Back country carry gun

[samson7x]

I have looked at the Ruger Alaskan chambered .480 Ruger as a BUG in the field. While I like the Alaskan it is just physically too bulky (same frame as a .44 Mag) for my application. So, the S&W 69 would be my choice. I’ve read the 69 being built on a L-Frame stands up well to .44 recoil and is a joy to carry. A friend of mine has a pair of S&W 329’s. He’s a sheep hunter and weight is critical to him. He does shoot those 329’s year round and employs them as an EDC which is why he has two so when he sends one back to Smith & Wesson for repair he has the other. He tells me Smith & Wesson has been fantastic to work with making all repairs under warranty; the mighty .44 takes it toll on the 329 and my pal shoots full-house loads. The 329 would rank as an ultimate BUG. I think a 4 5/8” Ruger Blackhawk in .44 or .45 Colt would make an excellent compact BUG as an option.

I went with the 329 for my backcountry gun this year. Love a 44 mag and the weight of the 329 makes it a great choice. It’s a handful with full tilt loads but very manageable with reduced recoil handloads or just softer factory loadings.

 

[ldmay375]

I carry a 45 Colt Ruger Redhawk with hard cast 360 grain warheads. Buffalo bore makes great solid 45s for the Ruger. I chose the Redhawk as it is bomb proof and at very heavy loads it is right up there with the heavy 44 mags. The 6" Redhawk in 44 mag is nice. The Ruger Alaskan is a painful handful and wristful. Friend in the MatSu valley nearly wrecked his wrist from the torque of his 454.

I cannot comment on the 454 Alaskan. I have not found the 480 Alaskan to be painful with the 410 gr Buffalo Bore loads. They chronograph'd about 1025 - 1050 fps from my Alaskan.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

I find the .480 Ruger to be one of the most efficient, practical, and packable engineered cartridges designed over the last 25 years. 410/420 grain, .475” caliber hard cast pills at 1050-1100 fps are user friendly serious medicine. Ruger did sportsmen a good turn with the Alaskan. The limited production Super Blackhawk is also a good home for the 480.

 

[RSL]

I have looked at the Ruger Alaskan chambered .480 Ruger as a BUG in the field. While I like the Alaskan it is just physically too bulky (same frame as a .44 Mag) for my application. So, the S&W 69 would be my choice. I’ve read the 69 being built on a L-Frame stands up well to .44 recoil and is a joy to carry. A friend of mine has a pair of S&W 329’s. He’s a sheep hunter and weight is critical to him. He does shoot those 329’s year round and employs them as an EDC which is why he has two so when he sends one back to Smith & Wesson for repair he has the other. He tells me Smith & Wesson has been fantastic to work with making all repairs under warranty; the mighty .44 takes it toll on the 329 and my pal shoots full-house loads. The 329 would rank as an ultimate BUG. I think a 4 5/8” Ruger Blackhawk in .44 or .45 Colt would make an excellent compact BUG as an option.

I carry a 4 5/8 Ruger Blackhawk in 41 mag here in AZ. 1st 3 are homemade snake shot next 3 are 220 or 225 Keith style swc. I usually just walk around the rattlers but have been in a situation where that was not possible. This homemade stuff works very well. I've never had to think about using the Keith's.......yet. Almost everyone in the AZ back country is packing so that keeps everyone at least semi-friendly. But it seems the mountain lion population is growing.
So there's that concern.

 

[Woolley Bugger]

At my property in PA, a scoped Ruger Super Redhawk with hard cast .44 magnum loads that I make myself, in a chest rig.

Totally overkill and slightly ridiculous in my neck of the woods, and the scope makes it less useful for defense against nonexistent threats. But now that I have a brand new to me scoped Weatherby .30-06, I am starting to hunt deer in PA, where it's legal to take them with a revolver, I figure it's good if a close shot presents itself. Kind of like very loud bowhunting.

Plus, I get to pretend I'm in Alaska, facing the threat of big, mean grizzlies.

Where I mostly hunt in NJ, nothing. I have a concealed carry permit, but the environment is so hostile, and our legislators are constantly sneaking in gotcha laws, the violation of any of which constitutes a felony. Not worth the legal risk to a law abiding citizen here. Which I suppose is the whole purpose of the constantly evolving thicket of regulation.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I spend a fair amount of time in grizz country and their range continues to expand, My carry has always been a 44 mag S+W . but I continue to assess that .I watch a pod cast of a guide outfitter that has had several encounters with Grizz and blacks, He says the Best is a RIFLE of DG caliber how ever for pistol protection the best is the gun you have on you when charged ,you will have about 3 seconds ,so the gun setting on top of your cooler in your back pack or some where out of reach is usesless, also a good chance you will be shooing from on your back with the Bear on top of you if its a grizz. IM seriously considering switching too my 45 ACP, 3 shots to the ear, mouth ,throat are better than a one shot 44 to ...? a hard cast + p 230 gr. a close range might save me. would rather have a 44 mag 325. gr at 1600 fps but its a slower response time for me and time is everything under a charge . practice ,practice ,practice, and then practice. and always carry bear spray so you can douse them good after they are dead.

You bring up a good point. Like a fight with a human, most bear attacks end up being taken to the ground in a brawl or wrestling match. It more often happens before you can you can Quick Draw McGraw your way out of it.

So since you are now rolling around on the ground with your human or bear attacker. There is a group of trainers that believes in a revolver for those situations. Calling them an ENT weapon.
Cramming the muzzle of your revolver into the ear, nose or throat as you pull the trigger.

You may want to rethink the semi auto for that reason. If you carry with one in the chamber that will be your 1st and only shot. It won’t chamber the second round with the muzzle making contact of any kind.

So there is a whole camp out there reconsidering small 5 shot revolvers for humans and bears.

I’m too ingrained in the semi to change now. But food for thought if you already carry a revolver

 

[Gerald Boyd]

Altitude sickness is on the right path, revolvers always go bang! I will always have my S&W Mod 25-5 on my hip. Buffalo Bore lead free pills work great, 225gr or the 300gr. My Trapper doesn't shoot the 300gr too good, but will sling the 225s with great (for a lever gun) accuracy.

 

[cwpayton]

The present darling is the 10mm Glock. The 12 gauge slug is potent and one can dump more rounds into a bear with that than a DGR. There is killing power and then there is stopping power.

Never shot the 10mm ,hear they kick hard so that would be like the44 mag, but faster. I have short pumped the 12 ga, hunting chuckar so chance of that too. thinking GRENADE maybe...and I have experienced revolver fails , one too hot of loads and not crimped allow the bullet to unseat and slide forward stopping cylinder and any hand load with a not seated primer same results . like the 45acp because mine always seems to go bang.

 

[cwpayton]

You bring up a good point. Like a fight with a human, most bear attacks end up being taken to the ground in a brawl or wrestling match. It more often happens before you can you can Quick Draw McGraw your way out of it.

So since you are now rolling around on the ground with your human or bear attacker. There is a group of trainers that believes in a revolver for those situations. Calling them an ENT weapon.
Cramming the muzzle of your revolver into the ear, nose or throat as you pull the trigger.

You may want to rethink the semi auto for that reason. If you carry with one in the chamber that will be your 1st and only shot. It won’t chamber the second round with the muzzle making contact of any kind.

So there is a whole camp out there reconsidering small 5 shot revolvers for humans and bears.

I’m too ingrained in the semi to change now. But food for thought if you already carry a revolver

I haave heard about short chambering, Im going to try holding it against wet newspaper and try it too see, thanks for the reminder.

 

[Ray B]

Back in the day, self-defense training included the scenario where the bd guy had a 1911 pointed at you. Either by pushing your body against the muzzle or by grabbing the slide you pushed against the gun. If you could push the slide back even a little bit the breech would be unlocked and the gun wouldn't fire. In actual use I suspect you'd still end-up getting shot, but it sounded good in theory.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I haave heard about short chambering, Im going to try holding it against wet newspaper and try it too see, thanks for the reminder.

Short chambering is something different. Final reaming of a chamber is done to the customers specs for load OAL. Common in custom competition 1911's in .40 and 9mm.