Do I really need any other caliber than 9mm?

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GratefulGuy1234

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Folks - I am looking for some opinions. I have a couple of 9 x 19 handguns, and I take my glock 19 with me into the woods and when I go camping. I also have a tokarev 7.62 x 25 handgun. Mountain lions and bears (Western Wa, so not grizz I don't think but I'm not local) are the biggest thing I will encounter.
I feel that 9mm is enough for 2 legged creatures but I really begin to question it's ability on bigger stuff, but I have nothing to base that feeling on. So for a decent woods/camping handgun do I need to go out and buy a .45 something (not interested in 10mm) or should I be plenty comfortable with a G19.
It's the only reason I'd want a .45, my wife could never shoot it well among other reasons.
Thoughts and opinions, please? If I was way back in the woods, I will more than likely have a rifle on me, this is handgun opinion only.

Thanks -
Scott
 
For brown bear or larger humans I would be looking at a .357 or .44 magnum. I have nothing to base that on other than opinion, but I would not want to face any ursine creature with a 9mm.
 
Its a gun forum of course you need a bigger pistol. Then you need a bigger revolver.Then you need to reload for them and since your reloading might as well get that 10mm too.
 
GratefulGuy1234 said:
It's the only reason I'd want a .45, my wife could never shoot it well among other reasons.
Thoughts and opinions, please? If I was way back in the woods, I will more than likely have a rifle on me, this is handgun opinion only.

Thanks -
Scott
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Well, what caliber is your rifle?

If you always pack a high powered rifle, its a non-issue what caliber side-arm you carry as you'd be silly not to use your rifle for bears, mountain lions and other large predators.

So.. you are FINE with a 9mm for the two-legged folks - Glock 19 with a spare 17 mag will get her done as long as you do your part :)
 
Yes.

Like others I would suggest a revolver in a magnum caliber. My woods gun is a 25-2 loaded with 45 Supers, but I am a 45 fan. I own several 40's more 45's and no 9mm's.
 
GratefulGuy1234 said:
....
It's the only reason I'd want a .45, my wife could never shoot it well among other reasons.
...
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Why on earth wouldn't your wife be able to shoot a .45?

Gun fit issues, sure. I once shot a target match with a borrowed 1911 that fit me so badly that the range officer, whose gun it was, had to lock the slide back for me so that I could show clear between rounds but the recoil was not noticeably different than a 9mm to my inexperienced hands and my shooting was fine.

Lots of women shoot .45 out of guns that fit them comfortably. I feel no pressing need to get one of my own, but that's more to do with the cost of ammo than anything else.
 
Where you live? NO. 9MM is fine. Even out west 9MM is fine unless your in Griz country which is VERY RARE. As long as you can take care of the two legged predators, and anything other than a Griz will either run or succomb to the 9MM, even the big cats.
 
GP100 4" in .357

Carry 180 grain Buffalo Bore hard cast when in bear country, and you can carry light .38 special loads for food, or snakes, etc...

BTW...My Wife carries a G19 as a sidearm when hunting, but she is also carrying a .44 mag carbine as her primary...
 
GG, 2/12/12

A 9mm with the proper bullet and velocity is fine for any two legged critters you may encounter. Your rifle will take care of the rest. I also do a lot of hiking and hunting in the hills/brush and routinely carry both a rifle (.270 or 30-06 or 12 gauge with slugs) and a pistol (.45 or 9mm). I have other pistols that would also work- like 44 mag/special or 357 magnum but I just shoot the .45 and 9mm better. So be happy, stay prepared and have fun on your outings.

best wishes- oldandslow
 
Pilot said:
Where you live? NO. 9MM is fine. Even out west 9MM is fine unless your in Griz country which is VERY RARE. As long as you can take care of the two legged predators, and anything other than a Griz will either run or succomb to the 9MM, even the big cats.
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Hhmmm....Well, glad to hear that someone thinks 9mm is okay for the big cats; that's a measure of comfort. However, I'm more concerned about big hogs...they're more prevalent and can be meaner. I carry a 6.5"-barreled .357mag with 180gr hardcast bullets when I walk the property. I've seen a 9mm bounce off a medium-size hog shot at close range. [And yes, it really, really did bounce off the hog. I saw it hit, and the spent bullet ricocheted off my partner's leg.]--Patrice
 
You need two more calibers. First, you need a .22. Trust me on this. Then you need a 10mm or a .41 or .44 magnum revolver. Why? As previously stated, because this is a gun forum. The big gun is optional, but I don't know how anyone who enjoys shooting gets along without a .22 handgun.
 
A 9mm just fine. If you don't reload, 9mm is the least expensive next to 22lr.
Recoil is a non-issue.

Animals are the least of your concern in that part of the world.

If Ned Beatty had a 9mm, he could of walked away when he encountered those amours hillbillies, in the flick 'deliverance'.
 
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Go big,or go home

I go under the assumption that I might not have my rifle with me.

That being the case I carry a S&W 386 [ 7 shot 3" barreled .357 ] as the smallest I want in the kind of situation you mention.

I also have a chest carry set up for a Ruger custom Super Blackhawk w/ 4 4/3" barrel.

It can even be worn while "attending nature" so that is why I go chest carry [ El Paso Saddlery ] with both revolver I mentioned.

I would also go with the Glock 30 or one of my 1911 Kimbers in the same circumstance.

Good luck and pray you dont find out how they really work under fire.
 
I've never had to deal with big four legged predators, but a .357 mag can be loaded (or through store-bought ammo) hot enough to get you beyond where a .45 ACP would. An added advantage is that you can shoot .38 Spl in it all day at the range and never really suffer from the recoil. That said, go with a Ruger (DA or SA) revolver if you take this route. They'll handle hotter ammo, they weigh a bit more, and it'll still be doing what you bought it for in 20 years. Your wife may really enjoy a revolver at the range, which is an important part of household culture......if you want plenty of support!

It is sad that you only have two handguns, though. I agree that a .22LR (Ruger makes some nice ones too) semi-auto is really nice to have for many reasons.
 
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theicemanmpls said:
A 9mm just fine. If you don't reload, 9mm is the least expensive next to 22lr.
Recoil is a non-issue.

Animals are the least of your concern in that part of the world.
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^This^. I carry a Magnum revolver AND bear spray and sometimes a rifle while hiking and camping, but there are a few grizzlies in my neck of the woods. In WW, you are far more likely to have problems with 2-legged critters. Bring along a can of bear spray to go with your pistol and you should be good to go.

Now if you WANT to go out a buy a bigger handgun, then by all means go get one. Everyone should own at least one Magnum. :D
 
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K1500 writes in post 12 that you need a .22LR. I completely agree. If you can pack it into the woods or mountains, even better, as it will make quick work of a few bunnies for the stew pot should the need arise. Once you have one, you'll find all kinds of uses for it.
 
If you're worried about grizzlies get bear pepper spray. It's substantially more effective than firearms in stopping bear attacks (pepper spray has something like 90%+ effectiveness, while firearms only let you break even ~50% -- from a study of bear attacks I read once).

9mm is more than adequate for shooting the two-legged predators and cats. For black bears, I personally would prefer to carry a .357 or .44 (in addition to the pepper spray!) Those things can get BIG, up to 500 lbs, here on the East Coast. That's toeing grizzly bear size. Out here, they're also plentiful and quite brash. Oh, and black bears kill a LOT more people than grizzlies.
 
Everyone telling Scott to carry his 9mm and a can of bear spray, you are of course correct, but you are missing the point. Scott wants to tell his significant other, "Honey, I asked on THR and they said I NEED to buy a .45 or magnum revolver."

So Scott, yes, you NEED a new gun!

Oops, I mean you NEED TWO new guns, because you have to get a .22. Maybe you can start a Mark III (22/45) versus Buckmark thread :evil::D
 
I would say say 2 new guns, same caliber.....like a GP 100 and lever gun in the same caliber......say .44 mag.
 
glad to hear that someone thinks 9mm is okay for the big cats;
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Just because one person on an internet forum thinks it's ok doesn't make it so. Yes, run ins with large game are unlikely, but not impossible and that is what you should be prepared for.

I like 9mm by the way, and often carry one. But when I'm in the woods I usually have my Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 mag. I have absolutely no concerns about it not handling anything that comes up.
 
I've felt under gunned in my life but never over gunned. Better to have too much gun than not enough. In bear country I'd feel better with a .44 mag than a 9mm.
 
I use 9mm for my carry, and don't worry about the local 4 legged predators, being mostly small cat and coyote here in small town dust devil hades. Much more concerned with the two legged ones, like Sinaloa and Zeta, and their federal government approved drug corridor a few miles away. If I am haring off into the back country, (can't call it "woods" in the desert, :) ), my vz-58 will be going with me. If hunting, the SP-01 Phantom in 9mm will still be going with me - I trust the round to do the job on what we have out here.

Now if some yahoo starts importing elephants like they were talking about a few years ago, all bets are off! :D
 
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