Anyone using a SA revolver for woods carry?

[silversnake]

LOL....... timely thread....... LGS has a used 4" Ruger SA .357 that was calling me out to me........ held it ........ couldn't figure out what it could do that my 681 couldn't........................................

Close call near miss ...... but I saved $400+

That's my take on it too, if I'm out in the woods I'd rather have a DA revolver for simplicity if I have to defend myself. A single action .22 (or .32) would be perfect for small game, though.

The only advantage I see is that in some very big calibers the single action might weigh less than an equivalent DA, e.g. a Freedom Arms in .500 Wyoming Express is much lighter than a S&W 500 Magnum.

 

[Bat Guano]

It varies, but I like my Ruger NM Blackhawk Convertible 4 5/8" with the ACP cylinder. With the alloy trigger guard/grip frame and ejector housing, it's very light for the caliber and carries well. With either the ACP cylinder or the .45 Colt cylinder it's scary accurate, and has all the power I want these days. A primo "packing pistol" if you will.

Way back when I picked up an OM Flattop .44 Magnum and had it bobbed off to 4 5/8". Nice gun, but it kept launching ejector rod housings. I finally had it rebarrelled but by then the NM Convertible was the go-to gun.

Have also fooled with a NM .357 Flattop, which is a nice gun but HEAVY. Tried a NM .44 Special Flattop but never could come up with a cast bullet load that wouldn't lead. So by default the .45 Convertible is it.

If I could ever find an OM .45 Convertible (again--had one and sold it) I'd
like to try it because of the simpler and stronger lockwork.

 

[Naphtali]

If yes, what are you packing? I'm thinking a short barreled Ruger in a .44+ caliber.

FA Model 97 45 Colt 4.25-inch barrel - loaded to emulate a full power 300-grain 44 Magnum. Two CCI shot shells are in my 7X Leather Klein Special McKeever Box-style cartridge carrier.

 

[Simson-Suhl]

I have 160 acres of wild woods in Woodward County, Oklahoma; my two carry revolvers are either a Colt SAA NRA Centennial 4 3/4" barrel, 45 Colt, or my custom shop Freedom Arms 4 3/4 in 454. Both have a cross draw holster.

 

[Jingles]

It's a little heavy but worth the weight. 44 mag, 3 3/4" barrel. Bisley grip makes shooting pretty comfortable.

 

[Faulkner]

There must be the potential for a lot of big critters and bad stuff happening where a lot of you guys walk in the woods. For woods walking its almost always a .22LR for me, usually the cylinder is loaded with one round of shot shell and 5 rounds of hollow points.

 

[BSA1]

I have a matched pair of Ruger Vaqueros in 45 Colt that I have owned for over 20 years. They have seen a lot of use in CAS and in CMSA. In addition to the usual action job I installed Ruger Blackhawk hammers.

In the interest of full disclosure I don't carry them much. I let my horse carry it in a pommel holster.

 

[model70hunter]

I grew up carrying Dad's Ruger SS old 3 screw with the 4 5/8th " bbl.

I killed many edibles with it and entry of vermin. That was before Mo had Bear, cougar and 2 legged dope growers in the woods.

I inherited it from Dad. I still carry it at times. Prefer my SW 22 Masterpice.

I have owned 2 Rugers, 3 screw 4 5/8" in 41 mag. They were the perfect packing size. I always seemed to take my Python or M 29. Even though the Ruger rode so well I did not know it was on my hip.

In my mad dash to acquire more 27s, 19s etc I traded both off. I would like another and I promise not to get rid of it. I carry my 686 now. Or my 66. Given a third chance I would carry the 41.


)

 

[rbrbrb6]

Most often it is a 4" S&W barreled Ruger old model Blackhawk in 41 Special.

 

[Highhawk1948]

Last time I took some visitors to the woods for a tour I was carrying a Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt just in case we had a problem with a black bear.

 

[BearBio]

Don't think you can do better than a 45 Colt Blackhawk. Can be loaded with factory loads from mild to wild==hotter with handloads. Sufficient to drop anything in North America. If you have a 45 acp cylinder, double your pleasure!

 

[turnerriver]

I carry this old model .41 Magnum Blackhawk sometimes when I'm out in the Everglades.
According to all the Tarzan movies I've ever seen all I need for alligators is a knife.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[BearBio]

I carry this old model .41 Magnum Blackhawk sometimes when I'm out in the Everglades.
According to all the Tarzan movies I've ever seen all I need for alligators is a knife.
Regards,
turnerriver

Only if you swim like Johnny Weissmuller! BTW: He was coached by "Duke" Kahanemoku.

Good choice==I carried the same rig while guiding a few times=penetrated the gristle plate or a skull on a hog better than a 44 Mag.

 

[Erich]

Dang it: I haven't had any nostalgia for my .41 Blackhawk in the fifteen years since I sold it.

Until now.

 

[cmansguns]

For woods carry around central Virginia, it is usually my Ruger Single Six convertible with the non-fluted 22 Magnum cylinder aboard and rides in a Galco leather western style rig. Very comfortable......but no "bear" gun!

For hiking in North Carolina (some areas) especially State Parks I carry the S & W 637 in a IWB because the Laws are...NO open carry at all. One Ranger told me that IF I elect to conceal carry....I'd better be sure that my cover clothing doesn't give off any hint (or print) cause then according to him " It is no longer concealed".

Anyway I'm a visitor from out-of-State so I'm afraid it spends its time in the glove box (locked and out of sight of course), so I suppose what I carry depends on where, and whose, "woods" I'm walking around.

Now....this thread is getting awful close to "another bear gun thread" and we dang sure don't want that so I'll just add that I haven't visited the woods of the far Western States so I can't say......but are you guys packing those 44 Maggies, 50 AE's and up really worried about bear, or is it Sasquatch (aka Big Foot)? Now there is a thread worth starting.

 

[mic214]

My choice is a Ruger SBH for woods carry:



The "Guides Choice" chest holster works great for packing the big iron:

 

[Filo McShoe]

I use to brush hunt in Texas with a Ruger 44 carbine and carried a Super Blackhawk for back up. I think it had about a 4.5" barrel shortest one they made at the time I think used a Bianchi Lawman holster rode high on the belt and has a retaining strap.
Had one hunt where after tramping around the woods all day came back to the camp put the rifle up. While leaning over the cooler getting a drink a buck walks into the camp. Slowly un-holstered the Blackhawk and shot him. Made me wonder why we spent all day walking around when we could have sat there drinking beer waiting for the deer to do the walking.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

When I am in the mood to enjoy the outdoors with a touch of historical flavor I prefer one of the following:

1. Colt Single Action Army, 1979 Custom Shop production, .44 Special.
2. Colt Single Action Army, Frontier Six Shooter, 1914 production, .44-40.

Either one will handle anything I might come across in Colorado. Hammer fully down on an empty chamber, 5 rounds of .44 caliber kick-***. Colonel Sam Colt seems to have gotten it right in 1873, and the same guns are being made (and copied again and again) 145 years later.

 

[RGVshooter]

In deep south Texas when I'm out in the ranchlands I'll open carry my 4" s&w model 10 heavy barrel 38 special. First couple rounds will be CCI Pest control shotshells, the rest will be Remington G&W box 125gr +P's. And I'll have a couple speed strips with 12 more rounds of the 38 special +P's.

Sometimes I'll carry my 642 and just load that up with the shotshells. My main concern are snakes. Rattlesnakes in particular. They're common down here.

I'm not worried about Bears since there isn't any that I know of this far south. There are wildcats down here, cougars & ocelots but to see one is exceedingly rare. Most common large game I may encounter are feral hogs. But at first sound of a human they'll take off running.

 

[BearBio]

For woods carry around central Virginia, it is usually my Ruger Single Six convertible with the non-fluted 22 Magnum cylinder aboard and rides in a Galco leather western style rig. Very comfortable......but no "bear" gun!

For hiking in North Carolina (some areas) especially State Parks I carry the S & W 637 in a IWB because the Laws are...NO open carry at all. One Ranger told me that IF I elect to conceal carry....I'd better be sure that my cover clothing doesn't give off any hint (or print) cause then according to him " It is no longer concealed".

Anyway I'm a visitor from out-of-State so I'm afraid it spends its time in the glove box (locked and out of sight of course), so I suppose what I carry depends on where, and whose, "woods" I'm walking around.

Now....this thread is getting awful close to "another bear gun thread" and we dang sure don't want that so I'll just add that I haven't visited the woods of the far Western States so I can't say......but are you guys packing those 44 Maggies, 50 AE's and up really worried about bear, or is it Sasquatch (aka Big Foot)? Now there is a thread worth starting.

1988 or '89, I saw a young bull moose tear up an elk camp in No Utah==He was fine for 3 days, then he decided he didn't like it and wanted to move it==succeeded with the tents==the 20 ft trailers were a bit much.

 

[Thuer]

When I was in America, I carried a 3th generation Colt SAA in .357

 

[mic214]

I also use a Model 1 Dual Carry holster from Lobo Gun Leathers:

 

[VaTom]

I just returned from a fishing trip in Montana. Big Sky, Yellowstone, and Ennis. Grizzly Country - saw two. Spoke with two different natives (One was a fishing guide) about what they carry. Surprising me both said they carried 10mm. One a Sig and the other a Glock. Bear spray is carried a lot there.

 

[ACP230]

I have carried an old model Ruger Blackhawk in .357 Magnum while
fishing and hunting. Took my first game animal with a reload, a snowshoe hare, with the old Blackhawk.

I don't find it heavy and it carries better in the woods than some of my other .357 and .41 revolvers.

 

[cpt-t]

I guess I am just different. I bought my first RBH 7 1/2 inch barreled 45LC/45ACP Convertible in 1971. And I find myself still drawn to this Old Gun like an Old Friend for walks in the woods where I think I just might need something a little more powerful than my S&W 6 inch 617 22LR. I usually end up carrying it in an old Bianchi X15 Shoulder Holster or an old Hunter Western style belt and holster rig. I am very comfortable with both of these rigs. I have always had a love affair with long barreled guns in Rifles, Shotguns, and Pistols ever since I was a small child. The 45LC is one of my favorite calibers to shoot and reload for. My load that I shoot 98% of the time in all my 45LC`s both Revolvers and Rifles is 7grs of Win 231 powder and a 255gr hard cast LRNFP bullets. This load is very accurate for me and I just trust it, for it has never let me down.
ken

 

[SuperMan]

For woodswalking...have a Freedom Arms 97 .41 Magnum with a 4.25" barrel and round butt... Very accurate and controllable...

Is carried in either a Simply Rugged leather holster or a Hill People Gear chest pack...

 

[Simson-Suhl]

Colt SAA in 357 Magnum or Freedom Arms Custom Shop 454, both 43/4" barrels.

 

[crsides]

In my younger days, a Ruger 44 flat top, cut to 4 /58". Now a 317 smith, mostly.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

...Super Blackhawk...

...bear...

...fortunately...I haven't had to introduce one to the other...yet...

 

[bronco45]

A Ruger Bisley 44 Special with a 4 5/8s Barrel and a Keith 255 and 8.5 grains of Power Pistol for 1,000fps. Nice shooter and worth the weight.