Tackle Box Guns

Mississippi has a way of drawing you to the water on a boat. We are also sixth in the nation in gun ownership. When you put the two together, you wind up with a state that loves tackle box guns.

Why a Tackle box Gun?

The most common reason stated for carrying a gun when fishing or boating is for venomous snakes that are too close for comfort. Mississippi is home to several varieties of these slithering killers and in some areas, especially in spring, they can be very common. While in many cases you can leave well enough alone, steering clear of these poisonous creatures, there is always the possibility of a close encounter of the fanged kind.

Besides snakes, there are other worries in the woods. Often the best fishing spots are remote areas where only two types of people go to hang out: outdoorsmen looking to get away from things, and criminal elements looking to do criminal element stuff away from prying eyes. With this in mind, it's conceivable that you could wander into some remote bend or bayou looking for a good morning's catch and find yourself in a self-defense situation. Stranger things have happened.

Regs

In Mississippi, generally it is not illegal to have a firearm in your possession while you are in a boat. There is an exception if you are on Corps of Engineers property lakes and some state lakes. Make sure you read the local regulations at all state and federal lakes in Mississippi concerning firearms before you plan on boating armed in the area. The Gulf Islands National Seashore that includes many of Mississippi's Barrier Islands and their surrounding waters and policed by the National Park Service, previously banned possession of firearms inside the park boundaries but since 2010 has relaxed this policy. In Federal waters offshore, MDMR and the Coast Guard are fine with armed boaters just be sure to advise these officers if you are stopped and/or boarded for a safety check that there is a firearm in the boat and where its located. Just be sure not to reach for it to show it to them for common sense reasons.

During deer season, be sure to keep your gun unloaded when afloat in a management area, as deer cannot be taken from a boat. The only game that can be hunted in Mississippi from a boat are squirrels and waterfowl. Even then you have to remember that the motor must be shut off and 'all forward progress must have ceased' according to MDWFP regs.

What to look for in TBGs

Since any boat gun may be stored for long periods without being used, be sure to apply proper lubricant and inspect the firearm from time to time for surface rust and corrosion. Consider waterproofing the primers (and crimps on shotgun shells) with a little fingernail polish to keep water from leeching into the powder of the cartridges. As a safe back up, store extra rounds in a waterproof container. When choosing a firearm for your boat, be aware that it will be used in a harsh marine environment and be subject to water, salt, gasoline, and other things that generally are not conducive to good gun health. As such, use a gun with a durable finish such as stainless steel, duracoat, or cerakote if you want it to last awhile. These guns usually come in two forms: handguns and longarms.

Filling the tackle box

Handguns can literally be tackle box guns, with many small enough to fit in with your lures, weights, and line. Revolvers are typically more reliable than semi-autos when stored under harsh conditions for long times. Caliber choices range from .22 to .45 with many manufacturers producing both self-defense rounds and ratshot in most popular calibers. On the upper level, stainless S&W revolvers with 2 or 3-inch barrels, as well as a baby Glocks make a nice addition to your fishing kit. Rossi long made a line of hard chromed .38 snub nosed revolvers that can be found second hand at gunshows and shops for under $200 that make great TBGs. On the other hand, you can go cheap and pick up old Charter Arms .38s, nine-shot Taurus 22LRs, and imported single action revolvers to have a near-disposable gun that you won't cry if it gets lost in the river or rusted shut.

Something for the rod box

Longarms can be either rifles or shotguns. Perhaps the most popular gun that rests in rod boxes around the state is the simple break action shotgun. These long-serving Stevens, H&R, Rossi, Savage, and NEF single-shot guns have been popular for everything from squirrel to deer for generations. The good thing about these is they are cheap, with $50 deals on used guns not being unheard of.  A nicer alternative is a Mossberg 500 or Remington 870, both of which are available in specialized mariner variants. 

On occasion, maybe you can even work out a deal for boat-motor-trailer-and gun. I did once. Sold a 14-foot ganoe with a custom-made trailer and built in tackle box a couple years ago. When cleaning out the box at the sale I pulled out an old duracoated Colt Cobra .22 loaded with a mix of snakeshot and CCI Stingers. The buyer upped his offer enough to include the Colt and it stayed with the boat.