Bianchi makes the Cyclone which is cross draw or normal carry, both. There are others for your .357 as well.
The 357 Magnum would be my hands down choice for hiking. S&W makes wonderful (but expensive) Scandium .357s, either small or duty sized that are as light or lighter than the OP's .22. In fact, the J Frame versions are not much heavier than the Becker the OP is carrying. Also, Charter Arms makes a light weight .357, as does Taurus.
Doc,
The holster I've been using for my S&W 2 1/2 inch barreled 357 for maybe 25 years is a Bianchi #5BHL. That still seems to be the most often cited in internet adds. I use a thick belt, about 1 3/4 inches and that barely fits through the Bianchi -- with a lot of pushing and tugging. If I use this holster there is no way I would string that all the way over to my left side. It would be much easier to string a knife over there and then put my camera case on the belt on my right hip and the Bianchi the last thing on my belt. A problem I've always had with carrying this gun is that it is top heavy. Because of the way it is built it doesn't sit deep in the sheath. The advantage of the 2 1/2 model 19 is that I used to shoot it a lot and am still very comfortable and accurate with it. I'm going to work the sheath with Neats Foot oil to see if I can expand it a bit.
I did a quick check and don't see a Cyclone for the S&W Model 19 with a 2 1/2 inch barrel. I don't have the impression that was a very popular size. The one was from Turners; a police department had ordered them custom and then weren't satisfied with them. I see gear for the 2 1/2 inch but not as much as for the 4 and 2.
Some years ago I bought a little 5-shot 357 Taurus for my wife and then loaded it with wadcutters. She's not very strong so I figured that was about as much as she could handle. Just now I asked her where it was and she wasn't sure. I hunted through her night stand until I found it. The idea was that when I was off hiking she would be safely armed. but not if she can't find the gun.
I wouldn't want to take this gun hiking -- much too small to shoot 357s with accuracy IMO.
The holster I'm using for my Walther 22 is an inside the pants Uncle Mike, but I use it outside the pants, clipped to my left -- works fine. I haven't done much left-handed shooting. I am somewhat ambidextrous, although if I had to use the 22 I'd move my hiking stick to my right hand, take out the 22, switch the 22 to my right hand and the hiking stick to my left -- pretty cumbersome. As it is now I think of my hiking-stick as my primary defensive weapon and my knife if I am carrying a BK7 or BK12 as the more serious theat. I think of the 22 as a last resort.
I used to do my own reloading, still have all the equipment; although in looking at my 357 rounds I remember picking up a couple of boxes each time I was at Turners figuring I'd eventually reload the casings but never got around to it I guess. I imagine my 357 rounds would handle anything I'm ever likely to see on my hikes. But then I've never seen anything but coyotes thus far and they aren't a threat; although they could be to Duffy at some point and an easily handled 22 would be help enough for them.
I'm not really interested in buying any more guns since there is no good place to shoot where I live, but I'm looking into finding a different belt that might help some. Thanks for the advice though -- it is something to think about. As I mentioned some place, here in California we now have to take a test to buy guns. I took it before I bought the 22 but then one of the dogs I had at the time chewed it. I taped it together; so maybe I wouldn't have to take the test again. I suppose I could go into a local gun store and present my needs and they'd probably come up with something. But that wouldn't alter the fact that I wouldn't have much opportunity to shoot the new gun; so I'm probably going to stick with what I got.
The morning is colder than usual and a dog maybe half a mile away is howling -- probably wants in the house. When the sun comes up I'll take the 22, my camera, BK7, hiking stick, knapsack, Duffy, Ben and my Jeep off to a nearby hiking spot. Might even be too cold for the coyotes to be out.
Lawrence
The thing is I'd probably have to use both hands. With my lighter hiking sticks I can windmill them left-handed; with the heavier stick I do a really slow windmill; so lighter stick plus a good knife, or heavier stick by itself? So far I've opted for the former approach.
I had a pitch fork and a chopping hoe up there with me and I grabbed the fork and started to go Conan the Barbarian on his no-legged, slithering self.
