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Woods gun?

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fxstchewy

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Aug 30, 2008
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I need a recommendation for a sidearm for when I am in the woods, I have been going to check my deer feeders and picked up my trail cam and have started to see groups of dogs around my feeding area, needless to say some of them might be aggressive because of their breed, couple of pitbulls and a mastiff looking dog that i probably don't want to have to fight of with sticks and rocks, looks like they are running together and probably running deer but who knows.
My carry piece is mainly a S&W 442 in my pocket or Glock 26 OWB, but I am starting to "think" I need something else, my choices from what I already own are Ruger SP101, Glock 23, Sigma 40VE and my XD45 Service model, I am leaning towards the XD45 because of it's 14rd capacity.
This would be for carrying mainly for the dog issue NOT for hunting, what do you recommend? Thanks.
 
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Out of what you own, I'd pick the XD. The Glock 23 or the Sigma should also be fine for that purpose. All of the guns you listed would be fine against dogs, but given a choice, I'd rather have a full size handgun with a larger capacity.
 
If you are going into the woods and are concerned about possible packs of dogs and are determined to carry a pistol I guess I would go for the XD.

In my life I would carry either an 870 or 500 (you're in the woods right?)

To each his own.

My personal woods wandering gun is a Rock Island .45. with a couple of spare mags.
 
I'd rather have a full size handgun with a larger capacity.
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Me too, but that 26 with a Glock 18 mag in it should also do the trick. :)
 
I also like the pump shotgun suggestion , but also

carry one of your handguns too.
 
Id just bring my double action 357 colt python. I can hit coke cans at 25 yards off posts all day and i have had to pull it out of holster many times are horseback rides due to bears, yotes, cougars, yes i had a cougar stalk my horse and i once. If you think you need more than six shots go with a glock or whatever semi auto you want, but personally i believe my python is all i need, a ruger gp-100 or taurus tracker all would work, i like the 357 mag due to the recoil isnt that bad i can put a follow up shot pretty darn fast.
 
OH lol forgot to mention my remington 740, 30/06 would take care of the situation just fine, nothing like a semiauto 30/06.
 
super_shorty_870.jpg
 
Realistically, in the lower 48, if you don't have to worry about bears (black or brown), any durable handgun in .38 Special or better with 5 rounds or more will serve you well. If you're really stuck on a handgun, and you're on your own private property with no worries about concealment, carry a full size semi-auto with a high-capacity magazine. It sounds like the best option out of your listed guns would be the XD45. 14 rounds of 230-grain FMJ out of a 4" barreled gun you can control and shoot rapidly and accurately, sounds like great medicine for a pack of feral aggressive dogs.

Since we don't know what part of the country you live in, how big your property is, or what types of conditions this gun will be exposed to, we can't get much more specific than, "carry a big gun with lots of rounds on tap".
 
depends where you are, and what you like to lug around you, I mean do you really want a 9" .460 five pound leg weight, or is a small auto, more your style.

It's kinda a question of what/why are you carrying, is it snake?
mountain lion
bear, wolves, two legged predators.

Personally a woods gun is a full stocked, short barrel 12 ga, you can carry it slung, the stock makes it more accurate, and it has all the stopping power you could want, and still is about 5 pounds
 
I'd carry a long gun and start thinning them out. If they are wild/feral, they need to be exterminated.
 
If I were concerned about potentially aggressive pit bulls and a mastiff (which can be very large dogs), I'd opt for a long gun every time. Any good shotgun or carbine (other than a .22 Long Rifle) would do fine. Personally, I'd use my AR15 or M1 Carbine for the extra range and capacity that they give. Either one would be around 6 pounds and easily carried with a sling.
 
I always take my AR with me when I check my feeders. Every once in a while there is a hog or a whitetail there and if the oppertunity arises I'd much rather have a rifle.

Plus, I'm pretty sure that one of these days I'm going to go out there and those 13 Axis deer are going to be at the feeder and all 13 of them are getting dropped.
 
My woods gun is a Ruger gp100 with 4 inch barrel is .357. I also have a 9mm XD but I only carry the .357 in the woods because 9mm is marginal against anything but a two legged critter. I feel confident with the .357 in the woods knowing I can handle anything including a rare sick or pissed off black bear right on down to toothless meth cookers. I hope I never have to use it against any two legged critters or 4 legged ones but it is very comforting knowing I have it.
 
CraigC said:
I'd carry a long gun and start thinning them out. If they are wild/feral, they need to be exterminated.
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I doubt they're feral, most likely neighborhood dogs that run together. I had a similar pack keep showing up in my woods, I carried a KGP-141 with 158gr soft points but I didn't have to shoot them because they'd run when they saw me.
 
I would carry the SP101, and also one of anything else you already own. The SP101 is my idea of the perfect 24/7/365 gun, for starters. But, with only five shots, another weapon seems a good idea.

To go check on family land in the East Texas pine thicket area, I am fine with an SP101, plus a longer-barreled .357 revolver, or one of my SIG P229 duty pistols. Feral dogs are the only real safety concern involving 4-legged critters, though I suppose a cougar might get brave. Hogs around here RUN away, due to hunting pressure. If the mythical boar gets brave, well, .357 will still works, with hardcast loads. I have carried one revolver with 125s, and one with hardcast 180s.
 
I'd feel pretty good with that G23 or the XD45. Since it doesn't sound like you need to conceal, why not go with the XD?
 
FXSTCHEWY - " ... and my XD45 Service model, I am leaning towards the XD45 because of it's 14rd capacity."
Click to expand...

That'll do just fine... so long as you know how to shoot accurately. ;)

L.W.
 
I'm in sticks of NW NC and am in the woods all the time. At home, there's always a 442 in my pocket loaded with Hornady FTX. The two speed strips in my back pocket each have five more FTX plus one each shotshell, (for copperheads). If I'm heading away from the house or into the woods, I have a revolver on my hip too: Either a S&W Model 64 4", or a Judge Ultralite 3".

Yeah I know the Judge is universally trashed around here, but in Ultralite, it's noticeably lighter than the S&W 64, and mine works fine. I load the first two Judge chambers with Federal #4, followed by Winchester 225gr Silvertips. With either, I'll add two more speedstrips in my pocket. That's if I'm just on foot tending to chores. If I'm in a pickup, Jeep, or tractor, I'll have a 30-30 levergun with me too.

I find this to be practical woods / farm hardware for me.

Les
 
I bought a Smith and Wesson 329 PD. It weighs in at 26 Oz very light and comfortable to carry. In fact most of the time I don't know its there. Full house magnums are a bit much for it, but I would suspect some light 180 grain loads would work fine your your dog problem and they are very pleasant to shoot. If you re load you can tailor a round to your needs and comfort.

If I remember right those are some light 240 grain XTPs. They are loaded with 12.5 grains of blue dot. Very nice to shoot in that gun.
 

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