photoman
Member
Penetration of 125gr HP .357 magnum in ballistic gel is in the 12-14" range depending on the brand.
Penetration of 148gr wadcutter standard pressure .38 special is in the 25-30" range.
Perfect Packin' Pistol
- Thread starter Jimmymac46
- Start date
Penetration of 125gr HP .357 magnum in ballistic gel is in the 12-14" range depending on the brand.
Penetration of 148gr wadcutter standard pressure .38 special is in the 25-30" range.
batmann
Member
I flip flop between my 629 Mountain Gun and my (dare I say it) Ruger Alaskan also in .44M. Most of my gear, speed loaders etc, will fit both. I use Simply Rugged holsters and either one conceals fairly well when I wear a jacket, the Alaskan slightly better due to it's shorter barrel.
Stainz
Member
If CC isn't required - I guess my best protection/utility use here would still be the 625MG in .45 Colt, probably my 'backup', a -6 bottom, below. The -7 has a lot of nostalgia associated with it.
Yeah, J.T. proclaimed that a PPP - have to agree - as long as you can pack openly! A 255gr LSWC or Speer #4484 250gr Gold Dot at 820-900 fps is nothing to sneeze at.
Stainz
Yeah, J.T. proclaimed that a PPP - have to agree - as long as you can pack openly! A 255gr LSWC or Speer #4484 250gr Gold Dot at 820-900 fps is nothing to sneeze at.
Stainz
Another vote for the 3" Model 60. While I carry a 642 more often than not, it's not nearly as versatile as my 60-4
That's gonna be a sweet gun!!!!
HP vs. a wadcutter (semi?) is an apples and oranges comparison since a .357 semiwadcutter, 158gr, will have 27.5" of penetration. They all depend on the load.
Dave T
Member
If I didn't live in a large metro area and open carried every day, this would probably get the duty more often than any others:
It's a 1950 Model 44 Hand Ejector Target, re-barreled, re-built and re-blued after the original owner butchered it. Kind of a mountain gun...before there was a Mountain Gun. (smile)
Dave
It's a 1950 Model 44 Hand Ejector Target, re-barreled, re-built and re-blued after the original owner butchered it. Kind of a mountain gun...before there was a Mountain Gun. (smile)
Dave
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Love it Dave! Now that is a Workin' Man's Gun. It is very utilitarian, and has a great look to it. I think that is a perfect way to preserve a pistol that might have been disregarded completely.
photoman
Member
Yes. That's my point. We can't make a blanket statement that says .357 magnum will always penetrate more than .38 special (like was made in the post I was replying to).
I guess I should put in my opinion to the original post. In my mind, the best all around gun for field and carry is the 4" Model 629. Elmer had that one figured out a long time ago and the only improvement on his idea is the stainless steel.
An "everything" gun has start with a ".4" in many parts of the country, and I consider a .44 Special marginal unless you load your own with 240gr bullets moving fairly fast. For me, the obvious choice is my 3" double-Magnaported PC 629 with Fishpaws (even fit to be worn to a BBQ) in a DeSantis OWB holster. Second place is my 4" RB 25-2 with plenty of moonclips and some hot .45AR loads in bear country.
But I mostly don't hang out with bears, so it seems to me that the discussion is back to what to carry when some people may not behave. That opens the field of usable handguns up so wide that it seems pointless to rehash a half century of gun rags and a little less time on the 'net.
But I mostly don't hang out with bears, so it seems to me that the discussion is back to what to carry when some people may not behave. That opens the field of usable handguns up so wide that it seems pointless to rehash a half century of gun rags and a little less time on the 'net.
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When out in the desert or mountain area, either a 696ND or 65-5 3-inch. Plus I always have a j-frame CCed! Lately it's been my 640-1 and the 65 because of common ammo! If I had to pick one for overall, anywhere, any time, it would probably be the 65.
Bob D
US Veteran
It would have to be a 4" Mod 66 for me, loaded with 158 gr semi-
wadcutters. As far as penetration goes a miss will probably penetrate
out to 300 yards.
wadcutters. As far as penetration goes a miss will probably penetrate
out to 300 yards.
JT
Member
Semi-auto (CCW):
H&K USP .45C
Glock 27 BUG
Semi-auto (Woods):
Glock 20 or 29 10mm
Revolver (CCW):
S&W 696 ND
S&W 442 BUG
Revolver (Woods-Black Bear):
S&W any Mtn. Gun; 624 3 or 4in.
Revolver (Woods-Griz)
Ruger Bisley or Redhawk .45 Colt
H&K USP .45C
Glock 27 BUG
Semi-auto (Woods):
Glock 20 or 29 10mm
Revolver (CCW):
S&W 696 ND
S&W 442 BUG
Revolver (Woods-Black Bear):
S&W any Mtn. Gun; 624 3 or 4in.
Revolver (Woods-Griz)
Ruger Bisley or Redhawk .45 Colt
bwickens
Member
In a perfect world, you could pack whatever, where ever you wanted...and wouldn't need to. That said, this seems to break down to a rural carry vs. urban carry issue, or open vs. concealed carry. My opinion, the best compromise would be a 4" .357 K or L frame.
Well, I took the OP's meaning, based off John Taffin's writings, to mean a perfect packin' pistol for out in the woods. That said, I'd say it still depends on what woods we're talking about. The pine forests of the Carolinas are gonna be different than the scrub of Texas, and Idaho mountains are going to be different from both of them!
To me, for anything East of the Great Divide, a Glock 20 is ideal. With a 4.6" barrel, it's already more compact than a 1911 (length-wise, I'll grant you it's a lot thicker, and the heighths are about the same), but it carries 15 rounds of 10mm power (if loaded properly). And, the eastern parts of the US seem to have a bigger chance of bumping into someone in the woods who may be up to no good, like 'shiners, tweakers, or just plain badguys.
Now, if I were going up in the mountains out West, I'd leave my 10mms at home. And, while my ultimate, dream-gun is a custom 696, I have to consider what John Taffin (and the Orig. Poster) was talking about with emphasis on the word "PACKIN'." My thinking, in that case, is something that you pack along, but it's not your reason for being in the woods. You're out there camping, hiking, working -- whatever, but you're not there hunting or shooting as your main point of being there. In that case you want something powerful enough for the job, but light enough to stay out of the way. I have to go with John Taffin's choice for that type of pistol, which I believe was the 329 w/ CTC lasergrips. That pistol makes a whole lotta sense.
If'n a gun is anywhere near too heavy, it will eventually get left behind, and then it's doing you no good. That's why the Glock and a 329 are my two choices.
To me, for anything East of the Great Divide, a Glock 20 is ideal. With a 4.6" barrel, it's already more compact than a 1911 (length-wise, I'll grant you it's a lot thicker, and the heighths are about the same), but it carries 15 rounds of 10mm power (if loaded properly). And, the eastern parts of the US seem to have a bigger chance of bumping into someone in the woods who may be up to no good, like 'shiners, tweakers, or just plain badguys.
Now, if I were going up in the mountains out West, I'd leave my 10mms at home. And, while my ultimate, dream-gun is a custom 696, I have to consider what John Taffin (and the Orig. Poster) was talking about with emphasis on the word "PACKIN'." My thinking, in that case, is something that you pack along, but it's not your reason for being in the woods. You're out there camping, hiking, working -- whatever, but you're not there hunting or shooting as your main point of being there. In that case you want something powerful enough for the job, but light enough to stay out of the way. I have to go with John Taffin's choice for that type of pistol, which I believe was the 329 w/ CTC lasergrips. That pistol makes a whole lotta sense.
If'n a gun is anywhere near too heavy, it will eventually get left behind, and then it's doing you no good. That's why the Glock and a 329 are my two choices.
semperfi71
US Veteran
M657-4 in a high ride hip holster loaded with the Hornady 210 grain FMJ bullet [no longer made I have a stockpile] to about 1100 fps. With two speedloaders on the offside. Old pic, sixgun now wears Pachmayer rubbers for control.
Mule88
Member
Probably go with my 629 mountain gun but my 696 would be ridin on its tail.
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