Preferred sidearm for hunting and or camping/hiking

[cobbc03]

Question for those of you in SoCal... with experience taking Black Bears here... encountering our sized bears... which in general are not quite as big... would you say a 9mm with the right load should be enough? I'm thinking along the lines of Lehigh Extreme Penetrators loaded by Underwood.

Not in Cali, but I wouldn't hesitate to carry a 9mm with a good round in black bear country. As long as you're proficient with it, send it!

 

[TheGDog]

Further question. For those of you in the know. Would a compact model like a G26 with that 3.4" barrel be able to give it enough velocity.. with penetrator type ammo... to get in their deeply enough to zip thru vitals?

I'm asking because I've done an extensive amount of comparing and contrasting velocities/muzzle-energies between different rounds out of different barrel lengths, so I know they have a significant effect on the overall performance. Typically 50-ish fps more per each inch it looks like, in general.

So, to further clarify the question. For those of you with a good feel for how much "stank on it" a round has to have in order for it to be good enough for a typical black bear... is there a minimum barrel length you feel a person should have if they're opting to carry a 9mm instead of a 10mm/.357/.44 (or bigger) ??

 

[cobbc03]

Further question. For those of you in the know. Would a compact model like a G26 with that 3.4" barrel be able to give it enough velocity.. with penetrator type ammo... to get in their deeply enough to zip thru vitals?

I'm asking because I've done an extensive amount of comparing and contrasting velocities/muzzle-energies between different rounds out of different barrel lengths, so I know they have a significant effect on the overall performance. Typically 50-ish fps more per each inch it looks like, in general.

So, to further clarify the question. For those of you with a good feel for how much "stank on it" a round has to have in order for it to be good enough for a typical black bear... is there a minimum barrel length you feel a person should have if they're opting to carry a 9mm instead of a 10mm/.357/.44 (or bigger) ??

It's more the ammo you are shooting than the barrel length. If you want to carry a G26, get decent ammo and don't look back. Never having an issue with a bear, I would think you would want to worry more about penetrating the skull if one charges. Again with that, a decent 9mm round will have more than enough energy to penetrate the skull. If you're looking to hunt one with a 9mm, I would definitely want a long barrel for 9mm, but I would prefer to go up to 10mm for hunting one. I love my G20 in 10mm.

 

[Brettski]

Glock 20 10mm with a chest holster


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mk44]

G30, But I would prefer a G29.

I don't hunt in grizzly country. But we do have black bears and coyotes.
Yes, most black bears avoid humans. But some do attack. There has been several incidents where hikers, joggers, campers were attacked by black bears.
My friend was out bow hunting (for deer). Didn't have his handgun and a black bear came after him.
I've come across black bear every time I'm out hunting. IMO, if I own a handgun, I'm going to carry it ( I rather have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it. Same reason I carry a first-aid kit in my pack.) just my preference. your mileage may vary.

 

[TheGDog]

No, not for hunting, just an "Oh sh*t!" sidearm. I've got an old faithful .357 4" but it's kind of a little heavy after awhile at 39oz loaded. Also... at night it's iron sites are pointless.

When not in bear country, like D15 (CA), I just take my Sig P238 .380acp (with nice chunky night-sights) since I feel certain that will handle a mountain lion after watching them shoot em outta trees with .22 Mag rifles and .17 HMR rifles. And I've also had to dispatch a deer with it once before, that had been hit-an-run by a car

 

[Dust Rider]

Sig p365 with buffalo bore or j frame sw .357 with cast bullet

 

[AlwaysForward19d]

329PD when I’m in grizzly country, Glock 43 when I’m not.

 

[Hill Difficulty]

Of all the pistols in the universe, this one gets my vote:


Ruger Lite 22/45
>half the weight of a stacked G19
>shoots like a Buck Mark
>quiet
>checks the most boxes (food making, real threat mgmt, light/compact)
>offers zero false sense of security on a Griz (Uh, gee, pistol or my hp rifle?)

 

[AlwaysForward19d]

Of all the pistols in the universe, this one gets my vote:

View attachment 221253
Ruger Lite 22/45
>half the weight of a stacked G19
>shoots like a Buck Mark
>quiet
>checks the most boxes (food making, real threat mgmt, light/compact)
>offers zero false sense of security on a Griz (Uh, gee, pistol or my hp rifle?)

"Real threat management" and a "False sense of security" OK LMAO. You win the internet today!

 

[Alchemy]

G19
G43

both in custom kydexholsters from Dara, 95% of the time on the strong side hip belt on my EXO pack. other times on my waist with a good belt and OWB Dara holster

*non grizz country

 

[ldmay375]

I have carried various revolvers, barrel lengths from 5.5” to 2.5”. The cartridges have varied from 44 Remington magnums to 475 Linebaugh. I purchased a Ruger Alaskan in 480 Ruger this year. This may fit my purposes best. We will see after I have spent some time with it.
I have found chest holsters work the best for me.

Hello all,
Still relatively new to hunting in general and I wanted to get some input about what people carry when out in the woods.
I am going out to Colorado this year for Elk bow season. I was thinking about bringing my SIG 220 10mm as my sidearm.
What do you guys carry?

 

[Coopsdaddy]

If Looking to load 147 grain hardcast in theGen3 G19 vs 200 underwood hardcast in the G20sf.
Whats going to be the most reliable in stock form or with only minor upgrades.

 

[Single Malt]

M&P shield in .45ACP with night sights. It's also my EDC.

For those of you who hunt hogs, do you run JHP or FMJ in your .45s?

 

[Bsoutfitter]

10mm

 

[TheGDog]

I ended up getting a G29. 10mm. Here's a pic of Mama trying a few rounds from it.
I found it totally doable. I wouldn't hand this weapon to a total n00b female though. After about 3 shots Mama was like that's enough of that. And yeah... I have to imagine some loads which make use of flash-surpressed powders would be a good idea for this for backcountry carry!

 

[EastHumboldt]

When I’m actually hunting I have a 30/06 with 5 rounds and another five round clip in my pocket so I don’t really see the need for the extra weight of a pistol. If ten rounds of that won’t stop it it ain’t gonna stop.

field and stream did a study of incident outcomes comparing injury/ death to weapon used against bear attacks. They found bear spray the most effective.
I still carry a Sig P365XL 4 “ barrel often in cougar country. I know how to work it in the dark... not so sure bout a can of pepper spray. It seems to me it would be easy to point in the wrong direction and spray yourself.

 

[SecretSpot]

When I’m actually hunting I have a 30/06 with 5 rounds and another five round clip in my pocket so I don’t really see the need for the extra weight of a pistol. If ten rounds of that won’t stop it it ain’t gonna stop.

field and stream did a study of incident outcomes comparing injury/ death to weapon used against bear attacks. They found bear spray the most effective.
I still carry a Sig P365XL 4 “ barrel often in cougar country. I know how to work it in the dark... not so sure bout a can of pepper spray. It seems to me it would be easy to point in the wrong direction and spray yourself.

Good luck swinging a rifle around when you're getting attacked out of no where

 

[TheGDog]

...
I still carry a Sig P365XL 4 “ barrel often in cougar country. I know how to work it in the dark... not so sure bout a can of pepper spray. It seems to me it would be easy to point in the wrong direction and spray yourself.
...

Omg that isht burns like the Sun!!!

Long story shorter, did a test spray one time, (because had bought a new canister) then was slowly gathering toiletries off the ground. Some droplets lightly wafted back over after a several secs. Got my eye, back of hand, back of knee, inner elbow joint. Sprinted the 10yds to truck, rinsed like crazy, then scent wipees, thankfully had eye drops too. Whoo lawdy that isht burns! Happened at 7a, hot summer day 87 F already at 7am. Had to put on liner gloves cause couldn't take the sun falling upon my hands from the burn. Was "tolerable" while I kept moving, presumably from airflow cooling things. When I'd stop for water in the shade? The burn/sting would pulsate and rise back up in strength and become uncomfortable enough again that it would force me back into hiking. The burn didn't leave until about 1pm.

I cannot imagine the unholy hell that it would be to get a blast of that isht direct to the face!!!

 

[TheGDog]

Good luck swinging a rifle around when you're getting attacked out of no where

EXACTLY!!! I want something where if that mofo catches me by surprise when I'm deboning the meat and has me pinned down and is right on top of me I can grab it and put it right up against his torso and pull the trigger.

Also... I for sure would NOT want to risk attempting to spray that thing outward from within a tent and risk having some of it catch the lip of the doorway and circulate back within the tent. I know how bad that stuff burns!