Wilderness Carry for a Woman

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sectshun8

New member
Heading to the gun show tomorrow and the little lady is playing around with the idea of getting a handgun for use during our backpacking trips. We spend quite a bit of time, year round in and along the front range of the Rockies and even at time further in.

So really, something small, she's petite, but packs enough punch for the situation. The odds of a bear coming up on us, slight for sure, but ya never know.

Thanks for the consideration.
 
Has she ever shot a handgun before? Anything your carrying with bears in mind is going to kick.

Look at a Glock 29SF in 10mm. Carrys small, hits hard. Recoil is tolerable.

.357/38 would also be a good buy-S/W, Ruger offer your best choices IMO.

Dont buy another taurus.
 
Howdy neighbor! What kind of experience does she have with handguns? Is she able to shoot a .357 mag or a 10mm? I would consider these absolute bottom for our 4 legged creatures in our rocky mountains. That being said our Black bears tend to be pretty timid and don't care to be around people. Another thought would be some good bear spray. Maybe she would be allright with a good 9mm for the two legged kind and some good bear spray just incase. Just a thought.
If you really want a gun for the job well, coming from a Glock guy, if your were to consider the 10mm I would opt for the Glock 29. However that is a big grip gun. It probably won't fit her hand comfortably but that doesn't mean she can't shoot it well if she deals with recoil well. It's a great weapon and relatively light weight for a 10mm.
 
It's not the bears, it's the bad guys. Cover both with a 4" Smith K-frame .357 mag revolver or a Glock 23 (or its many competitors). Personally, I carry a .45 Colt revolver in the woods, but (no offense) it's a little heavy for the ladies.
 
My wife carries a Dan Wesson 715 stainless 3 in bbl in a DeSantis nylon pancake holster. 180 grain fodder. We live north of you quite a bit. Larger bears, wolves, cats, as well as your usual 2 legged critters. My daughters carry either 45ACP Springfield XD's or Glock 40's. Just some food for thought.
Ralph
 
(You probably already know... and I'm no expert but...) I've read a lot of true bear stories and advice articles on the net and a lot of 'em say that a good bear spray is more desireable than a pistol as a first-line defense... I'm not sayin' don't get a pistol... I'm sayin' carry bear spray as well. (... But you probably already know...)
 
Bear spray probably works on the bad guys too.
And employing it doesn't require as much regard to consequences as a firearm.

What does SHE want to carry?

(I carry a titanium .357 revolver. It's about as light as one can get with good power. But the ammo is still kinda heavy.)
 
sectshun8 said:
"...Heading to the gun show tomorrow and the little lady is playing around with the idea of getting a handgun for use during our backpacking trips. We spend quite a bit of time, year round in and along the front range of the Rockies and even at time further in.

So really, something small, she's petite, but packs enough punch for the situation. The odds of a bear coming up on us, slight for sure, but ya never know."
Click to expand...
I lived in Arvada for about ten years, and did a lot of backpacking and hiking in the Rockies during that time - lots of it above 8000', and it sounds like thats what you have in mind.

Especially when carrying a backpack up trails, we found that larger and heavier handguns generally were a PITA. It was difficult to locate them where they didn't interfere with pack straps or belts, and they presented interesting challenges: if small platform and small caliber, they weighed less and were easy to carry, but up above the timberline they seemed pretty useless in terms of range, energy, etc. Larger handguns were just heavy and awkward on the trail, but at night at altitude I was glad I had one.

Best compromise we found was a 4" bbl revolver in stainless steel, in .357 magnum (and .38 Spl.). Whichever one fits her hand best would be the one to go for. Practice with .38s and carry .357s on the trail.

Worked for us...
 
Whatever you decide to get, spend the time fitting her with a comfortable easy access holster for it with speed-loader or magazine pouch.

Then take her to the range and practice drawing, shooting and re-loading.
 
Go to a rental range and let her try a cpl...if she's not into guns an automatic is probably not the way to go. Get her the biggest one she can handle. A S&W model 60 in .357 is my wife's gun...shoots .38 spl for practice and loads .357 for night table, carry, and camping use. Rodfac
 
My picks...

Selection type posts are somewhat hard w/o knowing a few factors like budget, skill or training level, overall health/hand strength, size, etc of the female gun owner/hiker.

In general, I'd get a Ruger LCR .357magnum with a CT lasergrip, a SIG Sauer P239 DAK/SASII .357sig, a Glock 29SF 10mm, or maybe a Ruger SP101 .357magnum or .327Federal with a 3 1/16" barrel tricked out by Gemini Customs: www.Geminicustoms.com . Ported barrel, DA only, action hone, etc.

Night sights & a lasergrip would be worth the $$$. A 10mm or .357sig pistol would make sense but a DA revolver would be easy to carry/conceal too.

G&G sells a slick little ankle rig that fits over boots. The Blackhawk SERPA kydex holsters could work also.
See www.Blackhawk.com www.Galls.com www.Natchezss.com .

Clyde
 
Thanks for all the replies. She felt most comfortable with a wide variety of .380s but also found the Springfield XD and the Taurus 24/7 PRO C comfortable. We didn't make any purchases, maybe the next time out :)
 
I'm not usually known as a cynic, but it's possible that, up to now, the words "bear" and ".380" have never been used in the same sentence.
 
I'm not usually known as a cynic, but it's possible that, up to now, the words "bear" and ".380" have never been used in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

Just add "Teddy" and now it makes sense.

Or rearrange the digits... 308... and add "Winchester" (And the bears where I live, this might even still be considered marginal...)

Two words for the OP: Bear spray. Get whatever gun that she likes, that is always a good thing; however, bear spray first. It works:
http://www.adn.com/2008/04/20/381252/spray-proves-its-worth-in-bear.html
 
Bear spray.

She can take her credit card to the gun show/shop and buy something. Maybe she can take a girlfriend or two along to help her decide.

You can spend some quality time at the corner gas station jawing with the guys in the grease pit while she's at it. ;)

My wife doesn't pick out guns for me and I'm not going to try to pick out one for her.
 
Yep, Bear Spray unless she wants to carry a 12 gauge. For two legged critters, let her read Cornered Cat and then pick what SHE wants.
 
Read the article linked above about bear spray vs. guns, and I think the choice is clear: bear spray.

By all means, carry a gun too, as bear spray is not reloadable, and I think the threat of a gun is more effective on bad people than bear spray.

Bear spray us easier to hit with, because of the sensitivity of bears' nose.
 
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