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

[Jitterbug]

4" is the maximum barrel length I can comfortably hip carry on an N frame or Redhawk style revolver. The Simply Rugged Pancake works well for me.

In my opinion the .44 gives up a lot going from 5" to 4" but it's still viable, from 4" to 3" it just gives up to much velocity as a heavy woods gun in my opinion, but probably still fine in certain parts of the country.

For lighter woods carry a 10mm 1911, with a 4.25" barrel carries nicely.

 

[badguybuster]

Dan Wesson Bobtail in 10mm

 

[Jitterbug]

Yep, that's what I've used for a few years...nice gun the Bobtail. Too bad they quit making them.

 

[mchech]

My S&W 629 4" shooting a flat nosed hard cast 300 grainer with a full charge of H110. I'd carry it in a Simply Rugged chesty rig or a Grizzly Tuff holster. It's what I got, what I am used to shooting and what I think would give me a fighting chance. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Dodobird1589]

Id take a 4 inch 627 pro. For reference doug wesson killed i believe it was either a grizz or brown with one shot from a 357 at 125 yards, 8 inch barrel. So clearly 357 Can get it done

 

[Mike1957]

Don`t know why long guns would be forbidden if handguns were not, but if the boss said "No long guns!", and there were big bears around, I would cheat and carry my Browning BAR .338 anyway.
If caught by the boss, the worst he could do is fire you. Not so with the bear.

 

[off road]

Id take a 4 inch 627 pro. For reference doug wesson killed i believe it was either a grizz or brown with one shot from a 357 at 125 yards, 8 inch barrel. So clearly 357 Can get it done

Every time, someone comes up with one of these anecdotal 'the .357 has taken every game animal on the planet' statements. Yes....it can be done if you are 'hunting', and you wait for a perfect shot at your unsuspecting victim. You want to try this same thing with a grizzly that is all hyped up (not unlike a human on PCP) and charging you head down? I don't think so....

 

[Dodobird1589]

heres the link regarding game animals taken. 357 Magnum in use

and quite honestly there are few dangerous animals i would want to take head on charging me with any gun, adrenaline and the biology of many four legged critters of any size make head on shots much less effective

 

[senecaap]

After last night, I must say you need to carry what you will take the animal down quickly. I have friends who carry 9mm/.357/.40 in the woods say:
"It doesn't really matter if I meet a bear. If I shoot near it, it will be scared off."
Last night, my house, black bear just hanging out by the side door. I shoot my .44 at its feet from about 7 feet away. He looks at me and then wanders around the corner to sit on my deck. All i am saying is don't count of the report or proximity of the shot o scare it make sure it is a gun that can do the job.

 

[M3Stuart]

Do they make those full-auto Glocks in 10mm?

Do you think a bear would run away if you hit him with a flare gun?

I'm not much on 41's, 44's, 500's etc.

 

[K1500]

I have had to make this choice before. I have carried:

A 6.5" 629 Classic .44 mag. I shoot it very well but it is long and heavy

A 4" 329pd .44 mag. It is light but I have had reliability issues and find it hard to shoot well.

A Glock 20sf 10mm. A joy to carry and I shoot it very well.

Most recently, the G20 has been my pick. I like the way it shoots and carries, and the capacity doesn't hurt. Truth be told, I could do it with any of the above, but I dislike the 6.5" barrel for carry in the 629.

 

[M29since14]

Almost like another "bear thread!" - but not quite.

I've done very little trekking in grizzly territory, but when I did we rode horses and when we walked it usually was on rubble that was so difficult that carrying anything was a hassle. My big worry was falling and scuffing up my gun and leather. I had a 4-inch Model 29 then, in a Bianchi 5BHL holster and 1-1/2" lined belt. Everything worked perfectly and I don't recall even thinking about the weight of the stuff. (But I was a lot younger then. )

These days, I would probably try to scrape by with the 329PD, thinking I wouldn't shoot much anyway. It is tough to justify carrying more than a box of cartridges with the other junk you are usually lugging around. When I was walking, I usually had only 12 rounds with me - six in the gun and six in a dump pouch.

 

[iflyem1]

I guess if Brown or Grizzlies are around I would want something on the order of a 454 or the S&W 500. No Browns around I like the S&W 629 44 mag, or a Ruger Redhawk 44mag, 4inch

 

[macbullet]

OK....how about an AMT V in .50 Action Express. We don't get the big bears here but there are plenty of Black Bears and Mountain Lions to watch out for, so I carry this or a .44 Mag Mt Revolver out in the hills.

 

[El Dorico]

I have a friend who lives in Alaska, and he gave me some good advice about guns and bears. He said that no matter what sidearm you carry, just be sure and file off the front sight. That way, when the grizzly takes it away from you and shoves it up your backside, it will not hurt as much.

 

[getoff]

the 686 for me. 7 shots are better than 6. hopped up, cast bullet loads would probably do the trick, unless the bears are real hungry...

 

[Neumann]

You work for the fish and game department? Your trouble is most likely to walk on two legs and be armed. If you expect trouble, carry a black rifle or shotgun, and have friends doing the same. In calmer times, any weapon typically carried by police would do, preferably in a drop holster with retention.

 

[CajunBass]

For the conditions described in the OP, I'd want a good radio. And an artillery fire base on call. Maybe some fast mover air support as well.

Seriously, I suspect a Ruger Super-Blackhawk in 44 Magnun would have to do. It's about as big a handgun as I have any experience with.

But here in central Virginia, we seem to be short of big bears. The blacks that get reported could probably be diverted with a bag of bird seed, since they seem to go after bird feeders as much as anything.

So far a Ruger Bearcat, or Single-Six has kept the ninja pine cones at bay. Now that I got a 22 Combat Masterpiece, that will join the rotation.

 

[roaddog28]

I already have a revolver that is a all around woods gun. That would be my Blackhawk 357 magnum 4 5/8 . It also has a 9mm cylinder. The OP indicated a fellow might see a Grizzly once in a while. Nothing short of a shotgun with slugs and bear pepper spray would give a average person any shot it the Grizzly is angry. A 44 magnum might work if shot placement is right but odds are that is not going to happen. For anything else a 357 magnum can doe the job. A 180 gr hardcast round from Buffalo Bore or others will work on anything up to a small black bear. That is good enough for me. Anything else I prefer a rifle.
Regards.
Howard

 

[arjay]

I take my 4 inch anaconda or a painted government model if there are no bears.All of my smiths are blue and old and I don't want to put holster wear on them.