Mountain hunting sidearm

[roosiebull]

How many of you carry a sidearm while mountain hunting? The weight seems excessive for the benefits. Seems like bear spray and then unslinging my hunting rifle would do the job. I have a Glock 20 and hunt sheep and goats in south central AK. Thanks.

I used to carry a G20, but have switched to a hellcat, it is a compromise that I’m comfortable with. It’s always on me, and I don’t ever plan on using it for defense of any kind, but it’s small, light, and always handy

I carry it most days winter steelhead fishing too, I am hoping to one day have a close encounter with a lion, and fill a tag wearing waders, a unique surf and turf situation

For that purpose it’s less about self protection and more about opportunity, there is never a downside to carrying it, so it makes sense to me.

The G20 was heavy and bulky and I found myself carrying it less and less. I may or may not change my perspective hunting in brown/grizzly, but I doubt it. I have never been concerned about the local wildlife, but I also haven’t hunted alone among brown/grizz bears

 

[Beendare]

I used to carry a G20, but have switched to a hellcat, it is a compromise that I’m comfortable with. It’s always on me, and I don’t ever plan on using it for defense of any kind, but it’s small, light, and always handy

Yeah, I've backed off the heavy pistols in most areas too.

At first I carried my SW629 classic .44 but it's a dang boat anchor.

The G20 isn't too bad....but if I'm in Black bear country with only a chance of bumping a grizzly I take a compact 9mm. I was going to pack my Shield but it had some FTF's with the hard cast ammo I had at the time 100% so I mostly pack my G19.

It's not as compact as I would like....but the G19 is 100%, 15rds and shoots well.

I still carry the G20 in areas around Yellowstone and in Alaska but the rest of the time I prefer a compact pistol.

 

[mtnbound]

G19 or G47x with shield mags in a chest rig with 1 spare mag. It’s about rounds on target and I am so much more accurate and faster with a 9mm compared to my 10mm.


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[JoeK]

I’m right there with it’s about about rounds on target. And a chest rig is the way to go 100% if you want the best fast access to your sidearm. But packing a spare mag into the mts??

 

[wpeach1912]

I carry my CZP10c 9mm with an RMR and TLR7 under my marsupial bino harness wi Th their nylon holster. I’m usually hunting areas where the chance of running into a grizzly is small. I mostly just shoot grouse with it. Having a light on a woods defense gun seems like a requirement to me

 

[Tacoland]

XDM Elite 10mm in a chest holster typically. Lots of time in griz territory, had one pucker-worthy run in with a sow this fall that's making me reconsider rounds on target with a 9mm instead.

 

[juju]

My use is black bears and not in AK. Whether or not I will carry isn't a question because I always do no matter what or where. When hunting in the mountains I switch from a S&W 432PD in my pocket to a S&W 69 on my hip.

If your use may involve direct contact of the muzzle with the target, consider the utility of a double action revolver.

 

[Beendare]

If your use may involve direct contact of the muzzle with the target, consider the utility of a double action revolver.

Ha...OK that wasn't one of my selection factors...though I suppose one could analyze this to death- literally.

Thinking about over overthinking...what about if the bear grabs the revolver and the cylinder won't rotate? Or the cylinder gets hung up on something and won't turn?

My buddies SW 329PD cylinder stopped on about the 4th or 5th shot while playing around with it...turns out the bullet in the hand loads was creeping forward in the case due to the high recoil and kept the cylinder from rotating...or even opening.

So the old saying that a revolver always works is not always true.

 

[juju]

Ha...OK that wasn't one of my selection factors...though I suppose one could analyze this to death- literally.

Thinking about over overthinking...what about if the bear grabs the revolver and the cylinder won't rotate? Or the cylinder gets hung up on something and won't turn?

My buddies SW 329PD cylinder stopped on about the 4th or 5th shot while playing around with it...turns out the bullet in the hand loads was creeping forward in the case due to the high recoil and kept the cylinder from rotating...or even opening.

So the old saying that a revolver always works is not always true.

You really have to go out of your way to find a case where it's not true, except high volume fire. Pistols do high volume much better.

Good luck getting a revolver cylinder to bind like that. Pistol fan boys like to think it could happen, I guess, but if you test it you see it's not a thing.

Yes, bullets can jump crimp in any handgun. I've never had it happen in a revolver and I've shot a lot of hot .44. I have had it happen in a 9mm pistol. It's always a good idea to test your ammo before relying on it no matter what you choose.

 

[Beendare]

You really have to go out of your way to find a case where it's not true, except high volume fire. Pistols do high volume much better.

Good luck getting a revolver cylinder to bind like that. Pistol fan boys like to think it could happen, I guess, but if you test it you see it's not a thing.

Yes, bullets can jump crimp in any handgun. I've never had it happen in a revolver and I've shot a lot of hot .44. I have had it happen in a 9mm pistol. It's always a good idea to test your ammo before relying on it no matter what you choose.

True, it's rare for bullets to jump crimp. I have only seen it that one time in the higher recoil SW329PD....but I have seem a couple other guys on forums with that pistol complaining about it doing the same with the older Buffalo Bore ammo. I would guess they have solved that now.

IF I was going to buy a .44 mag and IF I was going Revolver....that SW 329PD would be the way to go. It's so much lighter than my 5" Stainless SW .44 revolver. I used to haul that pistol around on Alaskan hunts and its like a boat anchor when humping those mountains.