Hiking Gun

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montess85

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I am looking for a gun to use for hiking.....I live in NYS so I don't need to stop grizzly bears....I have narrowed it down between 2 guns....The first is a Ruger SP101 with a 2 1/4" barrel or a Smith&Wesson M&P40 compact.....Both are around the same price and weight....I was looking for anyones opinion....I already own a 6" GP100 and love it thats why I was thinking about its little brother, but I like the Idea of 10 40sw rounds vs 5 357....
 
I have a Taurus 627 4" Titanium 7 shot. Same "thickness" as your 6"GP100 but a whole lot lighter. It's ported to reduce recoil. Shooting full-house 357 Mag loads from an SP101 will take it some concentration. Personally, I like a 4" for carrying in the woods. A 4" GP100 is a great gun too and since you already a 6" GP100, you'll be a "natural".
 
Here is the problem with a fullsize revolver....I would love to just carry my GP in the woods, but I have to keep it concealed when I am on a state trail....I just dont want to do that with a big revolver or auto for that matter....I have a PK380 that is easy to conceal but I have serious doubts that a 380 with help me with a black bear....My friend has a glock compact is 40sw but I hate the glocks grip angle...
 
Well, I personally was carrying a SP101 for woods duty, and I own a few .40's, but when it comes to woods I really feel that it's best to have something a bit bigger.

I'm not saying that a .357 or .40 wouldn't be fine in many woods oriented SD situations, but I don't want to risk it when it comes to the meaner beasts. I'd rather have the GP100 that you already have (although I understand why you don't want to lug that sucker around).

When it comes to boar and bear, I want the something a bit heftier than any of the common SD calibers. I thought about going with a .44, but I do some pretty tough backcountry hiking/camping and I just couldn't see myself hauling around a Redhawk or something of the like. I could have gone with a lightweight S&W in .44, but then I wouldn't want to get any decent practice (aka hand pummeling).

So I settled on a 10mm, a G20 to be exact. I think the 10mm is pretty much the best way to go for East Coast woods duty. The G20's a bit large, but it carries just fine in a fanny pack (and I'm already toting a 50lb backpack). Of course if one was turned off by the size of the G20, there's always the considerably smaller G29.

Anyhow, that's my take on it. You'll get a ton of input from the "nothing smaller than a .44 mag" crowd, but there are other options. Truth be told, the .357 isn't a meek caliber. If I had to choose between your choices I'd go with the SP101 (I have a serious soft spot for SP101's and carry one daily). They are truly amazing guns and many, including myself, believe that they are the best snubby out there.
 
Look around and get a Ruger SP101 with a 3" barell. Should be just as easy to conceal, will give a slight boost to the ballistics as compared to the 2 1/4".

I don't believe the .357 will let you down on anything on two or four legs in New York State.
 
I would suggest you go wrap your paw around a G20SF or G29SF and see how it feels. The SF (short frame) feels like a completely different gun the the regular G20 or G29.

I love my G20SF, but I really don't shoot Glocks as well as say my Sig. I can't get used to the trigger and the grip angle is off for me. That said, I carry the G20SF when I'm hiking here in WA. I hike off the trails using topo maps and GPS to get to remote lakes and summits. Since my Glock is not my normal around town carry gun, and since I don't target shoot with it, the negatives don't really impact me much. I shoot it for proficiency and if something or someone attacks me in the woods, I'm confident I can punch a few 10mm entry wounds in them.

All any of us can do is offer our advice based on what we use. Go down to the gunshop and try a few on for size. If you can find a rental place try that too. But I think you'd be well equipped with a G29SF.
 
I thought about that but the LCR's light weight and 357 magnum rounds don't sound fun to me at all....Besides I enjoy shooting all my guns for fun as well and I dont see the LCR holding up to range duty as well as the SP101
 
Unless you practice alot, accuracy on a compact or short barrel is practically non-existant. You have to get very close or let the threat either human or animal get just as close. Being comfortable should never replace your safety and your GP100 should provide excellent accuracy at 150 feet to 250 feet with practice, vs 5 to 15 feet with a compact. But if you still insist on something smaller, Smith and wesson has the model 327pd with a 4" barrel in 357 magnum. The gun weighs only 24 oz. and the cylinder holds 8 rounds. If you cannot deter the threat with 8 shots you have no business being where you are, or you should have practiced a lot more. How important is your life?
 
Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag. I want one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned. Solid, reliable and weighty enough to help with the recoil. Nice short barrel too. If not that, I would second the earlier mentioned Taurus 627. 7 rounds of .357 is a beautiful thing.
 
The 5 shot snub nose revolver in 44 magnum that Ruger promised me to make is not out there yet.

Trade your 6 inch gp100 for a 4 inch and you are good to go.

OR ... a 1911 modded for .45 super.
 
Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag...
Click to expand...
That's what I used to have, the key words being used to. As mentioned, I do a lot of off the trail hikes, so weight is a huge factor. I found myself leaving the mighty Ruger home because it was SO heavy. If weight is not a factor then it's a great choice.
 
In New York State, why carry anything more than a 3" or more J frame? They even made the M60 in a 5" adjustable sight .357. I think the 3" version is still available. You really don't need more than .38 special, good man stopper. Bears? I don't worry about bears. If I actually have to shoot a bear, either I'll be able to shove it in his ear (don't tell me a .38 won't give him a headache) or shoot him close enough for a head shot. I'm good enough with a handgun for that. YMMV. Any shooting of a bear is going to probably be while he's trying to gnaw on you. The likelihood of a bear attack from black bear is so minimal as to be a joke, anyway, unless you sleep with sausage packed in your bag.

X frames? :rolleyes: Whatever you wanna justify, I guess. Me, I'm not in shape enough to pack that kind of weight, especially when it's not even necessary. I don't live on Kodiak Island and New Yorkers don't, either. I have a .45 colt, have carried it before, but I really feel in black bear country, I need no more than .357 or even a .38 special.

My trail guns are all capable of SA fire for small game hunting if nothing else. Some are single actions only, the blackhawks. With me, autoloaders need not apply.
 
I would recommend a Glock 27, but since you have already said that the Glock grip angle doesn't work for you, I recommend the S&W M&P40 compact.

There's nothing wrong with the Ruger revolver, but only 5 shots vs 10 shots....

Let's be honest, the predator that you are most likely to encounter when hiking is the two-legged variety.
And when out in the wild they usually travel in pairs or groups.



Easy
 
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Of your choices, I'd suggest the M&P .40 Compact. You should probably worry more about two legged critters vs the four legged variety.
 
Nothing wrong with the SP-101 at all. The 3" would be perfect, as Old Shooter suggests. I often carry a Speed Six on shorter jaunts in the woods. For carrying concealed I really like the maxpedition sidebag like the fatboy. You can carry a lot of other stuff in there as well. It takes about a week of daily wear before your muscles adapt, but after that it feels fine.

Load with 180 or 200 grain hardcasts for the woods. Cast Performance is making them both now for handloading and you can find them at midway for sale. Mine have been liking H-110.

The Alaskan is very thick in profile, quite heavy and sluggish in the hand. Certainly nowhere near as fast to deploy or easy to pack as an SP. You really don't need the extra power, either. A heavy hardcast .357 will penetrate fine.

Also I'd avoid going the other way with an ultralight magnum. Shoot what you carry. Shoot the same loads and shoot them a lot. Don't carry expecting recoil to magically vanish in a pinch. It won't.
 
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It depends on the kind of hiking you are doing.

If you are day hiking, then you can carry a bigger gun.

If you are doing multiple day backpacking, then weight becomes critical, and you may want a smaller gun.

There is no reason really to use a large gun in NYS. Whatever you pocket carry when you go out is probably enough.

In the east, I like to carry just a Keltec 380 if I am multi day packing. The biggest thing I would consider is a Glock 19.
 
You don't need a gun while hiking. I've been backpacking for 30 years in Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, California and have seen bears, rattle snakes, coyotes, etc. and have never carried a gun.
Animals are justly afraid of people. They run or slither away.

But, if you need one for peace of mind, I agree with your idea of a SP101.
Or an LCR in .357 mag, it only weighs 17 oz empty.
 
You don't need a gun...

Every year, a small percentage of people get attacked, and some even killed, by animals. One man's luck in avoiding any of that, does not make it untrue.

I've never been a victim of a violent crime, but I'll never leave the house without a sidearm if I can help it, and I'll never tell someone they have no reason to carry one just because of my fortunate experiences.
 
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I carry my GP100 with 4 inch barrel for hiking. I live in NY. When I hike in NY, I carry in a small passport/travel shoulder bag I bought from Eastern Mountain Sports. A fanny pack would work as well. If it is a little colder and I can wear a windbreaker I just carry OWB under my jacket. When I hike in PA I just carry OWB with a untucked shirt over it since PA is open carry state. You cannot beat a .357 magnum for a eastern USA woods gun IMO.
 
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