Camping gun suggestion

[Tere_Hanges]

Backpacking mainly in Arizona Tonto National forest and southern Utah. So no brown bears there either.

In that case, mountain lions and humans are the only threat Id want a gun for. And 9mm is plenty adequate for a mountain lion. But you better have eyes in the back of your head because mountain lions stalk their prey. And humans are on the menu.

[geedavell]

I'm in the exact same boat

11 onces vs 38 onces (unloaded)

[canative]

G20SF loaded with full power loads from Underwood.

[smittty]

I'm in the exact same boat

11 onces vs 38 onces (unloaded)

I owned two scandium s&w's, a 3" and a 2", and found the recoil ridiculous with 357 mag, even with 38's it was nasty. Then went back to the 642, and then settled on the LCRx3.

Several years back s&w made a 2.5" bull barrel 642 and that would have been a great one, especially with the longer combat grip. I'm always on the look out for one!

The LCRx3 is light enough for carry and heavy enough with full size grip to make shooting it reasonably pleasant. For California 38 sp +P is plenty. I've had lots of backpackers ask about it and I probably contributed to enough sales to at least earn a patch!

[tanks]

You could always try a .454 Casull

[smittty]

LCRx3 in a mag pouch,

[highpower]

In all my years of hiking and hunting, the only threat I have ever run into was a couple of times with molting rattlesnakes. Back when I was younger I commonly carried my S&W 4" Model 29 with the first two rounds being snake shot. As I aged and arthritis started making recoil more painful, I switched to a 4" Model 28, still using snake loads for the first two rounds although a K/L frame in .357 mag would certainly have worked just as well.

Hiking in Utah or Arizona I would worry more about snakes, both two legged and those that slither on the ground, more than I would worry about larger critters. A 9mm would probably be just fine and I would be happy carrying my Glock 48.

[deckhandmike]

I go Glock 20. I prefer it to the 29 because I shoot the 20 better. If I need to use it I better be accurate.

With a Glock 20 and the proper ammo I’m never over gunned or under gunned.

[200Apples]

The "perfect packin' pistol" is a stoutly-made 4-5/8" Ruger single-action stoked w/ 250 grain slugs to 950 - 1050 fps. Choose either load in a .44 Special or .45 Colt. For snake? use a J-Frame and your choice of shot loads.

A companion long gun can be very short, light and handy, such as a 16.5" Marlin 1894SBL in .44 Mag loaded with a 270-grain (1-in-38" twist! so no heavier [longer] slug!) to 1400-1500 fps.

Then there's always .45-70, and that can be decidedly deadly in close quarters on large game even with the OTC "For Use In All Rifles"/Trapdoor loads (405 grain sjfp @ 1330 fps).

[littlebear44]

. 357 or G23. Although prefer the 23. There are plenty of 2 legged critters when you get into some areas known for grows. Although I've been fortunate to only run into what I "think" was them once.

[Brother_Hesekiel]

For hikes on foot, I take my H&K USP 45 with me. In areas where I have to expect huge bears, dinosaurs and dragons, only my scoped Ruger Redhawk will do.

[IVC]

In order of preference: 9mm, 357 Magnum, 10mm, .44 Magnum and up.

By far the most common threat you'll deal with is two-legged, so a good 9mm is typically your first choice. It's a capable round against many animals too, so it covers all your needs unless you go to the areas where you are chancing an encounter with the largest of land predators.

If you're not into semi-auto and would like a bit more power at the expense of capacity and reloading time, you can't beat an N-frame (or comparable) 8 shot 357. It is great against larger animals than 9mm alone (same caliber, different energy), and it gives you the reliability of a revolver which might be desirable in the backcountry.

Finally, if you're going into the serious brown bear country, you should have something in the .44 Magnum+ range, just in case you have to deal with a charge. In fact, I would carry a 9mm AND a large revolver, one for the usual self-defense against people, and another, low-capacity high-power revolver against animals.

Unless you go fishing in Alaska where bears might want to contest the ownership of your catch, you're highly unlikely to run into any issues with the animals, especially in CA. Assuming you have common sense, of course. So, don't pet the cute little cub that strayed towards you and is curious whether you'll be his friend. In CA, I don't really carry for wildlife, I carry my usual self-defense gun for humans.

[garagemonkey]

If I'm stomping around Borrego, Big Bear, Sierras, or the places in Arizona and Utah you're talking about then my EDC 9mm or .38+P feels perfectly adequate to me. Really, the worst you're likely to come across out there is a mountain lion, Javelina, or a band of bipedal miscreants. We see black bear up in the Sierras all the time and they invariably turn around and skedaddle away from us.

Conversely, when I was deep in Alaskan brown bear country busting through brush and blueberry bushes on foot in early September when the bears are fattening themselves up for winter, I felt completely under-gunned with a Ruger .44 on my hip stuffed with Garrett Hammerheads. And when in Alaska or Montana when all of a sudden you look down to find yourself smack in a thick track of adult wolf prints, suddenly six rounds of anything - no matter how much stopping power it offers - seems completely deficient against a dozen or so full-grown wolves if they decide you're what's for dinner.

Most will say a .45 Super, .460 Rowland or 10mm gives you a nice blend of stopping power and capacity. I still would feel under-gunned with anything but the Rowland up in Alaska, but for the Arizona and Utah places you're talking about, speaking from first-hand experience camping and hiking in those places, any EDC that works in the city works for me our there.

Good luck with your selection, OP

[4GLOCK30]

^^^, this. 2 legged and mountain lion are the only real threat. less than 16oz loaded. My daughter will carry it on JMT....as my Son did

[k1dude]

When in Brown/Griz country, I now pack a G20 or G29 in a chest holster loaded with Underwood Xtreme Penetrators. I used to carry big bore revolvers, but they were too heavy and too little capacity. So I started carrying what my guides carried.

When in Black Bear country, I usually just carry a G19 also loaded with Underwood Xtreme Penetrators. When I'm really limited on weight/size, I use a Kahr PM9 also with Underwood Xtreme Penetrators.

I've been charged by a huge Brown in Alaska, and been stalked by a Black in the Sierras. I've also had several close encounters with Blacks with cubs in the Sierras. Fortunately all encounters turned out ok. But I was damn glad to have my pistol on me. Only had to unholster it once.