Trail Guns?

[MT GUNNY]

Inspiration from a Guns and Ammo article ".22 Trail Gun" sept 08 issue.
Note; not to replace usual sidearm, Emergency item extended stay in woods, Lost ECT..
I always thought that my Rifle and side arm (usually 30.06 and .40) would be
enough. However in retrospect Maybe a little .22 or some other small caliber would be nice for small game. Have in my back pack with a 100 rounds of 22lr and my BuckMark or Wather P22. Maybe even some Shot shells for Grouse and cold weather aiming errors. Obviously It would be used as a survival tool, so maybe a revolver would be more practical for the simple fact of prolonged use without proper cleaning.

Any insight you all might have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mortech]

None of the choices are what I would choose , 2 out of 3 of your choices are 22LR chambered weapons . Well around here we have cougars so I pack my S&W 1006 in 10MM .

 

[MT GUNNY]

Please Note What I usually Carry!

Using a .40 on a rabbit or a squirrel may not leave enough meat to survive on, Plus I only carry one extra mag for it
a person could run out fairly quick.

 

[exar]

Pleas NOte What I usualy Carry!

So you want to carry 3 gun's. Correct? Well, since you have some good sized calibers already at your disposal, I would argue that anything that tickles your fancy would work just fine. If you want to carry a .22, on top of everything else, go for it.

 

[ClemY]

I recommend a revolver for trail use. With all the other hardware you intend to carry, light weight is probably important. I also like stainless for field use. Consider a S&W 63. I have one of the 5" guns. It weighs about 30 oz. with Pachmayr grips.

 

[doc2rn]

I usually recommend the .44 Mag in a 3" stainless version for woods patrol.

 

[mainmech48]

My most used Trail/Tackle box/Camping/woods-bumming .22 handgun is my old stainless Taurus M94 with 4" bbl.

A lot of it is that it's still the smallest and handiest RF handgun I own, but a good deal of it is due to how well it's worked at those tasks for me over the last 15 years.

Besides, it's more than accurate enough for my uses, about as reliable as gravity, doesn't need a lot of maintenance and it's paid for.

 

[streakr]

When we lived in El Paso all of our camping/scout outings were in the wilds of NM.

I carried a 4" Taurus 66 in 357 with Robar coating. Other adults carried .22s up to 45s. The 66 was relatively light weight and with 158gn JSPs was good enough for the occassional cougar or small bear.

However that changed one year when a bear invaded a scout camp we frequented. No one was hurt but after that it was a 44mag BH with 250gn JSPs.

streakr

 

[Packman]

My Ruger Bearcat does pretty well for light-weight, toss-in-backpack-and-go duty.

 

[bigfatdave]

I voted buckmark, but if there had been a Ruger 22LR in there, it would have got the vote.
I certainly can't vote for the P22 due to the performance of ours, and what revolver, exactly?

Use what you like, for a third gun. Comfort, weight and reliability should be the factors to consider.

 

[TallPine]

Well, what the heck are you planning?

Is this a hunting expedition, or backpacking trip, day hike, or what ???

If you're not actually hunting big game, the best combo in my mind would be your favorite .22 rifle and a serious caliber revolver - the .22 for food and the revolver for defense.

If you're not alone, then you can mix up calibers among your group so you have at least one of everything.

Three guns is a lot for one person to carry

 

[22-rimfire]

I like TallPine's thinking. That would be my thoughts as well. The best answer is "IT DEPENDS". Area? Are large bears present? Are wild dogs a big problem? You intend to hunt for food? How long you going to be out? What kind of distance are you planning as far as hiking goes?

But in general, my choice is a 22 rifle and larger caliber revolver.

 

[Wedge]

I would not want my life to depend on my P22 for about 15 different reasons and the top two being accuracy and reliability. I like the gun for what it is (small plinker) but that's about it.

 

[John Ross]

My 5" .500 for defense against whatever, and a Garmin GPS in case I get lost.

JR

 

[El Tejon]

How about the Smith & Wesson M17, the "Henry Bowman Special"?

 

[Mil-Spec45]

I personally don't think the P22 is reliable enough, but it would be nice in the shade if you get the model with the laser.

I think a revolver or Buckmark would be better choices, especially the revolver simply for accuracy and reliability.

 

[Pax Jordana]

What kind of .40?

I'm just asking because i was going to recommend an AR-7 type rifle, seeing as if you're anything like me rifle hunting is challenging enough.

But Ciener makes all manner of .22lr conversions, and having part of a gun would be lighter still.

Then again, given any chance of wild dawgs 'n such, I'd keep the .40 and stick with the AR7.

 

[USMC - Retired]

Keep the firearms you carry normally and carry survival rations instead of a third gun and ammo. For the wieght of the third gun you can carry enough rations to fuel you for a week. Besides, starving to death is the least of your worries if your lost. Exposure or dehydration will normally get you long before starving would be a concern.

 

[Mannlicher]

I carry this S&W model 63 for a trail gun. It is very accurate, fairly light weight, and has a special place in my pack, that is within easy and quick reach.

 

[JesseL]

I don't think the .40 S&W is too much for squirrel or rabbit, and CCI makes .40 S&W shotshells that cycle well in my experience.

I think the .40 (especially fmj) may actually do less meat damage than some .22lr loads (like CCI Stingers).

 

[DFW1911]

But in general, my choice is a 22 rifle and larger caliber revolver.

+1

As others have stated, it really depends on what you're planning on doing.

My opinion is that you should get a revolver.

I was just in the mountains this weekend and saw a very large Black Bear, which served as a reminder of why I carry either a .357 (Ruger GP-100) or .44 (S&W 329PD) when I'm in the mountains.

Throw in Mountain Lions and the people factor and the phrase "have enough gun" comes to mind.

Just my $.02!

 

[Trisha]

A .22 easily adds something to the dinner campfire. Rabbit or squirrel adds a lot to an otherwise unexciting meal of Alpine House.

YMMV

 

[22-rimfire]

I almost bought a P22 with the laser. It sure was cool. But after I read about all the jamming issues; I said, No Thanks. I'll stick with my Ruger Mark II.

Carrying only a handgun is okay too. If you aren't worried about people and large bears, a good old 22 revolver works for me. If concerned, then a 357 or larger is the choice. I want one of the new Model 63 Smiths! But then, I want lots of things.

 

[phoglund]

Having shot shells for that .40 would be the best option. Far less weight than another gun and I suspect it would be quite effective on small game at .22 pistol ranges. You could just load a second magazine with the .40 shot shells and switch out quickly as needs change.

If you are determined to carry a third gun I'd recommend you pick up a Trail-Lite barrel for your Buckmark. That would reduce the weight of your Buckmark and make it less burdensome. Trail-Lite barrels are reputed to be quite accurate as well.

 

[41 magnum fan]

My trail gun is 2" S&W model 34 roundbutt that has been hard chromed.I have used mine to take a lot of small game.Also it carries real good in afront pocket and is accurate too.