I've Got Choices, What's Your's?

[CB900F]

Fella’s;

I’m going moose hunting tomorrow. The venue is Montana, with one border of the area being the Continental Divide. There are bears in the area, as well as mountain lions, and wolves. The terrain is river bottom surrounded by mountains. I’ve scouted the area in the past & have hunted it earlier this season. I’m pretty familiar with it.

My primary gun will be a .338 Winchester magnum. However, I have choices for a secondary firearm of the handgun variety. I’d be interested in what the board member’s input would be given the choices available. They are:

Large frame 5 shot revolver carried cross draw so’s not to interfere with the slung rifle. This is a gun fully capable of taking a mature bull moose itself. It’s large by heavy, by nasty to shoot.

My daily carry gun, a .40 S&W semi-auto. It would have eleven rounds of 180 grain with an extra magazine. This will carry in my normal IWB holster, strong side.

A four inch Smith K frame .357 magnum. Loaded with either 158 grain lead or 125 gr HP;s. This would be carried in a strong side belt holster. I’ve got speed loaders for it & can stoke it either way.

A Ruger LCP in .380. It’s light, and small, and no trouble to pack at all.

Or, a single action .357 carried in the cross draw holster, but it’d be loose in there. Then again, it could be carried in the strong side rig. But that’d have to be slung kinda low in order to live in peace with the rifle being carried on that shoulder.

I’ve already made up my mind, I’m just interested in your opinions.

900F

 

[earlthegoat2]

I guess of the ones listed I would say the 357 K Frame.

If I knew what caliber the

Large frame 5 shot revolver

was I would be able to consider that one. My hunch is that it is a 500 or 460. If that is the case then I would not take it. Though I have never heard of a 5 shot 44 mag, if that is what it is I would take that one.

 

[MMCSRET]

I've hunted both sides of the divide thru Montana and Idaho, on foot and on horse back and in places where it was allowed on a 4-wheeler. I found that a light weight 22 handgun that I could shoot well was all the weight I wanted on me and to use for popping grouse in the head for camp meat. I sometimes had a larger caliber revolver on the horse or vehicle, but I learned a long time ago that a rifle with ammo, rations and water and something for protection from the elements along with matches, toilet paper, and firestarter were all I wanted to carry for that high elevation and steep rocky terrain. Keep in mind that if you make a long shot across a canyon it could take you all day to get down and back up the other side.
Good Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[InkEd]

Unless your attacked by a rabid squirrel I don't thin the LCP is good for much in the wilderness. Although, it could be useful on camp for "critters" that like too drink other people's beer. Since you don't give the caliber of the first revolver it is of no help to the post. The .40 in a IWB sounds very uncomfortable on a hunt all day. So, I'd go with one of the .357s probably the s&w.

 

[Leanwolf]

I've hunted elk on the Idaho west side of "the Divide" up in the area you describe. There were Grizzlies in the area so I was as careful and watchful as I could be under the circumstances.

I was carrying a Ruger 77 .338 Win. Mag. (first model), so felt that was more than enough should I have the unfortunate experience to actually have a Griz come after me. My only concern about "firepower" was if I killed an elk, while gutting and quartering it, my rifle would be leaning against a tree several feet away and I would be vulnerable should a Griz sneak up on me.

Therefore, I carried my S&W 57 .41 Mag. in a shoulder holster. It was loaded with my handloads using a Beartooth Bullets 265 grains LBT LFN GC bullet in front of a stiff charge of H110. I don't like to carry a heavy handgun in addition to a good cenerfire rifle when hunting as I don't care for the extra weight, especially trying to hump these Idaho mountains. But, in that case, I felt comfortable with it.

A USFS Ranger had stopped by our camp our first day there and told my partner and me to be careful and keep the camp clean as three hunters a few days before had had their camp torn to shreds by a Griz about a quarter mile from where we had set up camp. We saw their very large tracks but fortunately, did not see a Griz.

Still, after I killed an elk, I was very, very wary while cleaning it and getting the meat back to camp.

If you decide to carry a handgun and long gun, I'd suggest the largest caliber with which you can shoot accurately, in a hurry.

Good luck.

L.W.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I'm constantly amazed by people who have to know the exact caliber, etc., in order to determine if a gun is going to be effective. Honest guys, the game doesn't know if it got shot with a .30-06 or a .308 in rifles, a .454 Casull or a .480 Ruger in handguns.

In the large frame 5 shot, the encounter distance is going to be waay under a hundred yards & almost certainly closing rapidly. What's far more important is the ability to get to it quickly and hold it securely when the need comes. In other words, when you're up to your elbows in slippery moose guts and bruin comes outta da woods, it's far more important to have a set of grips that you can grip, ie. not smooth wood, than to argue about velocity and foot pounds.

900F

 

[sonier]

SA 357 mag i shoot nothing but SA most of time, so its natural to cock hammer every time. id trust my 357 mag to deter a few animals away. and if a brown bear is coming up on me. i think 357 will help stop him long enough for my rifle.

 

[hardluk1]

What revolver loaded to the max can you control and shot the best?? That is what i would carry. If it is the 357 load with 180 or 200gr hardcaste ,same for that 5 shooter. If you can find one in time check out safary sling, it lets you carry your rifle in many positions but still lets you mount and shoot with out takeing it off your shoulder. Used one for years.