Woods Revolver Cartridge

[PapaG]

I only push mine to about 800-825. 165 grain full wc goes straight through my test medium (a semi ripe doe some redneck poacher stripped the loins out of and dumped in my ditch). Tried them on the ham and the thick part of the neck.

 

[Buckeye63]

I only push mine to about 800-825. 165 grain full wc goes straight through my test medium (a semi ripe doe some redneck poacher stripped the loins out of and dumped in my ditch). Tried them on the ham and the thick part of the neck.

I hadn’t reloaded in awhile.. but I have a healthy stash of 38spl HBWC loaded with 3.2 of Titegroup
Im not sure of the velocity.. seems to be moving fairly quick . I used this load for several years before I had to cease reloading, due to neuropathy.. but hopefully I can start back in a few months..

 

[Mr. Mosin]

Right. When I think of a "woods gun", I like it to be capable of taking small game. The .44's and .357, and the .45 all do that well with shot loads. Automatic pistols, not so well. As long as I have a rifle, or bow, my woods guns are lighter pistols of smaller caliber, such as a .38spl, 7.62X38mm Nagant, a .22LR or .22WRF. These days, I've turned most often to my Remington Navy .36 as my woods gun. Just for fun I sometimes carry Grand-Dad's Luger, but don't really consider a 9mm as a good woods gun.

That's my thoughts on a woods gun. Something small framed, relatively lightweight, and close at hand. Today's woods aren't the same woods as grandpappy hunted in.

 

[RJM52]

A question for you Mr. Mosin...what "kind" of gun would you like to own...double action revolver or single action?

My favorite "small frame" woods gun that I use for fishing and backpacking is the S&W 60-10 3" .357 Magnum and has adjustable sights. The same gun is still made but called the 60-15 or 60-15 PRO.



Have shot everything in it from .38 Wadcutters to 180 grain .357 Magnum FMJ ammo...handles everything well.

Bob

 

[CraigC]

I've carried revolvers in the South all my life. Yes, some areas have wild hogs but they don't usually go around eating people. Neither do black bears, cougars, bobcats and squirrels. For me, this is more about having 'something' and being capable of taking targets of opportunity more than defense. I tend to deem the heavy stuff as wholly unnecessary so anything from the .22LR to standard pressure .45Colt might get the nod. The .32H&R and .32-20 are good choices, as is .38Spl. Years ago I might've been seen wearing a 6" K-22 or K-38 more often than not. The .357 will certainly do the job but I prefer moderately loaded big bores because they get it done without making my ears bleed. The .38-40 does a great job but really requires handloading. If I'm going bigger than that it's more likely to be a .44Spl or .45Colt. My favorite .44Mag load for this purpose is a 240gr at 1100fps. Cast bullets still get it done 99.99% of the time.

 

[tallpaul]

Well...

Don't laugh (out loud), but for rough hiking in the woods?

GLOCK G23 w/ a 5.3" LWD 357 Sig Bbl and Hornady Custom 147 gr. XTP ammo.

1,300+ fps MV, and a bullet designed as tough as a 158 gr. .357.

... and 13+1 on-board rounds.




GR

​

if ya can hit with it one would be really ignorant to laugh at that choice.... my G32 is a lil powerhouse... I would not fear much in the lower 48 I will likely run into short of bigfoot-dogman or aliens

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Do not shoot Darrel, (big foot), Bigfoot-Dogman, or any aliens. It will only make them mad.

It sure would be hard to argue against the .357 in a lightweight package such as RJM52's outfit. Lots of power on tap, but excellent small game/wilderness survival capability. Shot loads in a 357/38spl work very well on small game, as do light loads with any kind of slug. All things considered, perhaps the "best"?

As much as I love the .44 magnum, it is usually a somewhat heavy gun to carry along with a long gun. The reason I got an EL Patron was to carry something lighter, but almost as capable. Sometimes I range far and wide, and every ounce does add up at the end of the day. But again, lately I've been moving towards a cap-n-ball revolver, or the Plains Pistol as my Woods Guns Cartridges (yes I can fire combustable cartridges!) of choice, if I have a long gun or powerful bow. I'm a fan of the spear, and would still choose the .45Colt, or .357 as a companion to it, and feel comfortable with that.

I joke a lot about getting jumped by wolves, and have always thought that was just a joke, but I just learned recently that very near where I hunt/hike/explore/trek/escape from the human race, and where there is a number of wolf packs, that this last October a guy did get jumped by a pack, and shot one with his rifle, which sent the others "packing". Game department cleared him of any charges or wrong doing. I have noticed them getting bolder over the years. But, I think just about any sidearm would take care of a wolf, so I'm not changing my "plan" as far as side-arm choice. Not going back to the .44Mag! (although I do like giving all my pistolas a chance at getting out and going for a hike) I agree that cougars and black bears want nothing to do with humans, but I've for sure changed my mind on the wolf situation.

 

[Mr. Mosin]

A question for you Mr. Mosin...what "kind" of gun would you like to own...double action revolver or single action?

My favorite "small frame" woods gun that I use for fishing and backpacking is the S&W 60-10 3" .357 Magnum and has adjustable sights. The same gun is still made but called the 60-15 or 60-15 PRO.

View attachment 967308

Have shot everything in it from .38 Wadcutters to 180 grain .357 Magnum FMJ ammo...handles everything well.

Bob

I would prefer a K-frame double action or Colt sized SAA. Prefer to stick w/ something along the lines of a Mdl 10 or Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. .357 Magnum is absolutely ear splitting w/o ear protection. .38 Spl and .45 Colt are less so.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...what would be your minimal revolver cartridge of choice to put down dangerous critters? Animals of note include bobcat, mountain lion (seasonal), black bear (populace is increasing), hog, coyote, and various nuisance/pest such as skunk or possum that anything from a .22LR on up would handle.

Sorry I'm late to the game on this one. I just missed the initial post somehow. If you hadn't mentioned Black Bear, I would have said 357, but because you mentioned a growing Black Bear population, I will suggest 44 magnum. 45 Colt or 41 magnum would also work, but those are most widely found in SA guns and, for animal defense, I would insist on a DA revolver.

For factory ammo, the HSM Bear Loads hard cast will do it all, but a good hollow point will handle everything except the bear. (You really need good penetration on a bear to get your projectile through to the vital organs.)

 

[RJM52]

I would prefer a K-frame double action or Colt sized SAA. Prefer to stick w/ something along the lines of a Mdl 10 or Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. .357 Magnum is absolutely ear splitting w/o ear protection. .38 Spl and .45 Colt are less so.

Then it sounds like fixed sights are ok...

Instead of going with the flow I have a different thought...gun is an L-frame size and shoots a round bigger than a .35, starts with a "4" and has a whole six beans in the wheel. "Specials" and "Magnums" are available... Also factory ammo is widely available.

The Ruger Match Champion in 10mm... I bought one right after they were announced...and it didn't disappoint...

Ammo for the 10mm runs from 135 to 220 grains. Can be had full strength or the milder "FBI" type lods that are in the 950-1000 fps area. 200 and 220 hard cast "Outdoorsman" type loads are available from several companies.

In addition the gun also runs the widely available and much less expensive .40 S&W...that would be your "Specials"... The factory moon clips (that don't have to be used when running 10mm as they headspace on the case mouth) are made for ease of loading/unloading and for reliable ignition a thicker clip is needed to correctly headspace the .40...they are readily available.

The standard gun comes with a 4.2" barrel but there was a run of 3" guns made with Novak sights. I only wish I had bought one last year when they were plentiful...

Anyway, for an all-around DA fairly compact revolver in a caliber that begins with "4" it is hard to beat...





Just a thought...Bob

 

[MTNSTRYDER]

The numbers of new people who bought their first gun this year is the best thing for 2A .Please encourage them to stand with us in the coming times.

 

[wcwhitey]

One of my favorite guns in the woods is a K frame S&W. My Model 15 has been with me on hunts for over 30 years. Has been a game finisher and getter. I live in the North East so I don't fear bears or snakes. But if I did I would just step up to my 2 1/2 Model 19 with a few rounds of snake shot in the summer or 158 .357 in the winter. I think accuracy, simplicity and availability of ammo is important in a companion gun.

 

[Edcnh]

I carry a 357 loaded with 180 grain hardcast bullets. Plenty of gun in my opinion for black bears in the woods of northern NH and Maine.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Been reading on woods cartridges, animals, etc; out of curiosity; and I cannot seem to reach a solid conclusion to the matter. I've spoken to a few old timers, few hunters I know; and it's the classic "Ask 100 people, you'll get 100 different answers scenario."

In regards to S. MS, what would be your minimal revolver cartridge of choice to put down dangerous critters ? Animals of note include bobcat, mountain lion (seasonal), black bear (populace is increasing), hog, coyote, and various nuisance/pest such as skunk or possum that anything from a .22LR on up would handle.

For the sake of simplicity, exclude handloading. I know the benefits, I'm just curious about factory ammunition. And no, I'm not buying *anything*. This is just a "curiosity" post.

---
I figure maybe southern Miss is about like north Florida in its critters and swampiness so maybe what works here will work there. I like a good .357 Magnum or strong action .38 Special for tromping around the woods here. A good, strong .32-20 is about the equal of a .38Spl properly loaded and a .327 Federal will do a lot of what a .357 will do. Not everything but most things. I'll carry a good single action any day over an auto-loaded but a good DA is as good as a good SA for most days. I don't carry anything so heavy it wants to pull my pants off, though.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

View attachment 967152
Posted this pic on another thread, but this has been my "woods gun" lately, and most often when I'm hunting. My Remington Navy has taken a few grouse with light round ball loads, and she packs a good punch with slugs. This set-up can carry a lot of ammo, without too much bulk or weight. The horn-flask and cap pouch will pack at least 50 rounds. The pouch will hold more slugs than that, but I don't really know how many powder charges the flask holds. My guess would be 50.

The woods I hunt/trek/explore in have some nasty critters, so I'd not carry this as my only weapon. But along with a powerful bow I'd feel fine, or one of my spears, which I sometimes hike/trek/explore with.

Another combination I like is a .44mag, and then my Little Badger .22LR. That covers all bases, but would be "woods guns" rather than woods gun.

---
Up top of the safe, middle is my Pietta .45 C&B smoker. I take it out once in a while to haul trash or do chores around the property when I don't want to carry something that will ring my ears for weeks but still has enough "punch" for a critter that gets too aggressive. Not really worried about black bears around here but wild dogs, coyotes and the occasional rabid fox or raccoon can be problems. If I did see a bear, I would try hard not to shoot it. They generally leave people alone unless they're sick, starved or get scared. Move slow and move away and don't try to stare them down and they most often wander off to mind their own business. At least, that's been my experience.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

The trouble with bears is that I've been hunting them for too many years, without ever getting close enough to shoot one. So I do have trouble worrying about them. The one's I have got close to were sows with cubs, and they were eager to get away from me. Last spring I had a cub run up a tree right next to me, and mom came out of the bushes about 30 yards away, stared at me a while, and then ran away. But of course, you never know when you'll run into some grouchy old boar, but I haven't found him yet.

We just had our first wolf attack, here in the North East corner of Washington State, where I hunt. Pack surrounded a guy checking his traps and started closing in, and he shot one which sent the others away. I figure anything short of a .22LR would "discourage" an ornery wolf, so I still feel fine with my Remington Navy, or anything on up, wolf being more thin-skinned than a bear. On the other hand, they sure have been shooting some big wolves in Idaho and Montana. Some really huge ones.

 

[Anchorite]

I carry a 357 loaded with 180 grain hardcast bullets. Plenty of gun in my opinion for black bears in the woods of northern NH and Maine.

Man, a bear hunt in Mane is on my bucket list. Probably with a revolver that starts with a “4,” not a 357

 

[22250Rem]

I carry a 357 loaded with 180 grain hardcast bullets. Plenty of gun in my opinion for black bears

...That's my take on it as well. On the occasions when I'm in an area with a few bears and I'm not carrying a deer rifle. ... 180 gr. WFNGC and suitable dose of Accurate #9 powder in a .357 Blackhawk should keep bruins at bay. No Grizzlies around here to worry about and while I've seen Black Bears in the wild, I'll admit that every time I've seen one I was unarmed and they didn't seem interested in me. But when I'm in their neighborhood it's better to err on the side of caution.

 

[wcwhitey]

Hunted all my life, mostly Upstate NY, never worried about a Bear. Always had a .38 or .357, took a few deer with my SBH .44. The only bear encounter I ever had was hunting in Virginia, the Great Dismal Swamp on Navy Base Federal land. We had a hunting club, the base had a game warden. All tree stand hunting and occasionally they would run dogs, some trainers better than others. Long story short I had a team of dogs chase a Swamp Black Bear into my tree stand. If you have ever seen a swamp bear, pigmy, they call them, an adult is only about 200 pounds, looks like a cub. So this bear decided he wanted my tree stand more than I need it. All I had was a 20 guage HR break open. I yelled, hollered but he kept climbing. Let off a shot with the shotgun, he ran into a little hole in the brush, about 2 feet off the floor never to be seen again. Pissed me off, spent the rest of the day talking and writing with the game warden cause I did not know if I hit him. Kinda sure I did but still. To this day I don't like hunting with dogs, either they went stray like in this case or they scared the deer so much the meat was horrible.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

To this day I don't like hunting with dogs, either they went stray like in this case or they scared the deer so much the meat was horrible.

——
Seconded! I don’t hunt with dogs. More the latter than the former reasoning but the same conclusion.

 

[Edcnh]

The few times I have ran into bears in the woods they were really interested in getting away from me as quick as they could. Years ago I met a Game Warden while hiking in to fish a remote pond. I asked him about bears in the area and he replied “That bears are a lot more afraid of you than you are of them. Wave your arms and back away slowly. And do not continue to look the bear in the eye as that is considered a challenge by a wild animal. Just look over his head once in a while.” This has worked for me every time. And I will continue to carry my 357 for insurance.

 

[mnrivrat]

Just a short comment regarding +P ammo. I have always been one that said if you need or want something like a .38 Spl +P why not just buy a .357 mag. That said I shot .357 mag for years but these last few years I seem stuck on the .44 Special. Dangerous animals I would tend to carry a .44 mag. I have never had the pleasure of being in big bear country but from what I read Moose kill more people than big bears, so I think a rifle is more in order if roaming around big bear country. Something like a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 or a 300 Win Mag.

 

[Buckeye63]

Just a short comment regarding +P ammo. I have always been one that said if you need or want something like a .38 Spl +P why not just buy a .357 mag. That said I shot .357 mag for years but these last few years I seem stuck on the .44 Special. Dangerous animals I would tend to carry a .44 mag. I have never had the pleasure of being in big bear country but from what I read Moose kill more people than big bears, so I think a rifle is more in order if roaming around big bear country. Something like a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 or a 300 Win Mag.

I recently traded for this Taurus Tracker 44 mag
actual weight on my scales 34oz ... listed as a 4 inch barrel , only 3 inches are rifled .. last inch in the barrel is a ported shroud ...
I purchased this as a 44 spl with the capability of using 44spl +p and 44mag .. @ 34 oz still very carry-able

 

[Ugly Sauce]

34-36 ounces is a nice weight, for both carrying and shooting.

 

[Biblethumpncop]

I have always carried my Colt Diamondback .22 when bird hunting or deer/elk hunting because I had a long gun on me. Nice to plink or pop a squirrel.

If I'm scouting or going for a hike, I use to grab my Smith model 28 6" .357 but it was larger and cumbersome- yet it was more powerful than my Glock .40 duty gun. However, I put a 4" barrel on my .357 last year and that makes it more manageable. Still, it weighs 43 oz.

I had two six shot, 3" Charter Arms .38+P revolvers with adj sights made last year. Perfect kit gun that weighs 22-24oz depending on the grips. Nice to throw on and my wife likes shooting "her" gun.

My favorite now is my Ruger Flattop .44 spl with a 4-5/8" barrel and I took the steel grip frame and ERH off and replaced them with alloy that I reshaped. It is a handy package now that feels great in the hand, can pack a wallop and weighs less than 35oz.