Survival and Emergency Preparedness

Bob wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 8:07 pm Of course, you know what my woods carry is now....

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.

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.

David wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 2:37 pm 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 wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 11:24 pm 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.