What bullet design/type (s) do you like to carry in your hiking, scouting, walkabout firearms?

[WisBorn]

Many of the THR family enjoys hiking, scouting, and or just exploring the woods, prairies, beaches and so on! While we do Many of us carry a firearm.

So the question is what type of bullet design do you like to carry? Hardcast, FMJ, HP, Copper solids and so on... If you carry different types please explain which kinds and why/where!

Mushroom season will be here soon

 

[TomJ]

Hardcast. IMO it's the best option against wildlife and is also an effective round against 2 legged predators. I'm always aware of the consequences of over penetration, but that's much less of a concern when I'm hiking in the woods.

 

[WrongHanded]

I like hardcast in revolvers. But due to some meplat deformation that I've experienced with hardcast in semi-auto (from loading and unloading), I tend to just use FMJ-FN in my autos. Hardcast is probably better terminally because it's less likely to deform on impact than FMJ.

I do have some copper solids in 10mm. They have the advantage of resisting deformation, both in the process of cycling the action, and in terminal performance. But I think that's about the only advantage. For hunting with non-expanding loads, they're probably a very good idea, as we want that one shot to do its job reliably. For defense, where multiple shots will likely be fired, I'm not sure the superior hardness is as much of a benefit.

The big thing for me is a flat meplat on a bullet heavy enough to penetrate well into the vitals, and a velocity (1200fps+) that will make good use of the flat meplat.

 

[FL-NC]

40 caliber JHP. I believe they are Winchester. Suitable for anything in Florida, unless we have dragons or something like that I'm unaware of.

 

[Balrog]

Usually just my regular carry weapon, a Glock 43X in 9mm most often.

 

[WisBorn]

40 caliber JHP. I believe they are Winchester. Suitable for anything in Florida, unless we have dragons or something like that I'm unaware of.

There are black bears and cougars in Florida. 40 would be fine for them.

 

[WisBorn]

Usually just my regular carry weapon, a Glock 43X in 9mm most often.

Any favorite load?

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

Just my regular lead bullet .44 Spec. or 44-40 loads.
20 or 30-1 cast FN.

Only thing I do different with the hiking/hunting/exploring ammo (reloads) is to waterproof
the primers against the unexpected.
That matters more to me in a handgun than the profile of the bullets loaded into the cases.

Mushroom season will be here soon

That definitely increases the two legged type of unpleasant encounter out here.
Stay safe now,

JT

 

[Meeks36]

Underwood extreme penatrators in 9mm. Unless I happen to find myself in big bear country. Then I will rethink my choice.

 

[Lennyjoe]

My preference is Hardcast. Sometimes it’s JHP if I go for a quick hike on the way to/from somewhere that didn’t take careful coordination like a hunt or scouting does.

 

[Thomas Mayberry]

LSWC in .38 or .45 Colt.

 

[Thomas Mayberry]

.....

 

[AK Hunter]

I just use a JHP in all my defense guns. I figure any bullet will kill hopefully a HP won't penetrate all the way through the subject. As long as I'm not shooting in a panic I'm usually good at looking beyond my target.

 

[Balrog]

Any favorite load?

The same 124g Fed HST hollowpoints I use for carry. I am not anticipating a grizzly bear where I live. Most likely, if I get into harms way in the woods here, it would be with another person, a rabid dog, or a rattlesnake.

 

[WheelGunMan]

Jacketed Soft Point 158gr .357 in a 6" Ruger Security Six Revolver

 

[Old Dog]

I enjoy both the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, the foothills, rain forests and woods in my state, so have been carrying the Buffalo Bore 180 grain hardcast .357 Magnum (did I mention I'm allergic to .44 Mag?), usually in a Colt King Cobra or Python, out in the wild for the 4-legged predators (and yeah, it's the only time I'm also packing a second gun, typically a SIG in 9mm, 124 grain plus-P JHPs for the 2-legged predators). Just gettin' back in the 10mm game, so trying to figure out the most effective bullets in this caliber...

Now, for the infrequent trips to downtown Seattle or Tacoma, yeah, lots and lots o' fast-movin' 9mm 124-grain plus-P JHPs, usually Federal HST or Speer Gold Dots; not worried about cougars (as I don't frequent the clubs) or bear...

I buy my mushrooms at Safeway.

 

[JeffG]

For roaming off the pavement I like my .44 mag or .45 Colt, with a wide meplat hardcast 240gr for .44, 255gr for the .45, usually about 1000fps. I've been shooting some powder coated, but not exclusively.

 

[jstert]

nothing exotic. 38sp wadcutter or ball. 22lr copper solids.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Glock 21 with Federal HSTs is what I have now. This or a similar JHP is what I will stick with in the future as well.

 

[lightman]

If I carry a revolver it will most likely have a Keith Type SWC cast from clip-on wheelweights. If its a semi-auto it will probably have something like a Golden Saber, Critical Defense, ect. One of the newer high performance JHP's.

 

[Howland937]

These. They're Federal JHP 230gr. I don't switch out what I carry and don't switch out what I carry in it. I have faith that it'll be adequate for anything I may encounter here in OH...and I get confused easily, so I stick to this.

 

[WisBorn]

Like many of you I like hardcast loads out of my revolvers. 180gr from my 357mags, 230gr from my 41mag. I have been just starting to shoot my model 69 S&W and have been shooting mainly hp and a few 44 special wadcutters. I have a few boxes of 305 grain hardcast loads, but I feel that the lighter weight 69 44mag will be more controllable with 240-260 grain loads.

I love my j frame 38 specials and they get carried more than anything else. Many times one of them are in my pocket and a larger cartridge handgun in my pack.
I am planning on giving underwood 38+p 158 hardcast a try. Velocity should be around 1100 fps from a 2" barrel with 425 # of energy. I currently carry them with 125 or 158 XTPs. Good for most threats.

I have also been woods walking with my 45acp XDM loaded with 255 grain hardcast +p loads. The pistol likes them and with a magazine of them and 230 grain hps it makes a good travel companion. I have not noticed any issue with the tip of the coated hardcast deforming but will keep an eye on them.

380acp this is my ???? I like my LCPII in the sticky summer, in my front pocket of my shorts. I rarely would have it hiking anything but the beach. Where I live I head out to walk the trails around a lake for exercise.Yes I could run into a 4 legged threat but not to likely. What load? I have always carried defensive hollow points, but I sometimes feel that FMJ'S would be a better choice? Thoughts?

 

[borrowedtime69]

When I was camping and hunting coyote in the CO Rockies I carried Winchster 9mm,147grn flat nose in case of running into a black bear. Also useful for cougars (the actual cat ones, not older women ) . But now I'm in SD so I just carry regular 9mm, 115grn hollowpoints when hunting in case a coyote gets in too close to use my .223 well. Or if I run into other "issues" out in the field.

 

[WrongHanded]

380acp this is my ???? I like my LCPII in the sticky summer, in my front pocket of my shorts. I rarely would have it hiking anything but the beach. Where I live I head out to walk the trails around a lake for exercise.Yes I could run into a 4 legged threat but not to likely. What load? I have always carried defensive hollow points, but I sometimes feel that FMJ'S would be a better choice? Thoughts?

I'd take a look at the standard pressure Xtreme Defender options (Lehigh or Underwood). See if they cycle reliably. If not, maybe see if you can find a flat nosed load that will.

 

[PapaG]

38/357-368156 wheelweight metal. 44spec/mag-429421 or 429240 same, 45 acp/Colt-45-250KT same.
All but the first and third are Keith and the other two are Thompson.