hobie11

i have a .357 mag Smith and Wesson and it performs wonderfully. One of the best shooting handguns that ive ever put it my hands. Have killed one deer with it. It just awsome thats all ive got to say.

Brush hunter

No less than a .44 if you planto takeon a bear, Ruger blackhawk will do just fine. Good auto would be a Desert Eagle in .44 or .50, with a shoulder the weight has never been any trouble . .45 apc, .40 and .357's are all good people getters, but I wouldn't try to use them on a bear. What type of bears do you plan on running into?

AppleOnMyHead

Thanks for all the help. I've found most of this info useful.

I think I will eventually end up getting 2 pistols per bigbulls, and others suggestions.There doesn't seem to be a good gun to do both, and since I don't plan on going through CCP training in the immediate future, I think I will go for thebig gun first, and get a CCP weapon later.


Here is a real crazy twist to my story. I don't tell my wife much about my interest in guns as she would rather spend the money on new clothes or something. More of the valley girl, not the outdoors type. I've never mentioned my interest in getting a handgun, or two, to her. A few days ago, she said something about wanting to get a pistol…..WTF? I blew it off. Last night I spoke to her about it and expected she had already lost interest. WRONG! I asked her why in the world she wanted a pistol, not that there was anything wrong with that, just that it caught me by surprise. She said she just wanted to do some target shooting and she would like one for defense. So I replied half sarcastically, "Are you going to get a concealed carry permit or something?" She said yes. Double, WTF! She was an eyewitness to a murder some years ago and we don't really talk about it that much anymore, but in a few years the convict will be up for parole. He claimed after the murder, but before he was arrested, that he would kill anyone who turned him in. She doesn't THINK he will try to come after her, but she doesn't want to be wrong or wait until the day his parole could be approved to get the process started. Basically, it was a dude she knew in high school, and they got along but were never really friends. At the time she happened to be living in an apartment complex that he also lived in. She was at his house with one of her friends, her brother, and one of her brothers friends. The now convict thought her brothers friend stole $40 bucks, so he stuck a .22 bullet through the dudes eye socket. The guy's head with the .22 bullet in it, then fell over on my wife's shoulder. The punk arse prosecuting attorney had THREE matching eyewitness statements, and copped a manslaughter plea. The convict also told my wife that he had recently kicked out another one of my wife's friends that was staying with him because he was afraid he would do something like this to her, and he didn't REALLY want to kill her.
I know this doesn't add a whole lot to the thread, but thought it might be an interesting read. I kinda married over my head in the looks department so try to imagine someone that looks and acts a lot like Jessica Simpson with a CCP.

Rammer

Well, if the wife is interested and you are as well, here is what I would reccomend. Go to a gunshop that has an indoor shooting range, where you can rent pistols and try out a few before you buy anything. You may find that you cannot shoot a Glock as good as an XD, or vice-versa. I already have 3 handguns all of which I can carry concealed, but that XD sub-compact is going to be in my collection soon.

Rammer

One good thing to get for a concealed carry type firearm is a set of night sites.

Here is a picture of the Trijicons on my XD 40 Tactical.




Here is a 25 yard group shot freehand with my XD 40 Tactical about a week after I got it. I need to go shoot another group now that I've had the gun almost a year and a few thousand rounds thru it.

Rebel Hog

10-4!

semi

i have to say look at springfield XD's. Great gun for the $$. However, i would have to say a .357 revolver. Perfect for what you seek. Not pretty, a little bulky depending on brand but all the firepower you may need.

boysda

you've gotten some great advice here, but i'll add my 2 cents anyway.

budget is always an issue with me, and if i could only afford one to do the things you want, i think this is your best call: considera 44mag with a 4" barrel. a little big for concealed carry, but as a compromise it works. with the mag rounds, it'll deal with bear.also believe you can get a "snake" round chambered for it. when you're in the woods, alternate mag/snake rounds, and you can handle whatever you come across. back in civilization, load it up with 44 specials, and you can deal with 2-legged vermin, and yourwife should be able to handle the recoil.

newtohogs

yup two different guns for 2 different reasons. hunting big game or walking up on a bear id say s&w 500 or tarus 454 or 44 mag taurus makes a good gun with good guarenties and at even better prices

for ccw use id go with a glock 19 or even a snub taurus in a 357 this for a few reasons one being you can still use it on semi small game and for your carry weapon. second fold when you think of a hand gun for ccw and home use i personally think it is better to shoot a round that has a good chance if a fatal wound but stay in the target espeally in the home or where other inocnocent people may be . last thing i want to do is over penatrate and wound a bystander or even family member in the next room. but this is just my 2 cents. get a gun that your comfertable with and you can shoot well practice practice pratice. i would rather go up against a 45 in the hands of a person that cant handel the gun before id want to go against even a person with a 22 if they knew the gun and could shoot it well

redhead522

If you want a high quality gun that stays in a budget, you can't go wrong with a Ruger. If you're wanting a revolver, I'd say a 357 mag is the best choice, since you can shoot 38 special and 357 mag, and Ruger has some excellent choices. If you're wanting a pistol, I recommend a 45 ACP, the P345 being an excellent choice. You can put a little more money into it, and buy say a Glock, H&K, Sig, Beretta, S&W, etc But about the difference I've seen in all these firearms is the price tag. Since all of them function nearly flawlessly. It's hard to go wrong with any of these companies, it's just the features you want and the amount you want to spend.