Sidearm/Handgun Carry While Hunting With A Long Gun?

[Chuck R.]

I normally carry just a good rifle as the pistols get too darn heavy.

I tried it once on a hunt in AK, by day 2 the revolver was staying in camp.

Went on an elk hunt in CO a long time ago and one of the guys showed up with a Ruger Red Hawk in 44Mag. That too stayed in camp on or about day 2.

By the time I get all the other stuff I carry with me on my person or in my backpack, there's just not enough "weight allowance" for another gun.

 

[FL-NC]

I carry a Glock 23 (40 caliber) when hunting, esp. if hunting with a muzzle loader, turkey shotgun, or crossbow. I carry for defensive purposes as well as to deal with nuisance animals like hogs or coyotes. My crossbow bolts/broadheads are about $20 each, and I don't care to waste them on stupid animals like hogs and coyotes- I would much prefer a 50 cent bullet. I also don't want to use a loud, smokey, forerver-to-reload black powder gun on a nuisance animal. Same when turkey hunting, those long beard rounds aren't cheap and probably not ideal for a hog or a bear (bears may only be shot in Fl in self defense anyway). In a tree stand I carry my Glock in a kydex serpa holster. In a box blind I wear an old pilot survival vest with many pockets to hold my various items I carry, including my Glock in the cross draw holster that is attached to the vest. 13 40 caliber HP's are plenty to deal with anything I'm going to run across in Fl or anywhere in the southeast. Unless we end up with invasive hippos or something like that next.

 

[md7]

I carry an SA Mil Spec 1911 in 45 acp in a surplus M7 tanker holster. Usually a spare mag, too.

Never know who or what you’ll encounter knocking about.

 

[Kevinq6]

I always carry a Glock 40 10mm in a pancake holster. Generally load with 200gr hardcast but sometimes load 200gr XTP.

 

[.38 Special]

Yes. When legal, I usually open carry a single action revolver, usually a mid-frame Blackhawk with warmish .44 Specials. In bear country, it will be a 4" .500 Magnum. In either case, I often have a round of snake shot ready to go, which has accounted for more than one rattler.

In areas where open carry is impolitic, I will carry my usual CCW gun in the usual manner.

 

[Gerd33]

I picked up a Ruger 45 colt from an estate sale last fall, and came across this chest rig that works for it, in order to take it along hunting.

 

[MutinousDoug]

This might be a long story but it starts with me carrying a pistol on my hip while Bow hunting when I lived in Colorado in the 70's.
One day I found and followed a set of elk tracks on a trail that winded downhill and across a little ridge where just below, was a rockpile that gave me a good view, so I set up my ground blind that consisted of a GI mosquito net I could get behind at about waist high. It was about 10ft beyond the trail where it turned around to follow the contour line.
I hadn’t quite fallen asleep when I noticed movement on the trail. A cougar, pretty fair sized adult, sniffing the trail. Me, with my bow across my lap and my pistol under my “fanny pack” (as they were called at the time). The cougar moved on and we parted company. I was sold on getting a back-up weapon while bow hunting at least.
Chapter II: Wifey had developed a taste for elk and was disappointed in my produce of one every 3-4 years with my bow. She bought me a pretty, TC Renegade muzzleloader. I thought that was quite thoughtful!
Back then, in the early 80’s you could draw a ML tag nearly every year and I filled the freezer every other year or so.
Problem was, that gunstock banged awful against my model 19 and later, my Ruger .41 Mag Blackhawk as I carried one or the other on my hip. I hated banging up that Renegade, and other than that cat, the only times I saw any dangerous game were bears ass ends, high tailing it. Coyotes and foxes always left in a cloud of dust.

So since then, I carry a Ruger Bearcat for the occasional hare or grouse in a cross draw that doesn’t get in the way of my long gun and let the devil take the hindmost if the black powder gun won’t save me.

 

[WisBorn]

Problem was, that gunstock banged awful against my model 19 and later, my Ruger .41 Mag Blackhawk as I carried one or the other on my hip. I hated banging up that Renegade, and other than that cat, the only times I saw any dangerous game were bears ass ends, high tailing it. Coyotes and foxes always left in a cloud of dust.

I have been considering adding a weak hand/weak side holster to carry my side arm. I talked with a friend in Illinois that spent a lot of time hunting in the western states. He always carried a handgun on his left side and rifle on right shoulder or in his right hand.
He practiced drawing a lot lefthanded and shooting lefthanded.

 

[mcb]

I have tried in the past with both a chest rig and a belt holster. I don't bother anymore. Never found an incident where the handgun was more useful than the long gun I was carrying. I would rather exchange the weight of a handgun for a spare magazine for the rifle, and and bigger pair of binoculars.

 

[drobs]

Pants on gun on is my rule. I may rotate in a 357 mag for hunting though.

I carried my Glock 43X while Hog Hunting in Florida this past week.

 

[Varminterror]

Deer hunting, I carry a SilencerCo Maxim 9 integrally suppressed pistol on my hip, same as I carry up mountain in non-grizzly states like Colorado. In big bear country, I carry a Ruger Super Redhawk Toklat, 5.5" 454 Casull. I DESPERATELY wish SilencerCo would bring out a 10mm Auto or 460 Rowland compatible Maxim.

 

[WisBorn]

Years ago I would carry a hunting revolver. T/C Contender 30-30, Ruger SRH , or 629 in addition to a rifle.
Lately it has been a CCW, j frame or LCPII.
As I mentioned earlier I may buy a righthand (I'm a lefty) owb holster for my Glock 20. I may want to try the 10mm for deer, but when mister big horns steps out at 200 yards I would like my rifle .

 

[drobs]

I have been considering adding a weak hand/weak side holster to carry my side arm. I talked with a friend in Illinois that spent a lot of time hunting in the western states. He always carried a handgun on his left side and rifle on right shoulder or in his right hand.
He practiced drawing a lot lefthanded and shooting lefthanded.

Just get a vertical (no cant) left hand holster and wear it on your right hip cross draw.

 

[Condor]

I sometimes carry a .357 Ruger Blackhawk in a shoulder holster.

I modified the holster straps to include plastic buckles and sewed a second set onto the vest strap so that I can easily attach it to carry it on days I want, and remove it for days I don't.

 

[BushMaster-15]

95% of the time YES ,caliber dependent on WHERE and to a degree what I'm hunting . Elk ,Deer ,Moose or in Bear country 100% handgun either 7.5" .44 Mag. Ruger RedHawk Safari chest holster or S&W 29 4" Falco OWB full barrel shroud thumb brake .

From MY experiences ready accessible is paramount ,things can get UGLY in a hurry . Especially for us ambush hunters ,creep around and it's likely you will also be surprised what you encounter . Too many folders can't locate photos at the moment .

 

[Alaskamike]

I will always have a handgun on me, regardless of the hunt. Guaranteed, there will be some point where you lean your rifle against a tree or something and step away from it just for a moment, and you'll miss a surprise opportunity.

I missed out on a very nice bull moose years ago because I walked about 20 yards to get water from a nearby creek at camp without my rifle. As soon as I got down to the creek, he was suddenly visible to me about 20 or 30 yards to my left. If I'd had my model 29 on me, I could've had him.

 

[dobedo]

While hunting with a long gun (rifle/shotgun) do you carry a handgun?
If you do; how do you carry and what do you carry???

Sometimes I carry my .500 S&W in a shoulder rig with either the 45/70 or the BHA .500 carbine. In MD pistols must be over 6" with the minimum muzzle energy of 700-foot pounds and straight wall cartridges only. You have to be 21 or older to hunt with a pistol. If you have a CCW you can carry in WMAs with pistols under 6" but not in state parks.

 

[dobedo]

I will always have a handgun on me, regardless of the hunt. Guaranteed, there will be some point where you lean your rifle against a tree or something and step away from it just for a moment, and you'll miss a surprise opportunity.

I missed out on a very nice bull moose years ago because I walked about 20 yards to get water from a nearby creek at camp without my rifle. As soon as I got down to the creek, he was suddenly visible to me about 20 or 30 yards to my left. If I'd had my model 29 on me, I could've had him.

When I was in Kodiak you carried a pistol mainly on the out skirts of town and always when hunting.

 

[Obturation]

Glock 20 owb. I only bring my super redhawk if I won't be carrying a rifle. The area I hunt is not rural and is fairly populated so I try to not make my handgun obvious (no open carry in IL) .

 

[Anchorite]

In camp, generally a Glock 30 strong-side, OWB. Hunting, a revolver of some type, and usually in a Hill People Recon bag.

It drives me nuts to sling my rifle and bang my handgun. Maybe I’m just weird like that.

 

[WrongHanded]

I can't remember the last time I slung a long arm to go into the wild and didn't also have a handgun.

But I did briefly try carry a Redhawk in both a chest holster and a belt holster, whilst hunting with a rifle. It became very annoying and I eventually decided something smaller and lighter was preferable.

However, I tend to prefer to carry my rifle non-dominant side, either African or European slung, or in the hands. So I have no need to holster on the non-dominant side to accommodate a rifle.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I will always have a handgun on me, regardless of the hunt. Guaranteed, there will be some point where you lean your rifle against a tree or something and step away from it just for a moment, and you'll miss a surprise opportunity

This would probably best be supported by those who put aside their rifles to skin out a deer or elk, only to be approached by a bear and have nothing but a knife for protection.

 

[Armored farmer]

Honestly, even though I generally hunt with single shot rifles, I would probably be pretty content to carry a compact 9mm that I am very familiar with. Like my edc Hellcat


I have a Hill People Recon chest pack, or my regular owb holster.

 

[dobedo]

Big and ugly, even ugly guns are loved

 

[Ugly Sauce]

As long as I have a rifle, or musket, I carry something suitable for small game. Either my S&W AirLite, or an Uberti 1862 "Pocket Police". Sometimes my Remington New Model Army in Navy caliber, and sometimes my 1860 Colt. The Remington is good on grouse, the 1860 I just plain love it.

I agree with those who carry a powerful revolver in case they get caught away from the rifle, but I try to minimize the weight I carry and depend on the long gun, and take my chances. When I was young and strong as a mule, I carried my 7.5" Super Blackhawk everywhere when hunting. Didn't bother me at all.

The Webley has gone with me on a few hunts. It's power to weight ratio is not great, but it works well with shot loads. And I love it.

Haven't shot a grouse with the Pocket Police yet, but she's got the accuracy to do it.

The AirLite has fixed me dinner. Carrying this is like not carrying a pistol. It's that light.

The Remington was my constant companion when hunting for quite a few years, and has taken quite a few grouse. Not a real heavy pistol, but these days I prefer the 1862 or AirLite due to their lighter weight.