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I've recently started walking and hiking more to loose weight. Being overweight has also come with painful back problems. After several dangerous encounters with dangerous wildlife, I'm not willing to be an "ultralight" hiker and go without a firearm. Being cautious of my total hiking weight, I've started looking for an EDC for use in both city and woods with a better chance to quickly stop a dangerous animal than a 9mm Glock 19/26. As I live in a relatively high crime urban area, I'm also very cognizant of round capacity and over penetration.

My main concerns are that its:
1.) Reliable.
2.) Fairly lightweight. My full size Springfield TRP 1911 was too heavy.
3.) Less concern of over penetration than 10mm.
4.) More effective round (No Glocks in 45 due to bad past experiences).
5.) At least have a 7+1 capacity.
6.) Less than a $1000.

I'm leaning towards trying a lightweight version of a commander/officer sized 1911 or the compact Sig P320 in .45 but I've never carried either. Does anybody have any good experiences or recommendations for these or other pistols that might fit the bill? Thanks.
 
I recently picked up the HK VP40 just for this purpose - carry while hiking. I've a couple buddies that have come across cougars and bears.

And with the siting of wolves in the Mt. Hood National forest, it's good to have something that starts with a 4.

I'm now looking for the right holster rig because my go to Alien Gear wont cut it. I've had my kelty pack actually cover my 1911, which would make deploying difficult.
 
I've recently started walking and hiking more to loose weight. Being overweight has also come with painful back problems. After several dangerous encounters with dangerous wildlife, I'm not willing to be an "ultralight" hiker and go without a firearm. Being cautious of my total hiking weight, I've started looking for an EDC for use in both city and woods with a better chance to quickly stop a dangerous animal than a 9mm Glock 19/26. As I live in a relatively high crime urban area, I'm also very cognizant of round capacity and over penetration.

My main concerns are that its:
1.) Reliable.
2.) Fairly lightweight. My full size Springfield TRP 1911 was too heavy.
3.) Less concern of over penetration than 10mm.
4.) More effective round (No Glocks in 45 due to bad past experiences).
5.) At least have a 7+1 capacity.
6.) Less than a $1000.

I'm leaning towards trying a lightweight version of a commander/officer sized 1911 or the compact Sig P320 in .45 but I've never carried either. Does anybody have any good experiences or recommendations for these or other pistols that might fit the bill? Thanks.

If you like the 1911 and the .45 round the Ruger version of the Lightweight Commander should give you everything you want. Takes 8 round mags so you would have 9 in flush fit mags. Can use the 10 round 1911 mags giving you 11 rounds if you wish. VERY nice 1911's. When I just looked at my favorite on line place they are offering them for an out the door price of around $750 here where I live.
 
I've recently started walking and hiking more to loose weight. Being overweight has also come with painful back problems. After several dangerous encounters with dangerous wildlife, I'm not willing to be an "ultralight" hiker and go without a firearm. Being cautious of my total hiking weight, I've started looking for an EDC for use in both city and woods with a better chance to quickly stop a dangerous animal than a 9mm Glock 19/26. As I live in a relatively high crime urban area, I'm also very cognizant of round capacity and over penetration.

My main concerns are that its:
1.) Reliable.
2.) Fairly lightweight. My full size Springfield TRP 1911 was too heavy.
3.) Less concern of over penetration than 10mm.
4.) More effective round (No Glocks in 45 due to bad past experiences).
5.) At least have a 7+1 capacity.
6.) Less than a $1000.

I'm leaning towards trying a lightweight version of a commander/officer sized 1911 or the compact Sig P320 in .45 but I've never carried either. Does anybody have any good experiences or recommendations for these or other pistols that might fit the bill? Thanks.
Why not go to a range that has a large rental fleet and start trying them out ?
As a second best, you could go to a large retailer like Cabelas's and do the fondle thing.

That P320 just might be the ticket since its size can be tuned to the user.
 
I've recently started walking and hiking more to loose weight. Being overweight has also come with painful back problems. After several dangerous encounters with dangerous wildlife, I'm not willing to be an "ultralight" hiker and go without a firearm. Being cautious of my total hiking weight, I've started looking for an EDC for use in both city and woods with a better chance to quickly stop a dangerous animal than a 9mm Glock 19/26. As I live in a relatively high crime urban area, I'm also very cognizant of round capacity and over penetration.

My main concerns are that its:
1.) Reliable.
2.) Fairly lightweight. My full size Springfield TRP 1911 was too heavy.
3.) Less concern of over penetration than 10mm.
4.) More effective round (No Glocks in 45 due to bad past experiences).
5.) At least have a 7+1 capacity.
6.) Less than a $1000.

I'm leaning towards trying a lightweight version of a commander/officer sized 1911 or the compact Sig P320 in .45 but I've never carried either. Does anybody have any good experiences or recommendations for these or other pistols that might fit the bill? Thanks.

Effective in a congested City. Or effective on thick skinned predators in the woods. You got to make a choice?
As to keeping a bullet in the target?

A miss, or pass through shot can happen with any caliber. o_O

I carry a Glock in 357 sig, as I go about town. So I'm courting a bit of extra penetration.
And I do it for the same reason many State police want it.

In the woods I carry a S&W 329 44 mag. It's light. It weighs about as much as a Glock 19. With a great deal more power.

So. I make a compromise. And choose what I feel is the best tool for the job at hand. With the tools [Guns] I have.
And I try to be realistic about what a certain caliber gun will give me. And cost me?
 
FN 5.7, if your big enough to conceal it for everyday.

They are our go to trail/camp side arms, however not everyday carries due to our size. Except winter jacket concealed...most times not even at that.
 
I carry a Ruger single six with the first two chambers loaded with bird shot. In my backyard I have bears, cougars, coyotes, and even the slight possibility of wolfs. I have crossed paths with bears and coyotes and seen cougar tracks that were fresh enough to know he was out there. However, the only real threat is a rattler, and even then they give you fair warning and are easy enough to avoid. Unless you are going to serious bear country, it is the two legged predators you need to worry about here in the PNW.

Its always fun to get a new gun, but honestly your 9mm will be just fine. To think that a .45 will make you safer is a fallacy. When was the last time your heard about a bear attack out here? And I am guessing you're older than 8, so cougars will leave you alone. And even if you did have a negative encounter with one of these large animals, a .45 over a 9mm will not not make the difference. I think my dogs lives are more threatened than mine from wildlife. If a cougar wanted my dog, for one, he would be able to kill it before I could get an accurate round off, and two, with a moving target, I would just as likely hit my own dog as I would hit the CNS of the cougar.

Just my .02
 
FN 5.7, if your big enough to conceal it for everyday.

They are our go to trail/camp side arms, however not everyday carries due to our size. Except winter jacket concealed...most times not even at that.

I would not take a shot on a bear at 200 yards with a .223/5.56 and expect stellar results.
And that would be about the 2350 FPS the 5.7 pistol gives at the barrel with it's lighter .22 cal projectile. o_O

Am I missing something?
 
Take/carry a gun. Any gun. Take two guns. Bring friends with guns. And dogs, big dogs. Dogs run off cougars and bears. Run into a wolf... just sh*t yourself, they don't like the smell. :p
 
You've already got a nine, why not invest in some underwood +p penetrators in your g19?

If you are still not confident with that maybe it's time for a wheel gun in say, 44 mag?
 
How do you intend to carry whichever gun you choose?

I've done more than a few off-trail dayhikes and backpacking hikes into wilderness areas, navigating by map/compass and GPS- in addition to traditional follow-the-trail hikes and backpacks.

I used to have a Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag, but that thing was a boat anchor and I went unarmed few times because I couldn't afford the extra weight (Mt O'Neil, first pic). I picked up a Glock G20SF 10mm and carry it in a Bianchi M12 military holster attached to the backpack's hip belt. Weight can be reduced with the G29, but I usually just download the mags in my 20 to ten rounds if weight is that critical.

I took a very serious tumble about 50' down into a ravine on a solo backpacking hike into the Wonder Mountain Wilderness (second pic), and despite numerous impacts with the ground on the descent, it came out better than me when we got to the bottom.

Ridgeline.jpg LakeSunrise.jpg
 
My 'urban' defense guns all say Glock on them. But, when I'm out in the woods, I carry something that gives me a better chance against four and two legged predators....My Ruger Redhawk in .44 Magnum. Rides nicely in a shoulder rig, out of the way, easy to get in and out of the car with it on. It also happens to be the most accurate pistol I have in the safe, go figure. A solid .357 might be a reasonable compromise, weight wise, but honestly I've never minded the Redhawk, even on long journeys. Comfort in having that one along when I'm out, to be sure.
 
A Charter Arms Bulldog in 44 Special is what I bought for hiking. It has about a 2 1/2 inch barrel so is good for both in city and out. A 240 grain bullet will stop most anything that you encounter around this area. Mine is stainless so less concerns about rusting.


Bulldog.jpg
 
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Are you hiking with friends? If you are then a 25 auto will be all you need in bear country. If you see a bear then shoot your friend in the knee so you can out run him.:D:D:eek:
 
I would not take a shot on a bear at 200 yards with a .223/5.56 and expect stellar results.
And that would be about the 2350 FPS the 5.7 pistol gives at the barrel with it's lighter .22 cal projectile. o_O

Am I missing something?

I missed the part in regards to brown bears as his concern, apologies!

Blacks? Pretty rare for a black bear to attack someone, let alone someone armed. IMHO.
 

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