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Post by Encore64 on Sept 25, 2018 6:15:51 GMT -5
I'm not here to declare the World's Best Trail Gun, but rather to get opinions and thoughts...
There are so many to choose from. John Taffin has spoken of the Perfect Packing Pistol for many moons. His opinion/experience matters to me and many others. Think I am pretty much talking about the same attributes that he is when I start this thread.
Something that's plenty powerful enough to stop anything we might meet ambling around though the woods, but doesn't weigh like a boat anchor on our hip.
Nobody's answer will be absolute, so let the discussion begin.
The candidates that I came up with from my personal collection were as follows:
1) FA97 in 45 Colt... Mine is 5.5" as are my 44 Special and 41 Magnum. All three are top choices. 2) Reeder Custom 10mm on a Single Six Frame. Also 5.5" and very accurate. 3) S&W 69 44 Magnum 4.2" 4) Charter Arms Bulldog Target 4.2"
All except the Bulldog are in the 34-35 ounce range. The Bulldog is 22.3 ounces unloaded. Not the most refined gun, but by far the lightest. Actually, it's lighter than my New Model Bearcat.
The FA97 45 Colt took first place due to its ability to handle the 30,000 psi Ruger Only Loads and bullet frontal diameter. I carry it loaded with Matt's Wadcutters (Hardened) and to 50 yards it has no peers in stopping power/weight ratio.
Interested to hear others take on this subject...
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Post by magnumwheelman on Sept 25, 2018 6:34:39 GMT -5
So... I'd never claim anything I had was "worlds best" for anyone but me... but these are a few I own, that I would consider " great trail guns" & not necessarily "hunting" guns... though the 480 Super Blackhawk may be what I deer hunt with this fall... How about a S&W 396 in 44 Special... IMO, it's all round one of the best, certainly one of the lightest, but with a wadcutter for trail use ( this is a "Scandium" frame, titanium cylinder revolver & 5 rounds of ammo weighs almost as much as the gun )... as far as durability The Ruger Alaskan also would be one of my favorites... probably the 480 would be my 1st choice over the 454, as it's the lightest weight of the Alaskans ( bigger holes ) holds 6 rounds of 480, & has less muzzle blast than the 454... The 480 pictured here 1st blood drawn also a contender, would be my newly customized 5" 480 Super Blackhawk Bisley... I'm partial to the shorter barrels for better mobility, but 5" works pretty good being partial to the shorter barrels, my everyday carry gun is most likely to be on my belt if I'm in the woods... this 45 Colt custom Montado Snubbie, has been lightened in weight, & holds 6 rounds... stuffed here with big wadcutters
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eskimo36
.375 Atomic
Oklahoma
Posts: 2,047
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Post by eskimo36 on Sept 25, 2018 7:29:37 GMT -5
The 4.25" FA 97 in 41,44 and 45 are hard to beat in this category. The midframe Ruger flattops in 44 and 45 customized to the amount you desire are right in there too as top choices. The 327 Single Sixes would also be near perfect if you live where big animals don't have a desire to eat you.
Curtis
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rug480
.30 Stingray
Posts: 139
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Post by rug480 on Sept 25, 2018 7:33:35 GMT -5
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Post by Encore64 on Sept 25, 2018 7:36:44 GMT -5
I didn't put a 327 Federal on my list because my Single Sevens, while among my favorite revolvers, weigh as much as the FA97 in any of the three mentioned calibers. The new Lipsey's Lightweight Single Seven and the Clements 327 Federal Bearcat may just move it up on the list.
Work has prevented me from picking up the Lipsey's gun yet and waiting on the Clements gun.
The Bearcat may just become #1 in time. The 327 Federal is nothing to brush off. At least if keeps me closer to the top of the food chain when I carry it.
Note to Rug480: That's some fine looking guns. My FA97 45 Colt is the 5 1/2" gun with Black Micarta Grips and weighs 34 oz on my postal scale...
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Post by bushog on Sept 25, 2018 8:05:47 GMT -5
Here are a couple.....alloy grip frame is the key to utility for meon a single action...not nearly as refined but the light weight makes a difference. Lately I've been really digging my .357s. Not a .44 but a little more than the .327. But....the .44 wins for power and weight both due to the bigger holes. I don't honestly how the weights compare when fully loaded. Clements .44 Special 5 1'2" barrel I let this Clements .44sp go down the road and never should have. LGS find at a nice price. Alloy grip frame again. Best news is that David is currently building me the same gun in .45 Colt/.45AR with a bisley hammer. Should be nice... As far a double actions I'm working on getting my hands on the "mountain gun S&W never made"
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Post by bushog on Sept 25, 2018 8:11:04 GMT -5
One more thing.....don't try being in the field for a week or two with your FA....
My experience is that the tolerances are TOO tight. I'd rather have my rickety old blackhawk if the rubber hit the road regarding reliability....
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Post by magnumwheelman on Sept 25, 2018 8:15:03 GMT -5
army gun tolerances for a reason
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Post by Encore64 on Sept 25, 2018 8:19:30 GMT -5
One more thing.....don't try being in the field for a week or two with your FA.... My experience is that the tolerances are TOO tight. I'd rather have my rickety old blackhawk if the rubber hit the road regarding reliability.... You make a good point. Which gun for a survivalist trek may make a neat future thread.
My house sits on a 1/2 mile section of land that I walk pretty often. Three ponds, many trails I've cut and the sort. Not much to concern myself over in past years. But, more big cat spotting in the last couple years. Also, occasionally a mean hog encounter. I can't shimmy up a tree as fast as I once could.
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Post by paul105 on Sept 25, 2018 8:40:07 GMT -5
Kind of a moving target for me. I live and recreate in SW Montana. In addition to hunting and fishing, I’m out with the dog(s) everyday (and have been since retiring 18 yrs ago) in Moose, Bear, and Wolf country. Not real common, but we’ve had bears and moose in town. As I get older, I tend to go lighter. I carry 24/7/365 where legal. Over the years, I’ve carried a S&W 629 Mtn Gun, a 4 ¼” FA97 .45 Colt, a S&W 340/360 PD .357 Mag, and a S&W 329 PD .44 Mag (the M329 for the better part of a decade). My current all day every day pocket gun is a Kahr CW45 loaded with 200gr Cutting Edge monometal flatpoints at a chronographed 1,000 fps. On the weekends the wife and I will go further into the backcountry (or when recreational shooting/targets of opportunity may be on the menu) I’ll drop the M69 2 ¾” .44 in my back pocket or the 4 ¼” M69 in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake. Both .44s are loaded with 260gr HC WFN GCs (Mt Bullet Works) over 23.0gr H110. One or two of these are with me most of the time (where legal and depending on what I’m doing): When bow hunting elk with my son I carry the S&W 329 loaded with the above mentioned 260gr WFNGCs. Still pretty immobile on uphill or uneven terrain but have actually been out five times so far this year. Saturday morning I had a nice 6 point bull within 25 yds, but couldn’t get a clear shot. Much used/carried M329 Two weeks ago, my son was out for his annual week long bow hunt for Elk a couple of hours south of our main stomping grounds. They saw seven different grizzlies, all within 60 to 100 yds – none were afraid of humans. He carries an HK USP loaded with .45 Super ammo. The older I get, the less mobile I become, so I don’t spend hours on end woods bumming but I am outside of town everyday for at least an hour. FWIW, Paul
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Post by bula on Sept 25, 2018 8:40:24 GMT -5
Thanks to Jason Clousner (spell ?) we have to consider the Ruger NM FT's in 44spec.. My 5.5" is a solid choice for Trail Gun or PPP. With bears in the hood, the 44spec a minimum around here and at camp.
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Post by Encore64 on Sept 25, 2018 8:47:37 GMT -5
Thanks to Jason Clousner (spell ?) we have to consider the Ruger NM FT's in 44spec.. My 5.5" is a solid choice for Trail Gun or PPP. With bears in the hood, the 44spec a minimum around here and at camp. Clossner. Texted back and forth with him yesterday. He is most willing to work with us on the limited runs. I'm presently hoping for a Ruger #1 in 454 Casull. Not sure if we'll ever see it, but doesn't hurt to ask.
I do agree with you on the wonderful 44 Specials. Have two blue and one stainless one.
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Post by squigz on Sept 25, 2018 9:36:56 GMT -5
I'm not sure this would be the "world's best" but in my neck of the woods I don't run into meany critters when walking around and haven't ever felt necessary to carry something with more to it.
I carry a Springfield officer model 4" 1911 45acp with a light weight frame. It's seen more woods time than any handgun I own because I'm so comfortable with it. It's not loaded with anything special, just something that hits where I'm aiming consistently. I do not carry this in hunting season, this is only for off season property work carry.
If I were to go down a path of finding a "perfect" woods gun, I would probably prefer something along the lines of a 41/44/45 in a Blackhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel. I've been on the hunt for one of these in my local shops that I can pick up cheap enough to possibly send out and have it fitted with an aluminum grip frame and ERH to shave some weight off it. It would probably never leave my side in all seasons.
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Post by potatojudge on Sept 25, 2018 9:44:41 GMT -5
I fall on the side of the FA 97. Mine are 5.5 inch 44 specials, but 4.75 guns would be just as good in 45 or 41. If we're talking survivalist SA then the mid-frame 44 special flat top gets the nod for it's extra round and more forgiving tolerances. For all-around duty, I think the addition of an RMR is beneficial. Battery life is long, failure rates are low, and the mount is extremely sturdy. Iron sights fail me more often- by that I mean low light situations where irons are useless. So sure, something COULD happen to the optic, but every day there is a period where irons fail. Anyway, if you're deep in the wilderness A) carry a backup gun and B) pack the irons and the bits to swap over in case the optics die.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Sept 25, 2018 10:03:03 GMT -5
Also have a nice 44 Flat Top, with a barrel length conductive to carrying... but it's blued, & I prefer a stainless gun for "trail use"
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