357 revolver for hiking/camping in back country?

[GunnutAF]

JonInWA
I've been carrying my GP100 6" around for the last couple days, find it very easily carried. I fact I feel it's very comfortable and don't even notice it at all! I can OC here so just a hoslter on the hip is the way it will be carried. I have a good leather hip hoslter coming right now it's a nylon rig. I haven't try it in my shoulder rig yet.

[Broadway]

There's a tremendous difference between hunting and defense shootings. These caliber arguments are becoming as tedious as the ".22 LR for personal defense" topics.

I could not agree more. In law enforcement we would all be carrying rifles if we knew there was an impending gunfight around the corner. We use pistols strictly due to the fact that they are easily carried on our belts....period. Hunting is about lying in ambush for a prey that does not know we are their normally. We get to pick our shot and often times a sub par caliber is effective due strictly to shot placement.

Defensive shooting against a dangerous adversary (animal or human) is completely different. It has often surprised us, is moving or attacking, and not making a perfect shot means more then a maimed animal running off to die in the brush (.223 for elk). Not stopping the attack means you or possibly a loved one are about to be that maimed animal left to die in the brush so choose your firearms accordingly.

[GunnutAF]

Broadway
So true! Where I live we have Griz (Eastern Idaho) , Black bear, Cougar, and wolves. And all four would be on you before you ever heard them if they wanted too. When in there home I usually carry a rifle the very min is a pistol and it's normally a 357 mag with hardcast reloads which will zip through all even the very biggest of them. When in Griz country my Rossi '92 454 Casull usually gets the nod!

[Rockchuck]

packing an all steel wheelgun while hiking can get old pretty fast.

If packing an extra 2 - 2.5 pounds gets old that fast, I recommend a bit more exercise than lifting 12 ounces at a time. I carry an SP101 around in my back pocket on the farm and don't even notice the extra weight. Out hiking I use a Wilderness Safepacker holster that fits on the waist belt of my backpack. It carries well enough that I can't tell it's there.

[Jake'sDad]

Smith made some model 60's with 5inch barrels recently, that could be light handy and good sight radius. I've not used the new model Ruger black hawks but that is another choice I'm not sure if the grip frames are steel or aluminum so weight might be a consideration.

They're steel, but the gun is still only a little over 25 ounces. Not bad for a 5" barrel gun.

[Jake'sDad]

If packing an extra 2 - 2.5 pounds gets old that fast, I recommend a bit more exercise than lifting 12 ounces at a time.

I'm 6-4 and not exactly known as a weakling, and I prefer lightweight guns for woods carry as well.

[HKGuns]

This is what I bring with me when .357 is the right medicine.



When larger medicine is in order I pack this one in a Dirty Harry style under the arm pit holster.