Camping/Hunting back-up/Hiking Pistol

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Yardstick

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There's been a law change farily recently allowing bow hunters to carry a sidearm for personal defense in the state I'm in. Part of the argument used to get it passed was that hunters were coming across illegals with guns, drug smugglers and drug growers while hunting and had no personal defense. I personally had a close encouter with a mountain lion a few years ago. Luckily, I was carrying a 1911 on my hip (illegally at the time). I didn't have to shoot, but I'm pretty sure the confidence to whip the pistol out probably saved me from freezing up and becoming mountain lion excrement.

I've carried a 1911 with me in the woods simply because it was available (first serious gun I bought aside from a .22), I like the gun and can shoot it fast and accurately. There are some that think the .45 ACP is fine for woodland critters and others think it is underpowered. So what's your recommendation for a good, powerful round that is still relatively easy and affordable to shoot from a reliable and high(er)-capacity gun? It seems like 10mm would be ideal except for the cost and availability. Any other ideas, or should I pick up some hot .45 ACP and keep carrying my old favorite?
 
Anything thin skinned (in other words not a bear) and that .45 will be fine.

If you get a 10mm add in an extra $250-300 for reloading equipment :)
 
Well if you want a "higher" cap gun then you really only have the choice of the 10mm, You can get some really hot stuff from Double Tap that would be perfect for the woods. They also have some good .45 acp stuff "for the woods". But I am still one of those that carries a .357 revo in the woods, well everywhere actually. I love my 7 shot S&W 620 although I would feel very safe with a Glock 10mm.
 
Use a good +P and I don't think you're too under gunned against a black bear. It lacks a little penetration, but not THAT bad if you use ball or a SWC bullet. I have a handload, 200SWC, for my P90 that's up around 1100 fps. However, I really prefer carrying one of my .357s. I also have a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt, but it's a heavy thing to tote all day, prefer carrying my medium frame .357 with a good 158 grain SWC. It's accurate, easy to shoot, has killed several deer for me, and I have confidence it'll penetrate and do the job. It's a lot lighter on the hip for all day carry than the Blackhawk. But, if I am ever in griz country, I'll put up with the extra weight of the Blackhawk for the 300 grain bullet pushing 1200 fps.
 
Black bears are probably all I'd encounter too (in AZ). I'm more freaked out about the big cats, especially after seeing one up close and personal. I was considering a new gun purchase and I keep drooling over the Bul M5's (and other polymer framed 1911's). (Homer) MMMmmmm Hi-cap 1911 style polymer .45 ACP... (/Homer)
 
I have never understood why a hunter who has a weapon in his hands worries about another tucked away in a holster. :confused:
 
I carry my S&W 686+ 4". I will be partnering it with either a Marlin or Henry in .357. I also plan on getting a 629 and either a Marlin or Henry in .44Mag by the end of summer.
 
I have never understood why a hunter who has a weapon in his hands worries about another tucked away in a holster.
Click to expand...

Well, when your in-hand weapon is a compound bow and your holstered weapon is a cocked and locked 1911 and a mountain lion has managed to stalk within 5 yards of you, you'll get it. ;)
 
I have both 45acp and 10mm guns. No question, I'd choose the 10mm w/ some hot 180gr loads. I'd probably alternate FMJ and HP rounds in the mag. It (10mm) is readily available via the internet.

A G20 Glock is like the hand of Thor. Only other gun I'd feel comfy with is a 44 mag if there were black bear around. Somehow, 16rds of full power 10mm is more comforting than 6rds of 44 mag--for me anyway. I could get two shots of the 10mm off for every one shot from my 44 mag.

Nail
 
A bow at full draw can be a little large to swing around toward that cougar you see stalking you out of the corner of your eye--depending how you are situated in your cover. If the arrow falls off the rest, that'll be a problem when your life might be on the line. FOLLOW UP SHOTS are not real fast to get off with a bow either. And, if you miss with the FIRST shot, then what happens? It would be much harder to shoot a bow while you are moving away from a threat. Trust me--from someone that has bow hunted--you'll want a gun if an animal is after you.

I can get two shots off in about a second with my G20--accurately placed--at self defense distances. Not possible to do that with a bow.



Nail
 
If I am on my private property and come across a couple of guys setting up a meth lab I would much rather have a side arm with me instead of relying solely on a single broadhead.

Also even a shotgun is hard to swing around if that monster buck is over on your right (for a right handed shooter) and you are sitting in a stand/blind. Easier to get the shot with a handgun (don't have to move your whole body).
 
My choice would be a 3" Ruger GP100 357 mag or Smith 4" Model 57 Mountain Gun (41 mag). I'd probably just carry a jacketed soft point factory load of average power (ie basic factory ammo). If I'm concerned about large bears, then I'd go with heavy solids in the 41 mag. But I'm not particularily worried about bears where I would be likely to hunt or hike. 10mm is just fine.
 
Mt. Lions are easy to kill and even easier to turn and all you have to do is turn it, not kill it. A good 22 will work. Same story with black bear although they are a bit harder to hurt than a lion, all you have to do is hurt a black bear and he will leave. This is not so with grizzly. I've killed dozens of bear and I've been messing with bear of both species for much of my life.

If you want to stop a grizzly attack, chances are your going to have to kill him. But black bears are not normally hard to dissuade by inflicting some pain.
 
I'll try to do the quick version of my story...

I was hunting elk and standing in some small trees 20 yards from a water hole one night. I saw something that I thought, erroneously as it turned out, was a dog. When I realized it was a mountain lion I just didn't take the shot because I didn't have a tag and he was far enough away I wasn't too worried about him.

The next night I was slowly turning to check behind me because I figured that was my most vulnerable side. As I was turning to face front from having craned all the way left I saw the mountain lion 5 yards in front of me. I already had my hand on the .45 since I was looking out for the lion. I figured if it got close I'd have a better chance with the pistol and if it was at the water hole again I'd just take it with the bow. In the time it took to draw, flick the safety off and start lining up the sights, the mountain lion took a couple of leaps and was down in a ravine. Since I didn't get attacked and wasn't able to get a good sight picture I didn't take a shot.

This all happened about 3/4 mile from an established and active campground. I might have been able to use the bow as a barrier or a club, but that's about it.

Wedge: I don't know if the laws are different where you are, but here it would get you in big trouble to be taking an elk or deer with a gun during bow season (I hope that wasn't what you were implying!). :)
 
Yeah, I also vote for the 1911. There's better stuff out there (10mm) but I wouldn't sweat it...
 
I was bow hunting in 96 with my brother in E. Texas at about 5:30am from a 10' ladder stand and had a cat scream and let me tell you I was scared s**tless. I don't know if I could have pulled the bow back to shoot mush less spotted the cat in the dark. That was right after CHL's were passed and I didn't have a handgun with me, but I carry a 4" S&W M66 with me now. The 45 will do the job on a thin skinned cat or anyother "varmint" you may come across. I just like the 357 for the noise and flames out the barrel.
 
Yardstick, no I was talking carrying a sidearm during gun season as I do when deer hunting and using the pistol if the opportunity presented itself.

During bow season it would be specifically for defense.
 
Good to know that the 1911 (or more specifically .45 ACP) still seems like a reasonable option in the woods. It seems like there's a lot of talk about it being too slow or just not powerful enough overall so I got curious. I need to go find some hot loads to try now. :)
 
I just picked up a 686p for wilderness travel. 7 shots of .357 mag. should be comforting. Black bears and cougars are the biggest critters around Washington state. But 2 legged critters at the trail head are more of a worry then the 4 legged kind.
 
When outdoor's I like to carry my 357 mag,but in town my 45 acp.
but if you want a semi pistol may I recomend the 357 sig.
glock make's the g31 and g32 springfield make's the xd-357 in two tone,and
the great thing about these gun's is you can mount a flash light under it.
let's not forget sig saur pistol's
 
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