another Gun questions - which one?

I think it would depend on what the primary focus of the trip would be. . . If I were heading out primarily to hike and my main focus was on moving on to the next camp sight with the thought that I might want to take a rabbit or squirrel for dinner if the opportunity came up, I'd probably just take a .22 pistol. If I were going into a back woods area to set up a base camp and maybe make short trips (one day or half day) from there to explore the surrounding wilderness, then I'd move up to a .22 rifle or a shotgun. If I wanted to do essentially the same as the second scenario but focus on hunting and procuring most or all of my food for the duration of the trip instead of just exploring, I'd probably take both the shotgun and the .22 rifle. I don't think I'd care about the extra weight if the only time I had to carry it all at the same time was on the trip in and then the trip back out.
 
I often carry a little Ruger MK II .22LR when hiking or backpacking, but often now its a CZ-75, 9MM plus the Kadet Kit .22 adapter. Its a solid performer and very accurate so could be a small game gun. I like having a bit more than just a .22 mostly for two legged predators.
 
newknife said:
Say you were going to go on a hiking camping trip for 20-30 days off the beaten path.
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I'd probably go with a nice, small frame, light weight, .22 revolver. :thumbup:

I would suspect that all these people suggesting shotguns, Mini-14s, etc. have never actually had to hump both ammo and a gun for weeks at a time. For such an extended outing I would want to pare my weight right down to the absolute minimum, so an alloy j-frame and some light-weight .22LR ammo is a much as I would care to be burdened with, unless I felt the absolute need for something heavier for SD or big game hunting.

Just my 2¢ :cool:
 
I'm of the same opinion as other here. I wouldn't take a single gun. I'd have one of my .22 rifles for the game and a .45 for a defensive sidearm.

I'm from Memphis. Two leggeds are always on my mind.
 
If the focus is sustainment than a .22 or a break open shotgun.

For self defense primarily and secondarily for hunting I would carry my .357. First chamber loaded with a wad cutter, and the rest with hot hollow points. Accurate out to 25 meters for sustainment and capable of being a reliable hard hitting weapon if required. Low maintenence and handy being a pistol.

My .02
 
You're not going to carry a firearm on a trip like that for that purpose. If you want to become proficient with a handgun, start off with a Ruger Mark II or III and practice. It's a 22. When you become proficient with that, move up in caliber. If you would like to learn to hunt, start off with a Remington 870 pump and practice. Although you'll probably buy others, either of these firearms will serve you a lifetime. If you join one, a shooting club will open opportunities to learn to shoot and hunt well.
 
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I have "humped" both the shotgun and 22. When your body is cold and you have had little food, the forgiveness of a shotgun is real handy. Are you going to carry a months worth of ammo, no. If you are going to be lost for a long period you need some different strategy to begin with.
 
.22LR versus an air rifle? .22 wins hands down. As others have said, there are far better choices for 20-30 days in the bush.
 
If I could ONLY take one, I'd take a Remington 870. If I could take more than one, I'd take my 10-22 and my Sig P220 in .45. I'd be sorely tempted to carry my Glock 19 instead, because the P220 is a boat anchor, and the Glock is so light & handy. But I think if you really needed a SD gun, you'd be glad you brought the .45.
 
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