I have a 22 Ruger Single Six Convertable and it is still my favorite to take out plinking cans.

I'm with DSM on the Single Six. On the trail I use the .22WMR cylinder. About the worst I need to worry about apart from people is mtn lions and coyotes. .22WMR will do for them.

If you're ever going where there's a real bear threat, a handgun is suboptimal anyhow. A short 12ga on a sling is more or less right, but it won't be most folks' choice because it's bulky and visually obtrusive.

Disclaimer: This opinion does not constitute legal advice. Please consult an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. Wear sunscreen, protective eyewear, and hearing protection. Buckle your seatbelt. Call your mother.
-The Armchair Outfitter

I like to pack my .357 GP100 with Federal 158 gr. Hydra-Shoks when hunting or hiking the northwoods of Minnesota. No snakes, just an occasional wolf or bear, but they're pretty shy and have never given anybody I know any trouble. The .41 Ruger Blackhawk comes out of the gun safe during the moose rut. They can be a little aggressive, and apparently don't like you when you're hunting with a dog. Really hate to have to shoot one in self-defense, but it's better than getting stomped. Now if only Ruger could come up with something effective against mosquitoes . . .

I really like my Remington Nylon 66. It is light, easy to carry, and accurate. Works for most situations. I also like my Ruger .22 and if I need some more power, I use my S&W model 66 .357.

Addendum - Not to highjack the thread, but one more curiousity question. Do you carry a handgun when fishing? If so, what and why? I usually do because we frequent a semi-remote area, usually my Charter Arms Bulldog .44 special, in case of predators, either two legged or four legged, or snakes. Best................

My .22 Ruger Single-Six Convertible. In bear country, a stainless Colt Python in .357 magnum.

"Since the age of 18, I carry a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Mag loaded with 250-255 grain casts (straight wheel weights) with 21.0 grains of 2400. It's a cheap but very accurate load and those who know me call it my power axe and it is handy as a Swiss Army Knife to clear downed tree limbs to occasional coyote"

"I have used various pistols and revolvers over the years with a preference for .22 LR until I moved to Wyoming 30 years ago. Here I mostly stick with my 4 5/8" Super Blackhawk which is an old 3 screw. I load it with a max of 2400 or 296 and a 265 gr. hard cast bullet. This is adequate for lots of circumstances. Some folks like the 500 S & W or a .475 Linebaugh in a short barreled version. The Smith is fairly easy to shoot and handle but the .475 is a bit rough on my nervous system."

My "trail gun" a Taurus Tracker in 44Mag. I also sometimes carry a 45ACP. It's better to have too much than not enough.

I have more fun on the trail when I'm not worried. So while I agree that the hands down most fun gun in the world is a .22, any .22, the world has grown mean since I was a kid. Women are getting raped and murdered, and hikers robbed, on the Appalachian Trail. Lately cougars have been making pests of themselves all over the wild USA. And coyotes should be shot on sight wherever you see them. When in the wild I carry a .40 S&W Kahr concealed, just as if I was taking a walk past a inner city drug house at 3:00 am, and pretend it's not there. Just like I pretend the danger isn't there for my wife and daughters.

a .22 is the most effective pistol for bear. if a big 'ol bruin attacks just shoot your partner in the leg and run...LOL

ishawooa

"I HERBY STAND CORRECTED, BY GOLLY!"

No flame cutting and all screws are original?

NO JOKE?

And your shooting what with what load?

Curious,,,, maybe I need to reevaluate and try it!

I've witnessed allot of revolvers with severe flame cutting on both forcing cone and strap and they were not that old and not that much loads ran through as one would think.

As for 454 Casulls etc. you can have them. As for the L.A.R. Grizzly 45 Win Mag, I have two 44 Mags I will trade for one in good condition without hesitation!

My favorit gun to take out is my ruger 10-22. Perfect for small game, and if all I'm doing is a quick hike or can plinking thats what I take. But if I'm hunting or going for a week camping trip I like having the old 30-30. If I'm in town I carry a Glock 23, only because thats what the department issues. My granddad use to tell me "If your going someplace you think you need to take a gun, maybe you shouldn't go there".

I'll pack my Ruger Single Six with the .22 WMR cylinder or my Bodyguard snubbie with JHP + P, and a couple of extra speed loaders.

Was fly fishing a local stream one evening last year, not too far from a Pennsylvania city. It was starting to get dark and I thought i was alone, I glance downstream and on a gravel bar in the middle of the flow, 4 large guys with no fishing gear and no waders, it looked an awful lot like a drug deal was taking place. I guess all that rushing water is supposed to cancel microphones, in case your customer happened to be the law. So I am up to my chest in water and no where to go should they take an interest in me. So I just focus on my fly and pretended not to see the businessmen doing business. From then on my 1911 is my fishing trail gun. What happened to us, when there are drug deals on a trout stream?

The concept of a "trail gun" is an invention. It's a make-believe idea. I'd like to see the first reference of a "trail gun" in shooting literature and note who coined the phrase.

Maybe "utility gun" or "all-around gun" or better expresses the notion that you need to have a specialized gun while you're on the so-called "trail."

The best gun is whatever is handy at the moment.

I have used various pistols and revolvers over the years with a preference for .22 LR until I moved to Wyoming 30 years ago. Here I mostly stick with my 4 5/8" Super Blackhawk which is an old 3 screw. I load it with a max of 2400 or 296 and a 265 gr. hard cast bullet. This is adequate for lots of circumstances. Some folks like the 500 S & W or a .475 Linebaugh in a short barreled version. The Smith is fairly easy to shoot and handle but the .475 is a bit rough on my nervous system.

Ishawooa,

Did you have the transfer bar "upgrade" done by S, R & Co.?

I found an unaltered three-screw .357 the other day and that extra click sure made it sexy.

My idea of a 'trail gun' is something you carry while in the woods, but not while hunting. For 20 years I've carried my Browning Buckmark while hiking, stream fishing, or scouting for upcoming deer/elk hunts.

But that will probably change now, for two reasons. First, in the past few years I've run into marijuana plots twice in the Tonto National Forest, and once I came upon some fellows in the Sierra Anchas north of Globe, AZ, loading boxes of something into an unmarked helicopter. The men were armed with military rifles but were not speaking English. I backed away quietly and unseen.

Second, and more happily, last weekend I acquired the new SA XDm 5.25. I know I squawked about SA's XD triggers a couple of weeks ago, but my friend at Shooter's World had me try one, and this trigger is NOT the standard trigger. He said every model of the 5.25 they've tried has a better trigger than the other XDms, even though they are supposed to be the same. He thinks these triggers were massaged, just a little, by SA.

Anyway, the 5.25 shoots really well, especially at competition speeds. My 1911s will group tighter during slow fire, but at speed the 5.25 is similar. And it is super fun to shoot. It's just one of 'those' guns.

It came with 3 hi-capacity mags. It should be fun on the trail, and will offer more defensive capability in this crazy world where the criminals are established in our semi-wild places.

Trail gun for fishing and hunting sidearm is the Ruger GP 100 loaded with .357 hollow points or the Ruger Single Six with .22 Mags, maybe with a couple of snakeshot rounds as No. 1 and 2. For recreational shooting or cutting firewood on public lands near Santa Fe it's the Glock 19 for its higher capacity.

To me it depends on the trail...

Woodland trail? Ruger Bearcat

Fishing trail? Taurus Judge?

Bear Country Trail/Illegal Immigrant Trail? Charter Arms Bulldog

I also had a Springfield Armory M6 Scout, 22 Hornet over .410 that was a fun trail gun too.

Proverbs:

I too handled a new 5.25, and at least compared to the old "just xD" line, the trigger was improved as well. Generally, I find that the striker-fire pistols get a bit smoother over time as well.

Mark-1: I share you thoughts on hating to wear a holster of any kind. Out of necessity in the northern Rockies the belt holster is the last thing I add immediately prior to climbing on my foxtrotter. Shoulder holsters bother me even more.

The only trails I walk are on my own property and I carry a .38 Colt Cobra with snake shot for the first two loads during snake season. I hardly ever shoot a snake, and never a non-poisonous one, but occasionally I'll find myself in too close proximity to a cottonmouth or timber rattler or find one too close to where I'm living or working, and I'll expend a charge of snake shot.

3kidsdad

So whats your point.

Obviously your load,

"I load it with a max of 2400 or 296 and a 265 gr. hard cast bullet."

Hot and heavy loads loosens frame screws wearing the threads and eventually requiring retaping for larger screws and causes flame cutting thus shortens the life of the revolver.

250 grain with 21.0 grains with 2400 was good enough for Sir Elmer Keith, good enough for me!

If you wanted the recoil of the 454 Casull, perhaps you should trade in your 44 dar HOT ROD!

How about a .38 special with #11 bird shot if your concerned about snakes? Although .22's are hard to beat for fun pistols or rifles.

Clay, Elmer was a lot of things, but easy on his pistolas he was not.

If its bear country, then my 12ga Mossberg 500, if not then my Ruger .357 flattop.

Clay,

That wasn't as clear as I had hoped. I am in total agreement with you and ishawooa - It's better to have more than you need than need more than you have.

In my Tracker I normally use a hard cast 200gr over 18gr of 2400 as a general purpose field load at 1150fps (measured) in the 3-1/2" ported barrel. Big enough for anything I'm likely to run into in south Arkansas but still enjoyable to shoot in a 34oz revolver. Come hunting season I'll have the 7-1/2" SBH with either 245gr Keith or 310gr LFNGC over stout loads of 2400.

Taurus Judge Public defender with 2 rounds of 45 Colt Hornady leverolution, 1 round of Federal 410 000 buck, and 2 rounds of 410 no. 8 shot for mr. no shoulders. The other rounds are for any two legged crackhead varmints. However, a Taurus 941UL .22 magnum (8 shot cylinder)with concealable 2" barrel is on the way and will get carried quite a bit. Maybe I'll carry both at the same time...next month the rattlers are moving around heading for the dens, and the two legged scum seems to get more active also

I have carried a S&W .22 Kit Gun for over 60 years and love it. Small,light and utterly reliable. I have never felt the need for anything more potent.

Dave: Why do I ALWAYS have to sign in twice? This is a pain in the neck.

3kidsdad,

After the merger of companies a few years ago, it came out that W296 and H110 were exactly the same powders. Differences in load data was probably caused by lot variation or testing inconsistencies.

By memory, there were differently labeled "same powder" variations for W231, W540, and probably some I'm forgetting.

3kidsdad: I would stick with 2400 which is what I will go back to for cast bullets at .44 mag velocities. The rounds loaded with 296 have not demonstrated leading as far as I can determine although I expected to see some. I do have fantastic gas checks attached so that might help. What did happen is that I get about 2 of 5 rounds that are tight in the cylinder and a bit hard to eject. I don't like this inconsistency even though the 296 loads should be comparable to the 2400. If I would just stick with the old tired and true this would never be a problem. A big dose of 2400 has worked for decades but I decided to try 296 with cast since it had performed so well with jacketed with no sticking. Oh well...

Speaking of Elmer, if you are ever through Boise, Idaho, be sure and stop at Cabela's on West Franklin and view the Elmer Keith firearms collection and displays. Well worth the detour.

007;
To answer your question, I always have my glock 23 on me, mostly because Im a cop and I always have it for two legged problems. But when I go fishing I do take it and bear spray. (I know I'm going to make some people upset here) but I have seen studys where Bear spray was more effective in replealing a bear then the gun. Where I fish its too cold for snakes so I don't have to worry about them. I have heard in Alaska bears don't care about the spray, but in Colorado we don't have the massive 1000 lbs bears and they are quick to run from the spray. I have to admit my first instinct would probobly be to draw the pistol though, in fact I'm sure it would be.

I have a Class III 870 with a 12" barrel. It seems handy.

i pack my 4 inch bareled taurus in .357 mag. I bring some cheap .38 specials for plinking and keep the big boys loaded when I'm in the brush.

I usually carry at least my old S&W model 10 with the skinny 4" barrel. Some 158gr roundnose or swc for general use and SWCHP+P for bigger problems. If size and weight are a major concern, then its an old S&W snubnose .32 long that my father carried when he was a "trailman" for the state and his job was to walk the hiking trails in the Catskill Mountains.

While the .22lr is and probably always will be the "trail gun" of choice, I agree with those who want a little more power to throw at whatever predator comes at them while afield. To fully cover the 2 and 4 legged predator spectrum I prefer a .44 mag. Ruger's 4in redhawk is not the lightest carry piece, but it is capable of handling anything in North America with the right load. When a more discreet option is called for, a small .357 revolver is hard to beat. When in areas where the most likely threat is from wild dogs or the less pure intentioned of our society, I'm willing to give up a little horsepower for a bigger gas tank. A glock 26 W/ a 12 rounder and a spare 17rd mag is light enough to carry all day almost unnoticed and is easily concealed.

EAA Bounty Hunter .357mag

3kidsdad

I hear'ya Bro!

Oryx

yes Elmer Kieth did hot rod his revolvers, but for those who shoot them more often than most will find the 44 Mag load with a 250 or 255 with 21.0 grains of 2400 more tolerable with enough mojo for anything around. I've shot even 300 grainers and regardless of what I do, I find myself bale to my old load.

I remember when Bill Ruger pressure tested the Ruger #3, he loaded it so hot it broke the stock in three pieces and the 45-70 casing was melted in the chamber. I rather not try that in a handgun :)

Here in Michigan, I go with my Ruger,GP100,with .38+PHPs. NOW, if I were in more rugged country, it would be a short barrel shotgun.BIGGER protection for BIGGER COUNTRY!

Ruger Redhawk 5.5in with 24 gr 2400 and 240 gr cast lead bullet. A little stout but I like it.

Well, it's good to see I'm not the only one who carries a Model 15 now and then, first 2 snake loads I've never needed (I just go the other way), the rest 125 gr. standard velocity for dogs--have used--or coyotes, once. FBI load back-ups. Folks dump dogs that breed with the coyotes around here if not eaten first. If hunting birds I'll holster either a Mark II or my old L-frame with 140-gr. warm loads of Blue Dot for the occasional 50-75 yard coyote; surprised myself as much as him on the run at 75 yds with the L-frame! I live and hunt about 3 miles from an ammonia plant that draws meth cooks like poo draws flies, and am an hour from law enforcement, so 2-3 speed strips of .357's I hope to never use.

wingshooter54,
I've considered the Judge, but haven't had an opportunity to fire one. How manageable is that with the .410s?

I carry a S&W 4 inch Ti in .44 mag. It can handle about anything that I cross trails with. If I'm in bear country it's 300 grain Keith hardcast, in mountain lion areas I use a 285 grain hunting hollowpoints. I carry it in a Bianchi military holster with a flap cover to protect it from running through brushy areas. Extremely light to carry all day. [ Yes it kicks a little but I am a plumber and I twist iron for a living so it's fun to shoot even with stiff loads.]

I usually carry a Browning Buckmark if it's warm enough for the rattle snakes to be out.

I have a

Carl Gustaf Stads Gevarsfaktori 6.5x55 Swedish Naval Rifle with 16" barrel I'm going to start carrying while ATVing this winter

If im going far enuff into the woods to realy feel like i need a gun i carry my 30-30 if not i just carry a small pistol for snakes.

ar-7 henry riflr .22 mossy oak break-up it really does float

Kinda tough question for Illinois where damn near everything's illegal unless you're hunting specific game at a specific time. A good knife is about all you can carry "anywhere". I prefer a 12 gauge pump with a smoothbore slug barrel as a great all around gun. My favorite sidearm is a Ruger Single Six with the .22WMR cylinder locked in.