backpacking handgun

[roscoe]

Here's one fer ya -

I am an avid backpacker and usually bring a handgun. With anyone who's a serious backpacker, weight is everything, and everything from shelter to stove to sleeping bag is as light as possible. At the beginning of a 5-day walk I have been known to cut the handle off my toothbrush. I carry a little Taurus ultralight 8-shot 22 magnum, plus 24 extra shells. It weighs me down not at all (maybe 20-24 oz altogether) and fits in a little binocular case on my hipbelt. Sometimes, if I'm getting close to the border with Mexico, I carry something a little heavier, a CZ75, since drug smugglers have been known to get unpleasant. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else out there was regularly afoot for days on end and what they carried.

roscoe

gun-totin liberal

 

[PeterGunn]

Backpacking

Roscoe,

I have a home in the Blue Ridge mountains of NC that is quite remote and I do spend a bit of time tromping through the area. I will admit on the front end that I am not out for more than a day at a time usually so the weight issue factors less for me than you, obviously.

Still, my philosophy behind my own choice is about the same as yours. I am more concerned about the two-legged critters than I am about any wildlife that I may encounter. I figure if a predator has got me picked out, I am probably not going to know until it is too late anyway.

I am most comfortable with something of reasonable caliber (like .38, .357, 9mm, or .45). Most often, if you get a peek under my vest, you will find a SS Ruger GP-100 with 3 inch tube. I usually load it with either 110 gr. JHP magnums or .38 hydra-shoks. If my flavor is running more to semi-auto than my trusty S&W 4506 is the pistol of choice. If going out for only short periods, any one of my 9mm's will be at my side.

So, as you can see, I can't seem to make up my mind...

Oh well!!!

 

[mjby]

I take day trips with my kids. In my part of the world water is always a problem so I'm usually weighted down right from the start (one time we had nearly reached our planned objective but returned prematurely since we drank more than half of our water).
Bottom line - I take my BHP and two spare mags.

 

[IanS]

mjby,

Water definately weighs you down on long hikes but with thing going the way they are in you part of the world.... No disrespect to your country or ANY of its people (Jews or Palestine). But I think I would want something more heavy duty than a BHP (maybe an M4 w/M203 launcher) if I was gonna go on a "hike" with you. Two legged "critters" with bombs attached to them are still as yet uncommon here. Maybe its an overreaction on my part but maybe not. Cable news is always on but we really don't know what its like.

I pray for peace in your country and for the rest of us.

 

[clown714]

backpacker

my trail gun is a old bulldog.44spl.SS

200gr.silvertips w\speedloader.

it has many hundreds of miles on it.

it maybe a little heavy,but i can live with it.

i carry in a fanny pack above my packs waistband.

it never leaves my side,even in my sleeping bag.

just works for me

clown

 

[denfoote]

I live in the wild and wolley desert southwest. Here, it is a good idea to carry the heaviest armament you can manage. Most people carry a large bore handgun of at least .357 caliber. Witness the guy last week, who was camping and had a bear invade his tent and attack him. It was bear vs 44mag. Bear lost!! I carry a rifle and a handgun when I tramp in the desert: 30-30 Marlin lever action and my trusty Glock 36!!!!!!

 

[Jack19]

I don't get out on the trail as much as I'd like, but when I do I carry the same thing I carry in the city, Glock 29, 10mm.

 

[smith10]

Hey
Just a thought on my personal favorite backpacking,cc gun, the smith 386 mountain lite 357. Light weight and 7 rounds of magnum in a package that is large enough to shoot well, but small enough to be easy to hide/carry. Plus, with 7 shot cylinder you could carry 2 shotshells and still have 5 125 grainers on tap.
Stay safe Smith 10

 

[Onslaught]

I used to do a lot more camping, hiking, and rafting, up until my wife got pregnant, and now I have a 4 month old that I can't take with me but still can't bear to leave for more than a few hours at a time... she's just too cute and I might miss something

Anyway, My choices were always stainless steel, and I tried to go as small and light as reasonably possible. I originally also had cost in mind, because of the hazards me and my stuff may encounter. I've most often used a D&S Enterprises fannypack, but I've recently purchased an Uncle Mikes belt pouch that kinda resembles a belt-attached camera bag...

Guns I've used:
AMT 45 - not reliable... traded for...
Taurus 85ULSS - perfect for the outdoorsman who's biggest threat might be bad guys or wild dogs. I even kept the first cylinder loaded with CCI Shot shells for poisonous and unavoidable snakes (never came across one that didn't pass uneventfully ) I'd even suggest this to you, Roscoe, because it only weighs 16 oz fully loaded, and .38 +p has more punch than .22 magnum.

Only thing was, I prefer the semi-auto, so I sold that otherwise wonderful pistol and bought a Glock. First the 27, then the 23, then I decided I wanted the most bang for my buck, and now I have the 29 in 10mm. It still hasn't been on it's first voyage with me yet. It's the heaviest one yet, at 24oz unloaded... We'll see how it goes. If this one doesn't fit the bill, I'll keep it anyway, but I'll be checking out one of the Taurus Titaniums in 45LC or .41 magnum.

(added) Hmmm... I had to take a look at Smith10's S&W... Nice! I think I like it more than the last 2 "next" choices I just mentioned. I really REALLY like fiber-optic sights for outdoor "woods" use... makes the front sight faster to pick up in all those odd lighting conditions one may encounter in a wooded area. I'm planning on putting a set of Aro-Tec fiber-optic/tritium sights on that 29 too.

 

[Deuce]

You said it all roscoe. When backpacking, 10 miles into the Rockies (one way ... you know what I mean), it's my S&W 360SC or bust. It hurts like hell to shoot, but, most critters will run upon hearing a shot anyway so I don't worry so much about accuracy as with a CCW gun. Incidentally, it would have to be a very strange set of circumstances for me to CCW the 360SC.

I load with 1 .38spl in first, then 2 .38+P, and then 2 .357. It's certainly not the best, but, it's better than nothin' and I'll be damned if I'm gonna carry 1 more pound up that mountain!

 

[C.R.Sam]

Model 19 4" or 29 4". Usually.

Sam

 

[Steve Smith]

Glock 29

180 or 200 grainers from Texas Ammo or Cor-Bon. 10+1 capacity in a small, light package. Get the Pierce grip extender to help you control it.

Sam, you gotta try this, it has all the right answers.

 

[Malpaso]

Smith & Wesson makes a line of revolvers appropriately named, "The Mountain Gun". Every year it comes out in a different caliber, .357, .41mag, .44mag and .45. The larger three are N Frames, and the .357 is a 686+ 7 shot. The difference on all of them from the standard models is that the barrel has a smaller outside diameter, and only a half lug, thus cutting down on the weight. I have only shot the .357, but it is very comfortable and very accurate.

 

[Dave R]

Roscoe, I backpack into the remote areas of Idaho to fish, so I know what you mean about weight. I carry a Kel-Tec P-11 cuz its so light, but still carries 11 rnds of 9mm.

Something bigger would be much better for bear, but for self-defense its the best balance I've found between weight and firepower.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Ruger SP101 in .357

Its small, if not light and packs a punch.

 

[dairycreek]

Another vote for the S&W 386!

This TiScan 7-shot .357 weighs in (unloaded) at about 18 oz. As an ex backpacker (too old now) I think it should be just the thing. Recoil is really noticeable in .357 but much less so in 38 spcl. or 38 spcl. +p's. I carry it concealed most of the time and it is very light. FWIW! Good shooting

 

[Sierra]

I do day hikes a lot. Only out for the day, I usually carry a Makarov in a fanny pack. Probably not the ideal firearm but it is compact, reliable and easy to get to.

 

[cobraman]

I am currently transtitioning to a Glock 30 for Backpacking, kayaking and mountainbike duty. Why?
Well I got tired of carrying a 5inch 1911. Now my 1911is reliable
amazingly reliable. I mean limpwristing with my weakhand after firing 1000 rounds without cleaning it reliable and it still runs reliable. BUT, its heavy and I use it for games(IPSC, Single Stack society). I put a lot of time into it to customize it to me. I love my 1911.
The Glock is lighter and very corrosion resistant. If I bang the Glock around and scratch the finish so what? Something breaks the Armor will fix it in minutes and I dont cry about the time I spent fitting the part the first time.

 

[m14nut]

Hey Roscoe!

I used to do alot of 'packing in New Hampshire and Vermont. The one I used to bring is a stainless Security-six with a 2 3/4" bbl. These days, with my family along, I have been using my Sig Sauer P245. Loaded, they are about the same weight...

 

[matthew temkin]

I usually carry an Airweight S&W model 38. But 20 years ago I was with a young lady ( I was young, too) on a week long trip in the Adirondacks. The first dawn found us about 5 miles in by a remote lake. A very large black bear ambled into camp and was very amused by my yelling, pot banging, arm waving and other tricks recommended by outdoor experts. When he laid down about 20 feet from us snarling, we decided to back off onto some large boulders in the lake. My little 2" looked mighty small. But it is LOUD!!! I fired one shot into the air and off he went. As did we..to a nearby motel!!!
Now I carry either a Glock 19, a S&W Model 586 .357 or (just bought) a S&W 6" .44 magnum.