In our previous post we discussed the questions you have to ask yourself about your hike before you determine which revolver is the best one to take. You need to ask how far you’ll be hiking, what you plan to do once you get there, and how much extra weight you really want to carry around with you in addition to your other gear. And, of course, you have to ask yourself what kind of animals you might be running into; a charging bear requires a different caliber than a rabid opossum.
But we didn’t really discuss which specific revolvers are good options for hiking. And since there’s nothing we like talking about more than guns, we figured we’d give you some suggestions on which ones are good in different circumstances. But first of all…
Don’t Forget the Holster
One of the most important aspects of having a hiking handgun for emergencies is the ability to draw it quickly and efficiently. The handgun itself can solve many of these problems, such as providing a hidden hammer or a short barrel. But the revolver holster is also incredibly important. You’ll want a holster for your revolver that holds it securely when you’re walking through the woods but also allows you to draw it quickly when you need it. We carry a number of holsters for some of the most popular brands out there, including S&W holsters, Ruger holsters, Colt holsters, and Taurus holsters.
For the Big Surprise
Like we mentioned in our previous blog, it’s hard to beat a gun that was specifically designed for a big predator surprise attack: the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. This gun was made to be used on large animals such as bear, specifically grizzlies. With just a 2.5” barrel, the Alaskan is good at staying out of the way when you’re hiking or fishing but still packs a punch. It’s available in .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger.
Any negatives? It’s still fairly heavy for a small sidearm at just under three pounds, as there has to be a lot of metal to hold up to the power delivered by such powerful cartridges. Also, with such a short barrel you’re sacrificing muzzle velocity, so your bullet doesn’t have quite the punch of the 7.5” barrel like its big brother. Still, for compact power there’s really no beating it when it comes to wilderness defense. Keep it handy at your side with the proper Alaskan revolver holster.
For Concealed Carry
First of all, you need to remember that concealed carry laws change from state to state and on what type of park or forest you’re hiking in. Before you go hiking in a different state, make sure that you investigate what their laws are regarding concealed carry. Whether you have your revolver wrapped up in your tent because you only want it handy at night, or you’ll be carrying it on your hip, you’ll want to be sure you’re following any laws before you start your trip.
Now that that’s out of the way, what are you going to conceal? Well, when it comes to concealed carry most people are looking for something that they can almost forget they’re carrying. At under a pound, the Smith & Wesson Model 642 is hard to beat. It has an internal hammer, fires .38 Special + P, and is made of stainless steel, something that most hikers really need when the rain starts. It’s a great gun for hiking and self-defense. If the 5-shot capacity isn’t enough for you, be sure to grab a speed loader pouch and this 5-shot .38 speedloader that’s made specifically for S&W J-frames like the Model 642.
Want something a bit more powerful? Maybe the Ruger Sp101 (Model 5718) with 2.25-inch barrel is more to your liking. Not only can it hold any .38 Special rounds you might have lying around, but it also chambers the more powerful .357 Magnum loads. It’s a standard of self-defense, whether you’re at home or on the trail; there’s not much that will be able to take all five rounds and keep coming. (Still, we carry .357 speedloaders for it if you need more.) It’s just over a pound and a half, which isn’t bad considering the Magnum rounds it handles. The matching revolver holster will ensure it stays in place but doesn’t catch the exposed hammer.
Only Picking One Revolver?
Let’s say that you’ve spent all of your time and energy picking just the perfect rifle, or two, or three. You have your deer rifle, your varmint rifle, your big game rifle. You’re a rifle hunter, and handguns just don’t do it for you (still, we’re glad you found the Speed Beez site!). You’d rather buy another rifle, but understand the needs of having a sidearm to get you out of sticky situations when the rifle isn’t around or just won’t do. You don’t want to a separate revolver for plinking, another for hiking, another for the range…you just want a nice all-round revolver that serves many purposes and will stay out of your way. And with that non-hunting hike coming up, it’s time to pick one.
In that case, it’s hard to beat the Ruger LCR 9mm. This revolver weighs just over a pound and has an enclosed hammer so that you don’t have to worry about snagging it on the draw (or catching your sleeve on it when you reach for something out of the backpack). The barrel length of just under two inches facilitates the easy draw even further. The 9mm parabellum rounds have greater muzzle velocity than a comparable .38 Special, meaning that any attacking animal is going to go down faster. Because they’re rimless, you’ll be wanting to keep a couple of loaded 9mm moon clips with you, which will make your reload even faster. (Really be prepared with a 9mm moon clip belt rack.) Plus it’s stainless steel, which makes it a great option as a sidearm when you’re hiking and it starts to rain.
Hunting is fun, and time at the range can be a blast. But the guns you need for those activities aren’t always the ones you want with you when you’re on a nice hike where the purpose is to not shoot a gun. Still, you’ll want one around in case things go south, so we hope you’ve enjoyed our suggestions for which revolver is the right one to take with you. Head to your local range to try some of these out, and then come on back to find the revolver holster, speedloader, and moon clips you’ll need to complete your hiking gear.