12ga shotgun vs. 2 boats of Pirates

The Highroad ^ | March 11, 2005 | Rodney J. Nowlin, USN Retire

[Travis McGee]

If you have a clear horizon in 360*, you are good to go. Your slugs and the sounds will not travel as far as your eye can see to the horizon. Generally ten or more miles off shore, with no other vessels in sight, let her rip.

Be aware that today, the "homeland security" guys might be stopping you on your way into port. Don't have fired brass laying in the scuppers!

[Shooter 2.5]

It's a fact about the inaccuracy. There are actually two problems with the Mini. The first is caused by the owner when they change out the stock. The mistake is made by tightening the four 10-32 gas cylinder screws too much. Ten inch groups at fifty yards are common.
The second is when the barrel heats up. There really isn't anything that can be done about that except to keep all of your shooting down to five rounds at a time. After market barrels can be bought but after the receiver and gas cylinder is mated, the combined price is about the same as an Bushmaster AR.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

The shotgun was effective because the pirates chose poor tactics and came into shotgun range too soon. It would have been useless beyond 100 yards. A good weapon to have, obviously, once the pirates came inside of its range.

I'm guess they were going to board and terrorize the crew in the hopes of getting any electornic account information / hidden items, then kill the men, and then have fun with the women before killing them.

So they wanted to be able to board a boat with unarmed victims, not a boat with a bunch of bullet holes in it that may be sinking along with all dead bodies.

If you can pretend to be unarmed until they get close to board you (hopefully they want to keep you alive, at least until they figure they have gotten everything from you they can) and then open up - that would be the tactic to use.

[kstewskis]

Be aware that today, the "homeland security" guys might be stopping you on your way into port. Don't have fired brass laying in the scuppers!

Ah, good reminder ;)

[Eaker]

Laugh!

You fell off twice last time!

Travis, check yer email.

[Hardastarboard]

a friend of my brother's had a large open deck modified cigarette boat. He fished bahamian waters all time and simply outran the patrol boats whenever they approached.

LOL! The theme from "Miami Vice" started going through my head as soon as I read this.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

Landlubbers cannot offer advice of much worth concerning marksmaship on yahcts.

Shooting from a yacht is similar to shooting from the roof of an SUV, while driving across rutted fields. It has NOTHING to do with range shooting. You cannot get a "rest." You can only shoot offhand, while your boat is moving in several directions at once.

OTOH, you can see your splashes, and correct accordingly. Of course, on your next (offhand) shot, your boat has twisted another way under you, and you must take an entirely new aim.

Shooting from a boat is NOTHING like shooting on solid land. NOTHING. Your super accurate M1A is no more likely to hit than a Mini-14. The skills required to hit are all different....

Thanks for your input, Travis.

Great to hear what the real deal is from someone (ex-Navy SEAL) who would know first hand.

[Eaker]

[Bear_Slayer]

It's a fact about the inaccuracy

I don't doubt you now. I had not heard anything about it and never saw any data or info supporting it. My father is a raving mini-14 fan, I doubt he knows about it or has written it off.

[Valin]

Bump

[Shooter 2.5]

Tne ban on military calibers was brought up when we were discussing the new .45 GAP which Glock introduced. It sounds like a good solution in places like Italy and Mexico.

I think I'll stay in the good old U.S.A. There are still a couple of states I missed. Off the list and places I'm not considering are Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.

[Shooter 2.5]

Ask him to bench it with a ten round group at one hundred yards. His first five should be ok but the rest may not be on the paper.

[Travis McGee]

They are not that sophisticated. They could care less about bullet holes in the victim's sailboat. They would be in for raping, looting and murder, period. Grab the cash, Rolexes, binoculars, etc. They would not know what to do with a bank number, or have access to any way to loot an overseas bank account. Rape, loot, murder would be the only things on their minds. Being shot at from the boat was a total shock. The shotgun sound was mistaken for other "friendly" pirate shooting, until pirates fell down bleeding. That's my take.

And if it had been a Canadian, German, British or Aussie yacht, they would have had another great old night of rape and murder.

[Travis McGee]

That expended brass has a funny way of showing up at embarrassing moments. It rolls into the tiniest little nooks and crannies.

[Sam Cree]

My mini, which is an older one, is very accurate out to 50 yds. I can't even see the target too well at 100 yds anyway. However, I am aware of the mini's reputation for poor accuracy, don't know if the reputation is in error or whether my rifle is an exception. It is still mounted on its original stock.

[Travis McGee]

I have a mini-14 already, so I'd take it on a world cruise. Starting from scratch, I'd take an Enfield "shark gun" and a 12gauge pump "bird gun" for legal reasons.

[Travis McGee]

COOL! Thanks!

[t_skoz]

For what it's worth, all of the Mini-14's I've shot have been completel junk. They are not accurate and they jam often.

Others will have different opinions. This is just what I have encountered with the Mini's I've shot.

[Eaker]

Travis was this kind of SEAL ...........

But he is still my buddy!

Looks like he needs to go clubbing!

[Rakkasan1]

ARRRRRRGGGG!