Sidearm for hunting in Montana/Wyoming etc

[allstajacket]

I know everybody doesn’t carry a sidearm while hunting, but I like to always have mine with me. I’m going to *hopefully* be hunting elk in Montana this fall, and am curious as to peoples’ thoughts on sidearms.

I currently love my Glock 26. I know 9mm is on the weak-end for the area I’ll be, but I’m not sure if the sidearm is for big predators like bears etc unless an absolute emergency. I plan to have bear spray, and my rifle with me. I guess worst case, I DO have Buffalo bore hard cast 9mm rounds.

I’ve also been toying with the idea of a Glock 29 10mm to take the place of the 26 while out west.

I like the idea of carrying on the chest below or beside a binocular harness

What firearm, how do you carry it, and why?

Also the most interesting question: have you ever had to use your sidearm while hunting?


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[Hunter26]

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.

 

[TTT]

I initially thought that I would use a 10mm Glock, since I could not shoot .44 mag well enough to be confident.

After practicing draw from holster & double tap, I realized that my first shot wasn’t consistently accurate with the Glock. I’m sure it’s my technique.

I went back to my Kimber K6S. I can definitey shoot it well. I actually spent the money to practice with the hot Buffalo Bore rounds that I wanted to use in the field. Even with the 4 in target model, it’s slim enough to be comfortably carried.

 

[Macro]

A Taurus Judge loaded with 5 of the 45 Colts will be easy to carry and devastating on any hog with which you have a social encounter. You can also go 4 in 1, with the 1 being a .410 with #8 shot in it, just in case you happen upon a rattlesnake.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I believe @Wrench used his 10mm to prevent a bear mauling and killed the bruin during the encounter. There are many, many, threads on here on this topic, and I encourage you to do a simple search for them.

 

[hiker270]

Your 9mm and bear spray are good enough. I have archery and rifle hunted elk for years in the Gravelly Range and the Madison Range in Montana. Supposed to be a fair amount of grizzly bears in these mountains. I do carry bear spray but have never seen a grizzly. It pays to be extra cautious if you have an elk down and there is blood scent in the air especially if returning to pack out another load of meat. Best to return on the downwind side and proceed with caution. I tell my hunting pards the handgun and bear spray is pretty useless since we walk an hour or more in the dark getting to or returning from hunting. Its definitely not something that keeps me from elk hunting.

 

[croben]

I carry a Glock 20 on a chest rig and keep an extra mag with me. I primarily hunt Washington, Idaho, and Montana and the predator numbers have increased. We are regularly seeing wolves and hearing them all the time now. My buddy and I had a pack of them move in on us two years ago. Lots of cougars and bears as well. I’d rather have it and not need it.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Search/read this one...

"Who's actually killed a charging bear?"​

 

[NSI]

I shot all the popular 10mm back to back in one range session with 4 friends. Unanimous first place finish for the 4” smith. I bought one. Love it.

 

[BarCO]

I carry a 9mm if I don’t have a rifle

 

[LoggerDan]

I bought a m20 10mm to wear while cutting timber on Afognak. I keep it in a Kenai Gunfighter chest rig. I can hike, run, get the hell out of the way, fish and run a saw all day and barely even notice it on my chest. A really nice piece of gear. I shoot Buffalo bore 220’s. I’d steer away from novelty bullets with cool looking bullets.

A good nine with good ammo beats a 45acp all day long when it comes to bears. Trust your rifle first.

 

[jake0621]

9mm with hard cast bullets are better than nothing.

 

[Wrench]

I believe @Wrench used his 10mm to prevent a bear mauling and killed the bruin during the encounter. There are many, many, threads on here on this topic, and I encourage you to do a simple search for them.

I can't say it was going to be a mauling.....but the bear was big and too close to swing a rifle. I did use a 10mm and would have been stoked with 200gr hardcast.....but I had a 200xtp in there that day.

Given my shot placement, a 380 probably would have been ok.....but the 200 did 16" of penetration. In/out the skull and down the spine blowing spinus process from the spine on it's way.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Smith & Wesson X frame 500

.50 cal - 440 grain - full metal jacket cannot be beat when it comes to skull shot on grizz @ last resort to save a life

Anything else on a grizz is a toy


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[WYcoyote]

I carry cross draw (left side) waist belt to keep it away from my slung rifle, if I have one.
No have not had to use it in self defense.

 

[allstajacket]

I carry cross draw (left side) waist belt to keep it away from my slung rifle, if I have one.
No have not had to use it in self defense.

I was just looking at the M&P 10mms. How do you like it?


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[NSI]

I was just looking at the M&P 10mms. How do you like it?


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They are the best of the plastic 10mm and it’s not even close.

-J

 

[allstajacket]

They are the best of the plastic 10mm and it’s not even close.

-J

That’s a huge claim!!

I’ll take a more serious look at them. I’m a Glock guy through and through (for carry/defense) but the G20 frame just is uncomfortably large in my hands it seems, even though I carried a Glock 30 gen4 for a bit.

The M&P is a more affordable option as well it seems, so I could get the gun and the bino harness holster for the same price as the Glock, or the P320 X Ten i was looking at.


Hmmm….


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[WYcoyote]

I like it much more than the Taurus Tracker .44 that I previously carried.
Quicker handling, faster and more accurate shooting, and lots of firepower (# of rounds).

 

[allstajacket]

I like it much more than the Taurus Tracker .44 that I previously carried.
Quicker handling, faster and more accurate shooting, and lots of firepower (# of rounds).

Looks like there’s a $100 rebate on them right now, too. I’m sold.


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