Woods Gun

[SDGlock23]

Blackhawk is a good option but for double action, Ruger has a run of Super Redhawks in 454 Casull with the more packable 5" barrel, it's called the Toklat. I have one and it's very accurate and balances well.

Blackhawk wise the .357 is fine but why not consider a .41 Mag or .45 Colt?

Toklat 4 shot group, no rest but I was seated at about 25ft using the included brass bead front sight (this was shot using .45 Colt handloads, .40 S&W case is for size comparison)

 

[urbaneruralite]

I picked the double-action .454 because it's the only one with appropriate power and also because you're the one that'd have to tote.

Go buy a S&W 69.

 

[zb338]

A friend of mine watched a police officer empty his magazine at
a car hit black bear. He was shooting a 40 caliber Glock. The bear
was still alive and moving when he was done. I don't think the
.357 is enough for a bear if you want to drop him right there.
A shotgun or a short rifle would be more like it.

Zeke

 

[GBExpat]

A friend of mine watched a police officer empty his magazine at a car hit black bear. ...

So-o-o-o-o ... the cop was aiming at a car ... and hit a bear.

Unless the bear was in (driving?) that car, sounds to me like that cop needs a lot of extra range time.

 

[Redstate]

I have a 7-shot stainless steel Taurus model 627 revolver in caliber .357 mag w/6.5" ported barrel and red-ramp front sight, white outline rear that is a tack driver. The DA and SA trigger is now smooth and I wouldn't hesitate to carry this anywhere in the woods.

 

[Mike J]

Another vote for the Blackhawk. For a long time I carried my XD-40 with me when I deer hunted. After an encounter with a wild hog I started carrying my Dan Wesson model 15 with a 4" barrel. It isn't a S&W model 19 but it is another 4" barreled DA/SA .357 revolver.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Another Vote for K frame .357 Mag.

I like the 19 or 66.

That or a SAA clone in 45 Colt. All good stuff.

 

[DaStray]

My first pick would be my S&W 686 but alas, it wasn`t there. Thus, I voted for the Ruger Blackhawk instead. I agree with many others in that I`d rather have a revolver for defense against bears and such but an auto for 2 legged predators.

 

[stevek]

My companion in the woods is my Glock 20 in 10mm. I have a few other guns ( ), but if I'm out in the woods, it's on my hip.

 

[brutus51]

I've carried everything from a 7.5" super Blackhawk to a 1911. Finally settled on a 625 mountain gun, just the right size for all day carry and plenty powerful for anything I might encounter.

 

[MedWheeler]

I'd carry my already-owned Ruger Police Service Six. If the OP had included the Blackhawk with a shorter barrel, I may have picked that as the "excuse to get a new gun" gun, but I don't much care for long-barreled handguns.

Now, this probably wouldn't really happen here for me in Florida, as conditions under which one can open-carry are few. The above is probably how I'd go if I were in one of those situations (hunting, camping, or fishing.) But, if I really expected to come across those roaming beer cans, and they would be likely more so than bear or other fur-covered nasties, I'd be more inclined to carry a .22 revolver. In my collection, the nod would tip toward my Taurus 94 over my only other, a Heritage Rough Rider, simply because it holds more rounds and is stainless.

From the OP's list, though, I'd tote the Single-Six in that situation.

(My poll vote was the last option.)