What revolver do you carry as backup in rough country?

[earl54]

Nothing bigger than pigs down here, 3 screw 357 with 170 flat points, around 1200 fps,in an old roy baker pancake.

[gunsbam45]

May 29, 2023 20:04:09 GMT -5 fm027 said:

May 29, 2023 18:56:45 GMT -5 sixshot said:

1245 fps with a 260 gr Keith in a flat top 44 special is a pretty hefty load!

Dick

Pressure tested to 23,400psi using VvN110 Dick.. the powder is what makes that one magic. I developed that load on a whim sometime around 2015 when I could not source 2400... been shooting it as my own personal heavy load ever since. It's a higher performance, (and far more polite) load to shoot than the famous 2400 loads we are all aware of. I have fired thousands through my personal guns.

Hmmm...that powder has my wheels turning, and thy were already turning before I read this...

As an aside, I had a 4 5/8 Bisley Flattop Medium Frame gun from Lipseys that was just super clean I ended up trading to a friend to build a Keith out of. It was not only clean and straight but it really shot. I went a little heavier on the 2400 with a 250 Keith than normal for right at 1250 FPS from that 4 5/8 factory barrel. The load threw fire and scared the tar out of everyone under the tin if I used it at the range in town, but it really shot. You couldn't miss center mass of the lil 50 yard dingers with it.

[tentcamper]

While traipsing around the Colorado Rockies I have carried a Ruger 44 Special Bisley, a Ruger 45 Redhawk or lately, my Smith 2.75" M69.

All have their place.

While camping there is usually a Marlin 30-30 somewhere close as well.

[MackaySagebrush]

Update:

I received a PM asking me to let folks know when I had the .45 ACP +P 250 Grn Poly Coat Hard Cast Flat Point out on my website. I realized that I had been reading on here for months and had not bothered to log in, and I am WAY behind in replying, so I apologize for that.

So with that out of the way, I used to always carry a 250+P Hard Cast that ran 925 from my 1911s. This new PC version runs 960-970 FPS from the 1911s and 940 from a Glock 21. 945 from an HK USP. It is a stomper, and I haven't caught one in gel yet. Had one guy shoot some into 3 feet of gel but they went through all of that so I don't know exactly how far they will go before they will stop.









This is what after a BUNCH of testing last fall, winter and spring, I am now carrying. It has run well in "austere" conditions.

I will just say that testing the gun when it is January and blowing snow sideways and single digits (with a below zero windchill) in Idaho is not very fun.



Fortunately there were not many people out at the time, since you could not really tell where the road was..



Couple groups:




Anyways, this is what I am now using as the top dog for Grizzly repellent on regular hikes.

[sixshot]

Mackay, that looks like a dandy heavy load for a 1911 style gun.

Dick

[wyomingnimrod]

Sept 23, 2024 11:01:54 GMT -5 MackaySagebrush said:

Update:

I received a PM asking me to let folks know when I had the .45 ACP +P 250 Grn Poly Coat Hard Cast Flat Point out on my website. I realized that I had been reading on here for months and had not bothered to log in, and I am WAY behind in replying, so I apologize for that.

So with that out of the way, I used to always carry a 250+P Hard Cast that ran 925 from my 1911s. This new PC version runs 960-970 FPS from the 1911s and 940 from a Glock 21. 945 from an HK USP. It is a stomper, and I haven't caught one in gel yet. Had one guy shoot some into 3 feet of gel but they went through all of that so I don't know exactly how far they will go before they will stop.









This is what after a BUNCH of testing last fall, winter and spring, I am now carrying. It has run well in "austere" conditions.

I will just say that testing the gun when it is January and blowing snow sideways and single digits (with a below zero windchill) in Idaho is not very fun.



Fortunately there were not many people out at the time, since you could not really tell where the road was..



Couple groups:




Anyways, this is what I am now using as the top dog for Grizzly repellent on regular hikes.

That’s a capable load there, Mackay. Would I be right in guessing that your .45 Colt 270gr Keith SWC at 960fps or so would deliver similar to identical penetration? Cheers!

[bigbore5]

That 270 Keith will always out penetrate a lesser weight autoloader rn profile, all else being equal.

[bigbrowndog]

Sept 24, 2024 16:51:54 GMT -5 bigbore5 said:

That 270 Keith will always out penetrate a lesser weight autoloader rn profile, all else being equal.

The problem is that real world situations do not allow All else to ever be equal!!! The animal, the angle, the impact velocity, the bullet hardness, bullet integrity, etc.
its a phrase that is much to easy to say and can NEVER, be accomplished.

Trapr

[bigbore5]

I was stating more about the inherent design, the greater mass, the comparative sectional density, and other design elements.

Somewhere on this board is the link to the testing performance from the Linebaugh seminars. There's a 45 auto load tested in it, if I recall it was a Keith bullet of some 240grs moving at 800-some-odd fps that penetrated 20". Interesting because it's the same as I use.

Also in the same data is a 260gr 45 Colt load going 600 some fps. It penetrated 24", if memory serves.

Those two loads demonstrated that the greater mass of the slower load indeed penetrated deeper than the lighter load at higher velocity with the same design of bullet. If the design of the lighter load would have been a round nose flat point style of the same weight, then it's SD would have been even less and would not have penetrated as far as the more hydrodynamic swc profile.

The scientific comparison is intriguing, but being more of a redneck sort, I just shoot a bunch of things and go off actually observations of which bullets usually come out of the other side of critters I shoot.

[45MAN]

MACKAY's BULLET SURE LOOKS LIKE THE COMMERCIALLY CAST 250gr RNFP THAT IS MY MOST USED 45 COLT BULLET

[sharps4590]

When we lived in grizzly country in NW Wyoming and I was fly fishing it was the revolver in my avatar. Freedom Arms Mod. 97 in 45 Colt. Back home in Missouri, whatever tickles my fancy. Anything from a SA 32-20, DA 32-20, S&W 696. I even have an ancient German revolver in 380 something I might carry. It's a thumper, 15 grs. of Fffg under a 125 gr. round nose, heel type cast bullet.

[ldmay375]

May 29, 2023 9:56:51 GMT -5 wyomingnimrod said:

Just curious what you guys choose to carry as your backup sidearm (or primary if you’re handgun hunting) when you’re hiking/camping/hunting etc in rough, nasty, steep, perilous country?
I’d love to hear from you guys with your vast experience and differences in regions and hazards encountered. Out here in NA Wy we have plenty o’ grizz and the mtns are steep and high, so lightweight and authoritative handgubs make the most sense to me. For example; I’ve carried my father’s .357 Ruger Security Six, a Smith .329PD, a Glock 20, and now am transitioning to a FA 97 .45 Colt and a Ruger Redhawk .44Mag “Kodiak” converted by Hamilton Bowen (not very light but oh well).

What has worked well for you folks and maybe what’s not worked so well? Happy Memorial Day.

99.9% when I am out and about for a hike, I will have a long gun of some type. I carry a variety of double and single actions companion revolvers from 44's through 475. 2.5" to 5.5" maximum on the barrels. But, the past few years a 480 Ruger Alaskan has been the most carried when hunting or hiking. I normally use chest holsters. About the only thing that I carry on my hip is a rimfire revolver or pistol.

This winter I might renew familiarity with the 357 in 4 & 5" double actions. I don't have any of the lightweight frame revolvers that I would consider for outdoor carry. Though, I have been tempted by them. Not that I have weights memorized, but a 4" 629 Mountain Gun might be my lightest.

[Fowler]

Sept 24, 2024 12:52:46 GMT -5 wyomingnimrod said:

Sept 23, 2024 11:01:54 GMT -5 MackaySagebrush said:

Update:

I received a PM asking me to let folks know when I had the .45 ACP +P 250 Grn Poly Coat Hard Cast Flat Point out on my website. I realized that I had been reading on here for months and had not bothered to log in, and I am WAY behind in replying, so I apologize for that.

So with that out of the way, I used to always carry a 250+P Hard Cast that ran 925 from my 1911s. This new PC version runs 960-970 FPS from the 1911s and 940 from a Glock 21. 945 from an HK USP. It is a stomper, and I haven't caught one in gel yet. Had one guy shoot some into 3 feet of gel but they went through all of that so I don't know exactly how far they will go before they will stop.









This is what after a BUNCH of testing last fall, winter and spring, I am now carrying. It has run well in "austere" conditions.

I will just say that testing the gun when it is January and blowing snow sideways and single digits (with a below zero windchill) in Idaho is not very fun.



Fortunately there were not many people out at the time, since you could not really tell where the road was..



Couple groups:




Anyways, this is what I am now using as the top dog for Grizzly repellent on regular hikes.

That’s a capable load there, Mackay. Would I be right in guessing that your .45 Colt 270gr Keith SWC at 960fps or so would deliver similar to identical penetration? Cheers!

Now the other thing to think of with the 270gr SWC is the nose is MUCH larger and would cut a much wider hole in the beast as it penetrates. The 250gr bullet shown has a small flat meplate to it, it will penetrate but not do as much damage as it travels along.

Ted what spring are you running in your 1911s when you are running this load? A standard factory 16-18lb spring would be fine for a magazine or two but if you wanted to do some real shooting it would be a bit hard on the gun I’d suspect.

[cdf41]

Think he recommends a 20lb spring on the website. Gonna have to give this stuff a try this hunting season!

[cdf41]

What front sight height do you recommend for the 45 acp ammo?
I'm fixing to put either fiber optic or tritium with orange outine on my 1911.