What sidearm do you carry in lower 48 grizz country ??

Joined
Apr 1, 2013
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p365 extended mag with hardcast ++ P

if I can pierce hog and bovine bull skull @ 10 yards w/same set up I'm not going to stress over caliber. I also my EDC so I shoot it pretty regularly

I use to carry p320 in 357sig with hard cast +p, but its pretty heavy.
 

fatrascal

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Jul 20, 2013
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674
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Spring Creek, Nevada
p365 extended mag with hardcast ++ P

if I can pierce hog and bovine bull skull @ 10 yards w/same set up I'm not going to stress over caliber. I also my EDC so I shoot it pretty regularly

I use to carry p320 in 357sig with hard cast +p, but its pretty heavy.
Do you have a lot of bears in your area?
 

JCS271

FNG
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Aug 6, 2023
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77
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Montana Territory
Gen5 Glock 22 with 200gr Underwood hardcasts and a TLR1HL in an Alaris chest rig. Occasionally my 329PD with 320gr WFN also in an Alaris chest rig.
 
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
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Eastern Washington State
I hunt eastern WA, mostly, but black bear and deer hunt in Panhandle Idaho as well. I was carrying a Ruger GP 100, 357 MAG, 7 shots, cast preformance 180 gn Hard Cast bullets. Just bought a Kimber 1911 in 10MM with 10 round mags. Same type of ammo, hard cast, wide meplate or copper penitrator rounds.

I find I shoot the 10 MM much better. I can get back on target quicker for follow up shots, reload faster and have more rounds as well. I use a regular side belt mounted holster from Diamond D, Alaskan Hip Holster for non hunting, like around camp, hiking ect. For hunting I have an Alien Gear MOLLE CLOAK Kydex holster with MOLLE straps that mount to any of my hunting packs same 10MM.
 

Maidenfan539

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Apr 6, 2020
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Springfield XD 45 acp. Loaded with 200 gr hardcast in a razco bino chest rig. Attached to the SG skyline bino harness.
 
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Apr 1, 2013
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Oh hell yeah. You are a bear killin machine.
I hunted White tailed deer near Shamrock last year. Panhandle Texas is an awesome place.
just means I struck out on elk tags. NM/Okla are OTC. I probably wont ever do another Okla bear.

Shamrocks has some great whitetails and getting some really great mulies. Great area
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
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6,359
Location
Lenexa, KS
Glock 20 (10mm), nothing fancy, in a DIY holster under my bino harness. With some confidence I may switch to a Glock 43x (9mm) because it's lighter and I shoot it better.

Sold the older Glock 20 (no rail) and bought a GEN 5 Glock 20 and added a Streamlight TLR-1. I shoot it much better with the added weight of the light on it. Sewed up a custom holster for it and carry it under my chest pack / bino harness.
 

TheGDog

WKR
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Jun 12, 2020
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3,422
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OC, CA
Just got my 16yo an LCRx .357 snubbie as his new sidearm. He tried the triggers on a few semi's and he's like me, he just doesn't like that looooong trigger pull. (But for me and solo I went with the G29 for best balance of round-count vs weight.) So I thought get this snubby cause it's light, 17oz, and I think because it's light, I might be able to also convince his Mom to also start carrying like in a pocket-holster like a DeSantis when on these FB-group-hikes she does.

Cause ya never know when some looney might show up. And some of these hikes go in there a bit, peaks and stuff. So I figure it's just a matter of time before some critter crosses her path at some point. So I'd rather she have something at least 9mm/.357 levels. Figure this way it can pull double-duty, and go with her sometimes, when my son's not with me in the field.

Thinking bout getting that Ruger Max-9 as a follow-up choice specifically for Mama, since they just started allowing it in CA. But need to take her in to have her try it, to see if she likes the fit, before buy-in.

We only have Black Bear and MtnLion and their not even very present usually, in terms of crossing your path. But better to at least have something.

And I have my misgivings about how rapidly she'd be able to deploy the spray if a sudden situation presented itself. My only other semi carry-piece is a .380acp Sig. But I'd rather she have something with more power if bear country involved.

Just hoping they'll both be able to tolerate _enough_ of the recoil of a few .357 sessions here and there so they know what to expect in the field. Then mostly train with .38 +P's.
 

Blacktocomm

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 10, 2023
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137
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Temporary Expat
I trade back and forth between a couple pistols:
  • P365xl w/Underwood xtreme penetrators in a hill people chest rig when I am trail running or in National Parks
  • 10mm 1911 with 220gr HardCast in Gunfighters Kenai chest holster for wilderness and hunting
 

medvedyt

WKR
Joined
Aug 5, 2023
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394
Location
whitehorse, YT
i was authorized to carry in alaska for fishing and hunting small game while cant do that in my own country go figure ...

in alaska: chest holder with a ruger gp100 stainless 4 1/4 in barrel in 357 magnum and cant remember the ammo i had.
 

Karlburns

FNG
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
40
Sig p220 elite 10mm with decocker. Carry one in the chamber and then 8 in the stack. I don’t need a larger magazine then that because the bears going to be on you before you get 9 rounds off. Buffalo bore hard cast alternating with woodcutter bullets. The Buffalo bores are 200gr I believe and the woodcutters are 180gr. Gunslingers chest harness. I carry to keep the bears honest.
 
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