CJW
Member
Hi folks. Thanks to input on a previous thread I'm the proud new owner of a flintlock rifle and I'm already having lots of fun tinkering with it. Lots of folks here gave some great suggestions that I found very helpful, so I thought I'd come again, hat in hand, asking for more advice.
I do quite a bit of hiking and trapping and always feel better with a pistol on hand. I have had to put down two aggressive feral dogs in the past. My hiking gun was a Ruger SP101 up to a few years ago, but there's the rub. I was running a trapline in a large creek and swampy area and did not notice my holster was empty until I got back to my Jeep. I searched and searched but could not find the darn thing, which I'm sure is still at the bottom of that swamp somewhere. REALLY dumb mistake! Since then I have stuffed my snubbie in my pocket for hiking and trapping, but I'd like to get another dedicated woods gun.
The first lesson I learned is to get a holster with a thumb-strap if I'm going to be mucking around in woods, swamps and creeks, or carry my weapon in some method that is more secure. The second lesson I learned is to not risk losing a valuable weapon in a creek when I'm up to my knees in water, bent over making a trap set. So, I would like to get a tough, somewhat lightweight 357 revolver (or similar power level) that would not make me cry like a baby if I lost it or got it full of mud and water.
So, my criteria is tough and cheap. I know it's hard to get both attributes in one weapon. I have a GP-100 but it is a bit heavy and I'm already slinging around a lot of equipment....besides, I WOULD cry like a baby if something happened to it.
So, I was thinking Charter Arms or Taurus. These are both relatively inexpensive but I have heard mixed reviews about them. I do not have any experience with either brand because I only own S&W and Ruger. Hence, my questions: Of these two brands, which would you choose? Which would do best under the conditions I described? What specific models have served you well, or not? I am open to semiautos too, but my instinct tells me that a 357 revolver is the better woods gun. I have a Glock 17 but it's a dedicated HD gun.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I do quite a bit of hiking and trapping and always feel better with a pistol on hand. I have had to put down two aggressive feral dogs in the past. My hiking gun was a Ruger SP101 up to a few years ago, but there's the rub. I was running a trapline in a large creek and swampy area and did not notice my holster was empty until I got back to my Jeep. I searched and searched but could not find the darn thing, which I'm sure is still at the bottom of that swamp somewhere. REALLY dumb mistake! Since then I have stuffed my snubbie in my pocket for hiking and trapping, but I'd like to get another dedicated woods gun.
The first lesson I learned is to get a holster with a thumb-strap if I'm going to be mucking around in woods, swamps and creeks, or carry my weapon in some method that is more secure. The second lesson I learned is to not risk losing a valuable weapon in a creek when I'm up to my knees in water, bent over making a trap set. So, I would like to get a tough, somewhat lightweight 357 revolver (or similar power level) that would not make me cry like a baby if I lost it or got it full of mud and water.
So, my criteria is tough and cheap. I know it's hard to get both attributes in one weapon. I have a GP-100 but it is a bit heavy and I'm already slinging around a lot of equipment....besides, I WOULD cry like a baby if something happened to it.
So, I was thinking Charter Arms or Taurus. These are both relatively inexpensive but I have heard mixed reviews about them. I do not have any experience with either brand because I only own S&W and Ruger. Hence, my questions: Of these two brands, which would you choose? Which would do best under the conditions I described? What specific models have served you well, or not? I am open to semiautos too, but my instinct tells me that a 357 revolver is the better woods gun. I have a Glock 17 but it's a dedicated HD gun.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
