What do you carry when you actually hike?

[Macchina]

Just wondering what people bring with when they go on backpacking trips? I understand that many people carry their big guns when they hunt or walk in the woods, but do you still bring them when you're covering many miles and trying to stay light? When I backpack, I find a pack heavier than 30 pounds (a week in the woods) takes away from my enjoyment, and my pack is usually closer to 20 pounds. When I first got into backpacking, I'd bring the kitchen sink and die on the trail, I've since cut back and really enjoy the outdoors more. A loaded 4 pound 44 Magnum can add 20% to your load! I personally carry either a Sig P239 or my 4.2" SP101 I specifically bought for this propose. I've found the SP101 to be at the top end for what I want to carry, but it gives me all I could ever want in a woods gun.

So, what do you bring when you are on the trail for days on end? Have you ever brought much more gun than you should have and regretted it?

 

[bill3424]

I normally roll with a Glock 20. Or sometimes just carry my trusty G19.

 

[06]

Always regretted every fraction of an ounce/gram after a few days--lol. Normally carry a 357 stainless with 12 extra rds. That is heavy enough to stop most any problem on the East coast.
ETA: on one/two hikes I may even drop a 380 Sig stainless into a pouch or pocket.

 

[biohazurd]

If i want to go really light i pack a lc9 or cw9. But normally i just take my M&p 9mm or Ruger super blackhawk. Most often the 9mm. I may not be perfect for a bear situation but 18 rounds into the head/neck region would be somewhat effective. Im more worried about 2 legged predators then 4..

 

[PabloJ]

G20 with Hornady 180gr or 200gr slugs. Depending where I go and for how long it maybe equipped with X300 light and up to six 15 round magazines.

 

[Upstater]

I always go with a full size steel framed 1911 with two extra mags, I have decidedly chosen reliability over weight.

 

[RJTravel]

I've been backpacking for many years - first solo trip in 1955. Only a couple of trips last year but plan more in 2013. Two years ago hiked in the Tongass and 8 trips in Colorado. My pack has gotten lighter over the years and now approx 15 lbs for 3-4 days vs 70-75 lbs when young. If taking grouse I carry a modified AR-7 approx 29 ounces, otherwise a .38 snubby or an 8 ounce 3AT .380acp. Wrks fer mee.

 

[Macchina]

G20 with Hornady 180gr or 200gr slugs. Depending where I go and for how long it maybe equipped with X300 light and up to six 15 round magazines.

Serious? How far do you hike with 6 mags? Have you ever needed to use your gun while hiking and if so did you find yourself lacking with what you had at the time? I'm not mocking you, just wondering what you're preparing for and if you've ever hiked far enough to appriciate shedding a few pounds of pack weight...

 

[Macchina]

I think there are two sides to picking what you carry: on one hand you know you're going to be carrying non-stop for days on end so it's tempting to bring your favorite or newest gun. On the other hand, YOU'RE GOING TO BE CARRYING NON STOP FOR DAYS ON END. To be honest, the woods are a very safe place and a pocket .38 will cover most any dire situation you may find yourself in in the woods. All the bears I've ever seen have been running away...

I've had to use a firearm twice outside from hunting purposes in my life: once to take a pitbull that stopped chassing a deer to come after me (took one shot from a .22 Mag) and another time when it took 3 shots to help my very lost brother find his way back to the truck before dark (there are benifits to all the blast H110 creates).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I'm fortunate to live in Arkansas -- we have a great hiking trail here, the Ozark Highlands Trail, and hunting is allowed along that trail. I usually carry my Colt Woodsman (first model, made in 1938.)

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

In my opinion, you need to take into account the threat level of the area that you're going to be hiking in. What's the most dangerous situation you might encounter, and what are the odds you're going to meet it? I live in an area of the country where large & aggressive bears are entirely possible to also be in vicinity. Mountain lions are not unknown either. Then there's wolfpacks, coyotes, and snakes.

How many in your hiking party will have a definate bearing on the odds of meeting anything that wants to take a chunk outta you. To paraphrase; the more the merrier. However, females in the party in cycle tend to attract bears. That's something to keep in mind.

If you aren't in griz habitat, the caliber size and weight can certainly go down. Just about anything else can be readily handled by a .357, or something smaller, your situation, your choice.

900F

 

[Vern Humphrey]

We have bears -- in fact, some years back a black bear on the Ozark Highlands Trail dragged off a tent, with a hiker inside. He abandoned tent and hiker after a hundred yards or so, though.

 

[calaverasslim]

3", 5 shot 44 special, w/10 extra rounds. 5 of which are snake shot

 

[LT.Diver]

If I'm jogging/running I carry my 351 PD .22 WMR. It weighs about 10 1/2 ounces. If I'm just hiking I like to carry my Single Six.

 

[Mainsail]

There's a similar thread here. G20SF in a Bianchi M12 military holster. One magazine with ten rounds of 200gr hardcasts.

 

[Alaska444]

My long hikes are over, but running around in the woods, I have my SP101 as my EDC. In the deep woods, I throw my .44 magnum Ruger Super Redhawk over my shoulder in cross carry bandolier.

 

[Seventhsword]

 

[Deaf Smith]

Depends on the hike.

If with my wife and we are at a state park I pack my carry gun as the major critter to worry about will be a two legged one.

If in the WMA or National Forest I take my S&W 629-3 Mountain gun in .44 magnum. Usually loaded with 240gr SWCHP at 1000 fps (no were near max but one heck of a hog load.)

See here in Texas there are very very few polar or brown bears. Only ones I see are in zoos so I don't need a super bear gun and the downloaded .44 is fine for everything else.

Deaf

 

[HKGuns]

Either this one in a belt holster...



Or this one in a Dirty Harry style under the arm pit Bianchi X15 holster.

Bianchi X15 Holster

 

[jeepnik]

Nothing carries like a single action.

 

[jmr40]

I carry my G-20 if in bear country, otherwise a G-19 works just fine. I have 44 and 357 mag options, but the G-20 is 3/4 lb lighter, an inch shorter and holds nearly 3X the ammo as my 3" 629.

Real world power is closer than you think. Magnum revolver numbers look good on paper when fired from 8" test barrels, but when fired from 3-4" barrels folks actually carry are not nearly as impressive. The Glock chronographs 200 gr bullets at 1315 fps. The 3" revolver will just barely make 1150 fps with 240 gr bullets. I could do much better with a 6" or more barrel, but the 3" gun is already too heavy and a 200 gr bullet at 1300+ will kill anything I'll shoot.

 

[Seventhsword]

These are what I keep in my .44's in "bear country"..

 

[MedWheeler]

I agree, Jeepnik (and LT. Diver), and that is a pretty piece of trail hardware there.

I don't "backpack", per se, as all my hikes are done within one day, usually in one of the state parks or preserves. Here in Florida, it's mostly savannas and swampland, not rugged mountains and rocks.

Most of the time, I end up with just my carry piece, a Kel-Tec PF9, but that's more for those places I might stop while traveling to and from the preserve. But, I do like revolvers just for the "feel" while out within nature, and have sometimes switched out for my Ruger Service Six. If I had a suitable holster, I wouldn't mind packing my Heritage Rough Rider once in a while because, as you said, hiking screams for a single-action, and it's the one that I have.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I don't backpack either, but for daily walks in the National Forest, I prefer a Glock 29. If I was young enough to still backpack I wouldn't change that.

 

[capcyclone]

Both backpacking and general hiking I carry my G26. Lightweight and powerful enough. No grizzlies to worry about in my area.