The use and carrying of cryptid protection firearm is a sensitive topic among the crypto community. I will say for me, it’s a personal choice. I live in Arizona and we have a lot of hazards here.
Being Armed; A Personal Preference
If you are outdoors close to our southern border with Mexico as I am, while fishing, prospecting, or hiking, you can run into drug traffickers, human smugglers, and quite often illegals who may at that moment, choose to engage in robbery, rape, or murder. Personally, I think I’m safe from rape. Regardless, I carry ALL THE TIME.
Going up north into the Arizona mountains or out in the desert, we got black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves. I don’t fear these animals and I’m not worried that I’ll get attacked by one. However, some Arizona counties have a serious problem with rabies and I am careful about that! And of course, we have the famous Arizona Mogollon Monster here.
It’s always best to take precautions when outdoors. Just like carrying a first aid kit, having a weapon on my person when outdoors is a good idea. Like President G. Bush said, “wouldn’t be prudent!” I’m safe, as are those with me.
I’m also a varmint hunter. Suitably armed and with a hunting license, I’ll can easily drop a coyote, fox, or bobcat if the opportunity presents itself.
Being Armed For Self-Defense
Like I said carrying a weapon out in the field Bigfooting is a personal choice. Either you do, or you don’t. But, if you do choose to be armed, this article can help you choose wisely in what to carry.
I chatted with the late JC Johnson years back before he passed away about firearms and cryptids. He wouldn’t stop reiterating that the use of firearms when it comes to cryptids is for DEFENSE USE ONLY. He felt as strongly about it as do I.
There are numerous stories of people who experienced grief at the hands of a bigfoot or dogman after taking a shot at one to wound or kill, or simply trying to scare it off. Don’t forget, there is never just one in the area. The one you shoot at is the one allowing you to see it. The rest are watching and possibly waiting for you to make a mistake.
If you ever shoot at one, you are at extreme risk and you need to vacate the area immediately!! Take for example, The Siege at Honobia, or Hillbilly Jon Kentucky Bigfoot and Dogman killing update.
The moral of the story here is: Don’t be stupid and start flinging lead downrange if you see one. If you feel threatened by your encounter, your best bet is to not panic and back out of the area as fast as possible.
Keep in mind, that these creatures have some intelligence. I believe they do recognize firearms and know what happens when you discharge a weapon. Like any animal they will not want to risk an injury that can cripple or kill them. So just seeing that you carry one on you is more than likely is enough of a deterrent and will give you a measure of safety.
The only time you squeeze that trigger is if you absolutely have no choice, no retreat options, but to do so…..
Suggested Cryptid Protection Firearms
The Venerable .45/70 Government As A Cryptid Protection Firearm.
For its size, caliber effectiveness, and cost, the number one cryptid protection firearm choice on my list is the Marlin Model 1895G in the .45/70 caliber. Marlin makes the 45-70 Gov’t. with several different models to choose from.
The .45/70 is known for its substantial stopping power. It typically fires a 300 to 405 grain bullet at velocities ranging from 1,300 to 1,900 feet per second. This gives it significant energy, with muzzle energies often exceeding 2,000 foot-pounds. This power makes it effective for large game hunting, including animals like elk, moose, and bear.
The .45/70 can be loaded with a variety of bullet types and weights, from lighter, faster bullets for medium game to heavier, slower ones for large and dangerous game. This versatility allows hunters to tailor their ammunition to their specific needs.
The 1895G is a 4-shot tubular magazine Lever action. It has side ejection and a 18 1/2″ barrel with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves) 1:20″ twist. With 4 in the mag and 1 in the pipe, this is a popular fast-handling “brush gun” carried by Alaskans in the bush to protect oneself from pissed-off grizzlies and moose.
The 45-70 Gov’t is big and it hits HARD! This rifle is very capable of dropping the largest game on the North American continent and serving as a cryptid protection firearm.
Shotguns As A Cryptid Protection Firearm.
Number two on my list for a cryptid protection firearm is a tactical 12 gauge shotgun like the Mossberg 500 Tactical for example. It has a 20″ barrel and can hold up to 8 shells. That’s a lot of pew-pew for a shotgun. These shoot the standard .12ga 2 3/4″ shotshells and most can also handle the 3″ Magnum shotshells. Lead or steel – birdshot, buckshot or slugs. You have a lot of choices
Tactical shotguns are compact and allow for quick “snapshots” in close quarters at home or in the bush. This type of shotgun is for when “Charlie is in the wire”. It is an intimidating cryptid protection firearm. Tactical shotguns are very reasonably priced.
I bought a .12 ga Harrington and Richardson Pardner Protector at WalMart for under $190. It’s a Chi-com Remington 870 clone. Not a bad deal for a cryptid protection firearm.
But this shotgun did need some tweaking to optimize it. I replaced the forearm grip with a Magpul grip (it needs some internal sanding to fit right), I removed the magazine plug allowing for 6+1 shells, I also swapped the stock with a tactical stock and used my honing stones to smooth off some rough and sharp edges.
I’m happy to say this is a good cryptid protection firearm for the value. With some additional tweaking such as a Picatinny sight rail, red/green dot scope/ghost ring sights and adding a Wolf magazine tube spring to it, this will transition from a good gun to a muy awesomeo cryptid protection firearm.
ARs and Semi-Automatic Rifles As A Cryptid Protection Firearm.
The AR Platform. AR does not stand for assault rifle, it means ArmaLite Rifle. ArmaLite was the original designation of the AR. The AR is a semi-automatic carbine or rifle depending on barrel length.
The carbines have 16″ barrels, rifles are 18″ and longer. Let me say this about using tactical rifles. The most important thing is they are semi-automatic and have magazines. This means you have a lot of firepower in your hands if you need it. They are also much faster to operate than a shotgun, bolt action, or lever action rifles.
The AR may be the most effective cryptid protection firearm as it comes in about 60 different calibers making it one of the most versatile rifles available. Not to mention the AR platform rapid fire capability and high capacity magazines.
Depending on the caliber and bullet weight, you can easily carry a bunch of 20, 25, 30, or even 40 round magazines for it. And whichever caliber you carry, be sure to stick with “ball” ammo like full metal jackets & solid copper rounds or surplus armor-piercing rounds for the deep penetration results.
I own two AR’s. One in .223 Remington/5.56mm Nato, the other the .308 Winchester/7.62mm Nato caliber. when I fish near the Arizona/Mexican border I pack along my .223 since the most likely “bad-mojo” scenario would be an encounter with bad hombres, or a coyote or bobcat. The .223 is sufficient. This gun might make you feel better being armed but don’t use it on anything larger than a coyote, bobcat, or a cartel drug mule if necessary.
If I’m heading out into any other area, I pack along the much bigger and heavier .308 Winchester. I carry 150 to 180-grain bullets which gives me a better “cryptid” option compared to the smaller 55 gr .223s. For a cryptid protection firearm, I would suggest the AR-10 or L308 in any .30 caliber or larger round like the .458 SOCOM. The .308 can push 150-200 grain .308 Win projectiles for example at 2500 plus feet per second, this type of cryptid protection firearm is a lot of firepower if you ever need to defend your home and hearth or your camp.
Tactical “Brush” GunsAs A Cryptid Protection Firearm.
M1A SOCOM 16 & M1A Scout
Moving along from AR platform rifles, if I may suggest a few more excellent tactical “brush” guns. They are Springfield Armory’s M1A SOCOM 16 and the M1A Scout Squad. Based on the highly successful M1A made by Springfield Armory.
These are .308 Win chambered rifles with shortened barrels and use 20 round magazines. You can purchase either within a variety of colors and options. Either would be an excellent choice to carry out in the bush.
Ohio Ordnance Works H.C.A.R
Another fantastic option if you can afford it, is the Ohio Ordnance Works H.C.A.R. Ohio Ordnance has taken the old B.A.R (Browning Automatic Rifle) of WWI, WW II, and Korea and turned it tactical. I love this gun and wish I owned one. This baby is awesome and just might be the ultimate cryptid protection firearm!
Chambered in the venerable .30-06 caliber, it uses 30rd mags. This is a serious boost up from the .308. If anything says “tactical cryptid protection firearm” this baby is it!
Considering the cost for one H.C.A.R., they are pricey! You could buy a thermal camera and a couple of AR-10 .308s for your elite crypto hunter squad to carry…
Long Rifle Considerations
Whatever your choice is for choosing a cryptid protection firearmto carry in the bush or as a cryptid protection firearm, please consider the following points:
- Deep Penetration: Can the caliber deliver hard-hitting deep penetrating shots?
- Weight: How easy is it to carry both gun and ammo with your gear? How fast are you going to carry this thing?
- Ammo Availablity: How easy is it to buy or to load your own ammo?
- Can You Control The Weapon: Is it rapid fire and can you hit the target when firing it?
- Versatility: Can you use the gun for other purposes besides squatchin?
- Affordability: Stick to your budget, & don’t go overboard
Handguns As A Cryptid Protection Firearm.
The handgun is a purely close-range defense firearm. If you need to use a handgun, you’re in some serious stuff.
My preferred handgun out in the boonies is my Colt King Cobra .357 magnum. Not the most recommended choice for cryptids, but it packs a wallop with my hand loads.
Now some have told me a .357 Magnum isn’t a big enough “cryptid protection firearm” to stop a squatch. Personally, I don’t know that for a fact. I don’t care either as I have no intention of shooting one. But what I do know is, my 158 & 180 gr jacketed hollow point hand-loads will punch a fist-sized hole into whatever I aim it at. I absolutely trust my hand loads and my Colt. If that ain’t a deterrent I don’t know what is.
Heavy Calibers
If you are looking for a common caliber revolver for a cryptid protection firearm, start with the .44 Magnum or the 45 Colt (ie: .45 Long Colt). Both of these are relatively similar in performance, tho the 45 Long can outperform the 44 Magnum ballistically with heavier loads (you’ll need a heavier revolver or a rifle in that case) Coincidently, you can get these calibers in a lever action rifle too. This would allow you to carry two firearms and one caliber.
If you have the $$ for a bigger caliber and can afford it, I suggest looking at firearms chambered in the following calibers: Ruger .480 , 50 Action Express, .500 Linebaugh, .475 Linebaugh, and the 454 Casull. These are definitely “grizzly” rounds designed for hunting big and dangerous game.
What gun is best for you? It depends on several variables. first and foremost is: can learn to shoot a large-bore firearm consistently and effectively. You need to be comfortable putting rounds on target under a variety of circumstances.
If, you are carrying a .44 Magnum, and you can’t control the recoil or it is too big/heavy for your grip, it will be of no use to you, my friend. You need to be able to carry it, enjoy shooting it, and be able to accurately hit your target with it. It has got to be a weapon you have CONFIDENCE with and are COMFORTABLE USING.
Again, let’s recap the most important factors in choosing a firearm:
- How often do you plan to shoot it?
- Recoil. Can you control your gun when firing it?
- Its weight?
- Caliber choice
- Ammunition availability?
- The co$t. You need to choose something you can afford
My preferred outdoor carry handgun is my.357 Magnum Colt King Cobra. Now some have told me a .357 magnum isn’t big enough to stop a squatch. I don’t know that for a fact and it may not be the ultimate cryptid protection firearm, but I don’t care either as I have no intention of shooting one. But what I do know is…, my 175/180 grain hand loads will punch a fist-sized hole into whatever I aim it at. I trust my hand loads and my Colt.
I also want to add, that with all my firearms. I like to splurge on after-market options. From custom springs, and tritium night sights to grips, I want my stuff to be as effective & reliable as possible and as comfortable to carry and use. Get what you can afford and then make it better with after-market options as you can afford them!
Ammunition Considerations For Cryptid Protection Firearms
For those who prefer to be armed when doing a field investigation, what is equally as important as the gun you carry is your choice of ammo. Most hunters will agree, that to make an effective “kill shot” at 500 yards, the round needs to be able to deliver 1000-foot pounds (knockdown) power at that range.
Smaller/lighter rounds tend to fall short of this. I’m not saying your .223 rem won’t kill at 500 yards, but you’re more likely to wound than kill. Keep that in mind when looking at ammo.
I consider all my firearms as “patrol weapons”. I sight my rifles in for 300 yards and my handguns at 25 yards. I generally don’t intend to engage targets at ranges beyond that unless I’m at the range taking shots at paper targets. I am not a sniper! Besides, the only sniping you should be doing with cryptids, is with a camera and zoom lens.
For consistency, I try to shoot the same load for each gun. Find a manufacturer and bullet weight (retail factory ammo) that your rifle likes and stick with that. If you reload your own. Then you know how to work up a load for each gun for hunting, target shooting, or cryptid loads.
So what kind of ammo should you carry? let me say this…, hollow points are not your friend here and cryptids aint built like mule deer. You will need ammunition capable of penetrating thick heavy massive bone and muscle.
For a shotgun your looking at triple 000 buckshot, Solid Copper 00 Buck Shot or solid copper slugs. The effective range for buckshot is about 50 yds-75 yds top, Slugs at 75 yds-100 yds tops if you have a rifled barrel.
For paramilitary ammo like the 5.56mm and 7.62 Nato’s. Consider “ball” ammo (full metal jacketed (FMJ), solid copper rounds or surplus armor-piercing rounds. Some folks have suggested using incendiary rounds (these are tracers).
This may sound like a good idea and may cause a lot of damage to the animal, but who wants to be prosecuted later for starting a 10,000-acre wildfire while shooting a mag full of tracers at a bigfoot? I’m sure a lot of the rounds would miss under rapid fire.
And lastly, for lever action rifles and handguns, I recommend you load and carry hard-cast bullets. What are hard-cast bullets? Hard-cast bullets may contain some lead and be grey, but that is where the similarities stop.
Hard-cast bullets can be mixed with numerous alloys like antimony, silver, tin, etc, and contain some lead. The alloys make the bullet much harder than pure lead. Pure lead has a Brinell hardness # of about 4.
Most hard-cast bullets will have a Brinell hardness # of 11 to 30. This is several times harder than lead. Generally speaking, hard cast bullets will not deform or ‘mushroom’ much when impacting living tissue, whereas lead bullets will deform or ‘mushroom’ at very low impact speeds.
Don’t forget…, hard cast bullets are designed for hunting large and dangerous game animals where deep penetration is needed. Lead bullets are not!
TRAIL and CAMP GUNS is a great article about hard-cast bullets to help you understand them. Whether you load your own or buy them ready-made, deep penetration ammo is exactly what you need.
Deep Penetration Ammo Considerations
This is a quick list you can use as a guide in selecting solid copper and hard-cast lead ammunition. But if you search the internet you can find a lot more sites with different options and costs.
Missouri Bullet Company
Meister Bullets
Buffalo Bore Ammo
Cutting Edge Bullets
American Copper Bullets
Hornady GMX
Barnes Triple Shock
Remington .12 ga Premier Copper Solid Sabot Slugs
.12ga ICCAmmo Solid Copper 00 Buck Shot
Lehigh Defense Xtreme-Penetrator Bullets
Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos Bullets
Underwood Ammo – Controlled Chaos
Underwood Ammo – Xtreme Penetrator
What Kind Of Optics Should I Use?
Iron Sights For Your Cryptid Protection Firearm.
Well…, as with any firearm, you need to be proficient with your iron sights. Under any conditions, you need to know how your gun shoots when using its iron sights.
Red-Dot Optics For Your Cryptid Protection Firearm.
Okay, optics is a lot like kids. Yours is the best-behaved and only good kid out there. LOL Everyone has an opinion. So I’m telling you what I use and why. MY ARs have UTG 4.2” green/red dot Close Quarter Combat style scope and offset flip-type iron sights. The CQC scopes are compact, short, and very easy to use. I do this for consistency and familiarity. Like the US Navy taught me “Keep It Simple Stupid!” also known as the KISS method.
They require a CR2032 battery to use. My only complaint is batteries will lose power over time, but these are relatively cheap (less that $6 for 10 pack on Amazon) and do last a long time. I have both AR rifles sighted in at 300 yards which is the maximum range I ever plan on shooting.
I have the option of adding a flip-style magnifier if I need from 1X to 3X magnification.
Circle-Dot-Reticles
I prefer the “circle dot” reticle (see image to the left) as it helps me find my “dot” easier when rapid firing. I’m a little over 63 years old and I’ll use any advantage I get when shooting. I like the green color over red. I can shoot with both eyes open thereby increasing my field of view, I’m on target faster with this style of reticle, and, for me, it’s much easier to see in daylight and at night. Lastly green doesn’t give me any eye strain. It is easier on my eyes.
Iron sights are my backup sights. Make sure you sight your rifle in with both your optics AND YOUR IRON SIGHTS. Keep in mind with optics, it doesn’t take much to knock the sight out of alignment, break your scope, or for your batteries to go dead.
Infrared v/s Thermal Optics For Your Cryptid Protection Firearm.
Thermal and infrared optics differ in the wavelengths they detect and how they produce images:
Thermal optics
Often referred to as thermal imaging cameras, these devices utilize mid- or long-wavelength infrared radiation to detect and visualize heat signatures, which are then displayed on a screen. In thermal images, temperature variations are represented by different colors, such as black for cooler areas and white for warmer ones. Unlike traditional cameras, thermal cameras are passive and can operate in complete darkness, as well as through smoke, fog, or haze, since they don’t depend on visible light.
They are particularly effective for spotting heat signatures from humans or animals and are commonly used in hunting, surveillance, and tracking. However, they might not be the best choice for capturing fast-moving targets at close range. Due to their advanced sensors and technology, thermal cameras generally come at a higher co$t compared to standard infrared cameras.
Infrared optics
Commonly referred to as infrared cameras, these devices employ near-infrared wavelengths, which lie just outside the visible spectrum for humans, to detect and render images of objects based on their emitted and reflected infrared radiation. The images produced by infrared cameras provide insights into surface conditions, material properties, reflectivity, and temperature variations. Compared to thermal cameras, infrared cameras are available in a broader spectrum of price ranges and complexity levels.
Don’t forget: infrared imaging is very different from thermal imaging. While the former uses heat to produce images, the latter uses light.
Tactical-Strobe Lights For Your Cryptid Protection Firearm.
This device isn’t a requirement by any means, but there was a discussion on the Sasquatch Chronicles forum years ago about the use of green strobe lights v/s sasquatches. They were discussing how a green strobe interferes with a sasquatch sight at night and that they don’t like it. It hurts or irritates their eyes. While an interesting topic, I haven’t discovered any other substantial information on this.
I find a tac light useful as it helps illuminate things at night, but having a green strobe might be of value if they are getting too close for comfort allowing you to get some distance between you and them.
I just picked up a VISM VAPFLSGV3 Pistol Tactical Light for $100. It’s a tactical white light/strobe combo with a green laser. It fits on my AR-15 too where it currently resides. Now green lasers are very interesting. More on this below…
Laser Sights For Your Cryptid Protection Firearm.
Green v/s Red Lasers! Well.. the most common laser available for firearms is red, but green is becoming more and more popular among shooters. Green is more easily perceived by the eye and the beam is visible along its path. Green lasers are also more dangerous to the human eye at the opposite end of a firearm.
Green is more easily absorbed by the retina than red, and it requires less exposure to cause damage. (see the article Retinal Injury Following Laser Pointer Exposure) Is a laser necessary for your cryptid protection firearm? No, but this may be a tactical advantage you want.
Again.., BE PREPARED! Do not be dependent upon your optics alone.
What Happens if You Shoot a Bigfoot or a Dogman?
Well…., what happens next? You have one lying dead at your feet and now you think you’re going to be famous! Well buddy…., you are about to gain some notoriety you do not want. Odds are the general public will either never hear your story, or your life will be turned into shambles.
First and foremost, the government will not officially acknowledge the existence of cryptids. Your local law enforcement officers might, but more than likely, their local LEO management and on up the chain will work to get you to stop talking, etc.
And then, your story will be suppressed from local news, and that dead Sasquatch will be changed into a different animal species like a bear with mange in the press. Next, you can probably count on visits from government agents (MIB’s – Men in Black) who may seize equipment, tap phone lines, surveil you, get you fired from your job, threaten & discredit you, and in general ruin your life for publishing images or stories (hard proof) about cryptids encounters and cryptid bodies. The government DOES NOT want this information acknowledged and they will cover it up.
I’ll say it again. Carrying a cryptid protection firearm when out in the bush for either hunting or self-defense is your choice. Our Government isn’t our friend if you don’t know that already. You run the risk of the Government turning your life into hell or worse, having these animals chasing you seeking revenge.
You don’t think they’ll follow you home? THINK AGAIN! There have been numerous reports of cryptids showing up at people’s homes after shooting at them near them to scare them off, or from habituating them. In some cases, they’ve gone into homes and caused harm or killed the resident(s).
It’s your call……….
Cryptid Books
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Wrapping It Up.
In closing, the choice to carry a cryptid protection firearm is entirely up to you. It’s your God-given Constitutional right here in America, but if you do, choose your gun wisely and for everyone’s safety, be sure to train with it, and know how to use it. And don’t forget firearms, when out researching cryptids are for DEFENSE ONLY. Think twice, think three times, and then say “Naw! Not gonna take the shot” unless it’s ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and only in self-defense…