What Is/Are Your Favored Carry Arms For Camping/Hiking?

[Oneaudiopro]

My SP-101 .357 mag always. I carried the same when I lived in Colorado.

[PoorRichRichard]

Cool guy here

You hiking with that here in CA?

Yes, but everywhere I hike is an area open for hunting. And there are not typically many other non-hunting hikers in these areas.

[amd64]

Glock 19.

[Enzo rules]

When I hiked, I no longer do that because of hip issues, I carried my SP101. When camping I carry my Glock 19.

[bruss01]

When camping/hiking, I generally carry some type of firearm. But, the type of firearm varies depending one the type of camping, the length of the hike, where I'm camping/hiking, etc.

If I'm in bear country, I'll generally have something 'heavier' in caliber than when on a backpacking trip where I might be looking to supplement the pot.
So? What are your favored firearms for camping/hiking and why?

I don't camp/hike in the back country as much as I used to.

But when I did, if it was a hiking excursion deep in the hills, bear and big cats are naturally on my mind. On those occasions I would typically take my Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag. Now, wearing a large pistol like that on your belt can generally make the crunchy granola REI crowd have an anxiety trigger. And when I'm in the back woods, I'm trying to relax, and don't want to worry about someone else's emotional baggage. As a result, for years I had this considerably large pistol on my CCW permit... not for the purpose of blowing away bad guys Dirty Harry style, but rather for bear or cat, and concealed so as not to alarm fellow backpackers. Got a lot of questions about that choice on my permit... no, not "compensating" for anything and my urban carry pistols were much more "mean streets" appropriate.

For car/camper excursions, the Redhawk was typically accompanied by my Marlin 1984 in the same caliber. I have great confidence in .44 mag for this sort of work. I believe that .357 would work in a pinch, but without as much extra margin to get the job done.

One of the benefits of the pistol is that snake-shot capsules can be carried in the first 2 chambers. In case of a venomous snake, one can dispatch the threat in short order. In the case of a larger threat, one can put those two into the air/ground as a warning, and still have 4 shots ready to go before resorting to the speed-loader. If one has qualified under a timed-shooting drill with this for one's CCW permit, that shouldn't present much of an issue.

I would not trust a .357 or worse, 9mm snake shot capsule on deadly snakes. If we had the option to tote a S&W Governor or Taurus Judge here, I could definitely see pressing those into service instead, using .410 and .45 LC, with a companion levergun in .45 LC.

[pennstater]

When fishing/camping in the Eastern Sierra's, it's my Uberti/Taylors .45 Colt. Sometimes the Henry .45 Colt goes along. But, always the U/T.

MLC

[jyo]

I used to spend quite a lot of time in the outdoors in my younger years---the mountains and woods were very open without the crowds that often show up now... Back when I first started, revolvers were still king, so I often carried a blued Ruger 6" Security Six 357---a heavy gun, but reasonably powerful or a Ruger OM Flattop 4 3/4" 357---lighter than the Security Six and just as powerful... For many years I often carried my Browning Hi Power 9mm---the same pistol I carried during my many years managing gun stores---carried in an "Avenger" style open top leather holster given to me by my late friend, Gordon Davis (RIP).
During my Alaska adventures, I carried my Freedom Arms 454 Casull revolver with the 4 3/4" barrel in a custom full-flap holster also made by Gordon Davis---comfortable and protected, and very powerful...
The last few times I roamed around armed in the wilderness, I carried my HK P2000 9mm, 13+1 rds carried in a Galco "Concealable" model open top OWB leather holster---very lightweight compact pistol with a DA/SA trigger system...
These days, the wife and I are far older now and we've adopted my wife's version of "Camping"---drive way out into the wilderness---check into a nice lodge preferably near a water feature of some sort, and eat out at the best restaurant nearby---casually roam around the trees and trails for a couple of days, and just relax---but I do keep a Kahr CW9 pistol around just in case... Old habits die hard...!

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I used to spend quite a lot of time in the outdoors in my younger years---the mountains and woods were very open without the crowds that often show up now... Back when I first started, revolvers were still king, so I often carried a blued Ruger 6" Security Six 357---a heavy gun, but reasonably powerful or a Ruger OM Flattop 4 3/4" 357---lighter than the Security Six and just as powerful... For many years I often carried my Browning Hi Power 9mm---the same pistol I carried during my many years managing gun stores---carried in an "Avenger" style open top leather holster given to me by my late friend, Gordon Davis (RIP).
During my Alaska adventures, I carried my Freedom Arms 454 Casull revolver with the 4 3/4" barrel in a custom full-flap holster also made by Gordon Davis---comfortable and protected, and very powerful...
The last few times I roamed around armed in the wilderness, I carried my HK P2000 9mm, 13+1 rds carried in a Galco "Concealable" model open top OWB leather holster---very lightweight compact pistol with a DA/SA trigger system...
These days, the wife and I are far older now and we've adopted my wife's version of "Camping"---drive way out into the wilderness---check into a nice lodge preferably near a water feature of some sort, and eat out at the best restaurant nearby---casually roam around the trees and trails for a couple of days, and just relax---but I do keep a Kahr CW9 pistol around just in case... Old habits die hard...!

I hear you. Between the stroke, the 'brain bleed,' and the arthritis (i.e., I'm not what I used to be physically), not to mention allowing myself to get out of shape as a result, I don't get out like I used to. There used to be times when I'd simply park at a spot and hike in to see what was there. It used to get me to some fishing spots which were, shall we say, less frequented, having uneducated trout. On several of those trips, looking back, one wonders how it got done at times.

These days, the ground has gotten farther away and more difficult to get up from. I can't hike as far as I used to and it doesn't help that a surgery I didn't have 25 years ago because I had 'too many important things to do' has now reared its head and, some days, it can be a truly painful experience to get from the bedroom to the bathroom and back.

But, as you say, old habits die hard and I still pack when I go out. Maybe not as heavy as I used to, but I still have a... 'companion.'

[RAMCLAP]

My 17.

[fivefeezy]

I'm glad Calguns is getting back into some fun discussions like this .

[fivefeezy]

I’d like to get a Glock 20 or 29 one day as a designated outdoor handgun. The availability/cost of 10mm has stopped me from going through with it many times.

These days 10mm is often cheaper than 38 special and 357 magnum. It was at Sportsmans Warehouse last week. I think the industry is trying to punish the reloaders.

[elx144]

Glonk 20 Gen 5 in an OWB Blade Tech holster. Had it in Wyoming for Yellowstone and the Tetons. Still use it when we go hiking in Arizona. We have bears and elk up higher in the mountains.

[Coolguy101]

Does anyone ever practice shooting ammo such as Buffalo Bore or similar cartridges before carrying? Just wondering because POI changes vs target ammo.

[jarhead714]

Stainless 4.25” Python.