# Feild gun



## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

I was thinking about getting a side arm for while I'm out hunting. What would be a good cal make model ect...any opintion will be considered.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

oooohhh the list is very long, you gotta find the one you like. However When all is said and done I would go for a Glock 20 in 10mm for an auto pistol. If its a revolver you want I would go for the S&W 686 with a 6 inch barrel .357 magnum and carry it cross draw style! Both guns will run about 500-600 dollars but worth evry darn penny. They hit hard and shoot straight what else could you ask for?


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

In order to answer that I have to know a few things.

First of all what is your intended use of this pistol?

Bear? Cougar? Coyote/Wolves? 2 Legged Varmints? Snakes?

Do you want a revolver or a semi?

Single action? Double action? DAO/Hammerless revolver?

Back-up or primary weapon?

Concealed or open carry?

I will say this, for 90% of woods carry it is hard to beat a Ruger Blackhawk, .44 mag.


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

I agree with the Blackhawk choice, but then I like single actions. A lot of people prefer DA wheelguns based on the assumption that they can shoot them faster, but really I don't think I could shoot a .44 DA very much faster than an SA, and I believe that I would be more accurate shooting single action.

Autos just don't pack as much punch as big wheelguns, unless you look at Desert Eagles. If you are already decided on an auto, then yeah, 10mm would be my best suggestion. But it really is second best option.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

> A lot of people prefer DA wheelguns based on the assumption that they can shoot them faster


Faster, Maybe.
Accurate and Fast? NO WAY!

It cracks me up everytime I see a .500 S&W or .454 chambered in a DA revolver, those things kick so much you will be cutting out the tree tops after the first 2 rounds. To be effective with heavy caliber revolvers you MUST use controlled deliberately aimed shots. Spray and Pray attitudes just don't cut it here.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Actually I was just thinking of a hand gun that I could pull easily incase somthing were to come up...thanks for the ideas though.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

To me a field gun (side arm) is something of medium size, light weight and of enough power to handle most situations. Something on the lines of the S&W model 60 or a Ruger SP101 in 357 magnum is all that is needed. You can carry one of these all day and not be bothered. The 357 even if it is just loaded with 38 specials will handle anything you may encounter in the outdoors with exception of the bears and in truth how many people really go into bear country and when you do, then you can look at carrying a cannon on your hip. I have a little Ruger Bearcat 22 that I find myself carrying most of the time but at times I do carry a SP101 with snake shot in the first chamber and standard 158 grain Keith style 357's in the rest of the chambers.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

A sidearm for when you are hunting what, Invector? If you can't handle whatever comes up with either your rifle or shotgun, you might as well throw up your hands and run. If you are bowhunting, carrying a sidearm is contrary to the law, in ND at least. Having said all that, when I'm hiking around I like the single action .22 magnum. It'll handle snakes, skunks, etc. without a worry. When hunting deer or birds, a handgun is more than I want to lug around and, well.....you already know the rest. Burl


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Burly1 said:


> A sidearm for when you are hunting what, Invector? If you can't handle whatever comes up with either your rifle or shotgun, you might as well throw up your hands and run.


Actually we have been encountering a lot of bear when up in Canada, that is part of the question. The other reason is since Pumas and now Wolfs are being reported in some areas I hunt, I realy dont think my scope would be worth shooting at somthing 10 feet away. And if by chance while out bird hunting, wonding an animal and having it limp away would be almost as bad as being attacked. I see a pistol as first a warning shot then if need be a take down when it comes to the "what ifs". That still does not mean I am going to go out and get a .50 revolver...eventhough it would be cool. 8)


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Burly1, I generally always carry a pistol when I'm hunting with a rifle though I never carry one if I'm out with a shotgun. It's a lot easier dealing with small pests such as snakes with a revolver than trying to shoot a rifle up close and having lead, copper, and rock chips flying all over the place, never mind the fact you can't see through the scope anyway. If I were in known bear country I would carry the appropriate size revolver no matter what rifle I had with me. In the first place you don't always have the rifle in your hand but the revolver is on your hip. Second, on a sudden charge you may or may not have a chance to bring a rifle into play but even on the ground being mauled you still have a chance at pulling your revolver. Nothing wrong in being prepared when your courting mother nature.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Although I think your logic is flawed, when it comes to using a revolver to shoot snakes and vermin, I never said there was anything wrong woth carrying a revolver. To each his own. Would a caliber big enough to truly protect you as well as your rifle not throw rocks and debris? I've walked around more rattlesnakes than I care to remember. That seems to be a real simple solution to the problem. If you carry a handgun loaded with #12 shot specifically for snakes, as I have done when traveling snakey areas, well, that ain't bear medicine. Your argument that a major caliber handgun with bear appropriate ammunition might get you out from under a bear probably has some merit. As to Invector's worry about wounding an attacking animal with a shotgun and having it run off; if he's close enough to be a real threat, your shotgun with 7.5 shot will do a lot more than you might think. If he's far enough away that a shotgun blast will only wound, he's not close enough to be a true threat and you had better wait until he is before blasting away. Unless you are a truly accomplished pistolero, I think you'd be better off protecting your skin with a rifle or shotgun. You'll be able to get either into battery a lot quicker than a hogleg. Burl


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

A point as been made. You have a terriffic, do-all weapon ready in your hands: your rifle or shotgun. Anything smaller than a bear, wildcat, or wild dog just isn't a real threat. Little things run away. It's the big bastards that try and eat you. So unless you're asking us for a gun that'll let you walk around and randomly shoot critters...

Second, don't think you're going to draw anything quickly. Give that idea up right now. I'm going to wait in the bushes outside your house some night and jump out at you with a baseball bat, and I want you to shoot me before I get a chance to whack you. Why? Because I know that I can be on you before you can get your cannon out. See my point? The bear's weapons are ALWAYS drawn.

Next, do you really think that any handgun is going to allow you to drop a hard-charging big game predator? They're tough. And they're really, really fast. Even a bear can run upwards of 25-30mph if he really gets going. Your only real chance is to level your long gun, whatever it is, and hit him as many times as you can. I bet that three or four rounds of .30 rifle will do more to a bear than the one .44 mag you might get off with your revolver. Don't like the thought of basically being defenseless against bears and other big bad things? Go hunt somewhere else. Life is dangerous.

Last, it's probably a lot safer to be aware of your surroundings, and to not do stupid things (like carrying a big bag of salmon in your back) than it is to carry a handgun for defense.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Yes it is possible a 38 caliber pistol bullet will kick up as much rock and debris as a 30 caliber rifle bullet but not likely. The difference in 1200 fps from the handgun bullet to the 2800 fps rifle bullet at spitting distance is very measurable. As for walking around rattlesnakes, I don't......... I kill them on the spot. I don't want them there on my return trip and I know snake lovers will yell about that but that is me. And as I said if I were in bear country I would carry something other than #12 snake loads. I agree with you about the shotgun and that is why I said I don't carry a revolver when I have a shotgun but you did say "If you can't handle whatever comes up with either your rifle or shotgun, you might as well throw up your hands and run" so maybe it was unintentional on your part and I didn't intend to argue or debate the merits of carrying a sidearm but you did imply it was wrong or at least something was wrong with someone that carried a revolver when they also had a long gun with them, and that is why I pointed out that I do carry one at times. Most of the times it is simply the little Bearcat stuck in my front pocket. It's so small and light I don't even bother with a holster for the thing. It's to bad they don't make a 22 mag cylinder for the Bearcat. I'd never bother carrying anything else if they did.


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

Ummm, about the shotgun being effective against bears...

That Box-o-Truth site showed some interesting stuff about birdshot. #8 shot from 12 feet away wouldn't come close to penetrating a bears vitals. In fact, there's several stories about humans being shot with birdshot at fairly close range, with huge, ugly, horrible, but not life threatening, wounds. I think it was something like 3-4 inches of penetration. I think if you want to kill a bear with birdshot, you'd better have the barrel in it's mouth.


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## Chestnut (Aug 9, 2006)

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot22.htm

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14.htm


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

:lol: Funny how these kind of threads develop into animals that eat you, #8 bird shot, jumping out of bushes with a baseball bat and that long gun that is always in your hand even when you're bent over the camp fire or squatting in the brush with your pants down. Come on folks, the conversation about bears was only a off shoot to the original question. A field gun is just that....... a handy self defense weapon on your belt right next to your knife holster that ensures you have something should a pesky creature happen upon you. And they don't always run off, especially wild dogs which can and often are the most dangerous things in the woods. Like the OP said it is a field gun he is looking for and his mentioning of bears when In Canada was only a part of his consideration when looking for such a gun. I bet you Timothy Treadwell wished he had something on his hip while his Grizzly buddy was chewing on him.


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## Hammerdown (Aug 23, 2006)

Invector said:


> Actually I was just thinking of a hand gun that I could pull easily incase somthing were to come up...thanks for the ideas though.


Hello Invector
Here is one that fits that Bill. A model 57 S&W in .41 Magnum. Fast draw, quick point, and very accurate, for what ever may come Up :wink: Hammerdown


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!


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## Hammerdown (Aug 23, 2006)

Bore.224 said:


> I LIKE IT!!!!!!!!


Hello
Me Too ! Loved by those that own one.. Feared by those that are confronted with one ! :sniper:


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

lol Gohon. I got into bears and other such things because we never really heard anything about the thing we were carrying the gun against. You know my views on handguns against big bad things. The baseball bat thing was to illustrate a point. A critter that really wants to eat you is like a guy waiting with a baseball bat. He knows where you are but you can't see him, and once he gets close enough, you really don't have a chance, barring ridiculous fortune.

We should just admit it...we'll never be prepared for every damn thing that happens (what with snakes and bears and pumas and such). Carry something if you like, against whatever your biggest worry is. Me, I go unarmed. In my woods, visibility is good enough that I don't have to worry. I see black bears plenty of times, sometimes big `uns. At that point, I walk in the other direction. Never even had them START walking my way. If anything they turn and run off.

And for the record, Treadwell was a former junkie, and a current tree-hugging hippy. I doubt the bugger woulda had the balls. You see the video? Guy was a freak, smelling and touching bear 5h!t all day. And some of those bears looked to be bigger than my Ford.


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Well, I don't carry a side arm for protection against bears. If I were going into known big bear country I would consider it. But for a unexpected change in the elements, pesky critters, wild domestic dogs, rabid animals and two legged critters I do carry a small revolver as I may or may not have my long gun in my hand. Most sportsmen I know do the same thing around here. It's like the matches, compass, water pills, space blanket and first aid kit I carry in a small pouch every time I'm in the woods. I don't leave home without them. To me there is no such thing as being over prepared but then again I've always been one of those people that carries more than they probable need in my truck, boat and on my person when in the field. That's just the way I am.


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I like the idea of carying a pistol that I can shoot without hearing protection. So anymore I usually leave the 44 at home and find myself carying my buckmark 22 or my 357 blackhawk full of 38s.


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