Boat gun

[Lloyd Smale]

when I was in the coast guard our drug interdiction boats and teams had m16s and 870 pumps. None were stainless. Its not like your dragging them behind the boat. A blued 870 or ar15 wiped down with oil a couple times a year will work fine

[charles1990]

The new Mossberg Shockwave with the short shell adapter. In a rust blocking bag, clipped to the center console. Doesn't even look like a gun.

[Blackwater]

All sorts of answers to this question, according to what you expect to need/want to do with the gun. My favorite "river gun" is a Ruger Mk II std. model with the barrel chopped to @ 4" and with a Lyman shorty ramp and 1/16" white bead front sight. Rear should be adjustable, so you can sight it in very finely. A snake's head isn't very big, and that little 1/16" white bead is the best sight I've found (for my eyes at least) in that situation. The Mk II/III/I's are supremely reliable, and if the cut and crown job is good, VERY accurate to boot. It's flat and short, so it tucks away and stays out of the way until needed well, and can be carried either straight draw or crossdraw. I generally prefer a suitably sized nylon holster for its good protection of the gun, in the kidney position, with my knife & pliers just in front of it. That's worked very well for me on my beloved Ogeechee River, a rather small river that's full of all sorts of swamp dwelling critters, some of which can bite back, but very few of which are of much size.

If I feel the mood to carry something larger, I've carried revolvers a lot in either .357 or .44 mag, and have carried one of my 1911's a fair number of times. Being a reloader, the revolvers get preference because the autos tend to toss empties in the drink. But they work just fine as well, if they're accurate. A lot of the stuff one might want/need to shoot is very small, so accuracy is more than just something that's "nice to have." It's pretty essential.

Even with the .22's, revolver or auto, I've had a couple of occasion where a drunken "river rat" made some aggressive comments and moves on me, but when they saw the pistol, thought better of it. As the very old saying goes, "first, have a gun!" That turns a lot of potentially nasty situations into just another inconsequential encounter. Just watch out, and make SURE you see the snakes before they see YOU!

[lksmith]

I'd have to agree on the Hi point. They are cheap and go bang every time (in my experience).
Hi point is about perfect as a Truck/boat/camp/whatever gun for when you want protection, but don't really want to take a chance on losing or ruining one of you nice guns. Also you can't beat their "unconditional, no questions asked" warranty.