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Most lever guns chambered for 45 colt are plenty strong to handle these hot + p loads. Problem is most do not have a fast enough twist rate to stabilize these heavy for caliber bullets. Henry's 45 lever has a 1-16 twist but as mentioned the chamber is too short to function with anything heavier than a 260 gr load. I'd carry what you shoot well and bring extra ammo and speed loaders if a wheelgun and extra ammo in clipazines (that's funny now @Stomper) if an auto. Cats and dogs are not hard to kill. Bears? That adds another problem and if they were present I probably would be packing a rifle.
 
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10mm
6" barrel
15-round magazine
optics-ready
around $700

I don't really like Glocks much but when I wanted a 10mm I went with this. The 6" barrel gets the most out of the 10mm cartridge and has a longer sight radius, and the extra weight up front helps with recoil and muzzle rise.

Screenshot_2018-08-01 G40 Gen4 MOS(1).png
 
If the largest threat you are worried about is a cougar I think a 15 round 9mm pistol would work fine, use good +P ammo. I'd be comfortable with my Glock 19 and two spare mags.
Now if I was worried potentially about bear as well then I would probably go up to a .44 magnum.
 
My earlier post and decision after reading the feedback was to go with my Ruger 44 mag Deerslayer Carbine, 5 rounds; with 357 3" Smith Wesson 5 shot back up in bear country with bear and wolves, but if just mainly cats 357 Smith Wesson 8 3/8" or Ruger GP 100 7.5" and maybe 3" 357 for back up. Thinking potential fear from 2 footed creatures. I usually am out in the woods with two dogs: Airedale and Standard Schnauzer. Thanks.
 
One additional point is if your Airdale is one of the larger 100lb + type they are a great protection dog so one wolf is not going to do much unless it is much larger.
Thanks:
James
 
A rifle that doesn't make you look like a kook? Possibly a 12 gauge field gun with a 20" deer slug barrel. .
Apparently when I open carry a handgun in the woods I look like a sweet innocent lady with a gun for self defense but when I carry a rifle, even a .22, I look like a poacher. At least, the couple of times I was carrying a rifle and ran into a deputy, I got questions in terms of what I was hunting, even though it was summer. Very suspicious questions. I just had the rifle along to practice with, and was only "hunting" the paper plates I brought along for targets. Never got such questions when open carrying a handgun in the woods. Heaven help me if I ran into a deputy while carrying an AR. I'd probably get arrested for intending a 1-old-lady overthrow of the government.
 
10mm
6" barrel
15-round magazine
optics-ready
around $700

I don't really like Glocks much but when I wanted a 10mm I went with this. The 6" barrel gets the most out of the 10mm cartridge and has a longer sight radius, and the extra weight up front helps with recoil and muzzle rise.

View attachment 484262
That's a lot a hoopla for an extra inch of barrel. Most people get a new barrel anyway so why not just get a 6" for an existing/shorter slide 10mm?
 
That's a lot a hoopla for an extra inch of barrel. Most people get a new barrel anyway so why not just get a 6" for an existing/shorter slide 10mm?

1. I don't like the way it looks.

411548508.jpg

2. If I'm going to shoot a higher power cartridge like 10mm (or .44 Magnum) I want to use a longer barrel. It maximizes the cartridge muzzle velocity and reduces muzzle blast. If I'm always going to shoot 10mm with the longer barrel why not get the gun designed for it?
 
1. I don't like the way it looks.

View attachment 484340

2. If I'm going to shoot a higher power cartridge like 10mm (or .44 Magnum) I want to use a longer barrel. It maximizes the cartridge muzzle velocity and reduces muzzle blast. If I'm always going to shoot 10mm with the longer barrel why not get the gun designed for it?
Bar-Sto and others have been making 6" barrels for 1911's and Hi-Powers for decades. And I'd daresay I'd never own a revolver with a barrel longer than 4".
whatever
 
I have several 8 3/8" Smiths and like the sight radius and keeping the blast away from my face. I have Ruger 7.5" 44 mag for the same purpose. But shorter barrels carry best.
 
Apparently when I open carry a handgun in the woods I look like a sweet innocent lady with a gun for self defense but when I carry a rifle, even a .22, I look like a poacher. At least, the couple of times I was carrying a rifle and ran into a deputy, I got questions in terms of what I was hunting, even though it was summer. Very suspicious questions. I just had the rifle along to practice with, and was only "hunting" the paper plates I brought along for targets. Never got such questions when open carrying a handgun in the woods. Heaven help me if I ran into a deputy while carrying an AR. I'd probably get arrested for intending a 1-old-lady overthrow of the government.


Exactly my point, I have experienced the the same over the years. At 63yo Leo's seem to think we are easy targets.
 
I have several:

My S&W Model 29-2 6" barrel
View attachment 484355

My S&W 66-1 6" barrel
View attachment 484356

5" might be the optimum barrel length for balance and aesthetics.

My Colt Official Police 5" barrel
View attachment 484357

My S&W and Colt Model 1917s with 5.5" barrels
View attachment 484358
Yea, I'd own all 3"'s if they weren't so hard to come by.
To me the 4" is the most practical.
For autoloaders I like full-size duty/target guns with barrels right about 5".. for field or city.
 
I think I have this figured out. Hiking in the wilderness areas where the predators are wolves and cats I can carry either the Smith Wesson 27 8 3/8" barrel 357 with 180 grain or 200 grain bullets or 44 mag revolver in Ruger Super Blackhawk with a possible "backup" Smith Wesson 3" Model 60 in 5 shot 357 with 158 grain rounds with dogs and bells. In areas where there are bears and cats and or wolves I can carry a 5 shot Ruger 44 Semi-Auto Carbine "Deer Slayer" circa 1970's and a Smith Wesson Model 60 357 3" backup with 158 grain soft-point rounds with dogs and bells. How does that sound? Am I missing anything?


YUP how about this?
12 Gage cylinder bore defense shotgun loaded alternately with 00 buck, and 1oz rifled slugs.
This would take down anything from a grizzly down to a Chee-hoowa-hoowa!
(Tiny dog).
One gun slung over your shoulder and you can practice un-slinging it and become as fast or faster than drawing your belt gun. Just be sure it's unloaded we don't want a video of your foot being blown off! :rolleyes: as for range those loads are effective out to about 100yds so that would be plenty in the woods where often the farthest is maybe 50yds and often less.

So that solves any power and range problems and if you go with one of those fancy ones with the multiple magazines that hold about half a box of shells and are of bull-pup design, you could take out a whole pack of wolves and the biggest lion or bear you are likely to encounter in the world, just tailor the loads to the expected threats. 00 Buck for K-9's and big kitties on this continent N. or S.,
and for the big bruins and bigger kitties like in Africa go with the slugs!
Problems solved!

That being said I'll still carry 1 of 3 guns, a 2" 38spl, a 3.5" 9mm, or a 4" revolver in either 38spl, or 357mag. because that is what I own and in my neck of the woods the biggest I have to worry about is a black bear.

Now for the common sense part. Since I'm old and slow and couldn't hear a stampede of cattle much less than a big kitty sneaking up on me. I no longer go traipsing about where I might encounter one.
So you might want to follow my lead if you are likewise challenged as I am. Otherwise just go ahead and do as you please but don't expect pity from me if you get your a$$ bit! :s0140: I just had to include this silly thing, it's too funny!:s0124:
My:s0159: worth,
Gabby
 
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YUP how about this?
12 Gage cylinder bore defense shotgun loaded alternately with 00 buck, and 1oz rifled slugs.
This would take down anything from a grizzly down to a Chee-hoowa-hoowa!

I call mine "Thumper", like the rabbit in Bambi. It stays loaded just like described. Slung butt up on my left shoulder, it is incredibly quick and easy to bring into motion. Unfortunately, carried like that requires my left hand to spend a lot of time keeping the sling in place and is more of a hassle to carry than a handgun in a holster.
 

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