I\'m not sure if this topic has been posted before or not so please forgive me if it has. I am looking at a couple different options for a sidearm while hunting this year. Last year in the area we were hunting we had the combination of cats and bears. I was carrying my S&W 9mm and I feel that it would be fine for scaring something off in a situation but sometimes it was a little more than I wanted to carry. I found a Ruger LCR today chambered in 357. It\'s really lightweight and I think would be fine for the cats but not sure about a crazy momma bear. The other option is my everyday carry which is my Glock 27 chambered in .40. What are some of the options that others carry while in the woods?
Sidearm while hunting
- Thread starter VTHOKEE
- Start date
i carried a 45 xdm with buffalo bore plus p plus 230 gr solids. honestly its prob not needed. think of how many guys are on this site, and how many total days of hunting is on here, and i dont know of anyone who has ever had to pull a gun to defend themselves, and if you did it would be more likely from the two legged version than four. prob just added weight. course i say that, and like i started off with, i carried.
I carry a Ruger LCR 357. It is light weight and will do the job if needed. It will probably never be needed, but I would rather have it and not need it, than not have it and need it. I shot a cow, the angus type, with it. The 158 grain bullet went through the head and was about 4 inches down the neck along the bones. Plenty of penetration.
Any of them can do. Really depends quite a bit on what gets hit. I always carry and have killed a bear with a .40s&w hunting them. still not sure I would really want to depend on it to stop a charge he ran a ways before expiring if he was chewing on me he could have done it for a while. But depends just like with an archery shot it can look good but arrow missed heart by thousandths of an inch animal goes longer than expected. If you hit the bones and broke them down than almost anything would work but it\'s always a gamble.hopefully you never need it if I knew I was gonna need it I wouldn\'t be carrying a pistol it would be something bigger most common handgun cartridges are ballisticlly inefficient until you get to the bigger magnums.
If a cat wants you for lunch, it will be on your back severing your spinal cord before you even know there is a big kitty around. And as for bears, you are just kidding yourself if you think you can stop a charging bear with a handgun. Sure you can kill one that is standing still with a well placed shot. But a charging bear that can outrun a horse is an entirely different matter.
About all I can say is, \" Be sure to file the front sight off of your handgun. That way it won\'t hurt quite so bad when that bear shoves it up your arse\" !
Like others have stated, I pack a pistol mainly for two legged critters. I have had two situations when I was glad I had it with me. For most other critters, I\'m hoping the noise will be enough to detour them.
About all I can say is, \" Be sure to file the front sight off of your handgun. That way it won\'t hurt quite so bad when that bear shoves it up your arse\" !
Like others have stated, I pack a pistol mainly for two legged critters. I have had two situations when I was glad I had it with me. For most other critters, I\'m hoping the noise will be enough to detour them.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
i hunt with hunter\'s i can outrun. 
IF i were to pack a sidearm, i would use a S&W 686P. 7shot .357 mag.
i\'ve seen me shoot a handgun...i would die. cats are fast..i dont think i could hit my housecat if she didnt want me to. a cougar..i would be cat poop.
bear..hope the bear likes pee laced chinese food..i would pee myself.
IF i were to pack a sidearm, i would use a S&W 686P. 7shot .357 mag.
i\'ve seen me shoot a handgun...i would die. cats are fast..i dont think i could hit my housecat if she didnt want me to. a cougar..i would be cat poop.
bear..hope the bear likes pee laced chinese food..i would pee myself.
\">>>---WW---->\" said:
You are 100% right about the cats. We had one move into our area last year and we are pretty sure that\'s why that area went south. Once we found a fresh killed mule deer I didn\'t go back in there. I know you can\'t stop a charging bear and have no intention of putting my self in a situation to make one charge. I guess it would be more of a deterrent than anything for the two mentioned animals. But 9/10 times they are gone before we even know they were there.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
You guys ever see that GoPro video of cat kill! Camera was on the deer! Took less that an eye blink.
Sent via Jedi mind trick.
Sent via Jedi mind trick.
For all you guys that carry mainly for protection from 2 legged critters, you may be justified. Here is something I read on another site.
According to statistics, black bears kill less than one person per year. However, 1 in 16,000 people commit murder every year. How true this is, I don\'t know. Just repeating what I read! :mg: :mg: :mg:
According to statistics, black bears kill less than one person per year. However, 1 in 16,000 people commit murder every year. How true this is, I don\'t know. Just repeating what I read! :mg: :mg: :mg:
