Good gun for the Desert

[azyogi]

Most critters will run long before most people even see them, most times I'm ok with my HS model GB and a 4" brl. [.22lr] Your main worry are the 2 legged kind so what you're best with for that.
Leave the snakes alone and they will leave you alone. A telescopic walking stick/gun rest is more than enough to chase away most snakes. If you're bringing a dog there are companies/people that train them to avoid snakes, a shock collar and devenomed snakes, takes about an hour a couple off times and the dogs will always avoid them after. Not a big fan of shock collars, but I once sat up with a friend till his dog died of a snake bite, not fun.

 

[X-Rap]

Yea I bird hunted west of LasCruses to the AZ. border with my lab and she never did find a snake. I knew guys in AZ that said they wouldn't take their dog out without the training.

 

[ArmedBear]

takes about an hour a couple off times and the dogs will always avoid them after.

Bull****. It's a bunch of theatrics, and it doesn't work. Tried it.

Get your dog vaccinated. That DOES work, and it's been well-proven over the past few years. I only wish that there was a human rattlesnake vaccine.

 

[ArmedBear]

Yea I bird hunted west of LasCruses to the AZ. border with my lab and she never did find a snake.

Farther west along the border, I don't think I ever went out without seeing one, or at least fresh snake tracks, during seasons and times when they are out. And I still never had to shoot one.

WRT fighting off a cartel convoy with a G17 and 3 mags, ROTFLMAO. That's what I mean: if you need more than 6, you're screwed. Seriously, if I did expect that sort of an encounter, I would go somewhere different.

If I felt safe fighting off said convoy with the G17 and 3 mags, then I'd need a reality check. Feelings aren't the most effective form of body armor.

 

[wyocarp]

A Glock will melt in the desert.

Even a partially melted Glock might function better than many handguns with sand in them.


I'm sorry, had to. Some have mentioned walking around the critters in the desert instead of shooting them. That doesn't sound like any fun at all.

It will make for a better story to say: It seemed like I was surrounded by snakes, and the only way I survived was by spraying a path bullets in front of me as I ran to safety.

 

[alistaire]

I was surrounded by snakes, and the only way I survived was by spraying a path bullets in front of me as I ran to safety- I was really desperate, as the bear was gaining on me...

 

[Beagle-zebub]

God forbid the cartel enforcers and the snakes team up. Or the trucks in the aforementioned convoy are full of snakes.

 

[IdahoSkies]

Listen to Armoredman. As a long time backpacker think about your other gear first. Then go with a light weight .38 with a a speed loader.

 

[Knockdownpower]

If you can open carry in the area thar you are going, I would say a full size service pistol of some kind. If not than a Glock 30 or a high quality 1911 with a 4" barrel would be a great choice.

 

[Knockdownpower]

As for the cartel, a belt feed 7.62 LMG would be my weapon of choice.

 

[armoredman]

Thanks for the backup, IdahoSkies.
Open carry in AZ is legal, but be careful of not trespassing on Indian reservation land, and make sure you're in a National Forest or BLM land, at least until February for the date for the CCW in National Parks.
You could get away with the Glock, lightweight, but worry about immediate survival gear first, then sidearms/longguns. I knew one gent who always had an old AR7 stowed in his backpack, never used it, but he liked having it.
Of course, having said all this, if I were to be camping down very near the border, I would have my CZ P01 and PCR BUG with SA vz-58 rifle and 8 spare magazines, along with all the water/freeze dried foods/maps/radio/cell phone/mini sleeping bag/mini tent/etc. I would also require about 6 months in rehab afterwards, or 6 months of prep to get me in shape for it!

 

[hirundo82]

God forbid the cartel enforcers and the snakes team up. Or the trucks in the aforementioned convoy are full of snakes.

If they are, maybe someone could film "Snakes on a Truck" as the sequel to Snakes on a Plane.

 

[jglcolosprgs]

Make sure you watch No Country For Old Men before you go out.....

 

[mljdeckard]

Some breeds of rattlers and scorpions absolutely will chase you. Mountain lions attack with a bite to the bast of the skull when they are hunting, but it doesn't mean this is the only way they know how.

I spend a lot of time in the desert, there's nowhere I would rather be, and I can't think of any reason any of those three guns would be a bad choice at all.

 

[psyopspec]

I'd park and set camp in an area that shows no signs of the illegal traffic

TX, AZ, and CA are out then...

 

[mljdeckard]

^^That's the truth. In southern AZ, the whole desertscape is covered with footprints, trash, or border patrol.

 

[SteveCase]

Since no one has said it yet i'll be the guy. A good gun for the desert is the Desert Eagle, you guys see what i did there he wants a good desert gun and i said Desert Eagle, cause the first word is Desert. you get the joke i think its a pretty good knee slapper

 

[DarylD]

I vote for a revolver and a dog for traveling in the desert. If you don't like walking don;t get a horse use a mule. Checking in with the ranger station is always a good idea. Do not depend on cel phones as they get pretty squirely in the mountains. A GPS is nice as there is no way you can travel very far in a straight line out here and sometimes the mountains can fool you. Summer and winter have a problem with rain. Rain out here can resukt in dry washes looking like the Colorado in Spring really fast water.It can go from dry to raging water in less than 2 minutes. Stay alert, you will see more and enjoy your time out here safely. Remember God may forgive your sins, but not stupidity.
DarylD

 

[DarylD]

I vote for a revolver and a dog for traveling in the desert. If you don't like walking don;t get a horse use a mule. Checking in with the ranger station is always a good idea. Do not depend on cel phones as they get pretty squirely in the mountains. A GPS is nice as there is no way you can travel very far in a straight line out here and sometimes the mountains can fool you. Summer and winter have a problem with rain. Rain out here can resukt in dry washes looking like the Colorado in Spring really fast water.It can go from dry to raging water in less than 2 minutes. Stay alert, you will see more and enjoy your time out here safely. Remember God may forgive your sins, but not stupidity.
DarylD

 

[AStone]

snakes you can walk around

The first of several pieces of good advice about rattlers.

I'm a desert biologist, a major desert rat. Have walked - that's backpacked -
in deserts for decades, seen many rattlers, nearly stepped on a few, and never killed one (or even tried).

Snakes have gotten a bad and undeserved rap since Eve had a conversation about apples with one in some ancient story.

Leave the freaking snakes alone. They help keep rodent populations in check.

Just watch where you step. If you hear a buzzing sound
(they call them "buzz worms" for a reason; rattle is a misnomer),
stop instantly, and very slowly back away.

As for a desert gun, you're biggest worry is human snakes. Your choice on that.

 

[psyopspec]

I would be cautious if you go the dog route as others are recommending. Many of the day hikes/climbs I've done in AZ and CO are not suitable for a dog. When a friend brought one on a 5 mile hike in the Huachucas of southern AZ, the poor guy's paw pads were bleeding by the time we reached our destination.

 

[OregonJohnny]

I skimmed through the posts and can't believe no one has mentioned the 1 handgun that has been proving itself in harsh desert environments in the hands of our military for at least the last 15-20 years. The Beretta 92/M9. With quality Beretta-made magazines, they've earned a great reputation in the punishing Middle Eastern sand.

But the 92/M9 is far too large and heavy to haul around while backpacking. I'd go with a rugged .357 Magnum revolver like a Ruger SP101 and a variety of ammo from snake shot, to .38 Special defensive hollow points, to hard cast 180-grain .357 rounds. Handguns don't get much more versatile, rugged and reliable than a Ruger .357 revolver.

 

[X-Rap]

Psyops you made a good point about the dogs especially if they are house dogs that get little conditioning to their feet. When I lived in the desert my dog had plenty of time to get her feet toughened up.

 

[mljdeckard]

OregonJohnny-

Are you so certain that the Beretta is the ONE handgun that has been proving itself in the desert? They don't ALL hold up that well, trust me. And if it's so great in the desert, why is it too big for backpacking?

 

[OregonJohnny]

mljdeckard,

Well I did say:

the 1 handgun that has been proving itself in harsh desert environments in the hands of our military for at least the last 15-20 years.

Meaning, not the only one, but really the main one that's been in use by our military for the last 2 decades.

I think that having hundreds of thousands of Beretta M9s in use by our military under pretty harsh and abusive regular use for the last 20 years with only some issues says a lot. I don't work for Beretta, but Berettas have always worked for me. And I've read good things about their reliability in the Middle East when used with good quality magazines.

As far as preferences for backpacking, weight and bulk of a handgun are big things to consider. Not so much when you're issued a sidearm in the military. I would not be comfortable concealing my 92FS while hiking long distances in the heat. But that's just me. Everybody's entitled to their opinion.