Guardian Deagle

Next-door neighbor took some of the kids out to Castner Glacier today. The night before, however, he came up to me after service and asked if it would be possible to borrow the Deagle, just in case they ever came across a bear.

I didn't give it a second thought. Firstly, Rich is trustworthy, and he knows how to handle guns. And, he knows what they are capable of--or not.

The last time he went hiking out to the glacier with a group of kids, another neighbor was with him, but brought along his .45. Rich took his 9mm along--for moral support, I guess, even though a .45 really isn't the best choice for some of the four-legged beasts you come across here, either, however the big holes they make in the wayward two-legged variety.

When we went shooting this past winter, Rich said it opened his eyes up to something--the pitiful firepower of the wondernine. Click the link, watch the videos. You'll see unquestionable empirical evidence outlaying the distinctive differences between the devastating power of a .44 magnum and the relative flyswat of a 9mm.

Which would you rather use on a bear? That's what Rich thought, too. And so, I asked him what sort of holster he preferred, and told him I'd bring it along and hand it to him before he left for the hike.

I adjusted the drop-leg holster for his size, handed him my magazine pouch (sans iPod) with two spare mags, and gave him the run-down on how the Deagle operates--the trickiest parts being the extra oomph you need to work the slide, and the fact that it's a single-action pistol.

Rich returned before supper. He thanked me for letting him borrow it. His wife did, too. They were both glad the opportunity didn't arise to use it, but were as equally happy to have had it handy should they really have needed it.

I wouldn't mind hiking to that glacier myself. They both said they'd be happy to take me along the next time.

With Deagle along, of course...