Sidearm for hunting in Montana/Wyoming etc

[6.5x284]

In archery season I run a S&W 329PD (scandium super light 44 Mag). I think it’s 25oz. Great for packing. Rifle season I don’t carry a second firearm, exemption being unimiteds for sheep since I’m there in September.


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[jamman]

I’ll expound on my claim.

1) at my shop (wyoming Gunfighter) we have access to all, and the smith fits the most hands the best, out selling the others 3:1

2) I got 4 buddies and a bunch of ammo together for a test because I was curious. Sig, 4” Smith, Glock 20, Springfield XD.

We ran a box of 50 rapid fire through each (180 jhp) and then 5 shot strings of buffalo 200 hard cast for each shooter.

The XD was accurate but slick needing multiple grip adjustments. The Glock was blocky and unnatural to point (and my duty gun is a Glock 45). The Sig felt well made and had a great trigger but was heavy in recoil, not helped by the slim and slick plastic grip. The Smith made the 10 feel like +p 9 with its excellent palm swell and skin shredding sandpaper texture. Not fun at the range perhaps, but exactly what we would want with hands covered in elk blood.

3 of those 4 friends have smiths now.

Just one little redneck test but I’m happy recommending based on my experience!

-J

Thx for this "range report", Jourdan

 

[mercy17]

10mm is an awesome caliber and the Glock 20 is the perfect pistol…

 

[allstajacket]

I grabbed the M&P 10mm and absolutely loved how it shot, the only negative was how rough the grips are. It might’ve helped the grip and control, but it really kinda tore the hands up. I added some rubber talon grips, and because the talons wouldn’t stick to the top of the back of the grip, I added some hockey stick tape. Really happy with how it turned out. I’ll give it a go at the range and see if it still shoots just as good!

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[jnawalaniec]

In archery season I run a S&W 329PD (scandium super light 44 Mag). I think it’s 25oz. Great for packing. Rifle season I don’t carry a second firearm, exemption being unimiteds for sheep since I’m there in September.


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What ammo do you use? I recently got a Taurus 444 ultralight and 305gr HSM bear loads were very unpleasant (obviously) the 240 grain .44 mags loads I had weren’t too bad. Thinking about ordering the buffalo bore 240gr lower recoils.

 

[Long Cut]

9mm on a chest rig

The numbers of wild dogs I’ve seen on multiple properties has grown. I had several pit bull mixes on camera I’d guess are pushing 60-70# as true “wild dogs”.

A couple in Athens, GA were mauled and killed by wild dogs in 09

 

[6.5x284]

What ammo do you use? I recently got a Taurus 444 ultralight and 305gr HSM bear loads were very unpleasant (obviously) the 240 grain .44 mags loads I had weren’t too bad. Thinking about ordering the buffalo bore 240gr lower recoils.

I run the HSM bear loads. I prefer a heavy hard cast bullet. Honestly I'd run whatever you are comfortable with and enjoy the mountains.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I support any excuse anyone has for adding a new gun to the arsenal, even if the excuse is rather flimsy. If you go with a 10 and hard cast bullets, test them extensively. Seems with Glocks and hard cast bullets there are just enough feeding failures to give me pause. I intend to load Swift A-Frames to try in my 10 (Glock 40) The bullet profile should allow it feed very well. The partition is very far forward, so it should expand some without expanding so much that it doesn't penetrate deeply enough. It's a new bullet. I have no experience and haven't found any reading on it, but I have a hunch that it'll get the job done.

 

[syoungs]

Ive fed my glock 20 plenty of buffalo bore hard cast through the years. Had the M&P been out, I may have went that route instead of the glock.
As is, I have the g20 that rides around in a chest holster, or I take my EDC, a G48 that tucks away in a JT tactical fat guy holster. Both equipped with the same sights. I can shoot both very well, and both have proven reliable.

 

[fellerr]

Just got a new MP 10mm myself. Fits my hand perfectly. I have a glock 9mm that has shot well for me, but figured with the $100 rebate why not go the MP route! Havent shot it yet, but itll be my main carry around here and out west. In AK I carried a .460. Heavy. Yes. Did it bother me or did i leave it behind. No. Never noticed with a shoulder holster.

Like most people have said, go with what is comfortable. Lot of people like to have 15ish rounds in a 9/10mm vs just 5 in my .460. How much recoil can you handle? I love the power behind the .460 and the recoil doesn’t bother me. I felt comfortable enough with my accuracy and with getting back on target that it worked for me. But being honest, none of that mattered. If a bear had charged i had just shit my pants and run. Lol

 

[PNWGATOR]

KelTec PMR30 22WMR.


Hits on target, with the right bullet, adequate wound channel to solve the problem regardless of the number of legs.

 

[Shraggs]

Will be awesome as long as you make your first hit count for 12. You will be deaf and recovering from recoil while a 10mm guy has his second round off and the 9mm guys have 4 rounds off.

I have the xvr, 329pd, 629's, SBH's, various 10s, 45 supers, and plenty under that.

I find myself carrying a 43x while bow hunting and a 1911 in 45super or 10mm when picking berries and shrooms.

I'm ok with less tissue depth, but I want to be able to shoot weak hand and multiple hits.

Wrench, shrooms…

Are those all natural?

 

[Wrench]

We picked a couple hundred pounds of morels that year....naturally.

 

[Elkarchery]

Never had to use one and hope I don't. In my opinion, if you are going to have a rifle, bear spray and a pistol I would save the money and stay with what you are comfortable with in the 9mm. I have gone on a couple hunts in Alaska and have seen several grizzlies. One was an archery hunt and I carried my Glock 20 (10mm). That hunt I carried on my waist and on my pack. After ten days I found the side of my waist soar as I don't carry regularly and tired of going between my pack and my waist belt. I had an ivory holster with the clips to change out so it wasn't horrible to move over. On my last hunt I bought a Kenia Chest holster and wore it under my bino harness. Short story long the chest holster is the way to go! More accessible, way more comfortable to wear day after day and I actually had it on me if something ever happened versus fighting the urge to take it off because it was in the way or uncomfortable. Good luck with whatever you decide. Overall, I do hear good things about the 10mm in bear country but can't speak to anything other than what I hear and read.

Did the chest holster make you feel hotter because you had more shit strapped to your torso with layering clothing?

 

[ktm450]

I live, hunt, and play in bear country. I carry a Glock 9mm or 10mm (a variety of different models) every day and trust both implicitly. My favorites are a Gen 3 G20 and a Gen 5 G19. You will be fine with a G26.

 

[Hunter26]

Did the chest holster make you feel hotter because you had more shit strapped to your torso with layering clothing?

It didn't feel much different than wearing my bino harness. I kept it on around camp but when I was out hunting I had my bino harness over the top. By far the best way I have found to go. I don't like carrying on the hip or on my pack on my hip because I constantly have my pack on and off.