I am a liftime firearm enthusiast and consider myself competent with them. However, I always carry both gun and spray. I would prefer to not have to ever fire my weapon at a charging animal if I can help it (which is why I carry the spray) but the weather and wind are so unpredictable where I live that spray alone cannot be relied upon independently, IMO.
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“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”
-- Frank A. Clark