitting anything beyond that from a boat without something solidly mounted and belt-fed are pretty slim.

Speed Feed stock: http://www.speedfeedinc.com/products.html
Side-saddle: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/SHT003-44911-2123.html
Sling: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/SHT015-1134-1153.html


And the shotgun can be used with a variety of rounds for entertainment or survival, like flares or even bird shot for some good old clay pigeon busting.

ElMuertoMonkey

Why a short barreled shotgun? The "tactical" cool factor aside, you're just going to reduce the velocity and range of the shot you put through it. On board a 45' boat, that extra few inches off the barrel won't mean much at all in terms of space saved.

However, either a shotgun or an AR would be just fine. You might also want to consider something larger if you decide on a rifle - perhaps an SKS? An AK might raise eyebrows, but an SKS, with is "traditional" stock, might fly under most folks' radar and it's 7.62, to boot!

iwannausername

One advantage of the shotgun is you can use flares in it as well for emergency signals... I'd go wiht a Mossberg 500 or 590 *and* a rifle of some sort - SKS, Saiga, etc. Nothing too expensive, and very reliable.

Mikein

quote:Originally posted by pilotj@execpc.com
What would you recommend for protection onboard a 45' yacht?
Thinking about a short barreled 12ga. with a rust resistant finish.
What do you think?
Or, I have an AR-15 that would be good, but not sure what the officials in the Bahamas would feel about it.
Does anyone have any experience going to the Bahamas with firearms onboard?
Piracy exists and we want to be prepared.
Any info would be helpful!!!
Thanks,
Jay

Jay,

My wife and I cruised the Bahamas and Florida Keys for 2 years on a 42 foot Grand Banks trawler. When I asked the local Coast Guard commander for recommendations in the area of personal protection, he suggested getting several 12 gauge flare guns, and storing at least 2 of them in every living and working compartment in the boat. They're legal, will not be questioned by the Bahamian authorities, and provide fearsome personal protection at close ranges. When I asked about the fire hazard, he said, "if it gets to the point that you have to use them, starting a fire in your vessel is a secondary concern."

Mike

(pilotj@execpc.com is no longer my address)

Robin

I suggest getting a Remington 870 Express with a 26" or 28" barrel, cheap, reliable and something the BDF sees all the time. No need for short barrel as far as I can see Also something like a Ruger P90 wouldn't hurt.

You won't have any problem with customs unless you get an officer with an attitude. Make sure you declare the firearm and the number of rounds you have in your possession. We checked into customs in Bimini one time and a couple of days later were boarded and checked. The BDF counted our shot shells and pistol ammo comparing it to the declaration.

Chances are if the right batch of pirates/criminals want your boat if won't matter how you legally arm yourself.

eastbank

M1A with a good varible scope(2x7) and about 10 clips. good for up close and out far.

11b6r

Well, there is the "Mariner" shotgun made for, well....Mariners. In general, while different nations may have different laws, as long as the arm is declared to customs and STAYS ABOARD your US flagged vessel, you should be OK- HOWEVER- be sure to consider how you secure ANY arm aboard- ready access vs someone helped self while you were ashore. A shotgun (or two) is more likely to be accepted by assorted LEOs from assorted countries- and buckshot is a very good close range people round- slugs can reach a ways, have greater penetration of a boat hull than a light rifle. I'd opt for the scattergun(s). Link for you:http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_989.html

USN_Airdale

quote:but not sure what the officials in the Bahamas would feel about it.

don't you really mean:

"not sure what the officials in the Bahamas would THINK about it."