A lot of good comments on here, but here's my thoughts: Bring something you can make hits with.
I'm constantly befuddled by the insane number of folks out "training" with their "EDC (pistol, rifle, tactical folder, baton, OC, keychain, etc.)" for the next active shooter/car jacking/terrorist attack (BTW: not being critical, just a hair tongue in cheek) while those who live, work and play in bear country buy a 329PD (or god forbid an X Frame) and some Buffalo Bore, shoot it once, jam it in a Diamond D holster and think they're all set. A non-hunting human vs bear incident is probably 4000%* more likely than a human vs human but most never "train" for that. (Not statistically based; I've had two of the former, none of the later)
Personally, I carry a G20 with an aftermarket barrel (not Lone Wolf), spring, trigger and sights with 220 hard casts from Underwood. I've landed on this after years of indoctrination in the BIG bore revolver camp by my father. After decades of big, custom single actions and brink of destruction N Frames, truth be told, he too now carries a G20 in the field...
How did this transition occur? After personally killing several bears in Alaska, I've lost a little faith in the "one big ass bullet" concept. Extreme hemorrhage makes critters (two and four legged) stop fighting and the best way I've found to do that after 15 years of trying, is a semi-auto 10mm. It takes a lot of practice to work a heavy revolver quickly. I shoot a Glock (in one frame size or another) several times a month. Anything larger than a (truly) heavy .41 Mag would take me a lot of practice for it to become second nature.
The other reason I like a G20, is the price. I have two. I wear one of them outside my waders in kydex, on my hip, when I'm trout fishing on the Kenai, or running my jet sled around the bear infested rivers I hang out on. It's under water ALLLLLLLL the time and I don't care. Strip, shake, wipe, & assemble at the end of the day. A gemtech lanyard makes sure it's never buried in the silt and if you're a belt+suspenders guy you could put it in a SERPA. I have a couple different revolvers that I'm hard pressed to take to the range when it's raining, much less have with me 24/7 out in the elements.
If you shoot big-ish bore revolvers all the time from a holster and have way lower splits than I think you do, a 329PD is nice to carry. Miserable to shoot, my dad had to download his (truly) heavy .44 mag loads to be able to fire a full cylinder, and not exactly inexpensive.
(FYI - You can put rubber X-frame grips on if you like a little more comfort)
BIG (X frames, custom Linebaugh/Bowens, Super Redhawks, Etc) revolvers are a PITA to carry, not all that useful outside of "bear country", get super expensive if you're not careful and not easy to shoot well, quickly.
A G20 is easy to shoot, has lots of accessories and/or upgrades, inexpensive, and durable. It also has 16+ shots.
Let me know if you want any ideas on things to do or places to go while you're up here.
I'm constantly befuddled by the insane number of folks out "training" with their "EDC (pistol, rifle, tactical folder, baton, OC, keychain, etc.)" for the next active shooter/car jacking/terrorist attack (BTW: not being critical, just a hair tongue in cheek) while those who live, work and play in bear country buy a 329PD (or god forbid an X Frame) and some Buffalo Bore, shoot it once, jam it in a Diamond D holster and think they're all set. A non-hunting human vs bear incident is probably 4000%* more likely than a human vs human but most never "train" for that. (Not statistically based; I've had two of the former, none of the later)
Personally, I carry a G20 with an aftermarket barrel (not Lone Wolf), spring, trigger and sights with 220 hard casts from Underwood. I've landed on this after years of indoctrination in the BIG bore revolver camp by my father. After decades of big, custom single actions and brink of destruction N Frames, truth be told, he too now carries a G20 in the field...
How did this transition occur? After personally killing several bears in Alaska, I've lost a little faith in the "one big ass bullet" concept. Extreme hemorrhage makes critters (two and four legged) stop fighting and the best way I've found to do that after 15 years of trying, is a semi-auto 10mm. It takes a lot of practice to work a heavy revolver quickly. I shoot a Glock (in one frame size or another) several times a month. Anything larger than a (truly) heavy .41 Mag would take me a lot of practice for it to become second nature.
The other reason I like a G20, is the price. I have two. I wear one of them outside my waders in kydex, on my hip, when I'm trout fishing on the Kenai, or running my jet sled around the bear infested rivers I hang out on. It's under water ALLLLLLLL the time and I don't care. Strip, shake, wipe, & assemble at the end of the day. A gemtech lanyard makes sure it's never buried in the silt and if you're a belt+suspenders guy you could put it in a SERPA. I have a couple different revolvers that I'm hard pressed to take to the range when it's raining, much less have with me 24/7 out in the elements.
If you shoot big-ish bore revolvers all the time from a holster and have way lower splits than I think you do, a 329PD is nice to carry. Miserable to shoot, my dad had to download his (truly) heavy .44 mag loads to be able to fire a full cylinder, and not exactly inexpensive.
(FYI - You can put rubber X-frame grips on if you like a little more comfort)
BIG (X frames, custom Linebaugh/Bowens, Super Redhawks, Etc) revolvers are a PITA to carry, not all that useful outside of "bear country", get super expensive if you're not careful and not easy to shoot well, quickly.
A G20 is easy to shoot, has lots of accessories and/or upgrades, inexpensive, and durable. It also has 16+ shots.
Let me know if you want any ideas on things to do or places to go while you're up here.
