Woods carry

[Mac66]

Of course, you know what my woods carry is now....

I'm guessing your 357 mag?

[David]

Ah, I forgot about his cowboy gun. Well, he's got some choices now.

[David]

One of the members of a Florida gun board I belong to (Florida Shooters Network) posted this in a Florida woods carry thread. He's given me permission to quote it here in this thread.

I spend a lot time in the woods hunting and working...I think 80+ days a year. When hunting in the woods I always carry a long gun and a handgun and when working in the woods I just carry a handgun. For past couple years the handgun I carry all the time is a lightweight 2" S&W J frame in 38 special (S&W model 37, 38 or 642) in a belt holster. More recently I started carrying a 2" Colt Agent revolver. I keep the first shot loaded with Speer shotshell and rest 4 or 5 rounds are my handload of 158gr SWC @ 850 fps. I've carried a lot of different handguns in past but settled on a lightweight J frame or the little lightweight Agent revolver as it serves my purpose and is small/light enough to be comfortable and out of the way. The shotshell is effective against venomous snakes out to 5 or 6 feet and my SWC rounds are capable of penetrating deep into the brain of large hogs or deer for coup-de-grace shots. A 38 Special is also sufficient on 2 legged varmints. I thought about carrying a 22lr pistol or revolver but most are larger and heavier than LW 38 revolvers and 22lr round may not always be effective for coup-de-grace shots on hogs.
While larger revolvers are more capable I find that large/heavy handguns will not always be carried as they are pain to carry around and often get in the way whereas I put my small revolver and knife on the belt in the morning and I forget it's there until I go to sleep. It's more likely I'll have a small revolver on my belt when I need it than I would with a large/heavy handgun which I may just leave in the truck after couple hours. I also don't see the need for the power of 357mag/10mm or more in 99.9% of cases. A stiff 38 Special round is sufficient for close in encounter with coyotes, dogs, bobcat, etc.

So at least in Florida a good little .38 snub would suffice in many likely scenarios in which you mind find yourself involved. A good little .38 snub loaded with snake shot (or at least the first chamber) would make a dandy little fishing gun.

[David]

That same member posted again in response to if he's used it and if he carried spare ammo.

Yes, snake shots do work but from close range only. I think about 5'-6' is the maximum range due to the spread pattern. I have used it to kill a 3 1/2' water moccasin from about 4' and 5 1/2' rattlesnake from about 4'...but they don't die instantly. One thing to know is not to load more than one round with snake shot and make sure it's the first shot. When you shoot any stiff round in a light weight revolver about 60% of times the plastic capsule of any snake shot in the cylinder will move forward from the recoil and prevent the cylinder from turning and preventing another shot. In a heavy revolver it happens less frequently but it still does happen. In reality you don't need more than the first round of snake shot.
I carry 6 spare rounds in a old Bianchi dump pouch on my belt consisting of 2 spare shotshells and 4 spare SWC ammo.

The tip on only having the first chamber loaded with snake shot is a handy piece of information. Also that it might not necessarily be an instant kill on a snake depending on the distance, shot spread and what was actually hit. Reminds me of some snake shot videos I watched.

[Bob]

Every snake I have ever pointed a firearm at has been staring at 12g with #6 in it.

It WILL kill it dead out to farther than I could see the snake...

[Mac66]

One of the members of a Florida gun board I belong to (Florida Shooters Network) posted this in a Florida woods carry thread. He's given me permission to quote it here in this thread.

I spend a lot time in the woods hunting and working...I think 80+ days a year. When hunting in the woods I always carry a long gun and a handgun and when working in the woods I just carry a handgun. For past couple years the handgun I carry all the time is a lightweight 2" S&W J frame in 38 special (S&W model 37, 38 or 642) in a belt holster. More recently I started carrying a 2" Colt Agent revolver. I keep the first shot loaded with Speer shotshell and rest 4 or 5 rounds are my handload of 158gr SWC @ 850 fps. I've carried a lot of different handguns in past but settled on a lightweight J frame or the little lightweight Agent revolver as it serves my purpose and is small/light enough to be comfortable and out of the way. The shotshell is effective against venomous snakes out to 5 or 6 feet and my SWC rounds are capable of penetrating deep into the brain of large hogs or deer for coup-de-grace shots. A 38 Special is also sufficient on 2 legged varmints. I thought about carrying a 22lr pistol or revolver but most are larger and heavier than LW 38 revolvers and 22lr round may not always be effective for coup-de-grace shots on hogs.
While larger revolvers are more capable I find that large/heavy handguns will not always be carried as they are pain to carry around and often get in the way whereas I put my small revolver and knife on the belt in the morning and I forget it's there until I go to sleep. It's more likely I'll have a small revolver on my belt when I need it than I would with a large/heavy handgun which I may just leave in the truck after couple hours. I also don't see the need for the power of 357mag/10mm or more in 99.9% of cases. A stiff 38 Special round is sufficient for close in encounter with coyotes, dogs, bobcat, etc.

So at least in Florida a good little .38 snub would suffice in many likely scenarios in which you mind find yourself involved. A good little .38 snub loaded with snake shot (or at least the first chamber) would make a dandy little fishing gun.

He makes some good points but there are some small light weight 22s (P17?) out there now that I think are more precise in shooting snakes than shot cartridges. What you lack in power you make up in volume pf fire. I typically carry a 22 when I'm deer hunting. Have used it numerous times to do the coup de'gras on deer.

I also don't think it's a big deal carrying any size pistol. You do get used to carrying it and generally forget it's there. I carried my 5.5" Redhawk in Alaska everyday, often on day long hikes, fishing etc and got used to it to the point I didn't even know it was there. I often carry a full size 45 or full size revolver when cutting wood all day at my hunting property and I'm considered to be elderly (i.e 65). Having said that I've been lately carrying my 2.75" bbl Security Six with bear loads, cuz I have bears not snakes. I have a bunch of shot cartridges loaded up but have no real use for them except maybe on chipmonks, mice or such.



Notice that the ones on the far right are loaded with 3- 00 buck. I once made some up like that that had both buck shot with bird shot in between. But I used them all up. I still have half a box of shot capsules, maybe I'll put some more together. And...maybe I'll chronograph the 00 ones the next time I go to the cabin just to see what they do. Don't want to shoot shot through the chronograph, that could get messy but the balls shouldn't spread out too much at short range.

[Horskinator]

When in the woods I usually carry my EDC Glock 19 and back when I had my P239 it was my go to. Now that I am back to having some Sig's in the arsenal I am going to strongly consider the M18. In my area I am not worried about too much other than the random critter with rabies or a coyote. I started carrying a pistol after a close encounter during muzzleloader deer season with a mamma bear with two cubs.... One 50 cal muzzleloader shot might have gotten the job done had the bear went after me but I never wanted to risk it again.

[Ronin.45]

His choice is a pretty good one and his reasoning is sound. Like our discussions about EDC, it really comes down to personal circumstances and comfort. He's spot on about Big guns often being left behind and he's chosen a little gun that suits his needs well. Around here we don't get many venomous snakes so the shot loads are unnecessary, but a snub .38 is a fine EDC gun for our rural/suburban area with no dangerous game.

[David]

I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting a Gen 4 Glock 21 and converting to 10mm as well as a stiffer recoil spring for 45 Super per Mac’s recommendations. Looking at that guy Chuke’s videos from Alaska however got me thinking about a different approach. Stating up front that I really don’t need any of them in Florida, I’m likely fine with my 40 S&W or 357sig. He stated in one of the videos that he just got an HK45 and that it can fire 45 Super without any modification. Some other videos discussed the same thing. This is telling me the HK has some inherent strengths the Glock doesn’t have stock. Probably an issue of case support I would imagine. So rather than getting a G21 then a 10mm barrel, RSA and extractor I may simply think about getting either an HK45 or USP45.

I’ll have to do a bit more research both ways.

[Mac66]

I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting a Gen 4 Glock 21 and converting to 10mm as well as a stiffer recoil spring for 45 Super per Mac’s recommendations. Looking at that guy Chuke’s videos from Alaska however got me thinking about a different approach. Stating up front that I really don’t need any of them in Florida, I’m likely fine with my 40 S&W or 357sig. He stated in one of the videos that he just got an HK45 and that it can fire 45 Super without any modification. Some other videos discussed the same thing. This is telling me the HK has some inherent strengths the Glock doesn’t have stock. Probably an issue of case support I would imagine. So rather than getting a G21 then a 10mm barrel, RSA and extractor I may simply think about getting either an HK45 or USP45.

I’ll have to do a bit more research both ways.

I've already been on the 45 super trail with a couple of my 45s replacing the recoil springs. Then my son brought his HK45 up to the cabin last weekend. It's a beast. I'm going to borrow it when I start loading 45 supers. Having said that I am only going 45 Super because I already have the guns and and can reload 45 super with regular 45 acp components. I can buy the brass separately but have everything else I need to load them. Otherwise I'd probably just go 10mm.