Hiking Near the US/Mexican Border - What Gun?
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Jim March
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Quoting Titan6:
It sounds weird as hell, but the fact is, with the enormous volume of drug trafficking going on, there should be a LOT more murders of hikers and hunters.
There isn't, and that's by policy of the cartels. They know that every dead body (esp. "gringo") brings more heat to the area, and that's bad for business.
I know a local with a ranch in the back-country that had a literal run-in with smugglers - a vehicular near-collision that caused the legal resident to run off the road and puncture a tire...and come to a dead stop with no place to go with two truckloads of pot smugglers right there.
Care to guess what the smugglers did?
Helped tow the guy's car out and change the flat. I'm serious...they took the whole "no trouble with locals" thing to that degree. And they were armed to the teeth.
So yeah. Most of the time, you can indeed walk away from these guys. The more of them there are, in some ways the *better* as the small number of real psychos in that line of work will be brought under control by the rest.
If they DO give you trouble, OK, you need to be at least able to make 'em re-think the costs. And an accurate magnum wheelgun with some skill behind it can do that at respectable range. I'd also recommend an abnormally high round count on you - doesn't all have to be in speedloaders, but if it IS an extended range fight, it may drag out for some time.
But the odds of all that is pretty damn low.
It sounds weird as hell, but the fact is, with the enormous volume of drug trafficking going on, there should be a LOT more murders of hikers and hunters.
There isn't, and that's by policy of the cartels. They know that every dead body (esp. "gringo") brings more heat to the area, and that's bad for business.
I know a local with a ranch in the back-country that had a literal run-in with smugglers - a vehicular near-collision that caused the legal resident to run off the road and puncture a tire...and come to a dead stop with no place to go with two truckloads of pot smugglers right there.
Care to guess what the smugglers did?
Helped tow the guy's car out and change the flat. I'm serious...they took the whole "no trouble with locals" thing to that degree. And they were armed to the teeth.
So yeah. Most of the time, you can indeed walk away from these guys. The more of them there are, in some ways the *better* as the small number of real psychos in that line of work will be brought under control by the rest.
If they DO give you trouble, OK, you need to be at least able to make 'em re-think the costs. And an accurate magnum wheelgun with some skill behind it can do that at respectable range. I'd also recommend an abnormally high round count on you - doesn't all have to be in speedloaders, but if it IS an extended range fight, it may drag out for some time.
But the odds of all that is pretty damn low.
WayneConrad
Member
Some of you who can't imagine why you'd ever need anything but your trusty sidearm for self defense when hiking... ever been in the Sonoran desert?
There are no trees, usually. There aren't that many rocks, usually. Sometimes there isn't that much of anything. Distances are very long.
It's a different place. Limited cover.
Jim's got a point, that some of the mean guys that do carry rifles have a kind of incentive not to shoot them at you.
But if someone with a rifle ever does start shooting at you out there your CCW is outmatched at desert distances. There's often nothing for cover. Best you can hope for is that they are unlucky at hitting moving targets.
There are no trees, usually. There aren't that many rocks, usually. Sometimes there isn't that much of anything. Distances are very long.
It's a different place. Limited cover.
Jim's got a point, that some of the mean guys that do carry rifles have a kind of incentive not to shoot them at you.
But if someone with a rifle ever does start shooting at you out there your CCW is outmatched at desert distances. There's often nothing for cover. Best you can hope for is that they are unlucky at hitting moving targets.
True, but hiking in the heat with a long gun sucks. When ounces count, to have to add 10 pounds in steel and lead can make it tough. If car camping, no doubt a rifle is appropriate.
But, like Jim says, I have never heard of a hiker killed on the border.
But, like Jim says, I have never heard of a hiker killed on the border.
Jim March
Member
True, but...well, the best places to hike (by far) are in the hills. And due to the brief flash floods, you have ravines, ridges and other cover available most of the time. Even in the lowlands there's usually broken ground of some sort scattered around.
Won't do you any good unless you can *defend* that cover, but...it's not that grim. Usually.
Nothing like a long reach if you need it. Most people can't hit anything at extended ranges with a rifle--they can't read wind, estimate range, flinch, spray and pray--so if you can see, exploit the terrain, and hit at those ranges the situation improves noticeably.
IMHO avoidance works best. I don't go to dumpy bars, get into arguments with cretins, and I'm not paid to fool with BGs anymore. But I am still going to look out for #1.
There were a few times that I underestimated just how nuts people can get, and it always got real interesting when they did. I don't take anything for granted nowadays. That's why I bought another AR to replace the one I sold off years ago. My thinking wasn't, "Gee, this is a cool gun and the guys at the range will be impressed all to hell", but more like "You know, I just might want one of these things near to hand some time".
If I'm wrong, so be it.
Like the old cop show, "Be careful out there".
IMHO avoidance works best. I don't go to dumpy bars, get into arguments with cretins, and I'm not paid to fool with BGs anymore. But I am still going to look out for #1.
There were a few times that I underestimated just how nuts people can get, and it always got real interesting when they did. I don't take anything for granted nowadays. That's why I bought another AR to replace the one I sold off years ago. My thinking wasn't, "Gee, this is a cool gun and the guys at the range will be impressed all to hell", but more like "You know, I just might want one of these things near to hand some time".
If I'm wrong, so be it.
Like the old cop show, "Be careful out there".
hrgrisso
Member
Southern Arizona Outfit
I spend a few weekends a year near Sierra Vista camping, hunting etc. I spend most my coyote hunting to the vicinity of Ajo/Oregon Pipe etc, due to less land restrictions and more yote. I don't do much hiking hiking anymore after a disastrous heat stroke incident about 8 years ago. But I grew up in this desert and still spend as much time as possible in it, even if most of my travels are now on a quad or in a jeep.
Since most my trips are in some way hunting related I take my hunting rifle, usually a 30-30 or my scoped .270. Occasionally the 45/70 for kicks. Ever since I got suprised by a mtn lion (for those that know dead sheeps canyon there are many cats there as it's a great place north of the res but south goldwater) I carry a sidearm (I once thought a long gun was enough) I tried the .357 but have always been a better shot with a semi so I switched the sig226.
As the shootouts started climbing in frequency I started adding an AR to the pack. As the quad doesn't care about ten more pounds why not take the extra weight.
But I think the 2 items of gear mentioned that have not been stressed enough are the optics, binocs, monocs etc. If you can't see it... And 2nd in an area where you may cross into natl parks, reservations, national boundaries and more knowing where your at is VITAL! Get a good GPS and learn how to use it.
I spend a few weekends a year near Sierra Vista camping, hunting etc. I spend most my coyote hunting to the vicinity of Ajo/Oregon Pipe etc, due to less land restrictions and more yote. I don't do much hiking hiking anymore after a disastrous heat stroke incident about 8 years ago. But I grew up in this desert and still spend as much time as possible in it, even if most of my travels are now on a quad or in a jeep.
Since most my trips are in some way hunting related I take my hunting rifle, usually a 30-30 or my scoped .270. Occasionally the 45/70 for kicks. Ever since I got suprised by a mtn lion (for those that know dead sheeps canyon there are many cats there as it's a great place north of the res but south goldwater) I carry a sidearm (I once thought a long gun was enough) I tried the .357 but have always been a better shot with a semi so I switched the sig226.
As the shootouts started climbing in frequency I started adding an AR to the pack. As the quad doesn't care about ten more pounds why not take the extra weight.
But I think the 2 items of gear mentioned that have not been stressed enough are the optics, binocs, monocs etc. If you can't see it... And 2nd in an area where you may cross into natl parks, reservations, national boundaries and more knowing where your at is VITAL! Get a good GPS and learn how to use it.
glocksrfugly
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Might I suggest a Kel-tec PLR16 .223 pistol with 10" barrel. It uses m16/ar15 magazines so you can have plenty of firepower at your disposal.
The PLR will give you more range( out to 50 to 75 yards) than a regular handgun but will still be lighter and more compact than a carbine or rifle. It will fit in a large daypack and is easily carried at the ready on a single point shoulder sling.
The PLR will give you more range( out to 50 to 75 yards) than a regular handgun but will still be lighter and more compact than a carbine or rifle. It will fit in a large daypack and is easily carried at the ready on a single point shoulder sling.
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