Getting a Pistol as a pilot ??

[Helifisher]

Hey guys ,
Just wondering whether anyone has any experience with trying to acquire a pistol license with a genuine reason being that you fly and run fishing trips in croc infested water holes and water ways ??? Or any other reason for that matter???

[Mongrel Dog]

The rules vary from state to state. It is possible but very difficult. I had an application all but approved many years ago for the same reasons you have, however I changed jobs and no longer had the requirement, so I withdrew it. That was in the West Kimberly.

[bangequalsbad]

CASA call it a "Instument to carry and discharge." Or something similar. I had one (as most pilots on the station did) while flying in the NT. See your field office about it.

[komodo]

Hi mate,
I also enquired about that not to long ago in the NT. Spoke to the firearms dealer just south of Darwin on the highway, I think it was at coolalinga. He explained better than I can. Wouldn't hurt giving him a call if your up that way, he'll be able to sort something out for you.

Cheers

[Robinsondog]

Always interested in these types of comments having read a few books about croc shooters. I see where they can come out of the water as close as fifteen feet away, having previously stalked their prey, without anyone knowing they are there, at about forty kilometers an hour and twenty degrees nose up attitude.

Love to see even Wyatt Earp take that on from a standing holstered gun start. Even if a shot was scored they have a brain so small it'd be lucky to hit it and most croc shooters used .303 rifles. Not some low powered pistol.

[bangequalsbad]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_ballistics_table.htm

As Robinsondog pointed out, the problems with lack of power in a handgun plus the surprise of the attack, make a handgun more of a security blanket than a solution. To make it worth your while, you are basically going to have to get the .44MAG, wear it around while fishing, and constantly reassure your fishing buddies its worth it. We had .44MAG and .357 Highwayman revolvers...but I never met a croc.

[Eric Hunt]

I carried a 38 special, might as well have thrown a handbag at the wild pig - it took 5 hits to put enough holes in it to make it sink in the Macquarie Swamps. Sure squealed when it got hit in the @ss, though!

[black duck]

I am reminded of a story I was told of one legendary West Kimberly pilot, a hand held cannon and a 300. The result of the combination of these elements is that the helicopter was shot down by the pilot whilst flying it! The micky he was aiming at ambled off quite unscathed by the whole affair!

[Iceman]

You will need to ensure that the requirement to posses / carry etc are detailed in your companies operations manual and approved by casa, including a dispensation to carry in the aircraft.

[Bedouin Prince]

It's not to hard to do in the NT. Talk to your local gun shop and the guys will be able to answer your questions.

Reminds me of one time when me any another pilot where flying back to camp in the 44 and spotted a small mob of pigs in a dry river bed. We quickly ripped around and landed about 50m from the mob and the other pilot jumped out and grabed his pistol from under his seat. The pigs where absolutely stunned by the chopper and just stood there staring at us. The other guy simply walked up to the pigs and shot a couple point blank before the rest worked out that they should run. I took a couple of quick photos on his camera from inside the chopper and we left. Whole thing took about 2 minutes.

[Robinsondog]

I am still thinking about the one and one half seconds that a projectile reptile will take to cover fifteen meters from first awareness of it to being snaffled by it and on the ground in iron jaws.

Just enough time to make a grab for the sidearm and blow ones foot off in excitement. This is how these animals catch their tucker every day.

[Iceman]

Just enough time to make a grab for the sidearm and blow ones foot off in excitement. This is how these animals catch their tucker every day.

What Crocs carrying sidearms these days LOL