Backcountry Carry

[bowinhand]

I'm looking for opinions on a sidearm as last archery season I was bluff charged by a cow moose.I was thinking of a dbl action revolver .357 or larger, I like the idea of guns like the tarus judge having the option to shoot .410 shells at the occasional treed grouse. I would like to keep it around $600 and barrel length under 4".

 

[husky390]

I'd look at a Glock 20 for that price range. Loaded, it will weigh almost as much as a Ruger GP100 empty. Can't help you on the Taurus, never shot one.

 

[bowinhand]

Looked three places for a G20 or 29 didn't find one and ammo is very hard to find.

 

[kodiakfly]

I gotta say Glock 20 as well.

For the Glock, maybe it's regional thing, but they're growing on trees here. Heck, the exchange on base has a few of them. I have a 20 and a 29, both bought off the shelf with no or little wait time to order it. Glockstore.com online had them last time I checked, and the Glock supply chain has really opened up since the scare has settled down some. Ammo...it's around if you look and being in CO you can have find it online and have it shipped ground. Getting anyone to ship ammo up here is a nightmare, so I am limited to what I find in the store. But it does pop up from time to time. I just think the 10mm is such a versatile round for so many things, and 17 rounds of it in a G20 gives me a warm fuzzy in the woods. In town I carry with a standard 15 rd or the 29 with 10.

But you asked for a wheelgun. If you're gonna get a moose-stopping revolver, I'd skip the .375 and go straight to a .44. You want it to knock down an angry animal that wants to hurt you...go big or go home. If you're going to carry that heavy of a gun around, might as well make it earn it's keep. Some guys carry the 460 or 500, and that's fine. But I think a 44 is more versatile, cheaper, easier to find and you can actually take it out and shoot it and get comfortable with it before you may actually need it. For revolvers, I'm a Ruger man.

 

[doverpack12]

I would suggest a Glock 20 as well. I have a gen 3 short frame version because on any pre gen 4 grips I don't like the standard size even though I have big hands. I don't personally like revolvers so my choice was easy when looking for my choice of carry in the woods/backcountry. Ammo is becoming easier to find than it was a year ago. They are expensive to shoot alot and become proficient so I reload my practice rounds and buy the high power rounds.

 

[5MilesBack]

I carry a G20, and reload so the cost isn't bad at all.

 

[mk_v]

I really like my 329 pd, kicks hard but when you need the power of a 44 mag it's there. It's really light. If it were me I would want the power of a 44.

 

[mAv]

Bought a G23, but wishing I would have gone with a G20 - still looking to trade it

 

[husky390]

Here are some that are available in CO.

http://www.armslist.com/classifieds/search?location=colorado&category=handguns&search=10mm

If you're near Castle Rock, DCF guns had a 4th Gen for about $670.00.

Here's some ammo.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....CENTERFIRE+PISTOL&dept3=10+MM&sortItem=Newest

I'm a Ruger and S&W fan but I can tell you from experience that carrying a full size steel frame revolver gets old. There's a reason why I now carry a 329pd and I have a G20 on order. The 5" Redhawk and Ruger Alaskan stays in the safe. I happily traded my M29, 4" for the 329pd.

 

[7mag.]

A word on the Tarus Judge. They were designed for self defense at point blank range. The barrel is so short, the pattern opens up really fast, making it fairly useless for grouse. I watched a buddy try time and again to kill grouse with his, and it never happened.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Another vote for a Glock 20. That's my carry gun when I do.

 

[Rocky]

If I would carry a guy I would carry the glock 27. 40 cal good all around calibar. 27 is a sub compact that carries multiple rounds

 

[mt100gr.]

9 times out of ten I carry a Glock 29. 10+1 of hardcast 10mm is plenty. Definitely more control and almost twice the number of rounds of a short 357 mag. And the 10mm is a thumper for an auto. The other 10% of the time I pack a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull. Heavy turd for sure, but it will leave a mark.

For under $600 you can't beat a Glock. I would have gotten the 20 but the 29 doubles as a concealed carry weapon for me.

 

[gobbler1662]

For what's it worth. I was carrying a 40, then had a cop friend of mine who shoots competion shooting say that in the backcountry he would recommend a wheel gun because they won't fail even with dirt in the action. Good point I thought so I bought a snub nose 357. Plus it's nice in snake country I can run a couple of snake loads iin the first two cylinders then full 357 in the others.

 

[mt100gr.]

I agree on the reliability of a wheel gun. another scenario is : if the muzzle of the gun is pressed against the target (think grizzly bear neck) a revolver will fire until it's empty. An auto may not function after the initial shot as blowback is required to correctly load and seat the subsequent round. Something to consider, though I don't like to think about things getting that "hairy", if you will.

 

[Coyote Commander]

If youre already looking at a Judge, id look at the Taurus Tracker in .44 mag. One of the more manageable .44mags ive fired. Points naturally (at least in my hand) as well. And not terribly heavy (although you do give up one round it being only a five shot).

The 4" ported barrel on it really makes it easy to shoot, actually really fun to shoot. Not something I can say of the Titanium framed .44s.

 

[husky390]

Revolvers are not 100% bomb proof and can fail if enough dirt/grit gets into the action through the hammer slot. The floating fire pins can cause misfires if they get too dirty and it's possible the "lawyer lock" on the Smiths can cause the gun to fail. I have nothing against revolvers as I own and like them, but I think they sometimes receive an almost mythical status of being bomb proof.

 

[mt100gr.]

True. Heavy cast bullets can creep in lightweight, hard kicking revolvers and really lock them up. I think taking care of whatever you carry is the answer. Know how to tear it down and do a crude cleaning in the field, and make a habit of keeping it out of the dirt. Stuff happens but most "reliable", tried and true makes and models will perform just fine under worse than normal conditions. Only neglected or those that suffer a true mishap will be affected. Take care of your side arm like you do your primary hunting weapon and it will treat you nicely, too.

 

[Coyote Commander]

Any mechanical device can fail, some just more than others.

Revolvers still trump auto's in that department.

Even something as minor as a stovepipe can mean the difference between living and dying. Especially for the majority of guys out there who buy a pistol, put 50 rounds through it, than hardly ever shoot it. Practice practice practice, and practice "worst case" scenarios, not just target shooting. Practice clearing jams and stovepipes and getting back in the fight quick. Practice shooting with your weak hand, etc etc.

 

[WyoElk]

I carry a S&W 329PD as well. I plink with .44 specials and load up the heavys in the woods. It's a handful but it's light enough that it doesn't get left in the pickup and has plenty of knockdown power for anything I'm going to cross. I put a gripset from a S&W 500 on mine which tamed it down a little too. Definitely worth considering.