Extra 10 oz and 1 extra 357 Mag Round

[Onward Allusion]

Going hiking in Grand Canyon National Park in a few weeks. Weighing the option of carrying my 617 (7-shot 357) or my poor-man's 627 (608 8-shot 357). Difference is between 8 to 10 oz. I'm too lazy to weigh 'em at the moment...

I really like my slightly mod' 608 but not sure if it's worth the extra weight. I won't be doing long hikes. Maybe 5 to 8 miles a day. Probably closer to 5...

Thoughts?

 

[HadEmAll]

I've done comparable distance hiking in other national parks, and I always found the weight of whatever firearm/ammo combo I carried to be very comforting. And insignificant compared to the backpack and water I was carrying.

I know the expert hikers treasure every ounce of weight reduction, but just never seemed that important to me as related to the fiream that might save my bacon in a confrontation with one or more 2 or 4 legged adverseries.

I'd go for the extra round, but that's me. But I've also often hiked with only a 6-shot GP100, and survived.

Have a good trip. Makes me want to head to Big Bend as soon as things cool down a bit.

 

[Davek1977]

I personally don't think you'll find yourself in a situation where 7 shots will fix things, but 6 shots will be insufficient. With that in mind, I guess I'd most likely choose the lighter of the two.

 

[Havok7416]

I personally don't think you'll find yourself in a situation where 7 shots will fix things, but 6 shots will be insufficient. With that in mind, I guess I'd most likely choose the lighter of the two.

This seems more or less appropriate.

 

[buck460XVR]

In a good holster.....8-10 oz is a moot point to me. I would take the gun I'm most confident with and most proficient with. My safety is more important that a few ozs. of weight or one more shot.

 

[MCgunner]

Go light and go right. Heck, I prefer a six shot K frame, myself. Why is one more round going to mean anything? You expect to be attacked by a gang of biker bears or something? So long as it's accurate, go light. Every ounce counts when hiking distance.

 

[jmr40]

Both are heavier and larger than I'd prefer, go light.

 

[Jim Watson]

Do they even let you in Grand Canyon with a GUN?

 

[ECVMatt]

I am not a weight guy, so that amount of weight really wouldn't matter. I would say go with what you shoot the best and enjoy your trip!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Weighing the option of carrying my 617 (7-shot 357) or my poor-man's 627 (608 8-shot 357). Difference is between 8 to 10 oz

The S&W M617 is a .22LR revolver, not a .357 Magnum. Which S&W do you really have?

I'm fairly sure if you can't solve your problem with 7 rounds of .357 Magnum the 8th round won't help. If it were me I would carry the revolver I can shoot most accurately. After all, all the ammo in the world will do you no good unless you hit what you shoot at.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Taurus 617 and Taurus 608. Both are chambered in 357 Mag. Yes. Both have been put thru their paces. 7-shot and 8-shot respectively. Here's a pic from my cutting down the barrel thread.

The S&W 617 is way too bulky and heavy for a 22LR. I got the 43c's instead.

So, I think I am leaning toward the 617. Like some of you said, if 7 shot's of 357 doesn't do it, 8 probably won't either. Besides, I got my wife with me and she carries, too, and my NY reload is a P3AT. I probably should worry more about dropping dead from the heat. (Had quad bypass 'bout 1 yr ago - The trip is my anniversary/reward) LOL!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Sorry, for some reason I thought the M617 was a Smith and the M608 a Taurus.

I think the M617 is a good choice because the extra weight of the M608 just might make you leave it in camp when you are just a few feet outside camp. Remember, if you feel the need to be armed where you are you should be always armed.

 

[gamestalker]

I simply hate the weight of my 608 as a general carry gun, it's just plain heavy. Now when I hunt with it, I'm willing to accept this additional weight.

But when I'm doing some serious hiking, and I do a good deal of such, unless I'm going to be in an area with a high risk of encountering dangerous predators, two legged or 4, I just wear one of my snub 66's and a couple speed loaders, or speed strips in my pocket. And I always bring along extra ammo in my pack.

If I'm doing my hiking down here in the S.W. part of the state where I live, there is always a high risk on encountering dangerous individuals, of the cartel type. In that circumstance, I usually have an AR as well.

GS

 

[tomrkba]

Buy a GOOD carry belt. It should be 1.5" wide. I like the kydex reinforced belts from Comp-Tac.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Extra 10 oz and 1 extra 357 Mag Round

Onward,

We are talking ten ounces. Now most of us are a bit overweight.

How about just dieting till you lose 5 lb.

Yea trade 5 pounds of flab for 10 ounces of gun!

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Deaf

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I regularly put on 15 miles in a day and I frequently go with a SP101 if on a trail. The presence of other hikers will keep a lot of animals away and serve as extra eyes and a deterrent for two legged jerks. If I'm off trail or in a remote area I carry something bigger. Lately it's been my 3" S&W 686+.

I've also been to the GC. Your chances of needing a gun are small at best. My advice is to take the 7 shot and load it with 158 gr ammo or heavier. A few CCI shot shells may be a good idea too since there are snakes about. It'll be more than enough gun for that trip. Also, there are bus loads of tourists in the GC in summer. Many of them have never even seen a gun in person. You may save yourself a headache or ten by carrying concealed even though open carry is legal. Sorry if you already said you planned on that.

Have fun!

 

[Onward Allusion]

Yeah...I don't have any worries about the touristy areas in GC, but the wife and I are hiking non-touristy areas near Williams. I agree, CC is the only way to go. Even though OC is fine in AZ.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Williams is a nice little town. I applied for a job there a few years back, but it didn't pan out. I can see that moving to a good job in AZ is going to be a priority for me, but fortunately my career has a high probability of taking me there one day.

One thing I did note while I was there, there is a high percentage of derelict drunken folks wandering around asking for money. That was more so in Flagstaff, but I still think a 7 shot .357 will be plenty of gun for you.

 

[gazpacho]

Strap on all you gear, as you plan to hike, BEFORE you leave on a trip. On a recent trip my friend wanted to bring his Glock 19. As we loaded up at the car, he discovered that the holster rode too high on his belt, and the gun wouldn't clear the hip band of the backpack. He had to pack the gun and holster for the hike in.

I had my Blackhawk in a cheap Triple K drop holster, which presented no problems.

As to gun weight, it really only matters if you will be hiking UP out of the canyon at the end of your trip.

 

[tactikel]

Go light, at 6k feet every ounce feels like a pound. Carry a speed loader if you really expect trouble.
My uncle had a ranch in Williams, I spent some time there,what a great time I had on "devil dog road" the odds of any need for a firearm are slim, water, gps, and a cell phone are far more important IMHO.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Posted by:tactike: at 6k feet every ounce feels like a pound

Well, that really depends on where the OP lives. I live at 5400 ft, and work in the woods off trail between 4000 and 7100 feet. When you're used to it, an ounce feels like an ounce, not a pound. And I have no doubt some of the true mountain dwellers would read what I just read and say , "Try 10,000 feet and then we'll talk."

I will admit though, you are looking at it from a flatlander's perspective so 6000 feet probably feels different. When ever I go hiking in the lake states, I am amazed at how fast I can move and for how long. Oxygen is plentiful there..... but so is humidity.

Carry a speed loader if you really expect trouble.

My advice would be "If you really expect trouble, don't go."

 

[benzy2]

How good of shape are you in? How much weight are you carrying total? How much weight are you comfortable carrying?

Some people could carry the extra 10 oz over that distance and hardly notice it. Some people struggle to make it 5 miles with no gear. Your personal condition as well as the load you plan to take really make the difference. 7 rounds is enough until it isn't. I don't think you would run into a situation where 7 wasn't enough, but 8 was. That said, if you do you certainly would much rather have 8 than 7.

I think I would take the 7 shot and maybe a speed strip. If plinking was on the plan, then I'd pack some more ammo too. To me, the 10oz would be better served with more food or water. At 5 miles a day, the pace isn't brutal and if I wasn't overloaded in gear the gun weight wouldn't matter much. Still, I'd rather go light in any choice I made if the alternative was similarly effective.

 

[Confederate]

Do they even let you in Grand Canyon with a GUN?

There used to be a ban on firearms in national parks, but the courts reversed it. If you have a concealed firearms permit from your state, you can carry. But I think you have to abide by the laws of the state in which the park is in.

Regardless, if I'm going to be hiking around a park with dangerous 4-legged and 2-legged animals, I'm going to be discreetly armed. In the 1800s, Indians used to hike miles to avoid areas with grizzly bears because they had no defense against them. And bears had no fear of humans. It wasn't until white "mountain men" like John "Liver-Eating" Johnston and others began moving into these mountains with .50 caliber rifles that bears had never encountered.

To hike and camp in areas where grizzly and black bears roam, and not be armed, is astoundingly foolish. The bears are armed. So are cougars. Man is one of the only animals that aren't equipped with built-in protection from both climate and other animals. Certainly, park authorities have no gripe with people protecting themselves from the weather. Going deep into a park with no weaponry is equally as idiotic.

 

[climbnjump]

There used to be a ban on firearms in national parks, but the courts reversed it.

Actually, the courts were on the other side of this issue. It took an act of Congress, although it was just an amendment to a bill called the "Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009". Pres. Obama did sign the bill into law because he was a supporter of the main bill - the amendment just came with it.

As mentioned by others, you do have to abide by the laws of the state (as well as applicable Federal laws) that the park resides in. So if you cross a state boundary while in a Nat'l park, the laws may change for you. Additionally, the visitor centers and other buildings within Nat'l parks where Federal employees work are "no carry" zones due to Federal rules outlawing guns in buildings where Federal employees work.

 

[george burns]

I don't think it makes a heck of a lot of difference, a couple of speed loaders and you are good with the 5 rounder.