# Looking for hiking handgun



## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

Hi all, I do a lot of mountain climbing and recently moved to Idaho . I’m looking for a good packing gun that will be a good personal defense gun as well. We have black bear ,cougar , elk , some wolves and people . I plan to Carrie bear spray as I don’t think I want anything larger than a 45 and bear spray seems to be a good first line of defense if that was by chance a issue. I love the CZ 75b 40 caliber it feels nice in my hand . It is a little heavy I think. Maybe not but weight is a issue as I pack lite when I climb. Any other good options I should look at? Thinking 40 or 45 caliber but open to thoughts and ideas . The Ruger SR 45 felt pretty good to. I just want to be reasonably prepared and don’t want to back anything to bulky or heavy . Thanks Jason


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## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

Any ideas of what other options I should look at?


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

What do you shoot well? What weight is life worth? These are the first questions to ask. I carry a 1911a1 just about all the time, Horse back riding, hiking, back when I used to climb, rafting. It is what I shoot well, trust and the weight is normal to me.


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## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

I prefer something in a 4 to 4” length maybe 30 ounces , up until now I haven’t been packing really anything except a small 380 with a chest pack and s backpack I could probably get away with a little more weight but I prefer semi auto over revolver if that helps.


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## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

Leaning towards a CZ p09 40 caliber if that’s enough for most day hikes . Feel great and very comfortable


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

The 10 Best Bear-Defense Guns for When You're Out in the Woods.....
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best-bear-defense-guns-pics/

I would put less worry on weight of weapon and more on what would stop the animal(4 and 2 legged) threat.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

Cooper12 said:


> Leaning towards a CZ p09 40 caliber if that's enough for most day hikes . Feel great and very comfortable


I carry the P09 in 9MM on my (almost) daily hikes. With just one spare magazine that's 38 rounds. I don't have your fauna to contend with, though. There are Wolves, but the likelihood of an attack on me or my Dog is about nil.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

< Click to Enlarge


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Cait43 said:


> The 10 Best Bear-Defense Guns for When You're Out in the Woods.....
> https://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best-bear-defense-guns-pics/...


As the article to which we are linked both implies and states, extensive practice at _quick and accurate shooting with full-power cartridges_ is more important than gun choice.
Many different pistols will do the job, but _only if you can do your part_ smoothly, quickly, and accurately.

How to save your life from bear attack? It's the same as getting to Carnagie Hall: Practice, practice, practice.


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## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

It really doesn't matter what gun someone chooses, if they will not commit the time to practice. 
If it were me, and I was going to be hiking, climbing, or camping out where bears are known to be, I would take a big bore revolver. I also shoot my revolvers quite well, so that certainly makes the decision easy for me.


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## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

Practicing is not a issue . I’m not looking for a bear gun though just some good options to look at and point me in the right direction that are easy to carry while boulder hoping and going up and down hills. I’ll probably see if I can shoot different models like the CZ P09 40 caliber and to see how it handles for me the Glock 20Gen 4 10mm Sf . Other glocks I’ve tried haven’t been the most comfortable for me but honestly I haven’t spent much time with them. So really just seeing what people like in semi autos so I can look into and see if I can try. Thanks again


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

The CZ P09 is just fine, as with the .40cal chambering. Plenty of firepower there. I carry a PX4 compact .40cal as backup when I bow hunt in Colorado. Alot of black bears in that area but they want nothing to do with people in general, but you never know. Likewise, I load FMJ flat nose rounds as opposed to hollow points. My hunting buddy uses a .45 cal Shield as backup. 

Just keep in mind that the CZ P09 is a full size service pistol and only you can decide if there may be better options on the smaller, lighter side, especially if you are doing some serious hiking/rock climbing where size and every ounce may make a difference. 

If I had any chance of encountering the larger bears, I'd be armed with a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull as a backup sidearm.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I'm a fan of the G20 (10mm) for a 'woods gun.' It's easy to carry, durable, and accurate, with enough power to do the job.


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## Cooper12 (Nov 25, 2018)

Thanks for all the answers


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

The G20 is VERY versatile. Using Lone Wolf barrels and recoil springs you can shoot 9mm, .38 Super, 9x.25 Dillon, or .40 S&W, If you add a G21 slide you can shoot .45 acp, .400 Corbond,.40 Super, .45 Super, and .460 Roland.

Here's a video:




GW


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## jdobitz (Oct 14, 2018)

I have gone backpacking a lot and I know what you mean about size and weight. At the same time you want real stopping power. You also want the thing to go boom when you pull the trigger and not be too fussy. I would suggest a S&W model 60; it's small and medium weight. This is a .357 revolver with a 5 round cylinder. I have one with a 3" barrel and I changed the grips to some Pachmayrs that fill out my hand more so it doesn't hurt so much, and for that reason I don't like the Air Weights. Load it up with .357 SJSP rounds; I like Magtech or Remmington. You can practice with it using .38 Special without undue strain or expense.

Why a revolver? You need to go 10mm or bigger to get equivalent power and you've got bear on the list. You can shoot from inside your clothing or pack more than once, any auto loader would have problems cycling. It isn't too fussy about being clean and oiled. No safety except for the long trigger pull.

Are five rounds enough? Well the question is how much time would you have to stop a bear and how many rounds can you get off in that time?

Anyway, this is just my opinion.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

S&W 629 with a 3" bbl.


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## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

paratrooper said:


> S&W 629 with a 3" bbl.
> 
> View attachment 16738


That's a big bore right there. That'll get the job done, if used properly!! That's way better than a :nutkick:!!


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

It's been a while since I last went for a hike and was armed. A long while actually. 

Anyways, not really sure why, but I do prefer a revolver over a semi-auto for a trail gun. Less chance of getting gunk in it and jamming I suppose. My 629 is a rock-solid piece of gun. With it, I felt that I was pretty well-prepared, no matter what kind of creature might pose a problem.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Cooper12 said:


> Leaning towards a CZ p09 40 caliber if that's enough for most day hikes . Feel great and very comfortable


I think you've answered your own question. You may want to look at the CZ P06 .40 its got an all aluminum frame.


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## Stargater53 (Dec 10, 2018)

I'm not a big .45 fan, especially on the trail. For bears, the bear spray should do nicely, plus you wouldn't have to kill the bear.

If there's lots of wind and the bear just doesn't get the message (if it's a black bear), then a good .357 would be my choice. Alas, most .357s today are far too heavy because they have underlug barrels, so you can go with a decent Model 66 (if you can find one) or you can find a good used Ruger Security-Six or Service-Six .357. These guns are exceptional, though the 66 can set you back some cash. And I do recommend stainless steel as they withstand the rain, snow and perspiration.

Also, when confronting a bear with a .357, use a 158gr JHP/JSP if possible. Against people, there is no better handgun round, period, than the 125gr JHP. But with bear, you need a little more penetration. I have a friend who killed a cougar with his Dan Wesson .357 and a 125gr JHP. He was checking fence posts on his father's ranch when a cougar dropped from a tree and charged him. He said it was the most beautiful animal he ever saw, but on the recommendation of some of the ranch hands, he cut off the head and sent it to the Center for Disease Control in Denver. Several days later they called him with the news. It was rabid.

If was a good thing he had the revolver. Oftimes if an animal has rabies, it doesn't stop with bear spray (though it works well on bear). Get a good gun and get to be a good shot. A .45, in my view, lacks the penetration to stop a bear. If you use +P+, maybe, but I prefer a good .357.


_Ruger Security-Six_


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## BigHead (Jul 5, 2015)

Stargater53 said:


> I'm not a big .45 fan, especially on the trail. For bears, the bear spray should do nicely, plus you wouldn't have to kill the bear.
> 
> If there's lots of wind and the bear just doesn't get the message (if it's a black bear), then a good .357 would be my choice. Alas, most .357s today are far too heavy because they have underlug barrels, so you can go with a decent Model 66 (if you can find one) or you can find a good used Ruger Security-Six or Service-Six .357. These guns are exceptional, though the 66 can set you back some cash. And I do recommend stainless steel as they withstand the rain, snow and perspiration.
> 
> ...


I am in agreement with Stargater, a .357 would be a good trail gun, I carried one in Alaska at times. But I carried a .44 Mag too, at times, and a magnum revolver is hard to beat, when you want to stop a bear or a crazy moose, or deer.

But, I am a big .45 fan too, and when it is loaded with +P, it makes a good trail gun. It is easy to get .45 ACP that carries 500 foot pounds of enenrgy, and that is what I am referring to as good stoppers.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I'm a big fan of .357 Magnum revolvers (I have three), but imagine a semi-auto with a bigger bullet and more power, that never jams, is easy to carry and draw, never gets scratched up, has about the same perceived recoil (or less), has a MPBR of about 70 yards, and holds 15 rounds, plus one in the chamber. That's what I get from a Glock G-20.

Granted, that you may only have time for one or two shots if a bear surprises you. But suppose you see it in time to make the decision to shoot at 20-30 yards. You might get off a couple of aimed shots and manage a long burst at point blank range, before contact. I realize that there are as many different bear scenarios as there are other self-defense scenarios, and that most of the ones people talk about on the Internet are all wrong. But still, the 10mm has a lot going for it.


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## shootbrownelk (May 18, 2014)

I've got a S&W mountain gun in .41 magnum and a Ruger SRH in .454 Casull. You don't notice the weight of the .41 in a good belt holster and gun belt. The RSRH needs a chest holster.


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## BigHead (Jul 5, 2015)

This guy killed an Alaskan bear with a 9mm, loaded with Buffalo Bore, it is a S&W 3954. I gotta say that guy was bold to use that gun for bears, but it worked.

So, you said that you like the CZ-75B, have you considered loading it with Buffalo Bore or Cor Bon?
That should make a pretty good carry gun.

From the article:
Phil was using 147gr hard cast bullets made by Buffalo Bore that are designed specifically for deep penetration, which mitigates some of the risk of using a 9mm against a bear. On the other hand, one of the benefits of using a 9mm for bear is that most 9mm pistols have larger magazines and offer the shooter the ability to take multiple rapid follow-up shots, which certainly came in handy in this case.
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/alaska-man-kills-charging-brown-bear-with-a-9mm-pistol/


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## sudo (Aug 29, 2017)

I have a S&W M60-15. It's a 3" 357 Magnum 5 shot. Weighs 24 oz and is easy to carry.

Has adjustable sights and will handle full boat 357 rounds (although high power 357 has considerable recoil.)


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