Hiking Handguns?

Which Type Of Hiking Handgun?

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  • Poll closed .
Can't hunt with a semi-auto in PA, so that got me into the habit of carrying a wheel gun. Most typically a GP100, either three- or four-inch; sometimes an SP101. .357s all.
 
Zero shot revolver? Is that some sort of California special?
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Sigh, I did buy it in San Diego as my first handgun but I meant 9 shot. Big clunky fingers are more suited for hammers and wrenches than keyboard and I didn't catch it till it was to late to edit. I was sorta hoping nobody would notice.
 
I take two with me. The semi auto XD45 is holstered either on my hip or on my pack where it is in reach. I also have my .38spl in the pack.

I like the .45 for dealing with critters, esp larger ones. Who wouldn't want 14 rounds of .45 to deal with them? But I like the reliability of the revolver and my snub .38 is the largest revolver caliber I have. It's not ideal if my 45 fails, but its the best I have for the moment.
 
Either my S&W .357 Mountain Lite or the Keltec 3AT in my back pocket, yea I know it wont stop a bear but it will slow down a drunk.

Doug
 
Decisions, decisions...

.45ACP 1911 for what I call "urban hiking trails", and .44Mag SBH for hiking in more isolated regions.

(What I really want to carry is my lever-action .30-06 carbine, but it's both too heavy and too conspicuous... :) )
 
Generally a 3" S&W model 60. If I'm going where bears are known to roam I carry a 4 5/8" Blackhawk in .45 Colt.
 
I take my S&W 4516 with me when I hike. If I am hunting, I have that 45 plus my Remington model seven 300 magnum stainless rifle.
 
Revolver - definitely. I wouldn't carry less than a .44 mag in brown bear country, and I'd feel better with a .454.
 
Where I hike, the most dangerous thing I might run into is a psychologically unbalanced hominid. We have black bears here, but my real reason for carrying a gun when I hike is protection from other humans when you are out and alone. I don't see a wild animal trying to bother me, though I would fire on an animal that was aggressive towards me.
 
Wheelgun for sure. You're more likely to run into a snake than a bear. Load one or two chambers with shot and the rest with slugs. If you do run into something with teeth rather than fangs, just squeeze the trigger until it falls down or runs away.
 
Yeah those snakes are just laying about waiting for some city slicker to walk within range...I don't know how they would survive without them.
When I used to run a backpacking/camping store, we always had a good laugh when some tyro would come in and buy a snakebite kit...
 
Yeah those snakes are just laying about waiting for some city slicker to walk within range...I don't know how they would survive without them.
When I used to run a backpacking/camping store, we always had a good laugh when some tyro would come in and buy a snakebite kit...
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By that logic, why carry at all? I've seen a heck of a lot more angry snakes in my day than angry bears. Usually a black bear is scared off by a little yelling and some jumping around.
 
I have backpacked for about 30years. The snakes I have seen were easily avoided. Bears have not bothered me. The wolf I saw ignored me and left a beautiful memory. I carry for SD against humans, and I don't care to pull through two rounds of snakeshot to get to the real ammo, or to diminish my cylinders capacity of real ammo by two rounds.
 
amd, not 3 months ago I went to an outdoor range to sight my 300 magnum in for this hunting season and I felt something hit the ammo bag I was carrying. I looked and it was a nearly 3 foot long copperhead.

If you think snakes aren't a problem, you haven't been back packing it as long as you say you have, or you hike in the arctic circle. In 20 years of hiking and camping, I've run into dozens of snakes. I've never been bitten by one - and while keeping your eyes open helps - it was luck that had this copperhead hit my ammo bag instead of my leg. I had outdoor boots on but I still consider myself fortunate.

While I wouldn't use snakes as a reason to have a gun when I hike (I carry when I hike in case of bad humans too), I'd NEVER laugh at someone that bought a snake bite kit. I'd rather have one and not need it than need one and not have it - same reason I carry concealed.
 
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