Calling all mountain men: Best Sidearm for remote hiking or backpacking

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Also, remember you are at an advantage already if you live at altitude of 7000 feet. Most people who are backpacking live at lower elevations than they hike.
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It's definately an advantage to live at altitude, one of the reasons the Olympic Training Center is in Colorado Springs. There's an old saying that you know you're from Colorado when you notice that people from out of state breathe 5 times as often as you do. ;)

As far as lugging my duty belt / gear / vest . . . probably at least 25 pounds and quite a bit of up and down hill, but on good trails and sidewalks. Not that I do it everyday, but often enough. I'll admit it's definately a different beast if you are humping up into the hills on a game trail.

Frankly, If I need to carry that much gear into the hills, my horse is going to be carrying it. For day long hiking in the hills west of here (aka the Rocky Mountains) packing a 44 or 45 is just something I do. Like Taffin, I'm still looking for the perfect packin' pistol. Awfully fond of my Ruger Vaquero Montado in 45 Long Colt these days. :D

In my younger days when I did pack in on foot for multiple days, I simply lightened my pack instead of forgoing a big shooting iron.

Two many big critters in the woods, including the two legged ones . . .
 
If in the lower CONUS and in bear habitat, i would be comfortable carrying my Glock 23. If its in Alaska and expecting grizzlies, a mountain gun such as .357 mag full power would be my choice.
 
As far as lugging my duty belt / gear / vest . . . probably at least 25 pounds and quite a bit of up and down hill, but on good trails and sidewalks. Not that I do it everyday, but often enough. I'll admit it's definately a different beast if you are humping up into the hills on a game trail.
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If you do that much heavy packing at high altitude (I consider living at 7000 feet high altitude), then I would say you are probably not a good representative sample of what the average backpacker is or can expect. If you take someone living at sea level, put 30 pounds on their back, and start hiking them at 7000 feet, they are going to quickly figure out what they need to do to lighten their load.
 
If you take someone living at sea level, put 30 pounds on their back,
and start hiking them at 7000 feet, they are going to quickly figure out what they need to do to lighten their load.
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Add being out of shape from sitting at a desk most of the year,
and that the high country in NM, CO, UT starts at 10,000' and goes up to 14k'...
yeah, a lot of people start counting ounces.
 
I lived in Alaska for two years and spent most of my off duty time in the backwoods (ten to twenty miles off the main road) I always carried three firearms: a S&W 29 44 mag, a S&W 18 22LR and a Rem 870 loaded with brennke slugs and buck. Around camp or while fishing the 870 was usually leaning against a tree, but the pistols were always on me. Only ran into two bears in two years, one griz a half mile away(no prob) and a large black that I feed some grayling (I figured I wasnt going to shoot the bear unless he attacked me and there were plenty of fish). However a few years later I was back up there for two months of training and the group(50 people) safety rifle (338 mag) was buried in the back of the vehicle somewhere ie no easy access. We saw numerous black bear during that time, I had no worries. In the top pocket of my pack (100 lbs) was my S&W 629 4 inch, easily accessible. What I carry now in the woods ie either my 44 or 10mm and my 22. If hiking my 10mm, if hunting either all depends what rifle I have the kids carry (44 or 10mm). I have no fears that my 10mm will take care of most anything I encounter including mr griz.
 
Quote:
If you take someone living at sea level, put 30 pounds on their back,
and start hiking them at 7000 feet, they are going to quickly figure out what they need to do to lighten their load.
Click to expand...

Add being out of shape from sitting at a desk most of the year,
and that the high country in NM, CO, UT starts at 10,000' and goes up to 14k'...
yeah, a lot of people start counting ounces.
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. . . point taken, I agree I'm maybe not the best representative sample, but I'm still carrying my 44's and 45's into the woods.

And the air does get a little thin up around timberline . . . ;)
 
I usually ride 4x4 with a .38+p and a .22 mag in my pack. Buddy always carries a .45 and a .22lr in his pack. We usually ride with more than 4 people, and they carry various firearms. If I go alone or ride double I pack my grandfathers .357. Whomever is doubling carries my .40.
 
I would say as a general rule, bring a .44Mag....that way you have bear country covered, or other 4-legged critters with teeth. And at a minimum, pack a .357Mag.
 
Day hiking and backpacking are not very similar, in terms of what you can or need to carry. For a day hike, you can take a big gun and not have a problem, because you are not carrying much except a little food and water. For a backpacking trip over several days, weight becomes critical. Backpackers obsess about weight, and will do a lot of interesting things to lighten their load even minutely. For example, I have known backpackers who will saw off the end of their toothbrush. Sounds crazy, I realize, and I have not gone that far, but I guess they figure every little bit helps.

How many people have actually carried an N frame on a multi-day backpacking trip? I did once, and would not do it again. If you can do it, more power to you. But I think for the average backpacker, it is just not realistic.
 
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^ Balrog nailed it: there's a huge difference between day hikes and a multiday backpack, especially in big high country when snow might fly.

Backpackers who backpack often and enjoy light weight (especially those of us that aren't huge people ourselves) will go to extremes to cut ounces. It only takes 16 of those to make a pound, and pounds matter even more.

The guru of modern backpackers, Collin Fletcher, confessed to having taken a postal scale to a department store to weigh clothing.

I haven't gone that far, but given a choice between a 6 lb tent and a 3 lb ultralight, I'll take the 3 lb'er.

Influences my gun choices, also.
 
Taurus judge, .44mag or .357mag in the revolver of your choice (preferably with a light rail) and a matching lever action.

I dont think a light rail is entirely optional for remote backpacking. I do adventure riding, with a dirt bike. I've spent more than a few times all by myself in some very remote locations. Granted, my usual fret is snakes(thus the judge) but there are bears and feral dogs and feral boar out there too. Alot of these critters prefer the night, and assuming you've just woken up and your heart's racing and the animal's moving its not a sure thing that you can make a perfect killshot in a pinch.

Assuming I survive long enough to run out've ammo, but not kill the damned beastie (hey its possible) I want the option of keeping the light on whilst I go through the reload. I dont need to be fumbling with a flashlight as I swap speedloads.

Also consider that with alot've animals, really intense light is often enough to dissuade their curiosity. I know out here I've bumped into a couple feral pups, and well its a dog so I'd really rather not shoot the poor guy. A bright blast of light is usually enough to send them in the other direction.

I think its important to remember the availability of ammunition as well. Lets say the -worst- happens. Your cartridge belt gets some freezing rain, and the rounds get heavily encrusted with ice. Now you worry that, if you -need- them the freezing and thawing may have gotten moisture inside the round. You decide its a wise decision to swap ammo around, and hold the suspect stuff in reserve. When you head back into town for gas, the local gunstores dont carry your exotic cartridge of choice (.41 and .460 come to mind) so your sorta stuck.

Yeah sure you can carry more ammo in your truck, but lets say your on a mountain bike or a dirtbike. You cant afford to just carry a brick of ammo wherever you go.
 
If I was in grizzly country I'd carry my Ruger .357. I have been charged by a bull moose.
Armed only with a shotgun with #7 1/2 birdshot, and unable to climb a tree quick enough
I did the only thing I could. I quickly unzipped and took a leak. I noted that I was directly upwind and knew that the sudden smell of human urine might spook him. It worked, either that or seeing me, he didn't feel like he was a bull anymore. My other choice would be a lightweight .22lr. My personal camp pistol is a Ruger single six with both 22lr and 22 mag cylinders. I think any thing bigger is too heavy and bulky to carry.
unless your intent is to hunt big game.
 
I am not sure what that means. When a bull moose charges you you don't get too many options or time to execute them. My other choices as I recall were to get stomped and pee my pants or the slim chance bird shot would do more than piss him off. If you get charged by a moose what would you do?
 
I am not sure what that means.
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It means that if a bull moose was charging me, the last thing I would think of doing would be to unzip and ...

But then, I don't live in moose country.

I'm waiting for moose experts to chime in on the strategy before I say, "Oh, OK, that's reasonable."
 
I would take a 5.5" Ruger Redhawk in .45 colt. I would have 300 grain hardcast bullets for bear; lightweight hollowpoints for the drug grower that wants to "get you."

I would keep the cylinder loaded with the hardcast. the HP in a few speed loaders.

If no bear in the area, a 10 mm Glock.
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I like this answer...
 
Backpacking / hiking carry

In Montana/ Canada remote hikes I carried the Ruger Redhawk 44.mag. 6 shot 7 1/2 inch stainless. Weight issues were made up for every time I went to bed. ;- ) . 7 1/2 inch lets you start hitting farther away and weight reduces recoil thus you are qiucker back on target. Double action lets you keep shooting after you put left arm in bears mouth (you can not out run or out climb a bear or for that matter reliably kill one with a revolver) so I think we are talking do or die here./// Best to use your wits against bear ,be loud going around blind corners, clap, whistle, never smell like food. // If hiking in north west in August-September learn to identify and avoid Hawthorn Thickets, the berries slow down metabolism and the bears gorge on them before hibernating.Good safe hiking .. content
 
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I guess some folks are a little faster than others both thinking and with zippers.
 
I like the idea of a .44 Mag in back country, so that's what I carry. Somewhere around 50 oz. loaded.

Whether day hiking or overnight, that thing quickly becomes a brick and I don't like the reality of carrying it at all.

However, I just can't make myself carry something lighter, like my 1911.

(I figure I'll work out a little more and get in better physical condition to deal with this minor issue. It's easier than trying to put the proper gun on a diet...)
 
If you come across scat that smells of pepper spray and has bits of bells in it, be very careful...you're in griz territory. :p:scrutiny:;)
 
Ruger BH in .357, sometimes supplemented by a DB 12ga. if I'm hiking over 10 miles deep, alone, and part of it is going to be in the dark.
 
The best compromise I've found here in the rockies is a 4" 686 in .357 mag.

My top 5 concerns in the mountains:

People
Lightning
Weather
Dehydration
Injury / rolling an ankle


Black bear and Cougar are waaaay down the list, but I feel confident with the .357 mag and a heavy bullet.

I've been in the mountains with a 629 and a Blackhawk in .45 Colt... both were pretty cumbersome compared to the 686. If you can comfortably lug a hog leg up here, more power to you (literally).
 
i carry a glock 30 with crimson laser site for hikes,, the 45 acp is cheap enough to pratice without going broke,, and the laser site allows u to piont and shoot when scared,, though a concern is the the laser on button would get pressed , but in a my fobus holster on the hip or in the bag it does ok,, lots of people in this thread say a 10mm,, but for routine practice,, the 45 is more realistic -- just mei do not want change the topic of the thread
 
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