What firearm for deep woods camping?

[JC9995]

I do believe there is an old joke that states you can recognize grizzly poop by the fact it smells like pepper spray and has silver bells in it.

Agreed..... however bells do work very well in black bear country... whcih is where we live. Aint seen no grizzlies here yet.

 

[unionguy]

Another option is the S&W 610 if you want to go the 10mm route, it also shoots the .40S&W round...very much like a .357/.38sp...but one notch up the power scale. Its the large frame revolver, however, so definitely not a great choice to do double-duty in the cc mode.

 

[slingshot1943]

I do believe there is an old joke that states you can recognize grizzly poop by the fact it smells like pepper spray and has silver bells in it.

Yeah thats a good joke. We were at Terror lake hydro elec job in a Kodiak bear sanctuary area and I saw this lady go out nearly every day and she said she never saw a bear.

 

[2gr8dgs]

another vote for a 4" double action 357 from a reputable company. I would feel confident that I could deter any threat I might find out in the PNW woods with one.

 

[dolooper]

i think the bear/cougar will take you 9/40 and shove it up your ***.

Indeed. Using these calibers for bear defense it is imperative that you file off the front sight if you hope for any comfort after the bear is done with it.

 

[Descendant]

I think that "deterring" a bear calls for something other than a handgun.
If you want to avert an attack that is already in progress then a .357 or .44 mag would probably be best suited for that.
I don't think a 9mm is really going to stop that threat fast enough before you sustain life threatening injuries.

You should definitely consider bear spray.
<broken link removed>

No need to read past post #2. Good info ORBrit.

 

[swoop]

This is a very good little town & country in .357 mag that I have packed for 15 yrs. but for deep woods it's a .44 mag for me.

 

[treemanx]

Man, guys! Come on! I think as a society we have evolved beyond using violence to solve our problems! Did anyone ever think of saying some kind words to the bear? Maybe call it pretty? I think a little positive re-enforcement is the order of the day here. Hey, look how well it worked for Timmy Treadwell!


BTW~(Walk softly and carry a big stick. Basically, carry the biggest darn gun you feel comfortable shooting. I promise you it will make you feel better, if not turn an angry bear away.)

 

[treemanx]

Also- The walk softly part of my last post was just a metaphor, you actually want to make as much nosie as you can in bear country so you dont surprise them. The two times you are in the most danger is when you surprise a bear, or get between a mom and its cubs.

 

[Beefcake]

I chose a Ruger SP101 .357 3" stainless for this use. However, the best gun is the one you can get to when you need it. I haven't found a good way to carry a full-sized gun with a backpack, and the one critter encounter I have had in the NW that I thought might require using my gun occured when my .357 was tucked safely in the top of my pack... No way I could have gotten to it in time. Therefore, it isn't uncommon for me to have a .380 in my front pocket and my .357 in my backpack. Not ideal, but better than not being able to get to either one in time.

 

[fromotoc]

Either a Serbu Shorty 12 gauge or a .44 magnum. Wear a bell. Bears are extremely fast. There are alot of stories online about guns and bears, alot of mis-information and some truth. Penetration is probably the most important aspect of stopping a bear. You will probably only encounter black bears, although you never know. You are more likely to encounter a coug, but if that happens it will probably dawn on you after he has stalked you for a while and then decided to pounce, while he tears out your jugular. Definitely wear a bell, although it is not always going to deter a bear. I've encountered several black bears, with cubs. My wife and I just backed away, faced towards the bear, slowly, and haven't had an incident. I carried a .357 on the 3 occasions this happened, and kinda felt under gunned, but that realistically probably wasn't the case. And whatever you get, get at least a 4-6" barrel (if its a magnum revolver) as you lose a bit of velocity (power) when you get into the 2" barrels, and your gonna want as much power as you can get.

But, especially with a double action revolver, practice is the most important part of being able to defend yourself, especially against a very fast, moving target. You will probably only have time to fire off one round, and if you do, you'll be very thankful you practiced. And by practice, I mean shoot 1000 rounds of the ammo your gonna have in your gun before you start using it for self defense. And a shooting class is probably a good idea, too.

 

[NoAim]

Easy. Get a concealed carry pistol of your choice that is obviously acceptable for anything up to 200 pounds. 9mm, 40, 45, etc.

For anything else...bring a rifle.

 

[jimwsea]

All I need is a good stick.

 

[NK777]

IMHO a powerful enough handgun will work fine. I think one of his criteria is that he doesn't want to pack his 308 into the woods every time he goes camping. These are the Calibers you want to look at .357 Magnum, 10mm, 45 Super, 44 Magnum, and 460 Rowland. As far as which gun to buy I feel that is up you and for you to choose but know that a heavier gun will be a lot more controlable and easier to shoot, yes it will likely be more to pack but I personally wouldn't worry about that to much because it's not like we're adding 10lb's to your hiking gear or anything.

 

[sawchain guy]

Any thoughts on a Ruger SP101 in 327 Magnum.
It would be a good concealed carry, easy to pack on a hike. It is said to have as much knock down as 38+P.
I'm not sure if it would would have enough bullet weight to deter a bear, but would be better than nothing. It looks like 125gr will be the largest available.

 

[Weathermaker]

Regardless of what gun you decide on...don't forget to also carry along some toilet paper. Because, if you ever run into an aggressive bear...you'll need it.

 

[s12tactical]

Get a sig or a glock in .357 sig. Mags are 14-17 rounds and you can swap out the barrel to .40 S&W caliber if you want to shoot cheaper. I have both and feel very safe carrying it thru the deep woods. Don't forget your fixed blade knife for backup.

 

[2gr8dgs]

Any thoughts on a Ruger SP101 in Magnum.
It would be a good concealed carry, easy to pack on a hike. It is said to have as much knock down as 38+P.
I'm not sure if it would would have enough bullet weight to deter a bear, but would be better than nothing. It looks like 125gr will be the largest available.

ruger double actions are built **** for stout. no reason it shouldn't be able to shoot the heaviest bullets for 357, unless the cylinder is too short for the overall length of the cartridge. I have never shot one, but I would imagine the recoil might be a little stiff. everyone perceives recoil a little different. I have a little 640 S&W in 357, it kicks plenty, but I don't think its painful to shoot. my chioce for deep woods carry, would be a little larger framed gun.

 

[speelyei]

y'know, I just posted the relative merits of a flamethrower in another post, and then I remembered this one. Instant campfires, heat, signaling when lost... You wear it like a backpack, so I'll bet a camel-bak model could be made. Be fleet on your feet, though. If you were mauled and crushed by a flaming bear, the EMT's treating your burns would laugh when they found out you set the bear on fire. "Ha HA!" they'll say... "Mauled by his own flaming bear!"

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

"Mauled by his own flaming bear!"

What's a "flaming bear?" Is that a bear with a neckerchief, Gucci sunglasses and a lisp?

As for the SP101...I am not a fan of Ruger DA revolvers myself but I will say that there are not many rounds I would not be willing to put through one.