For hiking

[FSCJedi]

Ok, I like to hike... a lot. A lot of the places I hike around here have some carnivorous little guys... and maybe a few biggers ones. Thinks like coyotes and bobcats, but there's been reports lately of a mountain lion and I know there's a few black bears around; then of course there's always stray dogs that may or may not be dangerous.

Anyway, here's my question. I already know that I'm underpowered should anything large come at me, but which of my available calibers would you recommend for carrying while hiking? I have a .36 cal. c&b blackpowder revolver, or a 9mm semiauto available. From what I've heard, with a "hunting" load, the c&b lead roundball will hit harder than the full metal jacket 9mm. What say ye?

 

[Chipperman]

You can always run away under the smoke cloud from the .36.

For the bigger predators, the 9mm is wholly insufficient. Unless you get as lucky shot in, you're toast.

 

[middy]

Depends on how tough your revolver is and how hot you can load it. You'd probably get better results from a heavy 9mm FMJ.

For lions and bears I wouldn't be comfortable with anything less than a heavy, hard-cast, flat-nose .44 magnum out of a 4"+ barrel. I would prefer a guide gun in 45-70.

 

[Cosmoline]

One cheap option is a slug gun with 3" brennke magnum slugs in it. At close range it's equal in power to a hot .45-70 at about $200 instead of $450 for a guide gun.

 

[Mannlicher]

first off, carry a stout hiking stick. Mine has a nice 1 1/2 inch stainless steel spike in the tip. That will handle most things you will encounter.

For the others critters, I have relied on a three inch Model 60, loaded with either 129 grain HydraShocks, or the 125 grain NyClad. Despite those that preach 'only magnums will do', the .38 Special will do just fine.

 

[middy]

Mannlicher,

.38 special hollowpoints for black bear?



You might scare it off. It might bleed to death in a few hours. You might get a lucky brain hit through the face.

You must be a much better shot than I am.

 

[Moparmike]

For hiking, I would probably get a 10mm with some hot loads or a .44mag if there are rather large creatures in your area. My area is supposed to have bear, but I havent heard about any.

 

[aut2no]

chipperman

<For the bigger predators, the 9mm is wholly insufficient.>

As is .32 W/W silvertips

You & I live in the same neck of the woods (not known for large 4 legged predators) and you may recall I summer carry a Seecamp .32 in my work.

The other day I took my 9 y.o. daughter to go fishing on a local pond. She was sitting on the edge of the boat playing with the nightcrawlers while I went back up the bank to get the tackle & rods from the vehicle. No one was around...a beautiful day ... my little girl was excited to go fishing and I was admittedly Conditon White.

I'm 20 feet away from my girl and hear an animal running through the brush...I turn to see this dog who looks like a pitbull, but larger, lunge towards her from the top of the bank. My perspective of time/events here is warped in slow motion.... she screamed, I dropped everything , ran forward yelling and drawing my pistol. The dog was mid flight in air and landed in the water next to my boat. He only wanted to jump in and cool off. She's crying & I reholster and hug her. S**t and almost s**t always happens fast.

A couple minutes later, this spandexed mountain biker arrives with a "see you met my dog" "he loves *most* kids..hates most other dogs...I ride this trail cuz I hardly ever run into to anyone out here and let him run unleashed"

To stay on the thread topic , earlier that morning I picked up the Seecamp out of habit & convenience then stopped and thouht ...."I'm going to the woods not the office" and packed my S&W 642 38Special +P – Winchester 158gr LSWCHP +P.

Had the dog situation been different & turned violent, then my weapon choice might have been the most important choice in my life.

 

[hso]

Been hiking and backpacking around Appalachia for 35 years and never thought I needed a firearm for anything that walked on 4 legs and I've encountered plenty of black bear and the occasional boar (wished I had a gun a couple of time for 2 legged critters on the trail, though)

Short of mtn. lion or feral dogs I can't imagine much that would be a threat back east that you couldn't use behavior to deal with. For those I'd still want a short shotty.

 

[MP5]

I ride this trail cuz I hardly ever run into to anyone out here and let him run unleashed"

So irresponsible. Dog owners, keep 'em on leashes for everyone's safety.

 

[BeLikeTrey]

Ruger redhawk 45 LC

Can handle even the hottest loads. Big bull bore ammo (Or is it Buffalo Bore) is a nice hot load

I really think the 44 would be better though. I know it's a bit heavy for hiking but then again I'm famous for "carrying too much bang" in the woods. A certain situation proved there is never too much bang carried in the woods, but that is a loooong story with a bunch of hogs.

 

[Doug S]

Although not the ideal handgun for this hiking, I would select my 357 snub & load it with 180 hardcast bullets. The snub being my choice because it is concealable. If lived in a region with lots of big predators I'd opt for something larger, but the biggest animal I might encounter in my area would be a black bear (and that would be rare). In fact I've not ever seen one in the wild, although I have a few friends who have.

 

[Brian Williams]

Eastern PA hiking, caoneing, woods walking, I carry a S&W mod 60 3".

It is lightweight and very accurate, it will take care of my needs here.

If I were doing this else where I would more likely carry my 586 with some hellendamnationloudenboomerfulltiltandboogie loads.

Alaska or Rockies I would probably get me a hand cannon.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I don't know what kind of hiking you're doing. I've done a lot of backpacking, usually in stints of a week or more.

A blackpowder Cap and Ball revolver wouldn't be my choice -- I've been caught in many a rainstorm -- in fact, I've hiked through days and days of rain. Not the best conditions for any blackpowder weapon.

No animal on the trail worries me -- other than insects and snakes. A good hiking stick will handle any aggressive animal. Mine is 6 feet long, and every dog I've ever encountered seemed to respect it.

Humans are another matter -- go with the 9mm.

 

[SRYnidan]

First off of the choices you have already go with the 9mm the cap and ball is harder to keep operational, has inferior terminal balistics, and is lots harder to operate under stress.

If you have the money to spend and the desire to do so my first choice would be a Glock 20 with fairly heave hollow points.

They are relatively easy to shoot quickly, they are the best hadlers of bad conditions that I have seen, the cartridge hits hard, and there are lots on tap (had a bad encounter with a dog pack once and more can sometimes be better).

All of that being said a good 4" revolver in
.357
.41 Mag
.44 Mag
would always be a good choice.

One last note I grew up in North Western Montana and have hiked in most of the Northwest and Colorado. Someone has mentioned a short shotgun and slugs I think this is probably the best you can do if your problem is the larger western bears, but I haven't seen a black bear I coudn't take with a 357 and the shotgun kind of changes a hike in to an expedition (used to carry one when i chaparoned youth groups but it kind of took the fun out).

 

[ChristopherG]

Of your choices, the 9mm is eminently the most practical. Use the heaviest and hottest FMJ you can find (likely a NATO load of 124 grs @ 1150-1200 fps; Georgia Arms makes one). If you have to shoot anything, just don't expect the first shot or three to have any effect; shoot until you hear a click, then reload and shoot some more.

 

[Bravo11]

Aut2no,
I had a similar situation happen to me. I was out walking in our neighborhood with my daughter who was riding her bicycle. Our area allows dogs to run free, which I don't have a problem with. A large black lab runs(charges) at my daughter, she is about 30 yards from me. I had no way to run and catch up to her before the dog did. She started screaming and I went for my 9mm while running to her. When the dog reached her he jumped up and started licking her just wanting to be friendly but I didn't know that. I never drew and aimed but it made me feel better knowing if it had gone the other way I could have stopped it.