Pistol Recommendations for Hiking

[HB of CJ]

Woods Gun ... Daily Carry ... Inexpensive ... Objective ... Effective ...

Another experienced point of view. Multiple dangerous encounters with dangerous animals while hiking in the wood losing weight notwithstanding, we all most likely have had some sort of run in with various non august people as individuals or perhaps as groups while goofing off doing whatever in the woolly wilds of SW Oregon USA.

Our experiences are such that we do not go anywhere unless we are packing. Sad but true.

I have carried for close to 20 years an older well made, (sweet spot of production) Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special 5 shot revolver. Extensive finish wear. Still very tight after 1000 rounds or so. The Bulldog looks like a Smith and Wesson "J" frame revolver on steroids. Three, (3) inch barrel. Right at 19 ounces empty. 26 ounces loaded.

The revolver is dead stock except for a set of hard black rubber Pack-Mar, (sp) grips.

Spare HKS speed loaders with 5 Winchester 200 grain Silvertip low pressure loads weight about 4 ounces. The custom inside the pants captive paddle holster weights right at 8-9 ounces. All together the loaded revolver, concealment holster and two spare speed loaders with Silvertips goes in at about 42 ounces. The .44 special is very effective.

The 200 grain Silvertip has a muzzle velocity of about 850 feet per second. Almost equal to the .45 ACP 230 grain.

It is not a target handgun. The sights are very primitive. But for point and shoot usage it works. The Carter Arms Bulldog .44 Special revolvers are very non expensive. Recently I bought another for $150 bucks with some ammo. Why? The revolver is very recoil intensive. More felt recoil to me than a SW .44 mag 4" revolver. Ouch.

Some production of this revolver was not so good. But early Bridgeport versions were high quality.

One can still find good condition older Bulldogs cheap. Folks buy one then spend an afternoon shooting at some gun ranch. After 200 rounds they go home with both hands big livid bruises. Yep. Not fun to shoot. But if one is serious about people problems in the woods and has little money there are solutions. The Bulldog .44 special.

Respectfully ...

 

[bbbass]

Yep. Not fun to shoot. But if one is serious about people problems in the woods and has little money there are solutions. The Bulldog .44 special.

Worked well for Sam.

My first woods carry handgun was an old RG .38special. Six rds. Pot metal quality. Plastic grips. Tiny bump blade/hump for front sight and grooved rcvr for rear. Beat to sh*t. Can't remember where I got it, maybe from a friend, but I sold it at a yard sale for $35 back in the day when you could. 941 sure put an end to that.

 

[jp1985]

I would recommend a ruger lcr in .357 and use higher loads.it gives a good balance if you wanted to use .38 spl as well. For the woods i would use the .357 stuff.
It small enough to carry anywhere, but packs a big enough punch to take down a 2 legged or 4 legged predators.

 

[DirectDrive]

Don't own any Glocks, but it sure seems like a Glock 20 or 29 (10mm) would be
the easy winner in this for the PNW woods.
It's flat.
It's light for it's size.
Has extra capacity.
Has the power.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Whatever you do, don't go outside.. unless you're Elmer Keith and like to pot elk at 8ooyds with a 4" belt gun. just don't do it!

 

[Certaindeaf]

And hate to say it, those .44 Special 180gr Silvertips probably leave any barrel/gun at about 700 fps. Pretty terrible.
I stoked my lil ol bulldog with 320gr swc's and enough Red Dot to rattle that dog in a few hundred rounds but hey, I wasn't gonna not split the head of a griz in my Montana days and bulldogs/any guns are tossaways when it comes to your life.

 

[HB of CJ]

One of the VERY limiting factors of the factory Charter Arms .44 Special Bulldog is that it is definitely NOT a high pressure designed firearm. Knowledgeable hand loading with this platform is necessary. With PROPER low pressure loads the little bucker revolver will last quite awhile. 840 to 860 fps with Silvertips using a chronograph? Your velocity may vary greatly?

For about three, (3) to five, (5) times the money one can find and buy a more appropriate modern well built revolver. I tried carrying the SW 629 4" Mountain Gun in .44 mag. I do not know what that excellent LARGE revolver weighs. It was physically too large. But ... if you know you will be up against POLSEEN GOD KINGS or DIAGAMOOSES then very much required.

On a personal note the Glock would make a horrible woods carry gun? Considering the fact that a large bulky back pack may be employed with all the belly hip chest and shoulder straps, having a semi auto handgun with no external safety is a receipt for eventual or quick disaster? Unintended discharges? The Glock is extremely non forgiving. Just only me.

Respectfully. My mega 2018 diet is already a disaster also. I have lost a whopping 3 pounds in 24 days. Not good at all. Yikes.

 

[bbbass]

On a personal note the Glock would make a horrible woods carry gun? Considering the fact that a large bulky back pack may be employed with all the belly hip chest and shoulder straps, having a semi auto handgun with no external safety is a receipt for eventual or quick disaster? Unintended discharges? The Glock is extremely non forgiving. Just only me.

Now now, do we really have to do this yet again??????????

Dear manual safety fetishers,

If one is packing a Glock in a proper holster with the entire trigger guard covered, it cannot and will not discharge unless someone has defeated the safety features. Despite all urban legend, they simply WILL NOT go off unless the trigger is pulled. Now if one is dumb enough to throw a fully charged Glock, or any other handgun, in a pack to wander around loosely, then you get what you deserve.

Frankly, I've carried both. Have you ever seen the tiny ledge on a manual safety that keeps a 1911 from discharging? Grip safety is very small area too. And I am much more worried that the manual safety will get pushed off during carry, and an ND/AD will be had during or just after the draw. Hey, it's my own paranoia from getting old and senile but at least I'm not pushing onto others.

 

[Tony617]

Yeah, hypothermia kills most people around here. That and lack of a map and compass... some water proof matches are pretty useful, as much as a good fix blade knife.
Well worth the extra weight.

Tho, I would not consider that necessary along almost if Silver Falls. Beautiful area and minimal threat, unless you consider Korean and European tourists taking pictures a threat.

I have this emergency backpack in my car and then I have added extra water and food bars to in it. Since it may snow in the winter and keep a blanket and a few flash lights in case I have to sleep in my car since the traffic is a nightmare when it snows.

Ready America 1-Person 3-Day Emergency Kit with Backpack-70180 - The Home Depot

I also keep a small snow shovel in my car as well.

 

[Flymph]

I honestly wish I kept myself more prepared... I just have camp chairs and some booze so I can sit back and watch the world burn!

 

[Pandaz3]

I have carried my 357 Blackhawk, a Glock 29 10 MM. I have others I could carry, but haven't, A new G-20 10 MM that I need to buy a holster for. S&W 629 44 Magnum, needs a holster and my EAA Witness Match Elite 10 MM. The last two are pretty heavy and not practical for the OP.
These days I think I would stay with my EDC, a XD40 SC Mod 2, 9+1 flush mag, 12 round Extended. Same gun in 45 has the same capacity..... almost, the extended mag has 13 in it. Odd but I have both, so I know it's true. I like the handling better on the 40 and it shoots flatter, so that's why I carry it. 40 is enough for me, well so is 357 Magnum.

 

[DirectDrive]

Now now, do we really have to do this yet again??????????

Dear manual safety fetishers,

If one is packing a Glock in a proper holster with the entire trigger guard covered, it cannot and will not discharge unless someone has defeated the safety features. Despite all urban legend, they simply WILL NOT go off unless the trigger is pulled. Now if one is dumb enough to throw a fully charged Glock, or any other handgun, in a pack to wander around loosely, then you get what you deserve.

Frankly, I've carried both. Have you ever seen the tiny ledge on a manual safety that keeps a 1911 from discharging? Grip safety is very small area too. And I am much more worried that the manual safety will get pushed off during carry, and an ND/AD will be had during or just after the draw. Hey, it's my own paranoia from getting old and senile but at least I'm not pushing onto others.

Apparently S&W heard all the wailing from the (conventional) Safety Lovers and offer their Glock clones with a safety option.

 

[Wolf256]

I have this emergency backpack in my car and then I have added extra water and food bars to in it. Since it may snow in the winter and keep a blanket and a few flash lights in case I have to sleep in my car since the traffic is a nightmare when it snows.

Ready America 1-Person 3-Day Emergency Kit with Backpack-70180 - The Home Depot

I also keep a small snow shovel in my car as well.

Might I also suggest a cannister of salt and/or a small bag of cheap clay kitty litter (rock or sand) for use in ice or icey conditions. The salt can be used in place of the more expensive ice melt and the litter can be used to gain a bit of traction or absorb a spill. Either can be swept or shoveled into a trash bag for disposal later.

 

[bbbass]

Apparently S&W heard all the wailing from the (conventional) Safety Lovers and offer their Glock clones with a safety option.

Ruger's SR line did too. I don't mind. It's there but I don't use it because I can't get to it with my arthritic thumb... it would take two hands (left hand to activate), not good.

 

[DirectDrive]

Ruger's SR line did too. I don't mind. It's there but I don't use it because I can't get to it with my arthritic thumb... it would take two hands (left hand to activate), not good.

Those Safety Fairies have caused regular folk nothin' but grief.

 

[Pandaz3]

I have a lot of handguns with a variety of Safeties, I have 1911's with the manual thumb and grip safety, I have guns like the Ruger LC9 with a small thumb safety and a Looong trigger pull, I have a LC9s Pro and Glock's with a trigger safety only. I have Springfield XDM and I carry Springfield XD's and XDS all with trigger and grip safety.
In the Army I have carried 1911's, M-14 and M-16 rifles all with manual safeties that saw a lot of on and off use. (My favorite was the M-14's identical to a Garand, you pushed it off with the front of your trigger finger)
I know how to use manual safeties, I just don't like them.
I prefer my revolver safeties.....None.

 

[bbbass]

and Glock's with a trigger safety only.

I know how to use manual safeties, I just don't like them.
I prefer my revolver safeties.....None.

I like this post! However, I think you need to check the Glock specs... more than just a trigger safety!!

 

[Pandaz3]

I like this post! However, I think you need to check the Glock specs... more than just a trigger safety!!

Okay and some 1911's (Series 80 have more than mine do Series 70) and my XD's and XDM's too, but I am referring to visible safeties (Okay if the gun is stripped you can see the others....)