Why Carry a Sidearm?

[X-file]

I like the Springfield xdm 10.


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[Mike Islander]

I carry a pistol all day everyday. I don't stop carrying just because I'm hunting. Why? Same reason I carry a knife. It's a tool. I've had to rely on my pistol exactly one time when I happened on a guy chasing a young woman through the woods. Didn't have to shoot. Just held the guy until the police hauled him away. I already carried at all times, but that cemented the reason home. I was just out riding my dirt bike that day.

 

[pk_]

Wow. I can’t believe he survived.

 

[MattB]

Makes me think of people on motorcycles that don’t wear helmets. Whenever I see one I always think ‘well they have never been in or seen a serious bike wreck’. I’ve never had to use my pistol on dangerous game and hope I never have to. A bow on a bear charge, even with the 1% chance you get one off your getting worked real bad or dead.

It makes me think of people who don't carry an epipen, and a tourniquet, and a soft splint, and quick clot, and a sat phone, and a whole host of other things they likely have a greater chance of needing to save their life in the back country.


To add a point of perspective, I have had a black bear charge me. I put and arrow in the center of its chest at ~8 yards and it immediately turned and ran. Does that make me a 1%er?

 

[Dustin the wind]

It makes me think of people who don't carry an epipen, and a tourniquet, and a soft splint, and quick clot, and a sat phone, and a whole host of other things they likely have a greater chance of needing to save their life in the back country.


To add a point of perspective, I have had a black bear charge me. I put and arrow in the center of its chest at ~8 yards and it immediately turned and ran. Does that make me a 1%er?

You were surprised at 8 yards and got a shot off that fast ? That is truly remarkable!

 

[romadant]

It makes me think of people who don't carry an epipen, and a tourniquet, and a soft splint, and quick clot, and a sat phone, and a whole host of other things they likely have a greater chance of needing to save their life in the back country.


To add a point of perspective, I have had a black bear charge me. I put and arrow in the center of its chest at ~8 yards and it immediately turned and ran. Does that make me a 1%er?

Getting a arrow off with a accurate hit on a charging bear at 8 yards a probably puts you in the 0.0001% range.

I’ve never tried hurry drills with my bow but have many times with a G19 on static and moving (remote controlled) targets and it is quite difficult to get good hits without tons of practice and sometimes a pinch of luck.

 

[MattB]

You were surprised at 8 yards and got a shot off that fast ? That is truly remarkable!

I said charged, you said surprised. But if I had been surprised by that bear right there I would likely have been better off with QuickClot than a pistol because there was no way I could have gotten it drawn before that bear got to me. We knew the bear was there and I had an arrow on the string, and I believe it was movement from me drawing the bow that caused the charge. If I wasn't already drawing when it came, no way I had time to get off a shot.

If I had a pistol and had drawn it, I am not sure the outcome would have been any more favorable.

All I am suggesting is there are guys who spend a lot of time theorizing about situations they have never been in, and some of those theories are pretty far off from my little dose of reality.

 

[Dustin the wind]

I said charged, you said surprised. But if I had been surprised by that bear right there I would likely have been better off with QuickClot than a pistol because there was no way I could have gotten it drawn before that bear got to me. We knew the bear was there and I had an arrow on the string, and I believe it was movement from me drawing the bow that caused the charge. If I wasn't already drawing when it came, no way I had time to get off a shot.

If I had a pistol and had drawn it, I am not sure the outcome would have been any more favorable.

All I am suggesting is there are guys who spend a lot of time theorizing about situations they have never been in, and some of those theories are pretty far off from my little dose of reality.

Hey man I don’t doubt any of that but this whole conversation is prefaced around a ‘what if’ worst case scenario of being startled at close range by a charging bear and even worse a sow with cubs. No question anyone here wants a capable pistol in that situation instead of a bow.

 

[jackmat69]

Thanks for the info.

 

[HDwild]

What is the reason for not carrying when dangerous game is around? Does 30oz of weight on the hip make or break a hike for people? Just not trusting random people in the woods is enough reason for me.

Agreed. I carry for tweaker defense more than for animal defense. Although, if I round a corner and come face-to-face with a pissed off mtn lion it sure is nice to have a Glock on my hip!

 

[OXN939]

if I had been surprised by that bear right there I would likely have been better off with QuickClot than a pistol because there was no way I could have gotten it drawn before that bear got to me.

Agreed with this most of the time, but there have been several cases of guys using handguns to save their own lives after being physically contacted by a bear.

 

[travis.westra]

I’ve been in a couple situations while bow hunting walking back in the dark and coyotes getting dangerously close but was too young to carry and wish I wasn’t


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[Northwinds308]

Just bought my first handgun even tho here in Cali we can’t carry them during archery. Iv ran into several old “grow sites” in the back of canyons (luckily abandoned) and would NOT want to be around that without a gun !

Block there's a book about them called The Hidden War, seriously worth a read if you want to know more about them and the people that made them abandoned. Basically a conservation officer SWAT team made up of a whole bunch of agencies.

Steven Rinella had the author on the Meateater podcast and it was really interesting stuff.

 

[Block]

Block there's a book about them called The Hidden War, seriously worth a read if you want to know more about them and the people that made them abandoned. Basically a conservation officer SWAT team made up of a whole bunch of agencies.

Steven Rinella had the author on the Meateater podcast and it was really interesting stuff.

That’s cool I’ll have to check that out! Thanks

 

[silasbowhunter]

Block there's a book about them called The Hidden War, seriously worth a read if you want to know more about them and the people that made them abandoned. Basically a conservation officer SWAT team made up of a whole bunch of agencies.

Steven Rinella had the author on the Meateater podcast and it was really interesting stuff.

I remember that podcast. Some really crazy stuff. Wouldn’t want to stumble onto one of those regardless


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[Farmingdale's Finest]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I am not much of a gun guy. I have killed over 150 deer with a bow and one with a rifle. I sold my only firearm a Browning BPS almost 30 years ago because I liked bowhunting better than gun hunting.

I wanted to get a pistol for my first elk hunt last year but living in the Republic of NJ it took almost 3 months to get a firearms ID card and a pistol permit. I got that about 10 days before the trip. By that time I felt it would be more of a detriment with little to no time to get familiar with the gun before the trip.

So now I ask if someone were to get a single pistol for personal protection in the backcountry and at home what would be your recommendation?

 

[Northwinds308]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I am not much of a gun guy. I have killed over 150 deer with a bow and one with a rifle. I sold my only firearm a Browning BPS almost 30 years ago because I liked bowhunting better than gun hunting.

I wanted to get a pistol for my first elk hunt last year but living in the Republic of NJ it took almost 3 months to get a firearms ID card and a pistol permit. I got that about 10 days before the trip. By that time I felt it would be more of a detriment with little to no time to get familiar with the gun before the trip.

So now I ask if someone were to get a single pistol for personal protection in the backcountry and at home what would be your recommendation?

Where are you hunting?

If it's just black bears any good modern 9mm is your best bet. I have a very strong preference for Glocks or other reliable striker fired pistol with NO EXTERNAL SAFETY. Supposedly 16% of guns "jam" during bear encounters. More like 16% of people are incompetent and couldn't get the safety off when their hands started shaking. Check out GarandThumb on YouTube titled "Which pistol should I get?" Dude's a long time SF guy and a great teacher, he'll fill you in better than I can in a short post.

9mm is cheaper, holds more rounds, and works as well as anything against people with good ammo. Only difference for bears would be I would go from JHP to some sort of hard cast for increased penetration. Basically you'd be good with just an ammo swap.

If it's Grizzly country I would suggest saving up and getting 2 guns as the requirements are very different. Personally if I could carry (Canadian) I'd have a Glock in 10mm for the balance between penetration, volume of fire, ease of use, and magazine capacity. All handguns suck at "stopping power" compared to rifles regardless of caliber (cue the triggered 1911 muh .45 2 World War fanboys here).

If you're dead set on one pistol to do both it might be the one time I'd recommend .40 S&W. It definitely wouldn't be my first choice with the Grizzlies here but you also aren't throwing spitballs either.

 

[KRB]

Honestly I carry more to protect myself from other people than animals. I don’t usually come across people when I’m out.. I try to make a point to go to areas other people don’t go.. but if I do run into someone crazy in the middle of nowhere I want to know I’m safe. But definitely also in the case I come across a lion or bear! Wish CA would let us carry during archery season.

 

[Wapiti1]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I am not much of a gun guy. I have killed over 150 deer with a bow and one with a rifle. I sold my only firearm a Browning BPS almost 30 years ago because I liked bowhunting better than gun hunting.

I wanted to get a pistol for my first elk hunt last year but living in the Republic of NJ it took almost 3 months to get a firearms ID card and a pistol permit. I got that about 10 days before the trip. By that time I felt it would be more of a detriment with little to no time to get familiar with the gun before the trip.

So now I ask if someone were to get a single pistol for personal protection in the backcountry and at home what would be your recommendation?

.357 Mag revolver in 3"-4". Or a 10mm with an extra .40 S&W barrel for home defense. If one of these won't work, you have much larger issues. Specifically, S&W Model 66 Combat Mag or 686, Glock 20, EAA Witness.

Jeremy

 

[s0n0fabeach]

Such a heavy story! We're not allowed to carry archery hunting deer in Ca.