outdoor protection handguns

[Bill W]

Had a chance yesterday to shoot two lightweight handguns.  One was a 5 shot Taurus .44 Mag with a ported 4 inch barrel.  I believe it's aluminum framed to hold down the weight.  I bought it with snake shot in mind as that's most of the issues over here.   The other one was an older derringer in .357 Mag.  We only shot .38 Specials in it as the word was "it's a knuckle buster".

I only shot one full throttle .38 Special load as I didn't like how it thumped my middle finger.  I'd previously shot it with .38 WC loads and thought it was easy to handle.  The current owner wanted to see if the second barrel would fire as it's activated by recoil.

The .44 was a real handful with 240 grain SWC loads at 1000-1100 fps.  It was even testier when a factory .240 grain jacketed load was fired.  Doesn't pop up too much in the air because of the porting and the rubber grips took the sting out of shooting it but you definitely knew you had something in your hand.

The .44 is a nice light one for toting while fishing.  It appears to be built along the line of a .44 Special as the cylinders won't take a traditional 429421 SWC crimped in the crimp groove.   Definitely lighter than a Ruger Super Red Hawk. 

[theleo]

Sounds like you'd be happier with the 44 shooting Skeeter loads in 44 special brass (900 fps). You can run the 429421's up to about 1200 fps in 44 special brass and it will still be under 44 magnum pressures (44 special +p+, not for most 44 specials) but they're a handful.

[Bill W]

I knew what I was getting into before I bought the lighweight .44.   I have two others a Super Redhawk and a Dan Wesson.   I didn't want to carry either of those as they're too heavy.

Pretty much all the lighweight one will shoot will be snakeshot loads.  I use the Speer shot capsules to load those.

[high country]

I have owned a Taraus 450ti which is 19oz 45lc+p and I still own a 329pd. I  much prefer the 329. It's not painful to shoot and I have a whitetail that died at 80 paces to it.

[splitshot]

   I have a ruger 101 that was used for my carry till I got a sig 938.  the 101 shoots snake shot nicely as well as 38 sp.  have not put any 357 thru it yet.  I think the 101 is about 25 0z which is a nice carry.  bill I can bring the 101 to the next fly meet if you want to have a look see.   mike w

[NW-GSP]

Glock 20 10mm. 15+1 rounds.

[splitshot]

  that's good you have more bullets but I personally don't like 10 mm and glock.  10 mm are spendy and hard to find and glock , don't know , maybe the sound of the name.  not a thing wrong with them at all.  what is the weight of that gun? b   mike w

[HighlandLofts]

Glock 20 - 15+1 Great gun

[KFhunter]

  that's good you have more bullets but I personally don't like 10 mm and glock.  10 mm are spendy and hard to find and glock , don't know , maybe the sound of the name.  not a thing wrong with them at all.  what is the weight of that gun? b   mike w

It's heavy and requires a meaty paw, the SF version is a little better for smaller hands but I wear XL gloves and prefer the full grip. 



G20 wouldn't be my 1st choice if I weren't in bear country, I'd opt for a lighter carry.

[Firedogg]

Bond Arms Ranger II in .45.  Defensive rounds,.410  OOO or OO buck, or birdshot for snakes. Surprisingly the recoil was not as bad as I thought it would be. Fun to shoot.
 

[splitshot]

   would gloves help?  mike w

[MADMAX]

41 mag ruger blackhawk 4 inch barrel

[HighlandLofts]

I've done the revolver thing for years 6" stainless 357 GP100, 5 1/2" stainless 41 mag Redhawk and a 7 1/2" stainless 44 mag Redhawk, I'll take my Glock 20 -10mm any day of the week over any revolver for open woods carry as a defensive handgun. I like revolvers, but I like having 16 rounds of decent defensive rounds in my gun more.

[splitshot]

   ive packed the pistols that have had 15 -20 rounds in them for years and they are heavy and me being a small guy started thinking why?  if I cant hit the thug with the first 4 or 5 shots 10 more shots wont do it.  so lighter I go.  now a derringer is a good idea.  any one have one for sale?    mike w

[NW-GSP]

   ive packed the pistols that have had 15 -20 rounds in them for years and they are heavy and me being a small guy started thinking why?  if I cant hit the thug with the first 4 or 5 shots 10 more shots wont do it.  so lighter I go.  now a derringer is a good idea.  any one have one for sale?    mike w

Even law enforcement has a hit success ratio of 30%. Let that sink in.

After using a firearm in self defense no one has ever said " I wish I had less ammo"!.