Assume You're Not Confronting a Bear, Mountian Lion, Wolf, or Other N. American Predator ... ?..HG ?

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Did you consider a .38 Super? Just sorta curious - not criticizing your choice as I'm a fan of the .357 Sig and the Sig P229. But I also am a 1911 guy at heart, and I'm thinking about getting another one in .38 Super.:)

Another "1911 guy at heart," here. I was just looking at the web page of a dealer, examining images of a pre-owned high-end/boutique .38 Super 1911, that would be a nice retirement gift for myself, if it stays in their inventory long enough. Or, of course, I could order such a pistol, when the time comes, and I am paid for unused leave. :)

My first handgun, in late 1982 or 1983, was a Detonics Combat Master, and though it never proved reliable enough for daily carry, the 1911 manual-of-arms has stuck with me quite well through the years. I carried a Stainless Commander as a police duty pistol 1990-1991, until it suddenly became finicky. I resumed carrying 1911 pistols on duty, 1997-2002, and only stopped because the mandated duty holster did not allow me to attain a proper firing grip at the outset of the draw. In 2016, I was able to resume carrying 1911 pistols while on police patrol, in a better holster, a nice way to close-out my LEO-ing days. :) (I may well work for the USA's largest PD that still allows the 1911 for general street patrol duty. I did have to attend mandated training/certification to resume using a 1911, in 2016.)

The .38 Super has been on my list of very-interesting cartridges for quite some time. It cannot be my duty cartridge, as only 9mm, .40 Snap & Whip, and .45 ACP are authorized, but in a few months, PD policy will not matter, anymore. :)

Regarding the ballistically similar 357 SIG, I may well get a P229 barrel so chambered, to give new life to the P229R that was my street patrol duty pistol 2004-2015. The .40 Snap & Whip, fired from the high-bore-axis SIG, became too much for my aging, ailing right hand, but my left hand is still healthy, so an extended and comp'ed 357 SIG barrel would be a nice gift for my neglected P229R. The P229, either DAK or DA/SA, is the only auto-pistol I have been able to shoot as well as a full-sized all-steel 1911.
 
As a ccw holder in a cash-heavy late night industry, I was forced to draw twice on two legged predators and once on an aggressive four legged scavenger. In the first instance my weapon was a 9mm Sig P239 and in the second a Beretta .32 Tomcat. Neither was ideal for the situation, but both were at hand which was a zillion times more useful than the M14 at home in the closet. Incidentally, the scavenger was far braver and tougher to hit.....
 
I agree with a guy on the first page that said a .357, 4 inch barrel handgun is the best all around handgun made. I often carry a .357 for defense against anything that needs shooting.

As a side note, as has been the reason or experience of many, dogs are the most common threat for me. The only time I have ever had to draw and shoot with a concealed handgun was a dog that came after my Mom and I on her farm. That sucks, as I love dogs, but I like my mom and I not being mauled even better.
 
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Despite being labeled as a mouse gun, the .380 will also take down a rat.

Please give us more info (brand, etc.) on the Huckelberry and how many rodentials were shot ?
Were they Johnny Ringo, or what ?
The picture seems to show cut brush at the bottom, and burning fire at the top.
Sorry, but I can't see the rat (s).
Thanks for the info !
 
Please give us more info (brand, etc.) on the Huckelberry and how many rodentials were shot ?
Were they Johnny Ringo, or what ?
The picture seems to show cut brush at the bottom, and burning fire at the top.
Sorry, but I can't see the rat (s).
Thanks for the info !
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Mr rat apparently took residence in a brush pile in one of our fields. When I set it on fire, he tried to make an escape, but I headed him off with the tractor. He thought he was hidden.
I was pretty pleased to kill him while aiming through my phone's camera.
I made an attempt to retrieve my prize for a follow up trophy picture, but unfortunately the fire was too hot.
 
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I think your auto correct change rabid to rapid. It made me

Maybe it was supposed to be rabbit coons ?
I've heard of rabbit dogs, in fact I've seen many of them work the rabbits . Made some fine eating !
But, I didn't know coons ate rabbits. Wait, coons will eat anything !!!!:D
 
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I carry a Glock 22 or 23 as my primary 99% of the time with a Glock 27 as a backup. That being said, when I am out of the valley and up at our place in the mountains, I carry my Smith Model 629 Mountain Gun. Mostly because I like it, and mostly because it will handle any critter, regardless of the number of legs, or the lack of legs. I cooked up a hard cast 200 grain Keith Semiwadcutter at 1000fps that is laser accurate, and will thump just about anything that you thump with it. I also note that it is my "pig" gun and I am always on the lookout for feral pigs and the load above is my favorite hunting load.

I don't want to hear "Oh my GAWD! You use reloads for ***GASP*** self defense!" and hear about the world ending. I am generally carrying for dealing with critters and not necessarily for human-to-human social interaction that may require gun fire, so this practice, as the ammo is purpose made for hunting and critter removal it is defensible. Besides which, I am on my own property, doing my own thing. For self defense in the valley and in town in Prescott, I use factory ammo and carry my Glock...loaded with the same my department used.
 
I don't want to hear "Oh my GAWD! You use reloads for ***GASP*** self defense!" and hear about the world ending.
Yeah, but it's a Oh my GAWD, .44 Magnum! Clint Eastwood said that's the most powerful handgun in the world! You must have some kind of "Dirty Harry" complex!
Just kidding around C_O_C.:) I myself used to carry a Taurus .41 Magnum on backpacking trips. It was loaded with 250 cast SWCs over charges of Lil'Gun that yielded 1200fps from my revolver's 4" barrel. I figured that my revolver and the large canister of pepper spray I carried would probably handle most any unfriendly critter I was likely to run across. If the unfriendly critter happened to only have 2 legs, I didn't have a plan for changing out the ammo in my .41 Mag to some factory ammo that I'd bought at Wally World and said "Self Defense" on the box. Nor did I carry a less potent, smaller canister of pepper spray for 2 legged critters.:D
 
I carry a Vaquero .44 Magnum out in the woods. It's heavy but I'm not wearing a tie
or dressed in a suit out there.

Zeke
 
Regarding the OP, I was ruling out four legged critters, and asking what HG you'd prefer for two legged predators.
Unless you're in a rural area, you are more likely to need defense against barely "human" threats.
 
I had the 65 built for woods walking
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The 65 is smooth as silk and a fine gun for accurate, fast shooting.
 
4.5 inch XDm in .40 S&W. You have 16 +1 rounds of powerful .40 ammo at your fingertips, you're ready for anyone and several of their friends. 000_0065.JPG
 
Out and about in town usually it's a Glock 19 loaded with 124gr Golden Sabers + a 17rd backup mag loaded with the same.
Around my ranch it's either FN Hi Power loaded similarly or my Uberti Hombre 357 mag SAA loaded with 38spl.
Sometime I like playing cowboy.

Got Coyotes, Bobcats, and maybe a few coydogs in my area of S. MO. Sure there are a few big Cats and small Black Bears. Haven't seen either yet and not really concerned. Missouri ain't Alaska.
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I guess since we are not talking about large predators, it wouldn't have to be a large caliber weapon. This is my personal choice for regular daily strolls where you might only have to deal with unfriendlies of the two legged kind.

 
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