What do you carry?

[beaudurkee]

Howdy,

When I go into the field there are two things I never get out of my truck without. 1. My backpack with basic survival equipment, food and water. 2. My gun. I was raised that your gun is as basic a piece of survival gear as your canteen of water.

I thought I would ask... What type of gun does everyone carry and why did you choose that model?

I carry a Glock 20. I'm not a Glock nut. But, I do think they put up with the dirt and water of field use better than most. I'm a huge fan of the 10mm. Other than carrying a 3+lb Desert Eagle, it's the most powerful simi auto round you can get. I carried a Ruger 44mag for years. Hunting in the Northwest, I wanted the stopping and penetration power. The 10mm gives me nearly the same balistics and more rounds at the ready. Not to mention being a much lighter weight gun. I load my own ammo. 165 gr of solid copper (CA legal) traveling at 1,380fps is a lot of stopping power.

BTW, I feel fortunate to have never needed to pull this gun for defense from either man or beast.

Last year I broke my own rule and went out to Red Cloud Mine Rd. without my gun. First time I ever found myself in the situation of wanting it and not having it. Felt stupid, scared and angry with myself after. Lesson learned, thank God not the hard way. I left my truck one time without my backpack and almost died because of it... thought I had outgrown stupid .

If you see a guy carrying cross-handed on the front of his left hip with a Blackhawk digital camo holster, its probably me.

Thanks,

Beau

Edited January 20, 2013 by beaudurkee

[Kaimi]

Aloha,

Ever since I moved to Nevada I carried a Glock 26 in a custom holster made for me by Minuteman. they are no longer in business and just lucky I got the prototype of this high ride holster that carries and extra mag to boot. For years no one here in Vegas knew I was carrying a firearm and that is the way I always wanted it to be.

I own several custom target .45s and one colt officers Coogan custom carry piece that I am especially proud of but since my vision loss it has been in the banks safety depostit box. My niece really wants it and I have told her that it will be hers eventually. My other pieces are being sold off to former competitors and old time friends.

Aloha and stay safe out there,

Stan aka Kaimi

[Bedrock Bob]

The 10mm is sweet. I have the Colt Delta Elite. Plenty of gun for sure. I cant shoot it as well as my .22 revolver though. That is my backpacking and detecting gun... A High Standard nine shot revolver with a 3" barrel.

I like revolvers. My .22 is plenty for anything I need outside of the city limits. If I feel like I really need to be armed it is a .357 S&W Mod. 586. with a 6" barrel. It looks and handles just like the .22. And i can get thousands of rounds cheap practice with the .22 pistol that handles exactly like the .357. So I think that pair is a sweet deal. Some folks don't think six is enough these days but I feel safe and extremely confident with it.

I always have a rifle in the truck wherever I go, whatever I do. I don't plan on any extended gun battle with a pistol anyway.

[Mike Furness]

Bob ... I'm with you on the revolver as a preferred carry in the desert. Mine is a 5 shot 2" barrel S&W .38 Police Special loaded with 3 snake and 2 solid coppers. On the street without a coat on I have a Kahr PM9 9mm, only 7 rd ext mag ... small gun but deadly acurate in my hand and tucks inside the waist band. When wearing a coat I prefer my Sig Sauer 226 9mm with a 20 round mag carried high in a level 2 holster and 2 spare mags (yep those are 20 rd as well). I have carried for well over 20 years on a regular basis. I don't have a rifle in the truck but it's not a bad idea when in the back country. Seems a lever marlin or winchester would best suit me there ... unfortunately I own neither. I built a range in my yard and shoot fairly often.

BTW ... anyone have an in on getting some bulk 556 Nato or 223 rem ammo? Have a beautiful new Hogan AR-15 14.5" barrel and have never shot it as when I picked it up the ammo had flown off the shelf and out of the dot.com sellers warehouses. Hoping that after the Shot Show in Las Vegas NV is over we might be able to find some around.

Mike F

[Bedrock Bob]

What twist is on the barrel Mike?

The AR is quite finicky as to the bullet weight/barrel twist. Those shorty barrels are often a radically tight twist that will demand a 65-77 gr bullet...they are designed for the new military 77 gr. projectile. Most of the older AR's will have a 1:9 or slower twist and shoot no heavier than a 60 gr. bullet. And the .223 bolt actions have a 1:12 twist and max about 45 grs. So not all ammo nor barrels are created equal. And some bullets have a strange taper that makes them act like a heavier/lighter projectile. It is not really about weight but about length of the bullet. With such a tiny diameter a few grains make a hell of a difference in bullet performance. And another tip...Most boat tail design bullets shoot poorly from a .223 unless they are extremely heavy in a super tight twist barrel such as the military issue Colts that are 1:7.

Before you invest in a truckload of ammo it would pay to study the Greenheck formula and see exactly what weight bullet your rifle feeds on best. A lot of guys buy a bunch of surplus 70-77 gr. ammo and find the bullets tumble and their rifles dont shoot it worth a crap. A lot of guys have tons of that stuff stockpiled and never realize it is not suitable for their rifle. Others get a bargain on .223 "Varmint" style bullets that have a jacket so thin they are worthless for defense and designed for a bolt action gun with a 1:12 twist. An AR15 will spin a light varmint bullet so fast they come apart before they reach the target or land nose-up at long ranges. And full metal jacket rounds are non expanding and equally as "iffy" for defense. There are very few bullets for the AR that are designed to efficiently kill a medium sized animal. They are all about 60-63 grs. in weight and demand a 1:9-1:10 twist to shoot them well.

Speer makes a 62 grain soft point that is the best low budget hunting bullet out there. It really smacks a target and holds together. Barnes and Nosler offer excellent bullets that perform and expand on game but they are ultra expensive. Hornady makes great accurate bullets but their .223 cal hunting bullets come apart just like the varmint bullets.The Speer 62 gr flat based soft point is as good as it gets and is the best value in hunting/defense bullets for your AR. If your twist is 1:9 or better your rifle will shoot them well out to 400 yards. If your twist is steeper than 1:8 they will land nose up past 400 yards and will not perform as expected on the target. But they will still be more effective than a varmint bullet or a FMJ.

And use 5.56 Nato or .223 magnum brass if you handload. The 5.56 has a smaller case capacity and a heavier base. It stretches less in reloading and uses less powder to create greater pressures. So it is the best all around value and the longest lasting choice. I use H335 or BLc2 powder and always use a magnum primer. That recipe will shoot dimes at 100 yards out of any good quality upper that is assembled correctly.

If you don't reload them yourself you will never have a reliable supply. And it is hard to buy enough stuff to feed an AR. They are so darn fun to shoot you can really go through a bunch of ammunition in a big hurry.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Bedrock Bob

[Hoser John]

I coveth my Ruger .357 mag blackhawk fulla teflon impregnated biforcated shredders for dirty work. 45-70 to reach out and touch someone. DB 12 gage fulla slugs for closeups. OOOOOO soooo many to choose from and soooooooooooooo much fun. Thompson frame with a dozen barrels a fun too or or or...never met a bad gun ...just bad people and a few nasty critters-John

Edited January 21, 2013 by Hoser John

[El Dorado]

Love'm all from 22 short up to my cannon.........but in the field my Blackhawk 45 Colt with + P hand-loads and one snake round is what I like.

[Bedrock Bob]

Hey JHO!

You mentioned the T/C frame....That is one of the best deals going. Those barrels are expensive but they are fine machine work and all of them shoot button holes.

I LOVE my 50 cal T/C Encore. That thing is deadly accurate and it will really sling a heavy projectile out there.

I have taken deer, elk, turkey, coyote, javalinas and about a zillion jack rabbits with it. When the smoke clears all you see are heels sticking up.

It is often my "truck gun" as fall approaches. I love to load and shoot that thing and can sit there and plink beer bottles for hours. I like a cast lead 240 gr. 44 bullet in a sabot on top of 90 grs. Pyrodex to practice with.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Bedrock Bob

[Mike Furness]

Bob ... My Hogan AR is a 8x1 RH twist chambered for the 5.56 x 45 mm NATO ending with Hogan/s X-Brake 5 prong muzzle brake.

[Mike Furness]

Bob ... One more thing ... here is the link to my specific gun. http://www.hoganguns.com/h-223/hr223sa-14.html

Mike F

[cochetopa]

Out in the boonies I bring a Colt government .45 ACP with modifications, but my arthritis hurts when throwing the slide or pressing the magazine release button. I'm getting set to switch back to a wheel gun. I used to cast and size my own bullets and reload my ammo. The .45 would punch tacks over and over with my handloads. Those were the days...

[Nugget Shooter]

Sometimes the .357 S&W or the Springfield .45 XD

[lotsa luck]

Depends on my mood but normally one of my G27's, sometimes my P229 w/laser and night sights and sometimes I just throw my SKS in the scabbard on the bike. That rig sure gets a lot of looks in today's new world.

[beaudurkee]

I like the T/C's myself. Here is my set... 270 and 338 win mag.

[Gaius]

Like American Express I never leave home without my 45 Auto.

[Rimshot]

Since obummer's took office, this is my go to gun...aim for the eyes ( " ) Be sure and add some small tacks or staples to the heavy duty rubberbands and you good to go.

[Hoser John]

Thompson contender frame with a dozen or so barrels is sooooooooooooooo much fun,be it regular or blackpowder,sometimes I luves the smell a black powder n' the morning-hahaha John

[SLNugget]

Ruger 41 Mag Blackhawk 4 5/8", S&W 686 6" SS, and my granddaddy's Hi-Standard Double Nine 22 5 1/2"

Usually carry the 41, Not too heavy for the punch it delivers.

[homefire]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Black-Powder/Pistols-Revolvers%7C/pc/104792580/c/104701680/sc/104503680/Pietta-Model-1851-Confederate-Navy-44-Caliber-Revolver/735152.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fshooting-black-powder-pistols%2F_%2FN-1100201&WTz_l=DirectLoad%3Bcat104503680

After the IRS pays it's loan, I'm getting one of these to play with.

That's what I'll carry for a while.

Figure Bird Shot in the Fist.

[Lve2fsh]

After the IRS pays it's loan............I have never heard it explained that way.

Hey Hoser I have a contender barrel in 375 JDJ that Mike Furness is dying to shoot next time we get together.

Also a 10 inch 410 barrel that they tell me I shouldn't bring into california at all.

And I'm big wheel gun fan in the field and laying around the house within easy reach. 38's are cheap.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Lve2fsh

[Mike Furness]

Greg ... I still want to wrap my hands around that bad boy!

Mike F

[Hoser John]

soooooooooooo many neat guns to shoot and soooooo little time John

[EdD270]

I'm a wheelgun fan, often carry either a Ruger Single Six w/mag cylinder, or a GP100 3" in .357 mag. depending on where I am and what I'm doing.

Sometimes I carry a Glock .40.

Normally out in the boonies I have either a rifle or shotgun, but usually carry a handgun, too.

[Lve2fsh]

Greg ... I still want to wrap my hands around that bad boy!

Mike F

Don't worry Mike I have a few rounds for you to put thru it.

[garimpo]