What sidearm do you carry when hunting?

[Wood Worker]

I used to carry my S&W mod 57, or 1006, but in the past few years have misplaced one of my magazines for my 10mm, so I carry my glock 20 with the 6" hunters barrel and 200 grain jhp's.
If I ever find or buy more mags for my 1006, I will go back to carrying it.

 

[raisersedge]

I was wondering where everybody carries there sidearm. I cant figure out where you could carry it and keep it safe, available, and comfortable. I wear a pack which rules out a belt carry. My bino buddy and coat rule out a shoulder rig. A tac rig on my leg is cumbersome and gets in the way on a sneak. So where is the best place to carry a sidearm. When I pack meat I carry a pistol as I don't want to have to carry my rifle. Usually I put it in a ziplock and throw on top of the meat in my pack. Any help would be great.

 

[The B]

I was wondering where everybody carries there sidearm. I cant figure out where you could carry it and keep it safe, available, and comfortable. I wear a pack which rules out a belt carry. My bino buddy and coat rule out a shoulder rig. A tac rig on my leg is cumbersome and gets in the way on a sneak. So where is the best place to carry a sidearm. When I pack meat I carry a pistol as I don't want to have to carry my rifle. Usually I put it in a ziplock and throw on top of the meat in my pack. Any help would be great.

pistol on a pistol belt.. if the pack messes with it, shift it forward an inch.

this year, i've returned to my once tried and quickly abandoned thigh rig for climbing, and will likely use it for hunting as well. pack wont bubblegum with your pistol down on your leg.

there are also dropped/extended belt holsters available, that should easily clear a pack.. lots of guys are digging them.

 

[raisersedge]

The belt on my pack is pretty thick. for a holster to go below it would flop around to much. A thigh rig or what I refer to as a tac holster always seems to shift causing chafe, it also hang up on every limb and piece of brush.

 

[The B]

The belt on my pack is pretty thick. for a holster to go below it would flop around to much. A thigh rig or what I refer to as a tac holster always seems to shift causing chafe, it also hang up on every limb and piece of brush.

dunno, man.. there's about 200,000 guys out there using both systems in some pretty extreme environments, and with success... you're either using crap or not using it right. my thigh rig does not chafe, does not shift, and doesn't get any more hung up than any of the other crap hanging off me, nor any more than when i had the pistol on my pistol belt... and it's just a POS unky mike's LE rig.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

The belt on my pack is pretty thick. for a holster to go below it would flop around to much. A thigh rig or what I refer to as a tac holster always seems to shift causing chafe, it also hang up on every limb and piece of brush.

I'd figure a way to attach your belt holster to the pack belt. Install some snaps, or rivet or screw it on. Think about riveting a nylon holster to your pack belt permanently.

 

[Judicator811]

<broken link removed> in a BlackHawk drop leg holster. Doesn't annoy me, and keeps 20 rounds of 45 available in case I need them.

 

[rrojohnso]

<broken link removed> in a BlackHawk drop leg holster. Doesn't annoy me, and keeps 20 rounds of 45 available in case I need them.

HK45? Bah.... get yourself a 1911!!!

 

[orygun]

I use one of two things to pack a backpack and a handgun at the same time. One is a belt slide holster for my 1911. Even with the waist belt for my pack it's fairly comfortable if shifted a bit forward, as bkb000 mentioned.
The other set up is a Hunter holster for my Blackhawk. That one I feed the waist belt from the pack thru and carry it in a cross-draw position. It's actually the better of the two for quick access and is what I do when not carrying a rifle.

 

[plumberfishes]

My new to me carry gun for this year , replacing the old tried and true smith 19...... is a tarus titanium .357 .. its ported so muzzel jump is not too bad, and its very light. Now, it does have a bit of handshock.... but I can live with that for the 6 rounds i will be pumping out should the need arise. As for the holster, I am using a custom molded kydex drop leg job. it encloses the entire gun up to the rear of the cylinder, and holds on tension on the sides of the gun , all I have to do is grab and tug..and because it is a full cover it keeps all the crud out of my gun, the drop leg keeps it out of the way of my pack/bow.

 

[clownbuster]

When bowhunting, a Glock 29 10mm, full-size 15 round mags with mag adapter, Storm Lake 4.48" non-ported extended barrel, full of 200gr WFNGC hot handloads sitting in a Blackhawk Serpa thigh rig. No chaffing, no problems. My avg hike is 15 miles a day when elk/deer hunting/backcountry backpacking.

 

[raisersedge]

When you pick your caliber remember this is for when it gets bad. You need to be able to deliver enough energy in one spot to cause central nervous system shutdown. Who here has shot a bear with any rifle and had it drop in its tracks? Now you have a possibly wounded bear in the brush at full charge, You need to be able to spinal the bear as it comes at you head on. Two options you can shoot it in the head and hope that kills it or wait for it to be on top of you and shoot it behind the head and sever the spinal column. You need to kill the bear stone cold drop in the tracks dead. I have seen what pistols do to bears, I have seen 40 smith bullets stop on the shoulder blade(near side). I have seen 44 magnum bullets, 4 of them in fact shot into the chest cavity and the bear still whooped two dogs and gave the hunter 17 stitches. Lastly I recall skinning a bear for a client and finding a 308 round flattened against the skull. That round was fired from about 80 yards. So choose the biggest caliber you can and make sure you file the front sight off.

 

[jdub75]

I carry my .40 with only FMJ's--no HP's.

 

[wyattburp]

I'm going to try taking my SW 500 on my next trip. I picked up a chest rig for it that has received really good reviews (Diamond D guides choice chest holster)... I should have the holster by end of the week to try out.


If it's too much/heavy for me, I'll probably downsize to a 44 mag.

 

[Caleqs]

Usually my G19 or G17. Sometimes S&W .357 revolver. I'm not hunting where I'm worried about big predators, for the most part. If I am, the .357 is first choice. Mostly carrying to ward off any two-legged animals, so my EDC is my choice.

 

[Pigdog]

SW99c in .40. I carry it in a cheap pocket holster that I riveted into a nice binocular case that I sewed onto the padded belt of my hunting pack. The binocular case/holster has a flap with a magnetic closure, it works great.

 

[bralko85]

I was wondering where everybody carries there sidearm. I cant figure out where you could carry it and keep it safe, available, and comfortable. I wear a pack which rules out a belt carry. My bino buddy and coat rule out a shoulder rig. A tac rig on my leg is cumbersome and gets in the way on a sneak. So where is the best place to carry a sidearm. When I pack meat I carry a pistol as I don't want to have to carry my rifle. Usually I put it in a ziplock and throw on top of the meat in my pack. Any help would be great.

Belt or drop leg will work, as long as you get the gear combination right. I used to worry about my pack's padded belt interfering with my hip carry and the draw, but a little fiddling with the set up and all is well. With a drop leg rig, as long as you cinch it up tight so it sits just below your hip joint you will have no issues. The further it gets from the hip the more instability and chafing you will get. My set up came factory with two thigh straps. I cut the upper strap off so I could get a higher ride while NOT sabotaging my valuables. If you can't get either to work, use a chest rig. MOLLE attachments with a modular kydex holster will serve well.

 

[JC9995]

G23 with FMJ and an extra mag.

 

[JGRuby]

I have hunted with a Model 28 s&w on my side for the last 20 years plus. It was the first handgun model I got when I was sixteen. It has weight and the weight provides comfort. I have gone to using a 4" barrel. My handgun is always ready - once I leave the house to the time I get home. I even sleep with mine - it is something that I have no reservation about and I trust it explicitly.

James Ruby

 

[Pilot Polda]

Depends on what I'm hunting, knife for deer no preds on our island except the two legged ones. When bear hunting one person always has a 12ga 870 police. Elk hunting I use my dads smith & wesson Air light .357 because my xd .45 tact gets heavy after a couple days.