Guns n Khuks - "trail guns" ???

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Rusty

Rusty

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"Wandering" guns.

The ones you take along with you just because you are out and about. Out here in west central Nevada there's reason to carry:
1) snakes
2) mountain lion
3) "feral" dogs
4) "feral" humans
5) bear possible but highly unlikely
6) and on and on...

You need to know I was a teen from 1963 thru 70. While all the other kids wanted 007's 7.65mm Walther PPK, my Dad at that time had a postwar made Beretta 1934 in 380. Wasn't with his other guns when he died. Anyway I liked that Rococco styling. Always wanted one, finally found one in 7.65mm (32acp) made with steel frame and a single 7 round magazine with it. Later I found a Beretta Model 100. That one was built on a 70S alloy frame platform, in 7.65mm, with 6" barrel and adjustable sights, and one 9 round mag.

Anyway, my High Standard Sharpshooter was long gone, I'd picked one Beretta up for sentimental reasons and the other as a trail gun. I already had a 3" full underlugged barelled Chiefs' Special in 38 spl. And I recently snatched up a 3&1/2" barreled Charter Pathfinder in 22lr. Anyway those are the 4 I'd pick to go walkabout with. If I can decide which one.

Finally found a source for Beretta mags and ordered 2 for the M34 and 3 for the M100 earlier today. So now I can take those two out and shoot them.

Now for the agony of making a decision. So what are you guys taking on your adventures besides your khuk? Why?


( PS: if I were around Munk's backyard I'd consider a 4" or 6" 357 mag K or N frame )
 
My first two choices-

A Cimarron Bisley model .45 Long Colt Single Action Revolver- There's actually very little to recommend this gun. Due to it's non Rugerness, I can't put hotdog bear loads in it, it doesn't reload quickly, it's heavy, etc. But...it points more instinctively than any other handgun I own, shoots accurately as hell, and has a very nice trigger on it. Besides that, it just plain feels right when carried with my Pen Knife. It'll leave a bloodtrail for Fish and Game if I tangle with a brown bear, gives me half a chance against a blackie, and will definitely take anything bipedal right out of it's boots.

Second choice- a Ruger Mark I .22 Pistol that's been in my family for many, many years. It's killed rabbit, deer, opossum, wild dogs, coons, feral cats, snakes, and thousands of different targets of opportunity. My father and I used to sit on the porch and plink with it quite a bit when I was a kid growing up in Georgia. It has quite a bit more family history, but it's sure to offend someone, so....I'll leave it here unless someone REALLY wants to know. I like this one just for popping trail critters, rabbits, stupid chickens and so forth.

other unique choices:

I often grab my wifes Springfield 1911 when we're mountain biking or hiking arond the yuppies....in those rare situations where you don't wanna call attention to yerself with the REI poster child trail yuppies. Ocassionally use my S&W 625 .45 ACP revolver w/ 3 in. BBL. for the same purpose.

Sometimes I carry a Taurus .357 titanium snubbie when in a boat or airplane, basically when corrosion, weight or expendability could be a major factor. It's my least liked gun, but it does serve a purpose. (re: expendability, not from shooting someone or anything, more like losing it in the ocean or something)

And on a closing note...my own unique perspective on Alaskan guns...every damn body wants some kinda hand cannon in case of bear attack. The gun shops pump 'em out, the tourists are scared as hell, etc. I can darn near guarantee you that will never be a real concern of mine. You're ten times more likely to have to shoot some BODY or have to use a gun to forage for awhile than you are to have a bear attack. My idea has always been to carry what you like, and put your fear of bears at the very end of the priority list, not the beginning. Usually when I do see someone that buys a handcannon for bear protection it stays in the boat, in the cabin, backpack, plane, etc. cause it's too darn inconvenient to carry 24/7. On the other hand for example when I have the 1911 it's with me even when I go out to take a crap. Hmmm.....a .500 S&W Magnum in the cabin or a .45 ACP that's with you all the time....wonder which is truly more useful... :D
 
Rus,
OK,here's mine .357 4"Dan Wesson,a H&K P7K3 & or .38 S&W Airweight in a APX Alessi Holister that I got from my good friend Walosi(I really,really miss him)! :(
THE DUCK! :cool:
 
Runs,
I mostly agree about bears"however"was in the Alaska wilds (1950),got chased from camp by an ALASKAN BROWN BEAR at nighttime,curly hair on my Cockerspanial stood straight up,he was the first one in the jeep! :)
THE DUCK! :cool:
 
I never have much occasion to carry a gun in the woods, we don't have many dangerous things here. I do take my Charter Arms Pathfinder 6" barrell sometimes.

For backpacking this summer I picked up a North American Arms Mini Master in 22 magnum. I used to take a Makarov or the Pathfinder, but I'm much happy with something lighter.
 
When I did a lot of solo motorcycle camping, I got a Freedom Arms mini-revolver in .22 long rifle, one inch barrel, much like Hollowdweller's,just not in .22 mag. The first chamber was a shot shell, the rest hollowpoints.

I kept it disassembled until I was camped and in the tent. I figured that first shot would alert animal/human intruders that the equation might have changed from that which they envisioned, and a smattering of #12 shot in the face tends to get your attention at a four to eight foot distance.

Beyond that, the Midwest I roamed didn't have threatening predators.

Never had to use it. It was just there. I carried it disassembled on the bikes, and in the pouch. Sold it last year. Stainless, nicely made, single action.
 
Almost any handgun would make a trail gun. The Ruger Blackhawk 45Colt with 4 5/8" barrel makes a fine one. You can load the first 2 chambers with CCI snake shot and the other four with heavy handloads that will take care of any predator. For areas where you're pretty certain that you won't run into anything large, the Ruger MK2 22lr. is a good choice.

Ice
 
Ride a bike into some remote places
I have to go with a Glock 20 or 29 in 10mm with a Advantage arms conversion
kit thrown into my waistpack/ seems to cover most contigencies. Lightweight w/decent round that doesnt preclude rapid fire and the capabilities of stepping it down to plink or handle light situations Where a khuk might not suit
 
Rusty So what are you guys taking on your adventures besides your khuk? [/QUOTE said:
S&W 3913 in a Milt Sparks Executive. No, I can't shoot down aircraft or Grizzleys with it. When my boy gets big enough to fight off people's unleashed dogs by himself I'l be going with a khuk only.
Click to expand...
 
Ever since I ran into that big *** Russian Boar up in the North Georgia Mountains, Cohutta Wilderness Area, I'll carry a Sig 45. I trust it and like to carry it.

If I'm doing any shooting, which is not often, I prefer a much smaller caliber, even a 22. I don't get much excitement out of the huge bang and kick nowadays.
 
Kismet said:
When I did a lot of solo motorcycle camping, I got a Freedom Arms mini-revolver in .22 long rifle, one inch barrel, much like Hollowdweller's,just not in .22 mag. The first chamber was a shot shell, the rest hollowpoints.

I kept it disassembled until I was camped and in the tent. I figured that first shot would alert animal/human intruders that the equation might have changed from that which they envisioned, and a smattering of #12 shot in the face tends to get your attention at a four to eight foot distance.

Beyond that, the Midwest I roamed didn't have threatening predators.

Never had to use it. It was just there. I carried it disassembled on the bikes, and in the pouch. Sold it last year. Stainless, nicely made, single action.
Click to expand...

Kismet,

Mine is only 10oz, but has a 4" barrel so it's a LITTLE easier to hit something with.

In 20 plus years of hiking/camping I have never had to use a gun, so over time the gun I take keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Same as you I figured the noise would deter anything as much as the bullet. Also same as you I kept a shotshell in there, although poision snakes are rare anymore.
 
Has a 5 1/2" barrel and shoots far better than I do. Heavy SOB, but nice to have around for anything wicked this way comes.
 
Started with a Ruger Bisely 41 7.5" Then a Ruger Redhawk 5.5" 41, then a S&W 57 and a Ruger 4 5/8" SS 45 with custom grip frame. 1911. Lately is a model 58 or even the Colt 10mm

As my back has worsened weight is becoming a bigger issue. Plus I may have to drag a kid back to the truck. I'm liking the idea of a smaller calbre- always wanted an SP101 in 32 mag.

For a simple hike I take the BAS I got from Hollowdweller a lot. Also the Chiruwa AK from Raghorn.

But the days of both khuk and gun seem numbered. Trouble with just a khuk is when you really need a gun nothing else will do.


Clifton mentioned a bear. Bears are interesting in that all the martial arts in the world suddenly become irrelevant. Well, it's hard to imagine a small black bear not taking notice of a well placed kick to his jaw.

munk
 
BB gun count? :confused: :(


the only critters I got in my yard are neighborhood cats bothering my cats.....:eek:
 
for me it's the same as my routine carry, usually, meaning a Glock 27 or Glock 23, the smaller or medium frame .40s&w with an extra mag loaded with Speer Gold dots or other good hollow point.

I am very concerned about people when I hike, not bears. That is, when I am by myself or with my wife on the trail, I do not like the feeling of being helpless in the face of a possible meeting with an unfriendly.

My second concern is feral dogs, or a dog that has been made unfriendly by a bad owner.

I like my large frame Glock 10mm but I am not 100% confident in it yet since I changed the spring. It had a few failures to feed which I think was a worn magazine spring and nothing more, but I need to put a few hundred additional rounds in it to make me confident so I still carry the .40.
 
Munk,
This wasn't no"little bitty"black bear!! THIS WAS A FREEKIN ALASKA BROWN BEAR!! WHEN IT ROARED IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A "ITTY BITTY"BLACK BEAR EITHER!!
THE DUCK! :cool:
 
I don't hike much. On those rare occasions I go into the woods, I have my shotgun. I guess that if I was hiking, and I wanted to carry, it would come down to my cheap sierra .22 or my Colt Anaconda, which is a bit heavy, but has as sweet a trigger as you could ever want.
 
I knew it. The Duck ran away from an adorable teddy bear. What's the matter with you? All he wanted to do was play....


probably with your intestines.



munk
 
In the woods around here, lots of meth cooks. A Glock 21, 19 or Springfield 1911 is usually with me along with whatever long gun I'm carrying. But that goes whether I am in the woods or not.

As the old saying goes, it is better to have a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.
 
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