Your camping woods sidearm question.

sw41mag · Post by **sw41mag** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:51 pm

I always carry a pistol and (usually a rifle too) hiking out here in the forests in Colorado. A Ruger BlackHawk in .45LC and usually a Winchester 94 Trapper in .45LC. Had to pull the pistola once on a fella that was letting his dogs menace me and my daughters in the National Forest. He back pedaled pretty quick when he saw I was about to unload on his dogs.

When I lived in Chicago I had to pull my Colt .45acp about 3 or 4 times to keep my scalp from the bad guys. Glad I don't live there anymore.

Tommy Reb · Post by **Tommy Reb** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:56 pm

Dan Wesson M44S, 4inch or an Old Model Ruger SBH shortened to 4 5/8 inches. Either loaded with 240 Sierra JHC over 22.5 WW296.

Jeff Pitts · Post by **Jeff Pitts** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:58 pm

336A wrote:I'm surprised to see this thread resurface.

Heh heh. Not me, this is one of everyones favorite questions

As for ME, a Ruger Flattop in .44 and a 4 3/4" barrel with a 260gr cast at about 950-1,000fps gets it done.

Never had to use it but once when a persistant grouse thought he should 'take' camp! (we et him)

Jeff

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:02 pm

Tough question. But usually one of three. 1911A1, S&W 1917 or Ruger BH. All in .45 of one flavor or another. Never used one in camp on anything four legged. Twice it's mere presence on my hip persuaded "people" to take a somewhat different course of action.

MikeS. · Post by **MikeS.** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:19 pm

Well since my original pot back in Sept. I've added 2 S&Ws to the stable. A 586 and a 629 both with 6" barrels. The 586 is a nickel K or L frame .357 magnum and the 629 is a stainless steel .44 magnum.

I'm looking to trade the 586 for a 686. Any takers?

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:35 am

I usualy carry my 7 1/2 Ruger Vaq in .45colt. Fortunatly I have never had to use it.

RSY · Post by **RSY** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:08 am

JReed wrote:I usualy carry my 7 1/2 Ruger Vaq in .45colt. Fortunatly I have never had to use it.

Hey, Slug. It's good to see your answer hasn't changed since September.

(Hint: look on page 2)

scott

sore shoulder · Post by **sore shoulder** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:51 am

1911. Had my hand on it down in Denver once when some gangbangers thought the wife and I looked like a good mark while walking in a park. Never forget it. I never go woodcutting or hunting up here without having it in a thigh holster.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:48 pm

I have carried about everything from a North American 22mag mini-revolver to a 5 inch 1911 in town. Out in the woods and farm, I guess I have done the same, but usually carry a Colt Peacemaker replica 45 colt, or short barreled 44 mag, and sometimes a Browning High Power 40cal.

Probably one of my favorite carry guns has been a Lightweight Commander.

I have killed everything from deer to wild dogs to snakes with a handgun, but I guess I never really needed one for self defense, except for one time, when I came close to getting robbed in Alabama, in a motel parking lot, one night. I was mighty glad I had my Lightweight Comander that night. I didn't have to shoot, but I sure thought I was going to have to, for a few seconds, but when the man finally knew beyond any resonable doubt that I was fully prepared and willing to kill him, he left.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 1:04 pm

In Canada, we're not allowed to pack a modern sidesarm in the bush, only antiques. I have two old S&W 44 Russians. I wear one or the other when out in the wilderness. Never had to use them yet, but there are plenty of bear and cougar.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:05 pm

Usually I carry a Glock 20 (full size 10mm) or a Taurus Tracker 4" 44Mag stainless steel.

JoeArizona · Post by **JoeArizona** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:23 pm

I have a variety...

Ruger MkI .22 because it's easy to carry and fun to shoot and the kids like to shoot it also.

Star Firestar Plus because it's accurate, compact, easy to carry, and I have 13 round clips for it.

S&W Model 66 4" because that's what you are supposed to carry!

One family outing on the Ranger, we were playing in a wash out in the desert. My 10yo son was chasing lizards and suddenly came running back all excited. It seems he had walked by a Mohave Green rattlesnake, all curled up about a foot off the ground, in a tumbleweed. It had rattled at him and...quite naturally...it rattled him. I went to look and it struck at me immediately, and missed. I pulled my Kel-Tec 9mm and took a few shots at it while it slipped away. Missed it with every shot! I can't shoot that thing worth spit, so I'm not carrying it anymore.
When I looked closer, my son's footprint was less than a foot from where that snake was hiding.

I hugged him so hard, I think I hurt him...I gave thanks in every way I knew how!

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:50 pm

Ruger Super BlackHawk with 7.5 inch barrel worn cross draw in an Uncle Mike's Sidekick. Used to load it with Remington240 gr. JSP's but it shoots the Federal 200 LSWCHP's so well that I usually load it with that. I've carried mine everywhere, on nearly every camping trip and road trip. When I'm walking and I need concealment, my Dad's 2.75" Ruger Security Six in 357 Mag.

win92 · Post by **win92** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:48 pm

pm sent

Haycock · Post by **Haycock** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:01 pm

A regular "walk in the woods" down the back of my property or out stump-shooting with my kid: daily CCW carry S&W M36 .38 snubbie...

A day-long hike deeper in the woods adjacent to mine, whether its on private land I have tromping & hunting permission for, or on public hunting/park land nearby: S&W M36-1 .38 3"...

An overnight camping or kayaking trip, with or without the family: S&W M586 .357 6"...

At least one speed-strip reload in all cases......

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:32 pm

1860 Army, 44cal. or 50cal Kentucky pistol. 32 NAA Guardian if I am in a 'certain' area.

oregon73 · Post by **oregon73** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:36 pm

In the woods, I carry an old model Blackhawk .357 with 4-5/8'' barrel, worn in a crossdraw holster (although sometimes strongside). This has always been my favorite woods bumming gun--accurate and powerful enough for what we've got here in Oregon. It's loaded with standard 158 gr. soft points, usually. I've never had to use it, but strongly believe it's better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it.

Rob

Birdman · Post by **Birdman** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:40 pm

Either a 6 inch, 686, or a 3 inch Reeder 44 Redhawk. Either way I feel I'm pretty well dressed.

DiamondD · Post by **DiamondD** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:38 am

I carry a .45 OM Blackhawk most of the time but I can also be found packing an SP 101 .357, a Mk III Ruger .22, S&W Mountain Gun .45 Colt or a 1911.

mohavesam · Post by **mohavesam** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 1:35 pm

Desert camping/meandering from Douglas to Peach Springs, I carried a 3" S&W M36 FL for years. It carried effortlessly and handled CCI shot cartridges in excellent fashion. Two of the half-dozen Diamondbacks still hang on my wall, one was a Mohave Green, which actually came after me, & re-educating me of how close a painful death really is when you're out in the "wilds" alone. Took many jacks and a few cottontails with WC loads, for some excellent camp meals.

I also had a Pachmayr-sighted little carry gun also - a Pachmayr-sighted Ruger 22/45 with a SS 4 5/8" tapered tube that weighed about 26 ounces loaded! What a great trail gun for any weather.

And I cannot forget to mention the little stainless Freedom Arms 22LR mini-revolver that rode inside my hat for so many seasons.

Then there was that one time camping up in an oak patch on Four Peaks, when critters - mulies munching acorns - walking around & between the tents all night. Sometime around midnight partner heard a low growl, definitely not a mule deer. I slept with my snubbie Security-Six under my pillow. In the morning there were 3 1/2" wide cat tracks all around the fire pit...

rock-steady · Post by **rock-steady** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:20 pm

Summer time, Ruger 44Mag SBH 5 1/2" bbl loaded with Hornady 240gr LSWCHP and 12gr BlueDot in a crossdraw holster. Winter (hunting season) same rig but with Speer 270gr Gold Dots and heavy charge of H110. Although this winter I have been packing Uncle Sam (GI 1911A1) in a strongside OWB Bianchi a lot.

Tristan · Post by **Tristan** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:30 pm

J Miller wrote:When out in the boonies, I carry my Ruger BH .45 Colt. I've not had to use it yet, but it should get the job done with anything short of a big foot.

Joe

I bet 'ol Bigfoot would be hangin' on the wall if you had to use it agin' him...

My favorite would be a 4-5/8" Ruger BH in 45 colt - if I had one.

I've never had to use a sidearm to defend myself, yet.

- Tristan

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:22 pm

Well, I've always got my Kel-Tec PF9 in my back pocket no matter where I'm at, but when I in the woods I like to put my Paradox on my hip. If I'm in one of those Politically Correct State Parks or such, I have a little 22/45colt derringer I keep tucked away just in case.

Papa

blueroan · Post by **blueroan** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:35 am

I need to do some "leather shopping."

Somewhere there was a gentleman making Kydex holsters for 5.5 inch Original Size Vaqueros and I lost the contact info. I think one of them with some kind of passive retention system for the Vaquero and also my 5 inch 629 would be a worthy replacement for the Sparks HSR for the S&W and less obvious than the CAS rig from Bob Mernickle.

I've shot one abandoned hostile dog--on my own farm--and thought I'd have to shoot the pasure renter's German Shepherd (who had bitten multiple people back in the days when people didn't sue near as much as now!) The dog was intentionally turned loose on us and stopped when I pulled the Model 29--he knew he was about to be shot! and then the owner came out to get him, acting innocent.

You have to believe in ESP or Command Presence or "The cold confidence of a christian with four aces." A feral/mean critter knows who is a victim...and who is not. If you carry, your chances of needing it are very slim. If you don't, you're liable to get some tooth marks sooner or later.

Your camping woods sidearm question.

Pm sent

Depeinds on what I am there for