Steelhead31

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.

SouthDakotaHunter

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.

TeeJay

I wouldnt worry about the critters. Plus it is illeagle to cary a firearm in MN while archery hunting.

MichiganWhitetails74

no 38's...minimum of a 357 snub nose...I would hold a 44 snub if you're scared...

Myersbuck

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.

mauser06

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...

joshw020

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.

Matt / PA

That's the whole reason I got my concealed weapons permit, heck I can handle muggers and crazy people but it's those PA Mountain Lions that have me worried. LOL

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. []

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.

MarquetteMagnum

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?

gmil6184

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