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

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hi guys, first post here.

I did a search on "Appalachian" to see if there were any threads about hiking the appalachian through various states, and the laws pertaining to hiking through each.

Say you start in CT, and go down to Virginia.

would you pretty much have to follow each rule for carrying while hiking interstate? or is there some special allowance for hikers? :confused:
 
I did a search on "Appalachian" to see if there were any threads about hiking the appalachian through various states, and the laws pertaining to hiking through each.

Say you start in CT, and go down to Virginia.

would you pretty much have to follow each rule for carrying while hiking interstate? or is there some special allowance for hikers?
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I have hiked most of the trail myself. There is no special allowance for hikers.
 
I've been hunting, hiking, camping, and prospecting in black bear country all of my life. I have run into quite a few bear, I've had a couple start to charge me before too. In every case that I felt threatened just the sound of my .45 firing has scared them off. In one case the bear actually sat down for a second and went "hmph!"

Based on that, I've considered just taking my .380. But, knowing Murphy's Law, the first time I took the .380 would be the first time the sound didn't scare off a bear.;)

In all my years backcountry (30 yrs) I've only ever seen a single cougar print. Additionally I wouldn't be even remotely afraid of coyote, they aren't going to bother you. Try howling and yipping at the moon with them instead.

In truth I carry in the backcountry for protection against homo sapiens, they are the only wild animal I'm worried about. Far too unpredictable.
 
In truth I carry in the backcountry for protection against homo sapiens, they are the only wild animal I'm worried about.
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I'm totally with SuperNaut on that one.

Of course, I'm not in griz country, and have never walked in griz country. I have zero fear of black bears. That's because I don't take food into the sleeping tent, I remove clothes that may have food scent on them before going into the sleeping tent, and make sure that anyone else in the sleeping tent follows the same rules. In that case, black bear just isn't an issue. You've got far, far more to worry about lightning strike.

Humans, on the other hand, are a concern. Back in the day (say the 70's and 80's when I was just starting to backpack), it wasn't so much an issue. Now, it has become an issue.

As for PR's recommendation, "Pack the largest caliber gun that YOU can shoot WELL", I hear you. But weight IS an issue for backpackers, and even more so for smaller stature people like myself. On a 6 - 8 day trip, my pack - even well paired down by years of experience accumulating the lightest weight gear - may weigh 60 lb, which is nearly half my weight (I'm about 130). That gets heavy with lots of ups and downs, and I'm there to enjoy myself, not prove that I could keep up with a military operation.

Thus, a .38 spl airweight gets the call. In a basecamp at a trailhead, the 870 sits patiently nearby. But on the trail, with a 50 - 60 lb pack in non-griz country, I'll take the 642.

Nem
 
In the Ozarks and Appalachains I carry my 627 .357 mag. 8-shooter stoked with 180 grain buffalo bore solids. (Note: In the fall, I often have a license punch or two available for deer and have shot more than a few deer with this gun and it's ancestor, my GP 100) Defense wise, I would guess hogs and humans are the main worry there. An occasional black bear, but those usually scamper with a shot in the air.

On fishing trips this summer to Canada and Alaska, I'll be carrying my new S&W 460V. Defense concern #1 there is Bullwinkle! "Dem Mooses b' mean!"
I've been charged before and want some serious firepower when the next time happens. It's like a fast running minivan coming after you. Also, I figure the .460 can handle the bears we see which have never caused a problem as well if they get agressive.
 
I haven't read all 10,000 responses in this thread but a S&W Mountain Gun is a good choice. I have one in .45 Colt but they make them in 44 Mag too. I would feel comfortable with either when loaded correctly.

If you want to be in better shape, you could always carry a Winchester Trapper in .44 Mag or .45 Colt or a Winchester Timber in 450 Marlin. They're only 6lbs. Many folks many years ago packed with them all day long.

dcp_0512.jpg
 
i carried a glock 27 for 2 weeks while summitting 3 collegic peaks (14000ft) i never saw anything to shoot but i shot it off the peaks wonder if i set a S&w.40 distance record
 
I agree with the recent posts stating "...I carry mainly for protection against humans..." and "Carry the the gun with the most powerful cartridges you can shoot well...".

Your needs back East are likely different than here in the NW. (And yes, anything east of the Mississipi is "East" to me; and "NW" does not mean Ohio or Minnesota!)

* Copperheads or water mocs: best to have a revolver of .22 - .44 with shot shells. A .38 or .357 would be good. I often carry my 642 in a pocket with a couple of shotshells and three regular bullets loaded when I hike/fish in the Southwest.

* Humans: At least around here and I suspect more and more in all regions, the woods have a growing number of outdoor meth camps and the old standby marijuana farm. I would want a high capacity semi-auto. I carry my G23 in .40 S&W, or SIG P245 in .45ACP in a readily accessible backpack side pocket, with a few extra mags. I am planning to get subcompact G27 for even easier sidepocket or even occasional pants pocket carry when the threat seems higher.

* Cougar is a growing threat in theNW at least, maybe not in the East/SE. We have had a cougar sighting killing a dog or cat in one of our metro area parks. Plus the occassional story of runners in remote areas being attacked. Not often, but often enough to be a real risk. I feel my G23 or P245 is plenty for cougar. I was hiking in themountains east of Los Angeles and most of it was open grass and scrub brush on hillside and seemed low risk except for possible human encounters. However, I tried to take a shortcut through a ravine and quickly found myself in what seemed ideal cougar terrain. I sure wished I had had at least my 642 with me then, but better the P245.

* Bear: This is a tougher one at least in the NW. In most areas the black bears are not that big and I would imagine a .357 or .45 would be enough to ward off an attack. Howerver, a couple of things make me think harder on this.
1) Many hunters I know hunt black bear easily with a .30-30, .44 mag, etc. But one friend had to shoot a black bear four times with a .308 to put it down. After being hit it would try to crawl towards him repeatedly. When he butchered it he found the heart was completely shot out. Bear can be very persistent even when they have taken a mortal wound(s).

2) Most black bear in the NW are not that big: 150 - 300 lbs. Yet, especially in the national parks or more remote areas such as the North Cascades, I have come close to some very large black bears (usually honey colored) that made me feel severely underarmed with a GP100 in .357. I would prefer the .44 or .454 for these big ones. And most places remote enough to have large bear are pretty well away from likely human contact of the druggie/criminal type.

I don't know how I would conveniently carry a .44 and I don't have one yet (looking maybe at the Ruger Alaskan...) so I have to look at what I do have. I am thinking of using heavy bullets in DoubleTap ammo for either the .40 (200 gr at 1000 fps) or the .45 (230 gr at 1050 fps).

Overall, I am looking to rely mostly on my G23 and then G27 for 90% of my backwoods (and even urban) carry. Very versatile with good capacity, decent power, and highly reliable. I would only add the 642 or a .44 as the route/destination warranted (rattlers in the SW and large bears in the parks or N. Cascades).

A .357 revolver would be OK for most situations except for stumbling across a druggie camp.
 
McGunner,

I hiked the Big Bend this last spring and was carrying a Ruger Service Six stoked with 158 gr non+P LSW. Might not be the best thing for the cats there, but it's what I had. Don't know if I could have gotten it out of the fanny pack in time, but it was the best solution I could think of--especially where you're not allowed to carry.

Tequila Jake
 
I'd been carrying my S&W 357PD (.41 Mag) with Buffalo Bore 230gr SWC @ 1370 fps on extended trips.

It's really a handful in a 24oz revolver.

For day-hiking on established trails, I substituted the Winchester Super-X 175gr.

The revolver carries like a dream, but lately I find myself a lot more concerned about dogs & people than bears and big cats.

I'm more-likely to carry my Glock 34 with a Surefire X200 in a Blade-tech thigh-holster. The thigh-holster is nice when you're wearing a coat and / or backpack with a waistbelt.

Mike
 
without a paddle....

forget the gun, save weight ;)
just do like they do in the movie!!!
 
SP101 with 3" barrel. Does it all, compactly. Use a Wilderness Safepacker holster - concealed in plain sight.
 
Glock 20c 10mm 15rounds. Simple, to the point accurate, and reliable. Hot little round with no recoil since it is compensated. I have one and love it. Have killed dear size game and a few feral hogs. Cor-Bon makes an eccelent hunting round in 180 grain bonded core and 200 grain round nose penetrator. this is the gun they use 2 test their ammo.
 
Another Easterner here. I generally carry a .357 when out and about in the woods, but have also carried a .44mag. Hiking where people are more likely to be a problem than wildlife, though, I'm often accompanied by a G23. But something is always ready to hand.
 
I recall reading here or elsewhere a story of a logger who got in quite the gunfight. also in some places people will wear backwards masks to scare off the big cats, like said before, doesn't matter what you're packing, they'll get you when they aren't looking or aware and won't give any indications before attacking for the most part.

I've never carried anything hiking coming from NY but the thread is interesting, one thing I wondered is if interstate transit applies to hikers and cyclists like it does to motorists, as long as you store the gun in a locking container unloaded when in a non free state?
 
For bear country, or big ruminants like moose on the loose: Ruger Alaskan .44mag. Big enough to do the job, light/small enough to not be a chore to shoot a lot and get good with.

For people problems, cats, snakes, etc. a Glock 21, XD45, something like that, because if you're gonna carry a big frame auto might as well carry a lot of big hole punches in there and the plastic guns resist rust better.

Lightweight hiking go for the S&W 360 with the Scandium frame and titanium cylinder and hiviz front sight, chief's or a shrouded hammer frame.
 
Not really sure there is a best sidearm for hiking. Its like everyone has been saying pick what your comfortable with. If I had my way when I went hiking I would carry a 12ga pump, AR-15 in 223, Steyer scout in 308, and about 5 diffrent hanguns and I could still find more I would wont to carry on me. However I live in the real world and carrying that many guns isnt really theisable. When I do go hiking I do however carry 3 guns with me at all times a glock 32 with 2 spare mags, a glock 30 with 2 spare mags, and my ruger sp101 in 357 with at least 1 box of 38spl.+p, and one box of 357 mag tucked away in my pack. To some that my seem a little excessive but I have been shooting were 2 or even 3 of my guns failed to quit working at least momentairly by jams and what not. If you life were on the line it is definatly a lot eaiser to grab your back up instead of fumbling with clearing a jam or maybe something you cant even fix.
 
Well, I no mountain man, but I do venture into black bear country on a regular basis ans occasionally have black bear venture into mine.

THe most experienced person I know of when it comes to black bears and handguns is JJ Hack(currently professional hunter in Africa). He has killed around 100 black bear with a handgun and has guided on countless other black and grizzly bear hunts. He carries a 44 mag with a 240gr - 265gr JHP for black bear PORTECTION. He DOES NOT recommend anything less. He carries JHP and not hard cast because he says the 44mag JHP has plenty of penetration for black bear (not grizzly) and the JHP induces enough trauma to the bear that any solid hit will almost always stop the bear or turn it so that you can follow-up with aimed shots.

You can read some quotes from JJ Hack and his specific opionions and experiences with handguns and black bears near the end of this page. (Hack's quotes are in the purple boxes of my posts in this thread)

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,89450.0.html

I carry a Dan Wesson 44mag with 4" or 6" barrel. Plenty of protection for anything in the lower 48, and accurate enough to head shoot rabbits at 30 yards off hand (I have done it, and I would say I am an average shooter.)

Roll Tide
 
For hiking, I'd go w/ a 357 or 44 magnum or in an autoloader, I'd go either 45 acp or 10mm. Go w/ a platform you're comfy w/ and can shoot well ;)
 
I went hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness (Montana) this summer with my wife. I carried a GLOCK 19 with 124 +P Gold Dots. I felt slightly undergunned against bear, but was confident from my practice that I'd be able to handle the two-legged-critters. (I shoot IDPA and USPSA often)

I whole-heartedly agree with being proficient with whatever you choose. I also recommend getting a a highly durable finish, such as a stainless or tennifer. One less thing to worry about.

P.S. I bought a S&W 686 .357 upon my return, and this will be my new woods gun. The wife can now carry the GLOCK.
 
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