RE: Side arm of choice?
Well, we don't have many bears around here, but we do have the big cats. While deer hunting (or any other hunting for that matter), I carry whatever I have with me and don't worry about it. Cats are too sneaky and by the time I realized it, the thing would be on top of me, giving me no time to pull another side arm. If I am hiking in the high country for fishing or whatever, I carry my 1911, full mag, pipe empty, incase I fall, I don't want an accidental discharge. Again, this probably would be difficult to unholster anyway, but I will cross that bridge when I get there. (Which will hopefully be never). The loads are handloaded 230 Lead round nose bullets, I know of no Mt lion that would laugh at that!!