Side Arm?

[Surfswest]

Just curious about what people out there use as a side arm. Going on my first hunt later on the 18th and the experienced hunter in our group recommends that we bring one. I guess this is just to cover our newbe asses.

Anyway, chime inon what you use.

matt

 

[Rancho Loco]

I've never felt the need for one - I don't worry much about the injured charging boar of fable and print..Heck, with what I shoot, if I can't close the deal at the start, I feel I kinda deserve the ass-kicking.

But a couple of times recently I've wished I had one while dealing with some pigs in beds. And then there's the farm I go to every once in awhile up here, and I know there's lots of big kitties prowling around in the dark. You can sure feel them watching you as you make your way up there in the dark.

So Santa Claus brought me a Taurus Tracker in .44 mag...So far it's been a fun shooter, and I'm now working up some loads for it.

 

[MikenSoCo]

None, just alot of extra weight to carry with the amount of hiking we do. Just pick out a tree near by before you shoot. In 20 yrs. I've only seen one charge.... a three legged 80 lb. sow! She did draw blood though, but not mine. My buddy was slower than me

 

[Speckmisser]

Matt,

A sidearm is hardly a requirement for any kind of hunting (except handgun hunting, of course), but there are times when it's nice to have one. I carry a Ruger Blackhawk in .44mag with a 7.5" barrel. This is a handful as a "backup", but that's not why I have it. When I get down in the thick stuff, which I do often, the scoped rifle isn't gonna do me much good. I sling it and pull out the hand cannon.

Anything from a .357 up should be fine. If you think you'll use it as a primary weapon, you may opt for something .41 or bigger.

Tons of discussion on this topic can be found in this forum, and in the Handguns forum down in Guns and Ammo.

Good luck!

 

[Gyopo]

Going after hogs in thick stuff (tunnels) may be a good place for handguns.
My buddy and I once packed pistols and they sorta got more in the way than anything.
Eveytime we got in and out of the truck we had to adjust.
The pistols just seemed like added weight.

My buddy had to run up a hill, the pistol slid around and the pistol started bouncing against his pecker. Talk about blue balls.

Anything a pistol will handle, a rifle will handle.
Now a bow.......

Good luck

 

[UPER]

I carry my super Redhawk .44 mag, and as mentioned in earlier posts if you are going in the thick stuff forget about the rifle. I like having it in areas that I know kitties have recently been traveling in, but who's to say even if I did have it I would have time to pull it out? An example of that is an article I read recently of a guy hunting in Alaska. He carried a .44 mag in bear country. He had just shot an Elk and while cleaning his kill heard some noise behind him, turned out to be a Grizzly that was all over him in a hot minute. He said he did not even have time to pull it out of the holster before the bear was on him. It worked him over pretty good and he played dead and the bear shuffled off. I guess it all boils down to your preference. But I think of it as when I don't have it I will wish I did.

 

[One Track]

Concure. When I first started hog huntin', I bought a Blackhawk 44 mag. Wore it on the belt one day. After that, it has stayed in the truck. Too heavy and cumbersome. If'n I was going to do it over, I'd get a lightweight titanium 44mag.

 

[Lurediver]

My side-arm or only arm is my trusty Mathews Q2XL, saved my life once!

 

[Rick]

It is too much of a hassle to carry a handgun for back up, IMHO. Sometimes I will carry a snubby .38 with shot shells for snakes, but that's it. I used to carry a big bore handgun, but got tired of the weight and that fact that it never was needed. If I have to go into the brush, I'd rather have my riot gun. If you want to carry a handgun, knock yourself out and have fun. You can always bring one and not carry it, too.

 

[larrysogla]

Just like everybody here, I only carried a handgun while rifle hunting or shotgun hunting during the first time I deer hunted way back in 1979. After that first time, the weight of the pistol and the holster and the discomfort of trying to keep the rifle stock away from bumping and scraping and being marred by the holstered pistol was just too much hassle. I only carry a rifle or shotgun when out hunting in the field. However, if camping in the boonies and sleeping in the tent, that is a different story. Inside my sleeping bag is tucked some adequate protection for 4 legged and 2 legged bandits. Oh! Deer and hog hunting I carry either a 30-'06 semi-auto, .300WM bolt gun, .338WM semi-auto, 45-70 lever gun or a 12gauge slug semi-auto. If I cannot hit the hog or deer fair and square with those sledgehammers, then a pistol will probably miss the mark by a wider margin. I feel more comfortable that I can better plug in the noggin' some chargin' boar with a long gun than with a handgun. 'Nuff said.

 

[hatchet]

its not pretty when i have to pull out the glock 20 [10mm]
she usually stays in the truck or pack though, like the boys
said, to much stuff to carry,make sure the first shot seals the
deal bro and you,ll be allright.good luck

 

[California Hunter]

Ditto here on the "pain in the butt" and general lack of use a pistol is as a secondary or backup firearm. If you are carrying a rifle or shotgun, you won't need a pistol - not for pigs anyway.