Shotgun or Handgun – Retired Veterans

Personal Protection At Camp: Shotgun or Handgun

For a retired person/ veteran at a campsite, the choice between a shotgun and a handgun for personal protection depends primarily on environment,
physical capability and comfort level. Both have distinct advantages and drawbacks in an outdoor setting.

Shotgun: Best for Wildlife and Home Defense (Based on your situation). Shotguns (specifically 12-gauge or 20-gauge pump action or semi-automatic models) are traditionally favored for camping in areas with large wildlife like bears or mountain lions.

Pros:
Stopping Power Against Wildlife: If you are camping in bear, cougar or wild boar country, a shotgun loaded with slugs or heavy buckshot is far more effective at stopping a large animal than almost any standard handgun. A shotgun also allows 3 points of contact (shoulder, cheek and hands), making it much easier to hit your target under high stress engagement situations compared to a handgun.

Cons:
Size and Weight: Shotguns are heavy, especially after I added the Elastic Buttstock Carrier. They’re cumbersome to carry around a campsite or store inside a small tent or RV. A 12-gauge shotgun has significant recoil, which can be a little more punishing on the joints of older retired veterans (like me). (A 20-gauge reduces this significantly). Keeping a shotgun accessible yet secure inside a campsite requires more effort than a holstered handgun. A shotgun will certainly solve a problem, if you get to it in time.

The Handgun: (Best for Mobility, Concealment and 2 Legged Threats). Handguns (semi-automatic pistols or revolvers) offer maximum portability and are generally preferred if your primary concern is personal defense against humans or venomous snakes. I don’t usually go to campsites with bears walking around, so I prefer a handgun while I’m camping. Especially when I’m with my wife, we do more glamping than camping.

Pros:
A handgun can be worn in a hip holster or shoulder holster at all times while walking around the campsite, gathering firewood or hiking.

Ease of Storage: It takes up very minimal space in a tent, camper or vehicle lockbox. In the rare event of a confrontation with a dangerous person, a handgun is faster to deploy from close quarters (like inside a tent or vehicle) than a shotgun. Revolvers (like a .357 Magnum) or compact 9mm pistols can be chosen based on hand strength and recoil tolerance. I prefer a nice compact .45 simi-auto but 9mm rounds are cheaper to practice with at the gun range. I recommend getting lots of practice. The life you save, could be your own. While I’m at it, one more old saying. It’s better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6. So there, I said it.