What's YOUR Pick for a Woods Gun?? Play Along Please...

[off road]

Anyway, your best strategy is avoidance. If you can't tell that a bear is there before you turn a corner and find one 10 feet away, you don't belong in a wilderness service.

We ride quiet dual-sport motorcycles (street legal dirt bikes) and a dozen times a year I come around a blind corner and there is some wildlife standing there in the middle of the trail. Lots of bears, and one time it was a cub....and I presume mom was close by somewhere. Didn't waste any time beating it out of there!

My last encounter was a mountain lion. It was sitting on one side of the road, stalking a dove that was sitting on the other side. I rode down the middle right between them, and the lion's surprised eyes followed me as I sped past. Bird flew off, and the lion is still wondering what in the world happened.....

 

[senecaap]

Seneecap; Here is that 5" converted HD to 44 special I carry. I have 7 .44 specials. I recently bought a 5 1/2" ruger flat top in .44 special That I am just starting to work with. Hell, heres pictures of all seven!

That is a sweet HD. I just picked up one of the new 21TR models, an almost twin to yours. The HDs and .44 Militarys and 1926 .44s are some of my favorites, real fighting handguns and all the gun you need for most situations. Is the top right a converted Outdoorsman?

 

[BearBio]

"Anyway, your best strategy is avoidance. If you can't tell that a bear is there before you turn a corner and find one 10 feet away, you don't belong in a wilderness service."

Should get out of the city sometime.....The wind in dry grass can drown out a person's voice, much less wind in Douglas firs or whistling down a canyon. Cars a mile away can drown out animal sounds. That is why bear bells aren't recommended any more.

Read about the Saga of Hugh Glass sometime==a VERY experienced mountain man attacked by a grizzly and left for dead.

Avoidance is good but not always practical.

The year I left Cali, two varmint hunters were calling varmints up near Mt Pinos in Ventura Co. Got up to leave and spooked a bear only about 10 feet away. He was sneaking up on the "hurt little rabbit". I watched bears for over 2 years, weekly, if not daily for several hours. Trust me, they can be quiet (shhhhh!!!!!)

 

[bubbajoe45]

Got griz here. I often carry one these 29s:

. . . but sometimes one of these lighter .44 Spl. with 240 LSWC and Skeeter's Unique load. I have been lusting after a 329NG though, as I think that would be handy and versatile.

 

[ExMachina1]

a 4 3/4" Bisley converted to 500 Linebaugh (or 500 WE)

plenty of gun but not as insanely large as a S&W 500 (which would have been classified as a "horse pistol" in the olden days )

 

[uymike9]

My choices are Model 686-5 Mountain Gun or 629-4 Mountain Gun depending on location.

 

[Jswiney9]

hmmm, I dont understand a lot of people wanting to carry around a long barreled gun for serious woods protection. What are you going to do (God forbid) if one of these animals actually has the chance to pounce you and you are flailing around a long barrel? Short, powerful is ideal IMHO. but hey, different strokes for different folks.

i live in black bear country, nothing any more dangerous than that except for drug dealers on the mountain.

right now im carrying a RIA 1911 .45 hopefully here soon i will have either a G**** 20sf .10mm or a .44

 

[A10]

1. 3" 629 Trail Boss
2. .45 Colt mountain gun with hot loads
3. 3 1/2" 27
4. 5" 27
5. 6" 629

Got them all, have carried each in the woods. Each has had a speed loader or speed strips to go along with it, stoked with shotshells.

 

[CWH44300]

Got griz here. I often carry one these 29s:

. . . but sometimes one of these lighter .44 Spl. with 240 LSWC and Skeeter's Unique load. I have been lusting after a 329NG though, as I think that would be handy and versatile.

Looks like you have the same problem I have.....LOL. A thing for a pair and a spare. Good looking bunch of sixguns you got there, enjoy them

 

[feralmerril]

senecapp; No, that top right 6 1/2 " is a triplelock. It left the factory as a plain fixed sight. I have it lettered. It was returned in 1949 and again in 1950 and target sights were installed somewhere along the line. I bought it around 1974 and it was all done before that. I went out with 3 or 4 other .44 specials and a model 29-2 and it easily outshot all the rest off the bench!

 

[snubbiefan]

How about a short-barrel Remington Model 870 loaded with 5 slugs and a model 317 in your pocket for the smaller stuff..


Just kidding guys, but he did say to "play".

 

[Leathermarshmallow]

I would love to have a mountain gun or other short barrel model 29 variant. However, in the woods, I generally carry a .44 special Charter Arms or a Ruger SP101 or a Sig P239. I can't wait to get my SW 29 variant.

 

[336A]

This Ruger 4 5/8" BH .41 mag with appropriate ammo

 

[c21yankee]

woods gun

629 classic 5"

 

[sgt.207]

4" 25-5 in 45LC, 6" 29, 6" 57, and Glock 20 in 10mm

 

[mattallamerican]

my 629 mountain gun

 

[shoot]

629 Back Packer is one of my choices, or a Les Baer TR Special,

Chuck

 

[Wheelgunner840]

Would have to be a wheelgun.

Would have to be chambered in a cartridge with a big punch.

Would be a Ruger SRH loaded with my heavy reloads which consist of a 310 gr. Laser Cast LWNFP that zips out at 1155 FPS. The slug has a very wide meplat. Kinda resembles a FWC with just a slight taper. None of the animals mentioned would enjoy being hit with these. Of course, if it was a grizz, I would have to be real lucky to hit it shooting over my shoulder while running away at full speed, screaming like a little kid!

Sorry folks, but I just don't subject my model 29 to that kind of abuse! The SRH handles them with ease. Now if I wanted to impress the bears with the handguns beauty, I would take the model 29!


WG840

 

[ab4ka]

if there are bears around I want big...like a S&W .460 or .500 Magnum. No bears? Give me a .44 Magnum, maybe a 6" model 629

 

[310Pilot]

Up here in the White Mountains of Arizona we have all the critters listed except the Grizzlies, and there is an increasing problem with aggressive Black Bears, especially since the recent Wallow Fire, which has displaced a lot of them. The feral hogs are out there, too, but not officially recognized. In order, here is what I carry (sidearm) when on a "walk in the woods:" 1) S&W .500, 4", 2) S&W .500, 8 3/8" 3) Model 629 .44 Mag 4" 4) S&W 6.5" pre-29 .44 Mag 5) Ruger 5.5" Super Blackhawk .44 Mag. I definitely prefer the 4"4) 500 for its power and ability to be brought into action rapidly, loaded with my 455 grain solids (hard cast) at a power level that will do the job on a too close and angry bear, yet with fast follow-up shots. The best defensive weapon in bear country, of course, is a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs. A buddy had an encounter with a black bear in his backyard night before last, it charged him, and he couldn't draw fast enough to clear leather. Fortunately, he lit up the bear with a 700 lumen light and caught it in the eye, at which point it turned away and took off, while my friend beat it back to the house. He decided he's not going out at night to investigate when the dogs go nuts without a 12 gauge and a powerful light, with the shotgun already at his shoulder. He can't believe how fast a bear can move!