Side Arms While In The Field

[The Savage Rabbit]

Although I have carried a 5" Smith & Wesson 629 Classic in .44 Mag. this past weekend in Tejon, the heavy Smith tended to pull my pants down just a bit too much for my comfort. That's why the Glock has me thinking that it would be a better all around field gun. The Glock design makes for a great camping, hiking, and carry pistol while hunting. It's poymer frame makes it a light weight arm to carry. The frame is not likely to scratch even if it is skipped across gravel like a rock on a pond. The Tennifer finsih on the slide is reputed (I've heard) to be one of the toughest finishes on the market.

However, the gun is also dead reliable and reasonably accurate. When loaded with 180 grain FMJ .40 loads it is a great all purpose out doors pistol. The G23 is compact, lightweight and when loaded with 180 gr. FMJs moves at about 980 fps. I think that should penetrate deeply enough for a general field pistol (not a primary hunting arm). However, I don't think I'd carry a .40 S&W into tall grass after pigs.

If the Glock 23 .40 S&W is a good field pistol, the Glock 20 in 10 mm would be a great field pistol. Packaged in the same light weight indestructible polymer frame and topped with the same diamond tough tennifer coated steel slide, the Glock 20 is the Glock 23’s Super Id. The G23 strikes me as the sensible work-a-day pistol that does an adequate job with not a lot of flash and fuss. The Glock 20 is the experiment in “what if.” What if we could put more horses under the hood? What if we could put more gigabytes in an iPod? What if Evil Knievil could jump 30 school buses? The G20 is the end result of Glock’s “what if.”

The G23 tosses a 180 grain bullet at 980 fps. The G20 slings, in the 10 mm’s original Norma recipe, a 200 grain bullet at 1200 fps - not once, not twice, but up to eleven times before the slide locks open. NRifenbark crunched the numbers a while back and opined that that is in the .41 magnum class. Why build a semi auto pistol with that kind of power? Because I can’t think of a better pistol to carry into thick oak scrub after a wounded wild boar or, when not hunting pigs, for making eleven potentially dangerous cinder blocks go snap, crackle, pop.

On the other hand, the Smith is sure is puuurty. Just my two cents. I saw a lot of guys carrying sidearms this last weekend. What are your opinions?

 

[Speckmisser]

Depends on why you're carrying, I suppose. I carry my Super Blackhawk .44 because I like to use it in the thick stuff where there's not much room to swing the rifle. In some cases, it could be my primary hunting weapon... although I must admit that, at Tejon, I could never convince myself to leave the rifle in the truck.

If you're carrying for backup, finishing shots, or defense, a lighter semi-auto would probably be fine. And actually, with the right bullets, a .40 or 10mm ought to be plenty for a healthy hog too.

Some folks carry smaller handguns as well, either for snakes, finishers, or to keep the wild kitties at bay. For that purpose, a big ol' heavy hogleg is not the right thing at all.

 

[Lurediver]

Sometimes I wish I could carry a side arm while bow hunting, but then again what's my chances of getting eaten by a kitty?

 

[ducslayer]

Rabbit why not a shoulder holster worn outside your coat?

 

[oneshothunter]

duc you hit the nail on the head I carry a S&W 44 MAG with scope in a shoulder holister Iload my own 400 grn .jacketed hollow points and melt the copper when the bullet leaves .. lol very fast rounds .. big gun big boom lots of hurt on the wrists ..

 

[Rancho Loco]

You can lighten things up by going to a Smith Mountain Gun in .44 mag or .45 LC, or the Taurus Tracker in .44 mag.

I have the Tracker, and it's barely noticeable on my hip. It's primary function is for accompaning me while crawling into beds - I had two chances at Tejon - one snoring pig was a mere six feet away, but the upward angle prevented a sure kill shot on it's head. It was fun just the same to crawl into a tunnel and shimmy up to a sleeping pig with a gun in hand, hammer back and finger just starting to tighten on the trigger.

As for anything with more range, the four inch barrel, my lack of dead-eye skills, and the velocity loss of the short barrel will prevent anything longer than a 50 foot shot, for me at least...

As for the 10mm, I would not hesitate to use that for the same function with full-house reloads or Double-tap factory offerings. IMO, the 40 S&W is just too light for anything but a finisher in the ear.

 

[Tonopah01]

At Tejon, I've sometimes carried a 5 1/2 in Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum, and sometimes a Colt Delta Gold Cup in .10 mm. Last time around, I didn't carry a sidearm at all and missed nothing but the weight.
When I do carry the .10 mm though, now a days it's in a shoulder holster and that does work out pretty well.
Regarding the Taurus Tracker -- I've always sorta wanted one of those in .41 Magnum for some reason but have never picked one up. Some people swear by the Taurus revolvers and, as they say, others swear at them so I have never taken the plunge do to nagging worry about Taurus' quality control.

 

[VHRAM]

I like my 45lc blackhawk and have a holster attached to my daypack, that way Im not always pulling up my pants.

 

[The Savage Rabbit]

I always wanted a shoulder holster and a lot of Rifenbarks (with the Associated Morris) have gone to them. Quickly noticing that I was behind the times I went out to buy one for a Para Ordnance 7.45 LDA. I didn't want to invest in an expensive leather holster because I wasn't sure I'd even like it. I found the straps to be thin, uncomfortable, and hard to figure out which one went which place when they got all tangled up with eachother in the closet. It was frustrating and I could never get it to fit right. However, buying the inexpensive nylon rig because I thought I wouldn't like it anyway was probably a self-fulfilling prophecy. As for wearing it over my coat or fleece, I tend to get in and out of such things repeatedly all day. I'd like to have a shoulder holster I can put on iwhen I climb out of my sleeping bag in the morning and take off before climbing back in at night.

I'd give them another look if you guys could suggest makes and models with which you have had success.

I also have a 4 5/8" stainless BlackHawk in .45LC which would work fantastically on a hog with Cor-Bon 300 grain JSP. I carry it in a Galco Lawman holster. I prefer the 5" 629 though because I am more accurate with it and it provides more fire power.

 

[Rancho Loco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nrifenbark @ May 25 2006, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

At Tejon, I've sometimes carried a 5 1/2 in Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum, and sometimes a Colt Delta Gold Cup in .10 mm. Last time around, I didn't carry a sidearm at all and missed nothing but the weight.
When I do carry the .10 mm though, now a days it's in a shoulder holster and that does work out pretty well.
Regarding the Taurus Tracker -- I've always sorta wanted one of those in .41 Magnum for some reason but have never picked one up. Some people swear by the Taurus revolvers and, as they say, others swear at them so I have never taken the plunge do to nagging worry about Taurus' quality control.[/b]

Mine is more accurate than I am..

I'm not going to shoot lots of hot loads through it - and it's certainly no wall hanger...But it seems pretty tight and well built. I do carry it on the belt of my (shoulder harnessed) fanny pack and it carries both in hand and in holster very nicely..

As for the .41 mag - it's not on California's lame approved list.

 

[Speckmisser]

Like VHRAM I wear my holster on my daypack. Seems to keep the weight from pulling my britches down all day, and distributes the weight better too.

I don't like shoulder holsters, personally, because I'm already wearing so much other stuff across my chest and shoulders (rifle sling or back quiver, backpack, bino harness, etc.) and like you, my shirts and coats go on and off all day long.

 

[AmericanPitBullTerrier]

............. I'm going on my first hunt Sunday and am planning on taking a .357 S&W ...... side holster........ it's either that or a 10 gauge..... and that will be a little difficult to manuver dogs and other crap.

 

[jackman]

If you cant hit it with a rifle how are you going to hit it with a pistol ??

 

[One Track]

After my first hog hunt, I went out and bought a Super Blackhawk, 44mag, 4.5", ss. Great piece. I carried it once. It just gets in they way. I don't carry anything but the rifle now. If I was going to carry something, it would be my Glock 9mm. Nice and light.

 

[tracker13]

last week i picked my new model pd 329 smith & wesson 44. mag. 4" bbl. The frame is made from scandium
the barrel is titanium. It's called the airlite and for good reason, it weighs only 26 ounces! it has the red quick find sight in front. this will be my ccw and my pack gun.

 

[easymoney]

IMHO,
I don't need one when I'm rifle hunting
"If you cant hit it with a rifle how are you going to hit it with a pistol ??".
But when I bow hunt in lion country I carry my 45 auto.

 

[Speckmisser]

Hey Tracker...

I was pretty impressed by the Airlite guns, but haven't fired one yet. Let us know how that thing feels when you touch it off. Seems like there's only one place for that recoil to go...

 

[SDHNTR]

Rifle only. Who wants a pistol getting in the way when you already have a gun in your hands? I used to think it was necessary to carry a side arm for finishing shots but I found it was really just a waste of energy and got in the way. I sometimes laugh at the guys all commando'ed out with the leg holsters and the huge knifes and stuff. I think some hunters watch too many Vietnam war movies.

Now when I have to help recover a pig that One Track killed down in the bottom of a hell hole at dark just to make it "fun", I definitely do feel safer with my .40 cal. Especially after seeing those pics of that puddy cat.

 

[beastslayer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (easymoney @ May 26 2006, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

IMHO,
I don't need one when I'm rifle hunting
"If you cant hit it with a rifle how are you going to hit it with a pistol ??".
But when I bow hunt in lion country I carry my 45 auto.[/b]

Careful with regulations EM. For some reason, reg would not permit carrying of firearm of any type when bow hunting. Puzzles me since there is no similar prohibition for those hunting with rifle. I think authorities are afraid bowhunters will cheat.

Unsolicited advice, use something that will hold the pistol in the holster just in case. I used a quick draw holster since I also do combat shooting. It turned out, it was also quick fall, quick lost.

With those cam of big cat's tail in Tejon, it would be wise to carry a sidearm. Rifle is just not good for close quarter shots and would not have enough room for a back swing if you decide to whack it baseball bat style. Big Bear Mountains too has some notorious cats even on their campgrounds.

 

[Speckmisser]

Easy.... I gotta second Beastslayer there... firearms of ANY kind are illegal while hunting during archery-only season in CA. Of course if you're bowhunting during rifle season, you're welcome to carry if you like.

Oregon recently changed their law to allow a handgun for exactly the reason you speak of, but CA isn't likely to change their regs.