# pistol question



## sadler2 (May 13, 2011)

Looking to get a pistol to double in home protection, and in the field such as surprise snakes while turkey hunting, or if I ever run into a mad hog or rabid fox coyote coon etc while deer hunting. What caliber would be best?


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## rockerZ71 (May 13, 2011)

you might want to consider the judge if you are worried about snakes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_Judge


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## ben300win (May 13, 2011)

Taurus Judge would be what I would get. You can shoot either 45 Long Colts in it or 410 shotgun shells. They also make a new Personal Defence round with buckshot and discs in the same load.


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## sadler2 (May 13, 2011)

Kinda on a budget...not to much worried about snake most times I don't even kill em just take a detour around em


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## HandgunHTR (May 13, 2011)

I would recommend a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt with a 5.5" barrel.

Lots of men went down to the Colt, you can get some snake loads for the springtime romps in the woods and it will take a hog pretty well too.


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## Michael F. Gray (May 13, 2011)

I agree with HandgunHTR above. My choice of caliber is .44 magnum which allows practice with .44 specials and snake shot is available in that caliber also. My bear hunting backup is a Magnaport Predator which I purchased from a fellow sportsman who was in the final stages of cancer. His price was very fair, and I ended up with a superb fun gun.


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## thomas the redneck (May 13, 2011)

Michael F. Gray said:


> I agree with HandgunHTR above. My choice of caliber is .44 magnum which allows practice with .44 specials and snake shot is available in that caliber also. My bear hunting backup is a Magnaport Predator which I purchased from a fellow sportsman who was in the final stages of cancer. His price was very fair, and I ended up with a superb fun gun.


yep and if know someone that re loads they can hook you up with some hot loads if ya dont think a mag is enough


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## Washington95 (May 13, 2011)

Small frame 357 or 38 spl with 3-4 inch bbl.  Light, relatively short yet good for rat shot etc at a few yards for snakes, and is even concealable.  Not tiny, but concealable.  I have a Smith (mdl 60?) with either 3 or 4 inch bbl and I can stick it in back pocket with little showing.  Great gun or multiple uses.  Before you buy Judge or any 6 inch gun, check out the small frames with shorter (not 2 inch) bbl.


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## Dub (May 13, 2011)

So many options.

My main advice is to not buy any junk gun.  Buy a quality gun upfront and you'll always be glad you did.

The gun that I grab when I hit the woods is a S&W M57 Mountain Gun.  Replaced the factory grips with a pair that fit my paws and added some good leather and it packs like a dream.

More than capable of handling any threat I'd encounter and doubles nicely as a house gun, too.

This one is in .41 RemMag, however a .45 Long Colt as recomended above is available in this same version.  Ammo would be a bit easier to find locally, too.  













Only other modification I'd like to make is perhaps replacing the front sight with a gold bead version.


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## WTM45 (May 13, 2011)

You said "pistol" so I'd recommend a Glock variant.  9MM is fine with the loads available today.
It will do all duties well enough, and they are easy to carry.

Revolver?  Ruger GP100.


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## dawg2 (May 13, 2011)

I carry a Glock 17.  Plenty of ammo options and it has killed a few rattlers, yotes, dillos, etc.  They work fine, aren't real heavy and they take abuse well.


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## TSMITH (May 13, 2011)

X3 on the glock,my woods carry is a 19


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## 7Mag Hunter (May 13, 2011)

Washington95 said:


> Small frame 357 or 38 spl with 3-4 inch bbl.  Light, relatively short yet good for rat shot etc at a few yards for snakes, and is even concealable.  Not tiny, but concealable.  I have a Smith (mdl 60?) with either 3 or 4 inch bbl and I can stick it in back pocket with little showing.  Great gun or multiple uses.  Before you buy Judge or any 6 inch gun, check out the small frames with shorter (not 2 inch) bbl.




I vote for a 4" barrel 357..... low power ammo for home defense, snake shot for Mr. no shoulders, and full power 357 ammo for hogs...


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## Paul White (May 13, 2011)

Get a glock. Simple and durable. I would get a .45 ACP for home defense and there are some snake shots out there that will cycle through it. You wont go wrong even with the oldest beat up looking one, you cant hurt em.


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## sadler2 (May 16, 2011)

Thanks guys there are a lot of good options out there. Thanks for all the imput now gotta go find somethin I like and fits what I want it to do


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## bowtie (May 16, 2011)

i like them all.........as long as i got shelf space in the safe ...i will keep adding....next is the judge....


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## Ruger#3 (May 16, 2011)

TSMITH said:


> X3 on the glock,my woods carry is a 19


X4 Glock 19 does double duty with me.


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## Rich M (Jun 1, 2011)

Get a .38 special or .357 mag revolver.  Simple, easy to feed, great bedroom gun.  Proven to work on the 2-legged critters.

If you want light go .38, if another pound of so doesn't bother you, go .357.  Both will kill anything you find in the woods around here, yes, even black bears and black panthers.  Snake shot is available.

I'd do a stainless 3 inch 357.


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## ejs1980 (Jun 5, 2011)

I would reccomend getting something you can shoot well or at least enjoy shooting and shoot it often. First thing popped in my mind when you mentioned snakes while turkey hunting was your carrying a shotgun they don't make a better snake killer.


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## probass (Jun 15, 2011)

*gun for both*

My vote is a 2" to 4" 357mag revolver.  Safe, variety of loads for home and woods, and it also shoots .38 ... really helps if the wife needs to shoot it for home defense as the 357 frame is heavier and with a .38 (all you need for home defense) it does not kick too much at all.

I carry one in the woods and it will stop a hog, black bear, wolf or other critter in its tracks with the right load. I like a heavy half jacket hollow point for the shock and expansion in the woods and a plain .38 special (not +P) personal defense round at home.


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## GunnSmokeer (Jun 15, 2011)

*snake shot*

If snakes are a big concern, and if you want to be able to quickdraw and point-shoot them witout aiming from 5 or 10 feet away, go with a .357 or .44 revolver, and load the first chamber with CCI's rat  shot loads.

Then the other 4 or 5 chambers can have real bullets for more dangerous animals, or for shooting longer distances.

Which gun? Which make and model and barrel length? It's really up to  you.  I'd suggest a medium-framed S&W made of stainless steel with a 4" barrel. But a 3" or 6" wouldn't be bad either. Possibly the best choice would be the S&W "Mountain Lite" series. Excellent high-visability sights. Light weight alloy frames. Barrels on the short side, around 3".


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## trial&error (Jun 15, 2011)

I do hunt with a pistol, but as far as backup guns go I usually only carry those for the 2 legged predators.


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