Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your hiking pistol?

Ruger stainless Bisley in 45 Colt with 5.5" barrel is what I typically pack in a cross draw El Paso Saddlery holster. Love that setup. I had David Clements do some trigger work, Taylor throat the forcing cone, open up the cylinder throats to 0.4525", freewheel the cylinder, install a Belt Mountain base pin and his Patridge sight. I installed a Bowen rear sight. I have killed 3 black bears and a Whitetail doe with it.

My woods bumming gun is a S&W 22LR M& P Compact. Loaded with CCI Minimags, it is very light, accurate and reliable.

It depends. Primary purpose is to to protect my dog on a walk (coyotes, rabid foxes/skunks, ).

Have carried: Springfield 1911 MILSPEC 45 acp, Ruger 4" 357 mag SS gp100, S&W 649-2 38 special, S&W 60-4 38 spec 3" full lug, 4" S&W 629 44 mag,

The 3" S&W 60-4 full-lug 38 special has been carried the most lately. Loaded with 148 grain hard cast solid base wadcutters over 3.5 grains of Bullseye.

As others, depends where and what Im doing.

Ruger 45 lc with hacksawed barrel


Colt 22 magnum

Charter arms Bulldog 44Spcl.

I prefer my Charter Arms Bulldog 44 Special for when I’m out hunting for Arrowheads.
First cylinder is loaded with CCI 44 spec snakeshot.
The other 4 or loaded with Buffalo Boar .44 spec Hard Cast wadcutters.

Charter Arms doesn't recommend hot .44 Special loads in the Bulldog.

Their wadcutter Load isn’t hot.

You sure of that? Buffalo Bore's .38 Special, hard cast, wadcutter load is in the +p category.

Just read on BB website the 44 spc wadcutter is ok for the bulldog.

Yep. Been using them for a long time. No problems.

I just got back from Montana where I was for a couple days.

I was carrying a Colt Lightweight Commander in an HPG Kit Bag, though modified for faster access by the addition of external pouches.

Is that a K-Frame rear sight?

JWP,

Good Eye,

I don't know if it is a K Frame or J Frame, but it is an S&W rear sight milled into the top of the slide.










Definitely one of my favorite 1911s for carry.



Since I was in Grizzly country, I had it topped off with my 250 grain +P 45 ACP loads.

I just switch ammo to 147gr fmj "flat points" and pack four magazines for same pistol I normally use.
The only animals I can encounter are wild boar or very rarely wolves. A wild boar ma with piglets is among the most dangerous animals one can encounter in the wilderness.

5 magazines!

You need shooting training or new eyeglasses?

These are the pistols I carry for convenience. I often use others to hunt with. Obviously I have more choices than necessary.

Most often I carry a 651 .22 WMR. especially when with a long gun along and grouse are in season. If I am after sage rats, I use its near twin a M63 .22LR.

For summer hiking in Oregon, I like my Taurus Ti 4 in .357. Two snake shot and five 158 gr XTP's.

If I may be out late, or when camping/hiking in the woods it is a 9mm or .40 S&W Glock with night sights and BB hard cast.

For trips to see my oldest son and do some hiking in Wyoming and Montana I have a .45 Colt 4 in Redhawk. A couple of snake shot and some hardcast in summer. Just hardcast in winter.

Are these factory or home cast bullets? Do you know about the brinell hardness?

I usually carry a Glock 19 with a G17 Mag or two in reserve.

That way if I lose it (haven't lost one yet, but) I can replace it quickly.

Also in a Hill People Gear chest pack, but I carry mine in the back compartment.

If I'm in coyote country (the four legged kind) taking the dogs for a 5 mile or so hike, a PMR30 or a SIG322 (when I get it).

Mackay has done plenty of shooting under adverse conditions. If he is carrying 5 mags then he needs 5 mags. He doesn't need shooting lessons or eyeglasses.

What are you talking about?

5 magazines?

There is a pic, with a single spare mag.

I will defer to all your high speed training when it comes to shooting..

SMH