Thread: What sidearm do you carry when hunting?

What type,..if any sidearm do you carry when hunting? And why? I ask this because sometimes I have a hard time deciding myself.Most the time a carry a ruger single six for purpose of a grouse along the way...and a good choice caliber for one behind the ear to finish off a downed but still kicking deer/elk. But I've also carried my 44mag, and somtimes my g21sf. I tend to hunt in very remote areas and many times alone,the large caliber makes me feel a little safer against the remote threat of charging momma bear or cougar.I USUALLY choose not to take the grouse along the way,..as not to spook any potential game near by, but have taken several on my way out and nearing my truck.

22. In case I see a grouse out deer or elk hunting use to carry a 44 mag but got tired of the weight.

I always carry my 45 Colt Blackhawk. Depending upon what I'm doing, I've got loads that range from 255 gr fun plinkers to uber-hot 325 gr LBTs.

Glock 10mm

Taking my daughter for a walk on the ranch with my S&W Model 66-2 in .357 Mag. Gets the job done, not too heavy.

Last year it was a S&W 19-4 .357.

Glock 27 unless someone trades me an XDM .40 before this season.

In Oregon it is illegal to finish off a deer with anything firearm not centerfire and not legal to hunt that deer with.

Originally Posted by Mark W.

In Oregon it is illegal to finish off a deer with anything firearm not centerfire and not legal to hunt that deer with.

I believe you can hunt deer in Oregon with a handgun as excerpted from this article:
Hunting Revolver Killing Power

"In my home state of Oregon handgun hunters require a special handgun deer tag, yet they are allowed to hunt only during the regular (rifle) deer season. They cannot also purchase a rifle deer tag--they are committed to hunting ONLY with a handgun for that entire season. You have to choose before the season begins which sort of firearm you will hunt with...."


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Originally Posted by SPU

I believe you can hunt deer in Oregon with a handgun as excerpted from this article:
Hunting Revolver Killing Power

"In my home state of Oregon handgun hunters require a special handgun deer tag, yet they are allowed to hunt only during the regular (rifle) deer season. They cannot also purchase a rifle deer tag--they are committed to hunting ONLY with a handgun for that entire season. You have to choose before the season begins which sort of firearm you will hunt with...."


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That quote is way out of date. That's how it was 15+ years ago. Now all you need is a legal caliber handgun and your regular ol' rifle tag.
I've hunted, but not shot at anything, with a handgun a few times. These days I'm a rifle hunter, but my 1911 is on my hip during deer season. During elk season, I usually have my .41 Mag, but don't carry it unless I've already filled my tag and am just along to lend a hand.

Originally Posted by SPU

I believe you can hunt deer in Oregon with a handgun as excerpted from this article:
Hunting Revolver Killing Power

"In my home state of Oregon handgun hunters require a special handgun deer tag, yet they are allowed to hunt only during the regular (rifle) deer season. They cannot also purchase a rifle deer tag--they are committed to hunting ONLY with a handgun for that entire season. You have to choose before the season begins which sort of firearm you will hunt with...."


"

READ my post again. I said a "CENTERFIRE" someone mentioned carrying a .22

Originally Posted by Mark W.

READ my post again. I said a "CENTERFIRE" someone mentioned carrying a .22

ACTUALLY, your sentence was rather unreadable. I understood the first part of the run-on sentence, but thought the sentence fragment "and not legal to hunt that deer with. " meant you were saying you cannot hunt with a handgun.

In any case, orygun gave a complete answer. Thanks for correcting me orygun.

1911

T_H

A Glock 20 has replaced my Ruger Redhawk 4" 44 mag.

Used to carry a small .22 auto (Browning Nomad) when hunting big game. For grouse (where legal, i.e: Montana), or cottontails, and a finishing shot on big game when necessary. I'd stand in front of any judge and explain this ethical and moral usage. Currently, usually my every-day carry gun, a Walther PPK, or Smith 60 3", since they can ride in the fanny pack (or jacket pocket) better than the Nomad on the hip. As a kid I carried a Bearcat. I was a bigshot when we'd stop at a cafe in Montana, and got to swagger in "with the big iron on his hip".

I have a Taurus 740 slim .40 S/W that I will be carring because it is light 19oz empty and 8 rnds (7 in the mag 1 in the pipe) and I will be carring extra mags
I also have a PT 840 15 rnd mag also .40 S/W but a little heavy. I guess it come down to what you are comfrontable carring in the woods.

9mm Browning Hi-Power, under my left arm or in an Ambi holster on my right hip. The only pistol I have, and will ever need. I've had it since the week I graduated high school and its not failed me yet (granted, thats not a long as some of you guys but its nearly half my life at this point)

iusmc, that darned pistol is probably what I'd choose if I could have only one, and I've never owned one. Believe that. Are they really as accurate as I've been led to believe (shot two or three: all like having a Colt Woodsman in 9mm)?

Glock 20 15rd mag 200grn corbon no worries.

Originally Posted by Spitpatch

iusmc, that darned pistol is probably what I'd choose if I could have only one, and I've never owned one. Believe that. Are they really as accurate as I've been led to believe (shot two or three: all like having a Colt Woodsman in 9mm)?

They are everything I've ever heard about them. I grew up with 1911's, and was reading a book about some SpecOps-type Army boys in Vietnam and they were using a silenced one and it piqued my interest. Mine isn't a true Browning, I apologize if I gave that impression, it is a copy from Argentina. For what its worth though, 3 people I've let fire it purchased their own within a month of having shot mine. Now, I was only a Pistol Sharpshooter in the military, but I've killed 3 grouse with it and 2 were headshots, so I know the pistol is pretty dang accurate. Mine has digested every type and brand of ammunition I've fed it, with no problems other than the converted Beretta 92 mags not wanting to function right all the time. I still have the 2 original 13 round mags and they work great. One of the people I know who purchased one got 2 Hungarian copies, one for him and one for his wife who also loved it. I paid roughly $400 +/- in 1998 and he paid about the same for his, 2 years ago in Maryland. Will his copies hold up as long as mine? Only time will tell. I'm not trying to start a "mines better than yours" thing, just trying to answer Spit's question, and thats my $0.02