Not much to look at but it is actually a great little pistol, even with the home made grips.
Posted on 10/02/2015 6:34:24 AM PDT by SJackson
On Sept. 23, Matthew Nellessen of Friendship, Wisc., an avid deer hunter and former U.S. Army sergeant who served with the 961st Engineers in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, was scouting a potential hunting area in the Colburn Wildlife Management Area of Adams County when he locked eyes with a wolf only 30 yards away. Acting on instinct he gained from military service, Nellessen immediately pulled his sidearm, a Walther PK .380, and chambered a round.
That’s when things went from bad to worse. As he racked the slide, Nellessen noticed two more wolves approaching from the left.
“It all happened so fast,” said Nellessen. "It was maybe 3-4 seconds and the wolves were on me.”
The first wolf came in from the right, mouth open, fangs ready to rip into Nellesen's leg. A swift kick from the man’s boot landed square on the wolf's face and deflected the bite.
“That first wolf missed my leg by 8-10 inches,” he said.
The other two wolves weren’t far behind. As the next wolf leapt toward Nellessen, the man jumped back and was able to fire a single round into the animal. Nellessen was unsure of the lethality of the hit, but two wolves immediately retreated for the bush at the sound of the gunshot and the third limped away “like a gut-shot deer," said Nellessen.
Though shaken, Nellessen, realizing he had not been injured in the ordeal, made a hasty, yet calculated retreat to his truck, he said, "clearing every bush and tree along the way with my .380.” Reaching a point roughly 600 yards from the truck, Nellessen breathed a small sigh of relief, phoned his wife and informed her of the ordeal.
“I thought, if the wolves were still following me,” said Nellessen, “I ought to give her an idea of where I’m at.”
Once home, he called the Wisconsin DNR.
The following day, with biologists from the Wisconsin DNR and U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services in tow, Nellessen returned to the scene of the attack, hoping to find a dead wolf. At press time no wolf had been found, but Nellessen said the group did find lots of wolf sign, and a blood trail that ended after roughly 150 yards.
Nellessen is an avid outdoorsman.
Despite his encounter, Nellesen said, "I don’t blame the wolves.” He surmised that the perfect wind for scouting also turned out to be the perfect wind for unintentionally bumping into the wolves in what he described as "their living room.”
Nellessen attributes his ability to survive the encounter to his military experience and the small sidearm he carried with him that day.
“I’d be dead without my military experience,” he said. “A single bullet saved my life … a .380 FMJ.”
Phone calls and emails to the Wisconsin DNR confirm: "The Wisconsin DNR along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are currently investigating a report of a wolf interaction on or about that date. That’s all we can say since there is an ongoing investigation.”
Matthew Nellessen, who says he is now "In the market for a bigger gun,” renewed his NRA membership four days ago.
Yep ...been a 45/357/40 sort for many years .....threats come in double digit numbers these days and modern designs for projectiles make the 9 a viable prescription for self defense.
Stay safe ...
Yep ...my bad on the correct spelling....:o)
My favorite little pocket .22 is the 8 shot S&W 317 airweight snub nose revolver. very light, carries in a uncle mikes cheap pocket holster comfortably .
TUFF brand products even makes a speed strip for carrying spare rounds safely.
loaded with quality or crap fodder its reliable...... stay safe !!
Revolvers feel very easy and natural in my feminine hand. I recommend non-shooting women to try them first before they handle a glock, less recoil and easier to load. It will help them get used to drawing and aiming a firearm.
The Walther PP is available in .380.
You got me to thinking. I don’t think I have ever cleaned that Unique a single time. I have probably wiped it off a few times but it is totally either chrome plated or aluminum so not much rust.
Despite the fact that it is extremely well machined, the original plastic grips were garbage. They both cracked so I made new ones from the side of a TV set which was struck by lightening.
I am not a craftsman so they don’t look great but they work perfectly.
I am going to take your advice and thoroughly clean the slide inside and out. The rest of the gun too.
Not much to look at but it is actually a great little pistol, even with the home made grips.
It is... nice work on the grips btw.... if purdy and shiny were required of a carry gun I wouldn’t be packing a glock..... it would require me to carry an engraved 1911A1 BBQ gun 24/7.
Nice ... FEG .22 ? may have to go get me a ham sandwich .....:o)
Don't do that...
Awesome story!
“He surmised that the perfect wind for scouting also turned out to be the perfect wind for unintentionally bumping into the wolves in what he described as, ‘their living room.’”
That’s the FIRST thing I learned about hunting deer. You have to imagine you’re in their house. Works like a charm. :)
I favor the .45 m’self
-—==+==-—
Partial to the .357 beneath my left shoulder, and the 9mm behind my right hip, and the .380 Auto on my left ankle; none of them interfere with my running abilities; and I likely have the right tool for the job......though metal detectors are tough.
SMZ bump
“More than likely he shot a wolf then made up the story as a CYA because it’s probably illegal to shoot wolves.”
If your speculation is correct, it makes no sense to report the encounter.
“Someone report a shot wolf and it might come back to him, so create a CYA story.”
How would it come back to him?
In spite of the fantasies spun on TV, there is no data base on bullets. There is no such thing as a reliable “bullet fingerprint”.
This isn’t an urban downtown with surveillance cameras everywhere, and thousands of extra witnesses.
I have not heard of a single case where an annimal was shot, then tracked back to the shooter with a signature from a bullet.
“I have not heard of a single case where an annimal was shot, then tracked back to the shooter with a signature from a bullet.”
I didn’t know anyone other than your own imagination said it would be tracked back to him by the bullet.
People do strange things and cook up some crazy stories as a CYA so who knows, but his story isn’t believable as told.
Yeah... Thanks... But I figured that out right off the bat...
Wisconsin deer hunter fends off wolf attach with handgun and military training.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
And it only carries six rounds or something like that. He’s lucky.
Everyone thinks they are so official..
When do they jail him for shooting an 'endangered species'
Remember the three S's ... shoot, shovel, shut-up
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