Hiking with a rifle?

adam0321 said:
From my experience and interaction with alot of people I have found that thoe who feel they need to carry a gun are far to eager to use them. Now weather or not to hike with a rifle depends largly on where you are hiking. In the yukon solo or up in Alaska or somewhere way off the beaten path I can understand carrying a rifle. I think that should be a 30 cal or larger and a bolt action or a 12ga shotgun. Not a SCAR with a supressor. I see and hear of guys hiking 2 miles away from cities with more firepower then what I carried in Iraq or Afghanistan.
As far as needing a gun for the two legged creatures, I agree in some areas it is far more safer to carry a weapon then to not. This is why I avoid those areas. I see videos of people all the time of people gearing up for the AT and packing a hand gun. There have been 9 murders in the last 38 years on the AT, I don't feel that justifies carrying a weapon. Another problem I feel is prevelent is that far to many people who carry weapons either dont know how to use them and or are not mature enough to use them. I am sorry but a 3 day CCW class is not enough training to carry and employ a weapon properly.

I know I am going to get heat fro this but it's just my $.02.

I have carried weapons and used them for both defence and offence for many years and have no problem not carrying a weapon and feeling perfectly safe. I simply practice good situational awareness and keep my family and myself out of dangerious enviorments and situations.
Click to expand...

Okay, Adam, since you're expecting it...

1. Hikers with suppressed SCARS are pretty few (never seen one, myself), and I consider your reference to such a "straw man" argument against armed hikers in general.

2. If bad elements were restricted to certain areas, it'd be easy but--despite your assertion--they obviously aren't.

3. Very few of us carry weapons because it's statistically likely we'll need them. We carry weapons because it's statistically unlikely we'll need them.

4. I, personally, would worry way more on a trail two miles from the city than I would way out in the boonies. On that note, 9 murders in 38 years--that's almost a murder every four years... Geez, you've convinced me--nothing to worry about there...

5. Situational awareness is great, but it's certainly no cure-all for all the violence that occurs and not out on the trail either.

You know, I like guns a lot, but I find carrying one all the time a big pain in the ass. Could it be that you got so tired of carrying over the years that you've just decided to give it up and take the risk of not having it should you need it? Simply picking up the paper gives ample proof there's plenty of need out there. I live in a small Vermont town (pretty low crime rate), and there have been murders over the years, attempted murders, regular assaults (I witnessed one just a couple weeks ago and my wife witnessed one a few months ago), and lots and lots of burglaries. I force myself to carry, because the risk is real and I couldn't forgive myself if my family was accosted and I left the means to protect them at home--and I'd feel pretty stupid too.
 
My hiking guns vary depending on where we go...If we stay local I'll carry my S&W 342 Airlite TI...+p 38s will work for anything around locally....When we travel up to northern Pa to play..I carry a Glock 29 in 10 milimeter or a S&W mountain gun in 44 mag..Cell phone reception is bad up north as well...This summer I've been working on my daypack and will be carrying more gear for "just in case"...

I'm adding a water filter,tarp,small blanket..Basically a set up where if we had to spend the night (wife,daughter and dog)..It won't be too bad....

CD
 
There're no big country animal threats here in Vermont--just dogs, coyotes, and bear the size of dogs (never heard of a moose going after anyone around here)--so I never carry a high-powered rifle (unless I'm hunting). There do seem to be plenty of the large, two-legged varmints running around, so I always carry a Springfield XD-45 when hiking.
 
Reasoned1 said:
Okay, Adam, since you're expecting it...

1. Hikers with suppressed SCARS are pretty few (never seen one, myself), and I consider your reference to such a "straw man" argument against armed hikers in general.

2. If bad elements were restricted to certain areas, it'd be easy but--despite your assertion--they obviously aren't.

3. Very few of us carry weapons because it's statistically likely we'll need them. We carry weapons because it's statistically unlikely we'll need them.

4. I, personally, would worry way more on a trail two miles from the city than I would way out in the boonies. On that note, 9 murders in 38 years--that's almost a murder every four years... Geez, you've convinced me--nothing to worry about there...

5. Situational awareness is great, but it's certainly no cure-all for all the violence that occurs and not out on the trail either.

You know, I like guns a lot, but I find carrying one all the time a big pain in the ass. Could it be that you got so tired of carrying over the years that you've just decided to give it up and take the risk of not having it should you need it? Simply picking up the paper gives ample proof there's plenty of need out there. I live in a small Vermont town (pretty low crime rate), and there have been murders over the years, attempted murders, regular assaults (I witnessed one just a couple weeks ago and my wife witnessed one a few months ago), and lots and lots of burglaries. I force myself to carry, because the risk is real and I couldn't forgive myself if my family was accosted and I left the means to protect them at home--and I'd feel pretty stupid too.
Click to expand...

All good points, I recently saw a post on this forum where a member was hiking with an ar type supressed weapon. Thats what made me think of it.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-in-the-sticks-(Pics)?p=10554408#post10554408
now you can say you saw one :)

Bad elements certainly are not restrictd to areas but are certainly less in some areas then others.

I guess I dont consider a murder every four years to be very much but my perspective might be a bit scewed(SP)

You might have a point there is a very good chance that I have become tired of carrying a weapon that I would just prefer to leave it at home. To be perfectly honest and taking a step back and looking at my personality, I think my big problem stems from the weekend warriors that post videos on youtube of their "tactical kits" yet that have never even been in the military. I meet people all the time that talk about how they want to go to T1G or black water to take a tactical shooting and house clearing package yet their day job is a stock trader. I understand we all have hobbies but I see and hear these guys all the time talking about "tactics" and their blow out drills. I am all about ataining profficiency in firearms but going to a shooting package does not make you a delta operator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-Vtl-4OoI&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVV3-o5bNhs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdcOCikmrOE&feature=fvwrel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrs86ixxyIw&feature=fvsr

It is these guys who scare the shit out of me. I have been to the local range several times and people will walk in the store with a condition 1m4 slung around their chest and a pistol in a drop holster. From 15YDS their shot groups look like a shotgun pattern. It is mainly these people I have a large problem with and to be honest with my self I probaly have a hard time disassociating these wannbees with indaviduals who simply feel comy carrying a weapon in the defensive role while hiking.
 
I understand where you're coming from but, paraphrasing Voltaire and exaggerating a tad: "Though I disagree with what you do, I will defend to the death your right to do it". And, although I avoid the types you describe, I just don't see where they present a real problem. If anything, I suspect they're more responsible than most of us for the popularity of firearms, which I appreciate. : )
 
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