Just curious as to which of the three handguns in MY collection you would choose as your camping and hiking choice and why?
Not in Grizzly country, but there are some black bear,and other wildlife (2 and 4 legged variety).

Choices are:

Springfield XD .357 SIG with 12 rnd mags JHPammo
Glock 19 9mm with 15 round mags JHP ammo
Springfield XD .45ACP with 13 round mags JHP ammo


Thanks for your input!

either of the XDs.

when in doubt, more oomph is better, I think.

Of the three, the one that shoots 357SIG.

My choice would be the XD in .45.
45 is final and thumb sized bullets make fist size holes.

Either XD.I would want something with a little more power than a 9mm for non-human threats.

A 9mm may kill you, but a .45 will kill your soul!

.357

With Lehigh Defense ammo you could use any of those calibers effectively against four legged threats. I'd go with lightweight and the most bullets.

I think any of the three that you mention would be fine. If I had to pick I would take the XD in .357 Sig.

The XD with .357. Plenty of power with very controllable recoil.

You may also want to consider adding a 10mm to your stable. Mid-range 10mm is as hot as full-house .357 Magnum. I believe XD has a 10mm option, and of course, Glock has several. Just a suggestion.

XD 45. Or the 357 Sig as second choice.

Any of the 3 but more ooomph with JHP might end up with less penetration, thus not ideal in the woods.

Personally I'd take the G19 loaded with Federal HST 147 gr.

The G-19 stoked with the Buffalo Bore +P Outdoorsman load would do fine. 147 gr. hard cast, and it has oomph behind it. Check out the website for info on it.

Im a 45 man through and through, I probably have ten times as many 45's as any other caliber.

I'd go with the Glock 19. It's smaller, lighter and you probably won't need it anyway. If you do need it, it probably won't be for a bear. And if it is for a bear, it's for a black bear, you're not hunting, so you just need to hurt em bad to run it off.

^ Good bullets that will penetrate would not be a bad thing.

Unless you shoot one of the others significantly better, I'd take the G19 loaded with FMJ for penetration.

I asked this same question some time ago with the same set of 2 and 4 legged parameters. My choices were .357 or .44 revolvers, a 9mm SigPro, a .40 229 or a .45 1911. 3/4 flap, who I regard as one of the most experienced and practical members on this board for such questions suggested the SigPro 9mm very strongly, and stated that his son, who is a forest ranger chooses to carry that very gun and loading. It's light weight, low corrosion, and highest capacity.

quote:

Originally posted by cobalt402:
The G-19 stoked with the Buffalo Bore +P Outdoorsman load would do fine. 147 gr. hard cast, and it has oomph behind it. Check out the website for info on it.

This

I recently switched from .44 mag revolver to G20 10mm with hard cast ammo.

I'd pick the 45 ACP but it would have to be in a chest holster for hiking and camping. Weight is definitely a factor.

All I can give you is some philosophy...based on my personal experience. I wouldn't feel comfortable with any of them.

I lived in upstate New York for about 25 years and did a lot of hiking, hunting, canoeing and camping in the Adirondacks and Tug Hill Plateau. Many times by myself. Had a goodly number of black bears as well as feral dogs. An occasional coyote.

I had a number of guns to choose from, but normally carried a S&W M57 4" .40 Mag with 210 gr jacketed flat points. Black bears aren't grizzlies, but they are still tough. You need decent penetration. Everybody has their own comfort level...that was mine.

I was camping solo one time. Woods, not a manicured camping area. Woke up and heard noises in the middle of the night. Big bumps against the tent. Dog? Coyote? Racoon? Then I heard a distinctive grunt. BEAR!!!

I waited him out without moving or making noise. Eventually he got bored and left. As always, all my food was hung up high in a tree with a rope attached. Fortunately, I didn't become HIS food.

I've been carrying on the streets and in the woods for a long time. My own philosophy is to prepare for the worst case, not the best case. If you choose one of your three pistols, I'd pay a lot of attention to the bullet choice. You need something that will go deep.

Midrange 10mm 450-550 ft-lbs muzzle energy.

Mid-range .357 magnum 600-700 ft-lbs muzzle energy

Mid-range .357 Sig 500-600 ft-lbs muzzle energy

Mid-range .45 acp 350-450 ft-lbs muzzle energy

Mid-range 9X19mm 300-400 ft. lbs of muzzle energy.

If I were worried about bear, I'd take a rifle or shotgun with slugs, and some spray. If a handgun were necessary. .41 magnum or .44 magnum would be my choice. I wouldn't be overly optimistic about the 9X19 or the .45 acp, and despite the lore about 10mm destroying time itself, probably not. With some hard cast lead, maybe.

Of those offered, the .357 Sig, but for a woods handgun, I'll take the Blackhawk, Superblackhawk, or Redhawk with .41 or .44.

too bad
you have to buy a new gun
.44 mag 5 inch barrel

hey , better safe than sorry