phantomak47 wrote in original post:
.357 Mag vs. 10mm for woods/ hunting duty?
Say you wanted a sidearm for woods carry or a gun for close to midrange hunting with open sights, we are not talking a dedicated hunting pistol, so lets keep it between these calibers.
My take is simple since your are in Texas, get whichever one fits you after shooting some varieties, and can afford, and afford to feed with factory or by reloading.
Everyone, again my take is simple, it always boils down to the same factors:
-What is legal for your jurisdiction, and this includes what Game & Fish Regulations may stipulate as well.
-What is the gun going to be used for?
Each environment has its own critters, and therefore dictates what one might be asked to do with a sidearm.
-Gun Fit to shooter, and I mean actually shooting a variety of guns, and loads to know what you can use to get quick effective hits with.
-Budget, including ammo costs, loads to choose from, and reloading costs and considerations.
-Investigation and verification of loads for tasks, and you and the gun being able to place these loads quickly and effectively if called upon to do so.
Some that have years of experience in areas, are those to ask for suggestions, as they know habitats and critters, and can assist in preventing trouble showing up/ you stumbling onto and loads that have proven themselves when no other option was left.
Interesting thing is, critters , just like humans, do not know they are supposed to react to gun makes, platforms, calibers, bullet weights and configurations.
They do not read Internet, Gun Magazines, Hunting Magazines, Mfg literature of guns an ammunition.
Down on the farm folks still carry a 38spl for instance, and put down cows.
Not long ago a 1929 Colt Detective Special and Old S&W Model 36, using the same load, the "Widow Maker" it is called, just a standard pressure 158 gr LRN , put down two cows.
Kel-Tec P-11 did the same thing, using that Win 115 STHP that gets such bad postings from its use in a tragic event.
Bone Stock Gov't Model of 1911 using 230 gr JHP felled a deer, nice six point.
Now this gun has always run JHP, the old boy is just as happy with hardball, just Game & Fish says, "no FMJ". So his farm, ranch, property gun is loaded with JHPs.
One of his other property guns is a Model 19 with 158 gr loads.
If he needs something bigger, that is what the 12 or 20 ga shotguns with slugs are for, or the Lever Actions in 30-30, or the bolt gun in '06 are for...
P-11 being tested to see if some of the classic guns he and they have, need to be put back into the safe and the P-11s tossed in trucks, barns, tractor tool boxes ...like others in his business have done.
Guess so, he has six coming...
These will work for what some might encounter on his property, yes some single action .44s will stay in use, still, concerns of two legged varmits are more of concern than a bear, or hog where he and his are.
One heckuva of a lot fun when used for ground hog hunting too...*snicker*
"Pest permit means the bbl don't have to be 4" min" so sayth the Regs unlike for Hunting as falls under Game & Fish Regs.
(I hate snakes), then 4 125 grainers to deal with any rabid critters, two or four legged. Maybe a lite bullet for some areas of the country, but there are no bears around Savannah, Georgia
