All of this talk about various 9mm autos, ammo availability, and all of that kind of got me to thinking. Thinking about a different kind of defensive sidearm... Not the kind one would carry concealed, around town, but rather the kind one might carry in the wilderness. Having gone on a bit of a wilderness adventure with some buddies a couple of weeks ago - three days and nights on what is known as the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route - I thought I would share what I was carrying. First, though, a group photo of us somewhere high up (6.000 feet) in the Cascade Mountains, with Mt Rainier in the background:
This is excellent black bear and cougar (no, not that kind...) country. While problems are quite rare, were were going to be cooking some tasty (and I'm sure quite fragrant) morsels every night and, well, it's just best to be prepared.
Knowing that I was going to be sitting in my FJ80 for 10-12 hours per day, and muddling around every evening with camp chores, I wanted something small and out of the way. It did need to have some real punch, though, and fortunately, I have something that fills the bill perfectly.
This is my custom 3" Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 magnum that a good friend gave me many years ago. Carried in my El Paso Saddlery "Street Combat" holster (actually meant for a 4" Model 29), it was completely unnoticed on my hip the entire time. What a wonderful little packing gun and rig.
The load of choice for this duty consists of a 300 grain gas checked bullet from an LBT (Lead Bullet Technology) mold over a really stiff charge of W-W 296. This load just breaks 1,300 fps out of this revolver. This is a pretty stiff (but not absolute maximum) load - I will not shoot these out of my Model 29's, just my Super Blackhawk and Virginian Dragoon. And even then, I try not to make a habit of it, but not because they are hard on the gun - they are kind of hard on
me. Shown for comparison with the "standard" 250 grain Keith semi-wadcutter from the RCBS .44-250K mold, and the (now sadly discontinued) 240 grain Speer half-jacket:
Anyway, something different as far as a "self defense" handgun and load, something we use under far different circumstances than concealed carry. Horses for courses, and all of that...