When you hunt do you take an autoloader or a revolver backup?

Sorry to veer off topic, but

SoCalShooter - why do you feel outgunned near the Mexican border? Is it hostile environment down there? Just curious. Can't imagine it being like the 38th parallel.

I personally take a Ruger SBH in 44 magnum. Probably not the best choice overall with a 7.5" barrel, but it's the best choice out of my collection.

-MW

In Pennsylvania we can not use any autoloading centerfire handgun or rifle for hunting and some seasons we cannot have a single projectile cartridge. So for Spring Turkey no Rifle or handgun.
I carry a S&W 65 with a Model 64 pencil barrel installed. It is a nice light revolver and will shoot the same ammo as my Marlin 1894C.

SoCalShooter - why do you feel outgunned near the Mexican border? Is it hostile environment down there? Just curious. Can't imagine it being like the 38th parallel.

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Palu,

Aside from being packed full of border jumping smugglers with automatic rifles and hostile intentions, it is a real safe place.

In case you weren't aware of it, there is a war going on down there. Google the words Ciudad Juarez and you will see what I speak of.

Ah, forgot about the drug wars. All that popped into my head was illegal immigrants, which most will go out of their way to avoid confrontation. I'd feel outgunned, too, then. Actually with anything less than an assult rifle.

I bought a S&W Model 29-2 blued 4 inch with a Galco Phoenix holster for that role, but I have not gone hunting, yet.

The gun is almost too pretty to put in a holster, so I may have to rethink that.

How much cosmetic wear do these revolvers take when you go hunting? I guess in cold weather it would be under a jacket even if OWB.

I went javelina hunting down on the Mexican border several years ago.
As I walked through the desert, I continuously flushed out groups of Mexicans. I am talking, hundreds if not thousands of them over the course of the day. Every single wash you walked though was covered with trash from Mexicans making camp there.
I didn't run into anybody that was hostile towards me, but the possibility was there. I decided at the end of the day that I wasn't going to camp there and drove all the way home (like a 12 hour drive).
Now that I think about it, that brings up another funny belt gun story:
In Arizona they have what they call a HAM hunt. HAM stands for Handgun, Archery, Muzzleloader. You can use any of those weapons to harvest a Javelina during that season. So, I was armed with a .50 muzzleloader and had a Ruger Super Blackhawk on my belt. I hadn't walked 50 feet from where I parked before I heard a javelina grunting like a pig. I had never done this before or ever been around one of these animals, so I told myself that I was imagining things. I probably walked no more than another 50 feet and I saw one down in a wash. I went down in the wash where I thought it would come out and waited. I stood there for no more than a couple minutes when here it came. It was facing directly away from me, and I decided to wait until it turned to take a more traditional profile shot. In retrospect I should have shot it in the rear end. The .50 muzzleloader would have gone clear through it from any angle, but I didn't. I waited and I waited as the javelina rooted around and fed. Finally, it turned broadside at no more than 25 yards. I fired and missed it completely. In my own defense, I am a pretty good rifle shot. I have won a few local matches etc. I don't know what happened. Buck fever ? Amazingly, the javelina didn't run right away. It acted like nothing happened. I stood there thinking to myself, there is no way I can load this muzzleloader without spooking that thing. Then I realized I had nothing to lose, so I started loading the rifle and of course it spooked and ran away. Maybe 10 minutes later as I walked along a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I had a pistol on my belt and could have easily shot the javelina but it never even occured to me at the time. :banghead:
What an idiot.

.45&TKD


I also bought a 4" Model 29 to carry while hunting and also came to the conslusion that it is just too pretty to carry. That is how I ended up with the 3" 629. More durable finish, same basic gun, with a shorter barrel which makes carrying it easier.

Revolvers

When Deer hunting, I hunt with a Ruger SRH 91/2", filled with 240gr. Hornady XTP's. Other hunting, also carry 4"-S&W 681, with 125gr. XTP's.

.44 cap and ball, yup im the odd ball here

Kimber 1911. I am seriously considering upgrading to a 10mm long-slide for a woods gun.

Just like KBintheSLC posted above, I carry a 10mm Glock. Mine is the G20C.

Got a good plastic holster that clips on to any hunting rig/belt I am wearing, and straps real well to the 4 wheeler.

I figure that 16 rounds of 230gr Hardcasts traveling at 1120fps with 641 ft./lbs. energy from Double Tap should make an favorable impression on anything in the woods where I hunt.

The last couple of years deer hunting on a friend's land in Missouri, I've taken my 6" Model 29. This year, it'll be rifle only since I'm flying and will be lucky to get a rifle for me and for my friend and my hunting gear their within allowable limits on weight and number of bags.

Last camping/squirrel hunt, I took a 22 magnum derringer, as a backup. I realized I should have brought something else the second night out. I got the feeling of being watched by the campfire. I listened for a few minutes and could hear rustling every so often. I lit a couple of lamps and positioned them.
The next morning I looked around and found bobcat tracks by the wood pile.

Attacks by bobcats on humans are very rare.

Agree with Vern, if you've got to worry about self defense from other people while on a hunting trip, you are either a bit too paranoid or hunting in the wrong place. But always keep your rifle close at hand. I know many people who have missed opportunities at game while answering a call of nature.

While I have played with the sub-caliber adapters in rifles, having a few small game handloads for your big game rifle is more convenient, accurate and makes more sense. When your big game rifle is zeroed at 200 yards, using the wide, lower part of your duplex reticle as a post will put the small game load close to point of aim at about 25-50 yards. A .30 cal. carbine 110-gr. JSP bullet with 6 grains of Bullseye loaded in a .30-30, .308 or .30-'06 makes a fine small game load, about 1000 f.p.s.. Do not further reduce or you may stick a bullet in the barrel.

I'll carry a Ruger Bearcat. Mostly because I can. Maybe use it to finish off a cripple or scare a squirrel. That's about it.

But always keep your rifle close at hand. I know many people who have missed opportunities at game while answering a call of nature.

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In the late '60s, Nguyen Quet was the Robin Hood of Northern I Corps, and General Davis, commanding 3rd MarDiv made it a personal matter to get Nguyen Quet, but had no success.

Not long after General Davis rotated home, a Ranger Team from P Company, attached to 1st Bde, 5th ID (OPCON to 3rd MarDiv) was operating in Nguyen Quet's stomping grounds. One of the Rangers, answering a call of nature, was squatting with his M16 across his thighs. He saw something strange -- a hat, seemingly floating in air, at bush-top level. He rose, M16 in hand, and shot the head under the hat.

So ended the career of Nguyen Quet, the Robin Hood of Northern I Corps.

I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep because a bobcat was stalking around my camp.

FWIW: I worry as much about other people when I am out hunting as I do in the city. This may be totally unjustified, but when I am camped 50 miles from the nearest house, it makes me feel better to know I am armed. It may just be a natural, inate response to being alone in the dark far away from civilization or it may be plain old paranoia. Either way, I am armed with a defensive handgun most of the time no matter where I am. Keep in mind that there have been more than one serial killer that has operated in the boonies. If I remember correctly there was one in Yellowstone ????? The people out in the boonies are not always other hunters even though that is what you are there for. In some areas you might be hunting in a place that has marijuna grow operations. There might be someone who is running a meth lab away from the city where odors won't give them away. You might have human trafficers if you are in the southwest. You might have somebody on the lamb. There are endless senarios. I think that NOT worrying about humans anywhere is naive.

I don't hunt, but always carry a concealed pistol when I go to the range, as I figure a smart bad guy might figure someone leaving the range might offer a good opportunity to steal guns when opening and closing the gate on the way out, which is in easy walking distance of the hiway, but not readily visible when driving buy at 55+.

--wally.

2.25" SP-101 with 1 round of snakeshot and 4 rounds of 158gr gold dot.

or... you could have both and even more ammo!!! I take my 1911 and .40 jericho 'cause it's all I got.