Smallest caliber you routinely carry

[rangersedge]

My EDC is a Sig 365 in 9mm. Occasionally, for tromping around, I add a SP101 in .327 or something else.

[jack]

Quite a few years ago I was hunting tree squirrels with a neat M17 4" at hand. I was tight against the trunk of a huge old Beech tree, trying to pick out a big gray squirrel that was doing his best to conceal in the early season foliage. I had stood still for a good fifteen or twenty minutes in vain, and decided maybe a move around to trunk would inspire a move by my prey and give me a shot. I slipped around the big old tree truck about 90 degrees or so, and came literally face to face with a huge black bear (At first I would have put him in the 4 to 6 thousand pound class, but with calmed nerves and cleaner shorts later on I figure he has in the 350 lb range) He had come down an old deer run on the other side of the tree, and apparently the wind was in my favor. We neither one had heard or smelled the other! Just a sudden meeting at an uncomfortable 4 feet or so.

Now to his credit the bear was fully as surprised by the unexpected encounter as I was, and after what I could only describe as a tense couple seconds during which the bear had the most startled look on its face I have ever seen on another creature, he turned tail, and bawling at the top of his lungs went barreling through the bush like and out of control locomotive!

I ran three directions at once, ultimately ending right were I started.

I peed a little.

My 22LR revolver had suddenly become REALLY REALLY puny. It has remained so in my mind ever since. I still carry small guns small game hunting all the time. But I also always have something much larger at hand. Besides toting the extra weight is good exercise.

[blacktailslayer]

+1 on the return of the predators. Lot more cougars and bears and even coyotes than 20+ years ago due to the do-gooders that voted in a ban on dogs and baiting for hunting bears and cougars about 30 years ago in Oregon. We are certainly paying for it now. That's why I carry heavy when I am in the woods as the likely-hood of coming across a big cat or a testy mamma bear is getting more and more likely.


Don D.

[Thunderjet]

Apr 21, 2021 13:02:25 GMT -5 45MAN said:

Apr 21, 2021 11:29:43 GMT -5 Thunderjet said:

.22 for me at least 90% of the time.

WHY? FOR WHAT PURPOSES?

Skunks, coons, snakes, feral cats, wild dogs, etc.

[45MAN]

thunderjet: MAKES SENSE IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE CHOICE

[bigbrowndog]

Thunder jet, I can see the practicality of your choice right up until you mention wild,dogs. Having had to put down several livestock raiders in the past, a rimfire would not be my first choice.. I had to take a large feral dog once as it ran towards me out of thick brush after taking it’s smaller running buddy, the Benelli with flitecontrol buckshot was the right choice for the circumstances. At 15-20 yards I’d hate to make that shot with a .22 rimfire.

Trapr

[bula]

I am way way late to the 32 bore game. Just recently came into 2 of them. If your threat analysis just doesn't prompt you to go big bore, yet the rimfires no longer make you feel warm and fuzzy..the 32 H&R mag or the .327 Fed may be your ticket. With 100 gr and beyond bullets, you may find peace. 

[alukban]

It is also a .22 LR handgun for me.

I do tend to also bring a .308 of some sort, however.

[jfs]

Either one of these 22 Mags afield

[bushog]

I went and shot my 4" M48 earlier this week and I believe it could do some damage....

In reality though my L frame.41sp isn't much heavier or larger.

I need to go shoot my 651...

[rangersedge]

Long ago, I shot a stray st. bernard that had gotten in a pen of domestic pigs (@ 10 acres with woven wire and electric fence) and was killing some. I had a single shot 20 guage with birdshot (squirrel hunting). Don't remember specifics anymore; but i do remember that the results did not fill me with confidence. Dog left. Not sure how hurt it was.

[bigbrowndog]

I agree a 22wmr will accomplish some amazing things, compared to a 22lr. But much like the earlier discussion about .223:being adequate for antelope and medium game, it requires much precision.
I used to do my scouting of pig properties carrying a 22wmr rifle, knowing a FMJ 40gr. to the head will work on any unsuspecting pig out to 75-100 yards. These days it’s either a large bore handgun or Marlin 44mag or both.
A 22wmr would be a great field,gun if you didn’t have 150# stuff to contend with occasionally

Trapr

[rangersedge]

To be fair, for much of my life - especially the years i spent the most time in the woods, i often carried only a knife or .22 pistol; but we don't have big predators here.

I do distinctly remember once realizing that - while mushroom hunting alone, i was about to step on a deadly copper headed rattle moccasin snake. Fortunately, i had great reflexes and plenty of time to load, cock, and shoot the snake with my trusty bb gun on the way back down. Some never do well might tell you that there are no poisonous snakes in this part of Illinois. Just try convincing a 9 year old who just encountered one of that! ;-)

[45MAN]

I OWN SOME NICE 22 REVOLVERS , SA, DA, RUGER, COLT & S&W BUT THEY ARE JUST FUN GUNS FOR THE RANGE, THEY NEVER GET CARRIED AFIELD. HAVE THOUGHT OF CARRYING MY 6 INCH MODEL 48 22 MAG, OR MY 5.5 INCH SINGLE SIX WITH THE 22 MAG CYLINDER, AFIELD BUT FEEL LIKE 22 MAG WOULD BE MARGINAL AT BEST FOR MY NEEDS, AND FOR A LIGHTER CALIBER I PREFER TO GO WITH 1 OF MY 327's.

UP AT MY RANCH IN EDWARDS COUNTY, TEXAS, RATTLERS ARE NOT A PROBLEM, BUT I NEED A HOLSTERED REVOLVER THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF SKUNKS, PORCUPINES, RACCOONS, HOGS, BOBCATS, AND, NOW THAT COYOTES HAVE MOVED IN TO THE AREA, COYOTES, AND, DURING THE DEER SEASON, WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR DEER KILLING. AT THE RANCH I HAVE CARRIED N FRAME 357 SMITHS, BUT THEY HAVE YIELDED THEIR CARRY TIME TO 327 REVOLVERS (CURRENTLY A FA MODEL 97 5.5 INCH 327), MY S&W 45 COLT MOUNTAIN GUN, RUGER JRH CUSTOM 5.5 INCH 45 COLT BISLEY AND MISC OTHER 45 COLT REVOLVERS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF CARRY TIME, AND A 480 BRAD SHERMAN RUGER BISLEY AND A JRH 500 JRH RUGER BISLEY ALSO GET CARRY TIME.

WHEN OUT AND ABOUT AT THE SOUTH TEXAS DEER LEASE I HAVE TO ADD RATTLE SNAKES AND SMUGGLERS TO MY LIST OF NEEDS. THERE IS A LOT OF DRUG AND HUMAN SMUGGLING ACTIVITES THRU THE AREA, AND PERSONAL DEFENSE OPTIONS ARE A MUST JUST IN CASE. I CARRY 45 COLTS MOST OF THE TIME IN SOUTH TEXAS, 357's GET VERY LITTLE CARRY TIME, I HAVEN'T CARIED A 327 IN SOUTH TEXAS YET BECAUSE I HAVEN'T LOADED UP ANY SHOT SHELLS FOR IT YET.

OF THE SEMI-AUTOS, THE 45 ACP IS THE ONLY ONE I HAVE FOUND THAT WILL CYCLE THE SPEER SHOT SHELLS, SO A 45 AUTO IS A GOOD OPTION FOR FIELD CARRY IN SOUTH TEXAS FOR RATTLERS AND PERSONAL DEFENSE.

[rjm52]

For the woods...a .41 of some kind, Magnum or Special but usually loaded with cast bullets in the 950-1100 fps range.

There isn't a lot of small game to hunt here in NE so a .22 would be a waste of time... That and what I carry a gun for is personal protection against 2-4 legged problems. So if not carrying a .41 will sometimes also carry a .38 Super or .357 Magnum.

Favorites are the Taurus Titanium Tracker with .41 Specials, Colt Commander in .38 Super and a S&W 60-10 3" in .357 Magnum...

Bob