10 MM or .357 Magnum ?

[Ron H.]

Originally posted by NiklasP:
JD 500, I would be very interested in what is known about conditions that appear to have resulted in them feeling need to shoot. Were they actually attacked? If so, for what apparent reason? or Was the puma simply close by?

In areas I hike every trailhead has elaborate sign about what do do if mountain lion "attacks". Aside from a few small children, there are few, if any documented attacks on adults. On the other hand, there are lots of rather scared (and sometimes armed) hikers that have been hyped by those signs. Not hard to imagine that such hikers would shoot a puma on sight, claiming self defense (which might have been an honest reaction, given the hype).

I keep hoping that with all that concern about mountain lions, I will get to see one along the trail sometime. I know they are around because I see their tracks in snow and mud. Sometimes those tracks were made after I had walked or skied by, on same day.

I see bears, bobcats, foxes, yotes, grouse, turkeys, deer, elk, snowshoe hares, Abert's squirrels, bighorn sheep, goats -- still no pumas. Bummer!!

Niklas

Sir, I don't know about the case in question, but there have been several instances in the last couple years of mountain lions attacking people in Colorado. Seems like most often it's joggers or people walking their dogs in the foothills, though there was at least one attack on a bicyclist. IIRC, there were a couple attacks around Boulder last year.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[NiklasP]

Ron, I hear about those "attacks" on joggers and dog walkers. Both seem logical, especially those on dogs. Aside from actual attacks on dogs -- that may have provoked the attack, even caused "attack" when dog retreats to owner with puma in hot pursuit, or simply be considered enemy (as with javalinas -- more than a few desert quail hunters have had to rescue their dogs from javalinas) -- few of these attacks actually involved physical contact of puma and person -- at least that I know of. Also, along Front Range, people are living in prime mountain lion range where little hunting occurs. Those slow and abundant humans must sometimes seem easy pickings to unskilled young pumas or decreped old ones. Boulder certainly gets its share of nocturnal wildlife (other than UC students

).

Niklas

 

[.455_Hunter]

I grew up in the foothills just west of Boulder. The mountain lion threat is not a joke. My father had to discharge his Ruger Police Service-Six to scare away a cat who stalking him at dusk- very frightening! For the past 20 years, my father and I have always been armed while walking/hiking around my parents house. The .357 Mag is plenty of gun for cats.

 

[MTKTM]

I consider a 357 revolver to be just vastly more versatile than a 10mm semi-auto. Less expensive to shoot, huge choice of ammo varieties, there really is no comparison IMHO. For woods bumming the 357 is tough to beat. My current favorite is a 627 8-shot with a 5" barrel.

I spend a fair amount of time in griz habitat, and when I go there I carry the 500 S&W.....and a lightweight 22.

 

[rundownfid]

I am surprised that more people haven't mentioned snakes. I hate snakes, and like to have a gun to shoot them, however, I understand that retreat is an option generally with snakes, and not quite as likely from a mother bear or a pot grower. Still a largish bore revolver with snake shot up first and then a number of hollow points gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when walking the woods.

 

[NiklasP]

Most of us rundown old folks are using a walking stick when hiking. It is also great for flipping snakes out of the way. Actually, nearly everywhere I go that has rattlers and cattle and/or deer, I first notice them when they are dashing for cover. Once in cover they rattle away. Both range cattle and deer will stomp rattlers, given a chance -- hence that really mad dash for cover. Now, this is during the main part of day. Early morning and late evening I have often found them coiled up on same cattle path I was following through brush and cactus, waiting for some tasty little four-legged morsel. Great time to meet some BIG rattlers!! Copperheads are just plain scary, in part because they can be so hard to see.

Some of my trout fishing friends carry small revolvers (usually 22s) loaded with snake shot because when climing down into canyons and along canyon walls, they often find rattlers at much too close range. These snakes are not always inclined to yield right-of-way to fishermen. I use my walking/wading stick.

I am not fan of having snake shot as first load. In places where mountain lions are all too attuned to humans, or otherwise inclined to be too inquisitive, I want my first shots to be at least 38 Special +P (say FBI load). If a puma should actually attack, one shot may be all there is time for, if even that.

Bears and feral dogs one usually knows about a bit in advance. Still, I want "real deal" up first to last, especially with multiple feral dogs (I always seem to find them in groups). Bears, other than some momma bears, are much more interested in departing once they smell a person -- been through this many times with blacks.

Actually, after a few decades of hiking around in snake, cat and bear country, only once did I actually shoot a big rattler. I no longer carry a heavily loaded 45 Colt or 44-40 Ruger -- way too much weight and I have yet to fire either during trail carry. From now on it will be 38 Sp+P or .357 Mag from a long-barreled J-frame.

Niklas

 

[tdan]

If you are simply "jonesing" for an autoloader, a 10mm auto is a fine choice. As much as I like N-frame Smith's, I somehow managed to resist the siren's song of the 610. The 41Mag beats it hands down in a revolver. An L-frame Smith in 357Mag will handle most any dire situation. These threads always seem to degenerate into a grizzly bear attack scenario. In that case, I'm packing one of my MG's.......I'd be comfortable with either a 629 in 44Mag or a 625 in 45Colt. Either of these with a good hard cast lead bullet will do the job. If the job isn't done in a couple of rounds, you will regret not spending some more time on the range.........my 2 cents.

 

[Old Navy]

I shoot 10 mm and have had S&W 1006/1086, and G29 and found the G29 very easy to shoot and accurate with very hot hand loads and Wolff Spring pack installed. My full house for woods use are 180 gr Hornady XTP that are VERY HOT and are way past standard 41 Magnum commercial ammo.

I do have some fine Winchester 155 gr JHPST and some Nosler 135 JHP that are pushing 1800 FPS out the 610-3 6.5" barrel. They just make a bowling pin explode, and were very accurate in the G29 for some reason. But I was a better shot with the G29 then the S&W 10xx, I could never figure out why. I have often regretted letting the G29 go, but the lack of a safety and 4 lb trigger was too dangerous for me.

I think if in VA and running into 2 legged varmints more then little blackies, I would carry the G20, in CO with bear, lion and the occasional 2 legged varmint I would go with the 610 and 180 or 200 gr loaded hot. However with the heavy 610 I would opt for a 4" model for a little weight saving when hiking unless I was 20 or 30 something again, even then I would opt for the 4" most likely.

 

[Old Navy]

Email me if you would like a NIB 610-2 pre-lock with unfluted cylinder for $675, I know where one is currently. I would have bought it in a heart beat if it had been a 4" model.

[email protected]

 

[animalmother]

I think I have seen the same 610-2 for $675. I'm looking hard at it. I already have 5 610s (one of each barrel length from the original run, a 6-inch CH, a 3-inch 1 of 300 from Lew Horton, and and a pre-lock 610-2 4-inch). I will never have enough 10mms or 357s!