I've given a lot of thought to what would constitute the ideal trail gun - a gun that, as Thomas Jefferson put it, would be "the constant companion" of my walks. Here in Arizona, although my hunting days are pretty much over, I love to photograph the magnificent scenery of this state, following in the footsteps of master photographer Barry Goldwater, whose photographic records of Arizona in the 20th Century are outstanding. At any rate, I don't like to be unarmed when out and about and often alone.
The holster gun that I strap on should have some particular features, in my opinion.
1. It should be fairly powerful - enough to put down anything from rattlesnakes to bears, in a pinch.
2. As I advance in years, recoil is a factor. I want something that, even though powerful, will "push" my hand rather than "whack" it.
3. The sights should be adjustable to fit my loads, and easy to pick up against dirt and shrubbery.
4. It should be weather-resistant.
5. It should be capable of firing shot loads with a significant amount of shot.
6. The grip should be substantial, hand-fitting and smooth.
7. It should be easy to fire, with a slick double or single-action letoff.
8. It should be fairly lightweight - a weigh-off against its power.
9. No internal locks need apply. It will have only one action condition, and that will be ready to go.
10. And finally, it should be as reliable as sunup.
With these things in mind, I set out to craft my ideal trail gun, or as some would put it, the "perfect packin' pistol."
I started with a S&W Model 625-6 Mountain Gun. This was one of the last mountain guns sans internal lock and having the firing pin on the hammer. It's in stainless steel, of course, so it's weather resistant.
The choice of .45 Colt was easy. A 250-grain slug at about 1000 fps will take down just about anything, man or beast, if properly employed. The recoil is easy to manage. It can take great shot loads for the occasional rattlesnake.
I gave it some custom touches. First, a red-ramp front sight; it's easy to pick visually in a hurry. I dislike the tear-drop cylinder release that came with the gun; I think the older style gives better purchase, and the classic look suits my sense of esthetics. I like the more hand-filling square butt N-frames, so I "converted" this round-butt gun to the square style with a set of Ahrends retro targets. They fill my hand perfectly. The gun was placed in the capable hands of gunsmith Nelson Ford for a primo action job - it's now slick as snot.
Here's a shot of the resulting gun:
To my mind, this fills the bill for a perfect trail gun better than anything else I can envision. Your mileage may vary, but this one will be a keeper for me for a long time to come.
John
The holster gun that I strap on should have some particular features, in my opinion.
1. It should be fairly powerful - enough to put down anything from rattlesnakes to bears, in a pinch.
2. As I advance in years, recoil is a factor. I want something that, even though powerful, will "push" my hand rather than "whack" it.
3. The sights should be adjustable to fit my loads, and easy to pick up against dirt and shrubbery.
4. It should be weather-resistant.
5. It should be capable of firing shot loads with a significant amount of shot.
6. The grip should be substantial, hand-fitting and smooth.
7. It should be easy to fire, with a slick double or single-action letoff.
8. It should be fairly lightweight - a weigh-off against its power.
9. No internal locks need apply. It will have only one action condition, and that will be ready to go.
10. And finally, it should be as reliable as sunup.
With these things in mind, I set out to craft my ideal trail gun, or as some would put it, the "perfect packin' pistol."
I started with a S&W Model 625-6 Mountain Gun. This was one of the last mountain guns sans internal lock and having the firing pin on the hammer. It's in stainless steel, of course, so it's weather resistant.
The choice of .45 Colt was easy. A 250-grain slug at about 1000 fps will take down just about anything, man or beast, if properly employed. The recoil is easy to manage. It can take great shot loads for the occasional rattlesnake.
I gave it some custom touches. First, a red-ramp front sight; it's easy to pick visually in a hurry. I dislike the tear-drop cylinder release that came with the gun; I think the older style gives better purchase, and the classic look suits my sense of esthetics. I like the more hand-filling square butt N-frames, so I "converted" this round-butt gun to the square style with a set of Ahrends retro targets. They fill my hand perfectly. The gun was placed in the capable hands of gunsmith Nelson Ford for a primo action job - it's now slick as snot.
Here's a shot of the resulting gun:
To my mind, this fills the bill for a perfect trail gun better than anything else I can envision. Your mileage may vary, but this one will be a keeper for me for a long time to come.
John
