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Question for gun owners....
I am thinking about purchasing a sidearm to carry while bowhunting next season. I'm in AZ, and have heardtoo may stories about attacks from both animals and our friends who are visiting illegally from the south to head dozens of miles off the road without a hip-piece. I just want something small, but reliable and effective if I ever needed to use it. .38 Special looks practical, but I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I would go with either a 9mm or .40 SW… (I would lean more towards a .40) Can still get a pretty nice light gun and the recoil isn’t bad at all…. Ammo is also very reasonable for either the 9mm or .40.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I wouldnt worry about the critters. Plus it is illeagle to cary a firearm in MN while archery hunting.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
no 38's...minimum of a 357 snub nose...I would hold a 44 snub if you're scared...
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I own 3 handguns and my parentsare police officers (Step mom a Commander of Mesa Police, AZ)
For what you want to use it for I would say DONT get a snub anything. Those guns are also known as gut guns meaning they are ment for 10feet or closer. Unless it can take a 4-10 slug round or its a very larger cal. I would suggest a 9mm or a 380. These calibers will offer a longer range and still be very easy to conceal. 40 cal is also not that bad but then the gun is larger and harder to conceal unless you get a gun that holds less rounds and then you have the issue with only having 5 rounds. But much like bows go to a gun shop and as long as you are super serious about buying a gun they will most likely let you shoot used/preowned ones and find one you like. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
like teejay said, check with game laws...wasnt till this year PA approved concealed carry while hunting...
and id agree with myersbuck...i wouldnt carry a snubnose anything..let alone a 38special. yes, its better than throwing sticks and stones...but these days you can get a small enough semi auto that is real easy to carry and in a caliber and magazine size that will do some good if you ever need it... im a glock guy myself...personally probably going with a model 37 in 40s&w..small little pistol but 10rds of 40s&w is nothing to shake a stick at...im a fan of the 40...already have a glock m22 but its full sized and will be a little too large for most carrying..but i like the power and magazine capacity of the 40...just a good happy medium...also like 357sig in an semi, but dont like the price of ammo.. people often wonder why i would want the hassle of carrying while bowhunting or fishing or scouting etc...but, i spend ALOT of time a couple miles from the hard road...often a couple miles from my vehicle and most of the time im the only vehicle around...id be a pretty easy target to carjack, mug etc coming out of the deep woods with a bow or flyrod or walking stick in my hand...and alot of illegal activity often takes place in areas like that...wether its growing dope or making meth or whatever else or someone selling drugs or illegal guns etc from their trucks and just dont want anyone else to see....just my frame of mind...and being in a park and resource management major, its kinda engrained in me to think of things like that...im not some gun totin redneck...i have no desire to ever need to use a sidearm...but i rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it... plus you got the legendary PA bigfeet, mountain lions etc...:D |
RE: Question for gun owners....
I carry a Walther P99 subcompact. . .it's available in 9mm or 40, small enough to carry in your pocket if necessary, large enough to fit your hand comfortably and accurate as hell.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
plus you got the legendary PA bigfeet, mountain lions etc...:D Carry a gun you will shoot often, either a small light frame revolver or a light auto. a .357 revolver is a nice choice because for 1 it can't jam, and 2 you can shoot it fairly inexpensively with .38's on the range. But beware there is maybe nothing more ear splitting in a small package than full house .357's in a revolver. Made that mistake ONCE and only once. [:o] I carry a light 9mm auto (Firestorm Mini9) that is DA/SA holds 10 rnds and is infinitely cheap to shoot. I also have a .40 and while a decent round the 9mm is cheaper and I find myself shooting it much more. You can load +P style ammo (Corbon etc) and it's not something you'd want to have fired at you. Whatever you choose become familiar with it UNDER STRESS. Chancesa re you'll never need it in a stressful situation but man you better know what you are doing with it if you find yourself in one. The old addage is "It's only a good sidearm if you'll actually carry it" PIck something comfortable light weight, cheap to shoot and that you will practice with. I chose the Firestorm Mini9 (Same as a Bersa Thunder 9) because it's inexpensive and something I don't feel like I have to baby or worry about scratching. I can treat it like a tool rather than a "Safe queen". It's been extremely reliable and I trust it. It's no match pistol but if I need it 1 out of those 10 rounds is gonna make a hole. ;) |
RE: Question for gun owners....
I carry my 9mm with me because of the wolf population, I got fallowed out of the woods be a big grey one this bow season and it scared me a bit. We don't have this problem around me yet, but I heard of some places were people were using deer stands to make meth labs in. and they where very protective and armed. this would be a dream come true for me, find a meth head in my stand. WANT TO PLAY A GAME,,, SO,,,YA FEAL LUCKY PUNK,,,,,,DO, YA?
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I would vote for .357, packs a big time punch and you can shoot .38 special out of it for practice/plinking. Also can't beat a revolver in terms of toughness and reliability
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RE: Question for gun owners....
.40 the 9mm the military & police have gone away from & went to the 40. More knock down power. Or at least that's what I've heard.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I carry my .44 mag with me everytime I bow hunt, do to the amount of bears moving into my area.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
ORIGINAL: TeeJay I wouldnt worry about the critters. Plus it is illeagle to cary a firearm in MN while archery hunting. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
this question's been posed on the gun sections.......44mag or .480 ruger? maybe .357 mag?
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RE: Question for gun owners....
.380 or a .38 would be better than nothing but small cal. .357 is nice. 9mm is fast but relatively small with an advantage in cheap, available ammo. .40 cal's are excellent. .45's are my choice. .44mag is a beast. .50 cal - well you can figure that one out. Here is also a very nice option http://www.taurususa.com/video/taurus-theJudge-video.cfm
SA's will generally give you 10 - 15 shot mags while you'll get 5 or 6 will a revolver. I like having more rounds but for the most part if you have to use it for personal defense while in the woods you are most likely talking about relatively close encounter that if 5 or 6 shots isn't enough you probably wasn't going to do much better with more bullets. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
ALOT of police have gone from .38 revolvers to S&W 9mm to S&W 40cals. to now Sig 40cals.
And yeah that video shows what I was talking about with the 4-10 shells. That gun is kinda cool but I dont see myself using that gun "just for fun" its more of a specialty gun. But now a days if you can dream it up its out there. They even have fully automatic 12g shotguns! |
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RE: Question for gun owners....
.357...you can shoot .38's or .357's. Best of both worlds.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
Thanks guys. I just got back from the gun show, and have definitely decided on a .357. Inaturally wanted apopular name, butit looks as ifbrands like Rossi and Taurus are more in my price range. Are these less expensivemodels any good, or should I pony up and get a "name" brand?
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RE: Question for gun owners....
Snub is only good if you're trying to hide it.
The most important thing is to have a pistol that you are confident you can hit your target with. The second most important thing is to have a caliber that begins with a four |
RE: Question for gun owners....
I'm in AZ, and have heardtoo may stories about attacks from both animals and our friends who are visiting illegally from the south to head dozens of miles off the road without a hip-piece. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
.357 mag or prefferably .44 mag Ruger Super Redhawk stainless steel with 10" barrel.
Dropped this 135lb. 8 pointer in his tracks |
RE: Question for gun owners....
If your down to choosing between the Rossi and Taurus, I'd get the Taurus. I can't believe you wouldn't be able to find a used S&W in good shape that would be in your range though.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
9mm = deadly accurate = one shot, one kill + bigger capacity of rounds = more unfriendlies dead = you alive.
Also .45 = dead animal at close range to knock the wind out of them. Get both and choose your weapon wisely. Happy hunting P.S. Hopefully you are not a crazed gunman, we have too many of those these days. [:@] |
RE: Question for gun owners....
glock model 27 or 23. they are both .40cal. i carry a mod 27 as a back up weapon at work and it easily conceals on an ankle, belt or should holster. the 23 is slightly bigger but still smaller than the mod 22 which is the model that most police officers carry on duty. the gun is simple reliable and affordable.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
In New York you can not carry a firearm in archery season. But I would get a .357.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
Bullhockey. I bet you can't find me 2 stories in the papers from the past year and none of them happened to hunters in AZ. LOL If you want a gun, buy it. The border crossers aren't out to kill you. LOL
[/quote] Oh believe me, I take everything I hear with a grain of salt, HOWEVER, almost everyone I've talked to that goes deep into the country like myself carries a sidearm. I personally hate guns, but like the old saying goes, "I'd rather have it and not it need it....." |
RE: Question for gun owners....
Not legal to carry here either, but if I ever change my mind about following rules I've got a 9mm Styer and a Ruger .357 :) I'd probably carry the 9mm, more rounds, more concealable. That .357 packs a punch tho, even if you miss, bet the sound of that cannon would make anyone on the wrong end of the barrel stain his shorts.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
Just bought a .40 cal Smith and Wesson today and it shoots real nice. I took it with me hog hunting for back up.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
It is illegal to carry a sidearm in a archery only hunt in Arizona, hunted there and still do for the last 35 years. You can carry a sidearm there if you are hunting in the General season with a regular tag, not a archery tag. Contact Az Fish & Game on their website. Here in California it is the same way.
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RE: Question for gun owners....
I can pop off 6 rounds from my .44revolver pretty quick and pretty accuratly. all depends on how much you shoot.
ORIGINAL: DropTine249 Revolver ? Hm, not a fan of revolvers. I think for multiple shotsor engaging multiple targets at a quick rate a semi-auto is better and more controlable. Plus alot more concealable. Also, think about magazine capacity. A semi-auto of the .40cal flavor is going to hold alot more rounds than a revolver. No doubt about it, a revolver cartridge will pack more punch for an aimed, calm shot. In a defense situation, though, you want to throw as many effective rounds at your target as quickly as possible. So, I would still take the semi-auto. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
Well, to each their own, but I won't own anotherauto-loader. When it comes to handguns, I'm a revolver guy and think your choice of .357 is perfectforyour needs.I won't own another Rossi handgun either, but Taurus ain't bad. I just like American made revolvers better. You should be able to find a good used Smith Mod 19 w/4" barrel relatively close in price to a Taurus. Add Pachmyr grips and a couple of speed loaders. Depends on your manual dexterity and how much you practice, naturally,but many folks can reload a revolver with speedloaders faster than others can switch magazines in an auto.
If you can find a Ruger Security Six, that'd also be a good'n,and maybe at a better price than a Smith. It's a much stronger gun than theMod 19 (all Ruger revolvers are somewhat over-built), but beefier and a bitheavier too. They haven't been made in awhile though, so finding accessories for them might be a challenge. I really like the good ol' Ruger Blackhawk too. It's a single action, so itwouldn't be my #1 choice of weapon for getting into a firefight but it's a darn sight better than throwing rocks. They aregood, solidand dependable guns andthe onesI've had have been very accurate.If you're lucky, you can find one with an extra cylinder chambered in 9mm so you can plink and practice with cheaper ammo. |
RE: Question for gun owners....
If you want a good personal sidearm good for criminals and snakes and the like I'd go with the new Taurus Judge that shoots both .45 Long Colt, and .410 shotshells:eek:
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RE: Question for gun owners....
:DHandguns are like women....everyone likes a different flavor and everyone is convinced thier flavor is the best....
That being said, I used to carry a gun for a living for many years, I have owned over 50 of them I would guess. I have extensive experience with handguns and I carry one when I bowhunt. I carry a .45 kimber....but....a .40 Khar just might be the perfect "concealble" handgun. Very good natural point, .40 is good for power and its very slim for easy concealability. For "beginners" it has a ejector that you can see or feel if a round is chambered which is nice. There are lots of nice guns..But, I personally think revolvers are such old technology, its like driving a model t ford when you can drive a new F150. BTW this is the quote of this thread :D The most important thing is to have a pistol that you are confident you can hit your target with. The second most important thing is to have a caliber that begins with a four |
RE: Question for gun owners....
I would carry a .40 cal something...it has about the same energy as a .45, action is a little quicker in an auto. Although I would not want to get hit with one a.380 for me is just two small for human or animal...
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RE: Question for gun owners....
ORIGINAL: Steelhead31 Thanks guys. I just got back from the gun show, and have definitely decided on a .357. Inaturally wanted apopular name, butit looks as ifbrands like Rossi and Taurus are more in my price range. Are these less expensivemodels any good, or should I pony up and get a "name" brand? |
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