Carrying a Rifle or Pistol in the Wilds

If I "WAS" to carry a rifle in the woods in any of the lower 48, it'd be my Vintage sporterized WW2 BRNO VZ24 8x57 Mauser... that thing is flat shooting, accurate to 500 meters with open sights and light enough to carry all day and easy on the recoil. I'm considering rechambering it to 7mm-08 Remington when the barrel gives out, or ammo becomes hard to find. anywho thats my $.02 worth

Jason
 
udtjim said:
My permit is a SD permit. Its in a block of states that honors other states permits. Maybe soon we won't need a permit to carry out our constitutional rights.:mad:
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Here here! Good post! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


Here in ID we have an overpopulation of wolves, as well as lots of black bears, some brown bears, many coyotes (yes, they attack people), and cougars.
The only gun I have that I feel confident of stopping a bear with is my Mossberg 590 with Brenneke slugs. Does anyone know if my Nagant M44 in 7.62x54 w/ 200-grain bullets is adequate defense against black bears? :confused:
 
Depends on what you call the wilds, East coast wilds where there is a road every two miles, I would be happy with a 1911 on my hip, places where roads show up every hundred or more miles, i want something abit stronger.
 
I carry a Glock 23 with me. You can carry a handgun in national parks in my state as long as you have a concealed carry permit. I do.. so I don't have to worry about the law but I won't go into the woods without some firepower anyways. This is just me.
 
I would hazard a guess that more people in Alaska are killed by other humans than the wildlife. That's pretty much the way life is on planet Earth. I met a guide up in Alaska who carried a 1911 with just such reasoning.

Ammunition weight is interesting. A round of 9mm and a round of 5.56 weigh about the same. There are slight differences between various bullet weights of 9mm and 5.56 but in general terms each will weigh about 12 grams. So which would you rather shoot out of a long gun, 9mm or 5.56? My brother used to have a 9mm AR-15 and traded it in on a shorty AR in 5.56.

A 55 grain 5.56 round weighs about half as much as a 110 grain .30 carbine round and about a third as much as a 168 grain .308. The 124 grain 7.62x39 falls between the .30 carbine and .308. Then you have to factor in magazine weight. I don't remember the exact figures but one of the worst offenders are those awesome, robust, never fail, steel AK-47 magazines. Fully loaded with 30 124 grain bullets they are a good bit heavier than an aluminum AR mag with 30, 55 grain bullets.

I used to carry a Taurus PT-92. My Glock 17 weighs less fully loaded than the PT-92 did empty. Back when I researched this stuff I came to the conclusion that the pair to beat for the firepower to weight ratio was a Glock 9mm and a 5.56 AR-15.

I don't think weight of gun and ammo should be the only factor considered but if you are going to set up a BOB or are concerned with actually carrying your guns and a full load of ammo in the back country then you really have to have a good idea of just how heavy the stuff is. The .308's and .45's are great guns but we are talking about adding slabs of steel and chunks of lead to the load and you won't carry it for free. Mac
 
We have a camp in the big State park here. My little Marlin 1894 in .44 mag goes with me for most any walk in the woods. We've been friends for 35 years and that's what I grab for a hike.

Phil
 
I see somebody with a rifle out on the trail, and it isn't hunting season and it doesn't look like a "hunting" rifle, and I am right away going to consider this person some kind of "weirdo"! My hand will be in my fanny pack right away.....
 
Reconranger, I tend to agree with your statement. Guns don't bother me at all, but when someone carries something that is just not suitable (from my perspective) for a walk in the woods and they aren't hunting, it raises my red flags for me. I don't want to restrict access to any firearm. I just wish some people would apply a bit more common sense (from my perspective) when they choose a firearm to carry out in the woods. No war going on here in the US last I checked.
 
reconranger said:
I see somebody with a rifle out on the trail, and it isn't hunting season and it doesn't look like a "hunting" rifle, and I am right away going to consider this person some kind of "weirdo"! My hand will be in my fanny pack right away.....
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:( Who has to worry about Hillary when we've got friends like this? :barf:

I think their AR is an assault rifle. The hunting rifle is a sniper rifle. Pass a law against 'em, quick! Your pistol is sadly a terrorist's weapon, and cannot be allowed in the woods either. But as long as the children are safer...
 
reconranger said:
I see somebody with a rifle out on the trail, and it isn't hunting season and it doesn't look like a "hunting" rifle, and I am right away going to consider this person some kind of "weirdo"! My hand will be in my fanny pack right away.....
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I hope you just forgot to add the LOL smilie :)

Phil
 
reconranger said:
I see somebody with a rifle out on the trail, and it isn't hunting season and it doesn't look like a "hunting" rifle, and I am right away going to consider this person some kind of "weirdo"! My hand will be in my fanny pack right away.....
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You're not doing anything to improve the image of folks from your home state here.
 
Give me a nice 22 rifle or pistol and the rest of you can carry anything dang thing you want to. Just be nice. :)
 
The rifle I grab for walks in the woods is my Spanish Mauser in .308. It shoots both 7.62x51mm and .308 spec. ammo just fine. I also have my Taurus 686 revolver in .357 on my hip as well. Most of the time I just leave the Mauser home though.
 
I almost never carry a long gun in the woods unless I'm hunting or going to or from target shooting. In Alaska I would carry a long gun for sure. I find I'm well set with just a handgun in PA.

That said I do have several non-PC long guns. They are overkill for a hike but I own them because they are #1 Fun to shoot, and #2 Very good at what they do. I am a peace loving person, enough to make it happen if its lacking. Mac
 
7.62x54 is a decent round, would rather have the Mossburg 500 12 Gauge with big nasty foster slugs, nuthin says luvin like a 440 grain wad of hard cast lead exiting the barrell at about 1200 FPS for bear any way... Oh hell this is the "Blade Forums" we should use a Traditional Samurai Sword made by an American who studied with a Japanese Iaido Master and Swordsmith forged from a pattern welded billet of wootz & meteorite, quenched in dragon spit on the peak of a misty Mt. Fugi morning so the hamon just captures the glow of the rising sun... Man I've had WAY TOO Much Caffiene today...
 
I like firearms...like to have one when I'm raoming, more for plinking and for putting meet in the pot. I do have my own opinions about what is and is not appropriate for a given locale or trip but they are personal....don't want to come off like a sheeple.
 
werwoof said:
Here here! Good post! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


Here in ID we have an overpopulation of wolves, as well as lots of black bears, some brown bears, many coyotes (yes, they attack people), and cougars.
The only gun I have that I feel confident of stopping a bear with is my Mossberg 590 with Brenneke slugs. Does anyone know if my Nagant M44 in 7.62x54 w/ 200-grain bullets is adequate defense against black bears? :confused:
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Not to mention the Wolves are non native and were raised by people so they have NO fear of people. Friggin hate those mountain lions, getting the feeling something is watching you , get stalked for a few miles and then they are either gone (95% of the time) or pouncing on you....
That round should be fine, remember shot placement is your best friend when shooting large game.
 
reconranger said:
I see somebody with a rifle out on the trail, and it isn't hunting season and it doesn't look like a "hunting" rifle, and I am right away going to consider this person some kind of "weirdo"! My hand will be in my fanny pack right away.....
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Careful, now. You're not marching in lockstep with the rest of us.
 
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