Handgun and concealment questions

[BirdDogWebb]

For some time I’ve been planning on getting another pistol,(after selling the last one.) I had decided on a 454 casull or another 44mag. When it came time to make the purchase I started second guessing myself.

I have never really felt the need to carry until recently. After about twenty years I’m getting back into photography. Most of which is nature and wildlife. I usually stay out of crowds and off the beaten paths and in rural areas or on the side of country roads in the middle of no where.

Some trips I may pack in for two or three days. I usually take my dog and bear spray. Unlike the western states , around here, even in the remote and rural areas you will still cross paths with someone.

Here lately, I’ve gotten an uneasy feeling. Carrying around ten or twenty grand on my back(in a mystery ranch) would make for an easy target for some thug crack head. There are lots of times I set up in creeks and could be there for an hour or two. From the loud noise of the waterfalls it is hard to hear anything or anyone approaching. I am constantly looking over my shoulder and watching my back.
Worried that some drug head thief is going to leave me for dead and take my pack with all my gear. After all , it would be an easy 10 or 20k for him. Babe (my dog) let’s me know if anyone is approaching. There has been times when things didn’t feel right and I packed up and moved on.

Even though all the equipment is insured I still don’t want to take a bullet for it. I don’t think my spray will do much good if he is carrying and high on his dope.

So that leads to me getting a permit to carry. In Tennessee it’s open/concealed. I know there is a lot of “grey areas” for open carry in different areas of different states.
I really had my heart set on the 454 or 44mag, but those are a little over kill for conceal.
I would like to have a “do all” caliber to take care of thugs, bear or even a grizz for when I make to the western states. Hopefully it will never be needed and if so, only the last resort after using the spray (yeah right).

I have a few questions….
1. Am I crazy or too paranoid for having the uneasy feeling of someone leaving me for dead and steeling my equipment ?

2. The old saying is “ the guy that carries open gets shot first”. What are your thoughts between open or concealed ? Is carrying open going to attract or detour a crack head thief ?

3. With no certain brand or model, I always hear “stay away from autos, they tend to jam”. I have only owned revolvers. Has anyone had problems with autos to jam ? If so what brand / model ?

4. Any recommendations on a large caliber with easy concealment ?

Thanks

 

[174in]

Hey bird dog may be able to help you out a bit here as I started getting into carry myself.Ive never had a problem where I needed a side arm but you never know.I carry mostly as my right as a US citizen.I have a glock 26 9mm for conceled and am very happy with it.It sounds to me like your wanting something with more power.I would highly recomend a glock 10mm they make them from subcompact to full size.The 10 mm will about the same power as a 41mag in between a 357 and 44 mag.Dont worry about it being semi auto if it is a glock they pretty much all run flawless. You will also have a lighterweight gun to carry if you go with a glock over a revolver. That would be my choice.

 

[174in]

Your not paranoid and conceled is a good way to go if it is comfortable.My glock will feed anything I put through it even when its dirty.I would for sure be packing heat if I were you I lived in the south for a few years and can say there are some bad spots even in the woods.Meth labs,moonshiners and whatever else.If you ever have to shoot someone make sure you are prepared for the consequinces and have a good lawer.I myself would much rather answer to the judge than saint peter.

 

[Mudranger1]

I think your paranoid But that is just my opinion. Are there that many crack heads wandering the Tennessee remote parts these days?

 

[Summitthunting]

There are a lot of stories around about hunters running into grow operation. I've found outdoor meth labs in Kansas while pheasant hunting before. Conceal carry a brand name .40 or .45 semi auto. The fewer people that know your carrying the better. You are not paranoid, you are smart and prepared.

 

[BirdDogWebb]

174in , thanks for the advice. I will look more into the glock 10mm. I have heard good things about glock.

Mudranger,, it seems like there are getting to be more of them. Towards the end of summer I was about a mile in on an old logging road, on National Forest. I noticed a brown spot in the grass, it was the remains of meth lab waste. It had melted the container and killed the all the grass. I looked around and saw other spots where they poured the waste. Found were they camped and food waste were they cooked. I figured it was time to leave.


In the Month of july we encountered 5 meth waste in three weeks, on the job.

It's kind of ironic, while typing the original post I hear my dogs barking and I look out to see a sheriff's deputy walking out the road. I live on dead end road and not many houses around with woods behind the house. He asked if we had seen a boy and girl come out. Said they lost them in a foot pursuit on the tall ridge behind the house.

 

[lilbiggun]

After carrying many different kinds of handguns up here, I now just carry either a XD-40 or my daily carry gun is a taurus "slim" in .40. I really like that taurus, small for concealment and surprisingly the recoil isnt that bad.

I'm just not worried about bears, its more the moose and people and a .40 will do the job as long as I do mine.

 

[NChunter]

I carry a Taurus Tracker 44mag. It is a 5 shot with a 4" barrel. It is the same size as a K or L frame Smith & Wesson. It is not too hard to conceal, unless you are just wearing shorts then I carry a Kel-tec .380. I have never had any problems with either one. You are not paranoid, in the mountains of North Carolina you never know what you will run into, I am sure Tennessee is the same.

 

[174in]

I have a small 380 for deep concelment also.Stated before the 45 auto and 40 cal are both great rounds also less knockdown than the 10mm but both are great rounds for sure.I am a small framed guy (140-145#) so the G26 suub compact is about the biggest frame gun I can hide well.If you go with a 45 auto there are some nice small 1911,'s out there for decent prices.

 

[174in]

X-D's and Smith & Wesson M&P's are also great semi autos.

 

[sweetnectar]

I'd use a glock. Mine gets beat up, wet, dirty, muddy, etc. and has never misfired. Oh and by the way...the part where they say glocks can fire under water...let me just say yes they can.

 

[arffdog875]

I would recommend a Glock, 10 mm,45 acp, or 40 S&W any of the above calibers sound like they would work fine. Mine have been wet, sandy, muddy and have fired EVERY time!

 

[pointingdogsrule]

One recommendation would be to try the gun before buying. I recently bought a 9mm Kahr compact gun (on a friends rcommmendation) and the gun is too small for my large hands. The trigger pull is very uncomfortable. Even though the gun is nice and small for concealment it just isn't working for me, personally.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[174in]

I agree with Pointsdog on that.

 

[Sytes]

I constantly shoot autos w/o jam. Sure a blue moon w/ some other astrological anomalies though nothing I would concern myself over.
Open carry vs conceal? I suppose very accessible conceal. Not sure if weight is fine tuned or if there is flex there though a spare mag is always nice. In a rush a lot of fast paced rounds fly quicker then expected.
Not stating this for sake of bear though if your getting that "feeling"... I have found it is something never to ignore.
I carry in the mtns a simple .45 long colt judge polymer (found the. 410's a waste to carry... initially thought would be good grouse plinker - very wrong. Loud as all and a rock would prob do better. Haha!). Pack hip frame has a nice holster (badlands) with an adjacent pouch that holds spare rounds.

My favorite off duty carry piece is the glock 23. Great punch at .40 nice and compact. Fits very well. I think would do good for grizzly area though what would be my excuse to buy a judge?

Best of success whatever you choose. In the end it boils down to personal preference.

 

[reedjj]

I have a ruger lcp 380 i can conceal just about anywhere. Glocks
are great very durable. My honest favorite is a kimber .45 but i little harder to conceal. The glock barrel is closer to the sights than most pistols making better point and shoot accuracy. Like others have said test out before you buy gun ranges now are renting guns for this purpose. Good luck with the decision about as tough as finding the right broadhead.

 

[174in]

 

[174in]

9mm glock 26 on top and the S&W bodyguard 380 on the bottom.

 

[174in]

 

[174in]

Surprise