revo or auto for woods carry in winter?

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proven

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i'm interested in what you carry while spending time in the woods during winter. i've always thought of my 3" gp100 as the right tool for that role. recently i've read a couple accounts of revolvers freezing up solid and that at least a few guys in alaska prefer autos in winter due to less areas to fill up with snow and freeze.

what say you?
 
Well, I live where in the winter the biggest problem is hogs and coyotes, bobcats, etc. During those times I'll carry my single six, buckmark, now my 9mm, but mostly my 4" 357. Revolvers are built like tanks and are able to withstand the rigors of ranch life, especially the single actions.
 
S&W Model 13 .357 4" bbl.

I'm not really sure what would "freeze up," unless I left it in a bowl of water out in the cold.
 
I live in Louisiana now, but have previously spent significant time in cold weather winter woods, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado. Just me but I'm a little surprised as I would choose revolver hands down over semi's for the snowy woods application.
 
I have three woods guns for all seasons, all are sixguns and I wouldn't turn around for the difference in them...44spl, 44mag and 45colt.
 
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In the woods, I have a Blackhawk in .45 colt on my hip. I also have a rifle slung over my shoulder - a .30-30 usually, otherwise a 7x57 and either will do what is necessary depending on _why_ I am in the wood in the first place... ;)

If I only have to worry about two legged problems, I have a .32 ACP pistol.
 
how many of you spend any decent amount of time cross country skiing, snowshoe hunting, or working in 4 feet or more of snow with the wind blowing? sure you could keep your jacket over your holster but then it isn't nearly as accesible. i recently read an account of a forester in idaho that had to detail strip his revo to get it working again.

obviously full flap hosters help a ton.
 
Revolver, no contest. .357 Mag is minimum when there are grizzlies around. And a .357 is pretty small when you are in need of a self defense tool to stop a grizzly.
 
Not sure where you would have read that Alaskans prefer autos, but I've found revolvers to be more robust that autos in inclement weather.
 
I love me some revolvers and sometimes a man just needs a .44 mag out in the woods, but I like a Glock in 10mm auto for most things. A whole lotta rounds with better than .357 mag performance in good loads, and lighter to boot. JMO.

If I was going somewhere nasty, I'd get a holster than covers the whole gun, revolver or semi.

Oh, and if you lick a Glock in the cold your tongue won't stick.
 
mauser lover, who mentioned anything about grizzlies? we're talking about a revolver or an auto when carried in the snowy woods.

jeepnik, i've heard of several fellas in alaska that carry a 10mm glock. i'm not talking "alaskans" in general, but as i stated earlier, "some".
 
I will posit that while revolvers in design may indeed be more "open", semi's are far more "sensitive" to the kind of weather induced malfunction described. I don't really even think I understand the thesis yet. Can you educate me?
 
I've spent much time tramping around in cold & snow (Mt; Id; BC) and never experienced any "freezing up". For many years I carried a S&W mod 19 .357, but these days I carry an auto. Never a failure with either. The revolver may take more neglect, but I lean toward the auto b/c the auto will endure much more abuse than any revolver.
 
P.S. with most outdoor service (read rugged) revolvers, if I really experienced an "ice malfunction" (I haven't), I would expect to be able to piss on it (or simply put it in my shirt for a short time) and "soldier on". So I am still in mystery about the problems with revos.
 
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I have however in 30+ years experienced malfunctions of various descriptions with semis. Some had everything to do with "fouling" so I assume ice "fouling" (with any attendant debris) might do it. I am hardly infallible, but the thread is counter to my experience.
 
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rjtravel, thanks for your reply, and relating your experience.

rswartsell- have you spent much time in say sub 10F weather? simply putting the gun in your shirt may not do the job, and pissing on a steel gun in those temps would possibly make the situation worse. i never proposed a "thesis". i simply asked what people experienced with activity in this kind of weather choose to carry.
 
To complete a thought, experiencing a "fouling " failure with the semi is the one requiring a disassembly in my mind. As I stated I could be wrong.:neener:
 
proven,

When it's -30 (which I have seen on mulltiple occasions) the outdoorsmen that I know (those that have any sense) are not in the woods. Yes, I have seen below zero (not intentionally) and my comments stand. What are your experiences?
 
i've spent plenty of time woods walking below zero, and have awoken to -30F mornings. here in vt sub zero temps are a common occurance and it doesn't keep us from getting out and about. perhaps the folks you know don't enjoy winter camping, snowshoeing, or just plain being in the woods as much as we do. you say "those that have any sense", well perhaps they just aren't as hardy as some of the rest of us ;)
 
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