Pistol for the woods

Quite a jump from .22/.22 mag to .357. :)

If those are my choices, and I assume this is revolvers only, then the .357 would be my choice.
There's a broad spread of capabilities starting with .38 special up to full house .357 hunting loads.

C
 
You can load way down with the .357, some light loads being not much more than a .22 LR and not near as powerful as a .22 MAG. On the other hand it's not possible to get a .22 to do what a full bore .357 mag load will do, as in be adequit for deer and hogs at close range.

Keep you options open.....................
 
Whevever i go outdoors i never leave without my hertitage arms .22/.22mag revlover on my hip. it has saved me a couple of times from badgers and to finish off some animals that were still alive, it has also bagged a couple of blue grouse in the mountains. And ammo is light and easy to find for cheap. My choice is the .22 all around.
That is unless i am bear hunting then my .44 mag with 300 grain hollws for self defence:D
 
How can you go wrong with a .357 mag?
It's a long shot, but if you run into someones weed patch, or a meth lab, or just bad people, you are well armed with a .357, pretty iffy with a .22.
I've spent enough time in the sticks to encounter beligerant humans on several occasions, having a .357 on hand solved the problem for me.


JTMcC
 
If you are already carrying a rifle then the 22lr is nice and light with low recoil. If no rifle then the .357 is better for the extremely rare dangerous encounter. Pack a couple snake shot rounds if you go with the .357.
 
I'm wondering where you live and what kind of critters there are there. Unless you live where the biggest predetor is a two legged angry pigmy goat then I say go with the .357 (or other) depending on where you live.
 
What's the purpose of the handgun?

If you're hunting small game and/or plinking, then the .22/.22 mag would be my choice.

For most other things, including self defense against two or four legged beasts, I'd go with the .357 mag.

Daryl
 
I do a lot of running around the woods, hunting, fishing, horseback riding or just land crusing. The only pistol I have needed is my little 642 38 in my pocket. I dispatch snakes, I keep my pot filled and its always in my pocket, not trowned on the pack or tac while setting up camp or tending horses.

No big bears here, if there was I'd carry a rifle.

Never ran into anything yet that couldnt be handled with my pocket pistol in 38 using 150 grn SWC.

But again I practice with it.
 
If this is a kind of sort of SD wood gun, a .357 is the way to go. If this is just a shooting plinking gun for fun, I'd go .22lr
 
You can always pop .38 specials into a .357 magnum, if you are really looking for light loads, in addition to the light .357 loads. There is a lot more versatility to the .357.
 
either is fine. my choices are a blackhawk in 45 colt during hunting season and a ruger MKII 22 during the off season.
 
In some states to hunt big game the caliber has to start with a 4. A 44mag will serve you better, as it's the best all around woods handgun. orchidhunter
 
Forget bigger critters. The most important use for a pistol in the woods is to keep rattlesnakes at arms length. For this purpose a .357 shotshell carries a lot more clout than a .22.:eek:
 
Thanks for the advice. The reason for the choice is what I already have. Mostly roam in the southeast and Smoky Mountain area. For the most part I think I would have to deal with 2 legged critters before I would have to shoot something for the pot.
 
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