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Woods gun: Glock 22 vs SP-101 .357 mag

16K views 27 replies 20 participants last post by  lordhamster 
#1 ·
I spend alot of time in the woods all year long. Fishing, hiking, hunting etc. I usually carry a 3 inch SP-101 in .357mag loaded with Buffalo Bore hard cast bullets. But I have fallin in love with a Glock 22 and Im trying to justify buying it by replacing the Ruger with the G22 for a woods gun. So would you rather have 5 rounds of .357 Buffalo Bore or 16 rounds of .40 S&W? We have black bear here and the chance of wandering upon a back woods "pot" patch. For that reason Im thinking the 16 rounds of .40 would be better.
 
#3 ·
I just use a plain ol' revolver, generally in .38 Special or .32-20, occasionally a .22 LR for such purposes. No bear or pot patches on our property though.
 
#6 ·
I have seen a magazine of .40 emptied on a black bear and it just make them mad. The .357 would be my medicine for all the above. Just carry reloads.
 
#8 ·
We have a lot of bears around here...I've come way to close to them leaving work late and they've been spotted out on the golf course I frequent. If I were going into the woods in my area, I'd be packing my 44 magnum. That's about as good a woods gun as you can get. A small .38 snub tagging along wouldn't hurt...perhaps with 2 snake shot loads ready to fire first along with the other 3 chambers loaded with good SD rounds and a few speed strips with SD rounds in your pocket.
 
#9 ·
If you're thinking Glock for the woods, go for the gusto and get the 20. 10mm and high capacity is hard to beat!

12 Gauge
 
#12 ·
I think sometimes the only reason we worry about such things is cause it's fun. Either will serve you well. A good choice for the 40 are the Double Tap 200 grain hardcast gas checked flat nose bullet. But I would never worry about bear, and here's why; when you realize you are in trouble , it's too late. And, more often than not, you won't see it comin.

Spend more effort on prevention than the cure. Make noise when you walk, stay away from dead animals, and avoid cubs in the spring and summer. Don't carry around food that is not in containers, and always share your food with the bear if he wants it.

I had an encounter on a rainy day where a big black bear crossed the trail in front of me no more than 10 yards. It was raining hard and I think the bear could not hear or smell me. We stared at each other for about 5 seconds before it bolted in the brush. The only weapon I had on me was a recurve bow. Even if I had a pistol in my hand, and that bear wanted me, I doubt if I would be here now.

Nature is not your real danger, people are. The good news is they are stupid, have poor smell ability, don't hear that well. So plan accordingly.
 
#14 ·
I agree. I aint worried about no bear. Ive encountered them several times. You leave them alone 99.99% of the time they will leave you alone. I was just trying to make a excuse to buy a G22 to go with my G27.
 
#13 ·
I carry a Ruger SP101 3" barrel .357 magnum also loaded with the Buffalo Bore hardcast loads and it makes for a dandy woodsbumming handgun. I also have a Glock 20 10mm that I have been carrying more as my go to hiking and trail companion. You can find heavy loads for the 10mm from Buffalo Bore and Double Tap that approach the .41 magnum in power, around 780 fpe for example. By having my Glock 20 with me I have 15+1 rounds of powerful medicine for black bears, cougars or anyone involved with illegal drug activity out in the boonies.

My suggestion would be to keep your Ruger SP101 for a camp gun and get a Glock 20 10mm for those extended forays in the bush where you are a long way from help. Unless you are in big bear country or run a chance of crossing paths with an angry bull moose in the rut season, you should be adequately armed with either. However with the Glock you have greater firepower with you just in case you run across Yogi bear and he goes on a bender around your picnic basket while toting an AK.
 
#15 ·
I think the bears will leave you alone too; having said that. I carry a G-22 that is my carry gun and I love it just like you said you do. I live on the VA / NC line and spend a lot of time in the woods. When in the wood I carry my 44 MAG.... Just me but I want 6 rnds of 44 mag for a wild hog angy bear etc... (although i have never needed it) HOPE I NEVER DO!!! then again I never needed my G-22 in town either but I have it on me..
 
#16 ·
We were walking in Glacier National Park one time and I was carrying an SP101. A ranger came along and asked me what I had there on my belt and I told her a .357 magnum. Her response. "You should have brought something bigger", and away she walked. I thought I was in trouble -----
 
#20 ·
Work out a plan to have both...each has its own value and both are great guns.
 
#21 ·
I'm back to a point now where I mostly carry revolvers...and then, I usually carry 2 of them. Whenever I do carry a semi-auto, I always carry a revolver of some type with it. I find many benefits to carrying both platforms and no drawbacks. With my new shoulder rig, it's super easy to carry both with little to no problem. Semi-auto and two mags in the shoulder rig and a revolver IWB or OWB. This evening, the family went to the library and the grocery store and I had my XD40sc IWB strong side, double mag carrier OWB weak side and my 442 in my weak side pants pocket. Just a pull over golf shirt on and my wife said she couldn't tell. I started carrying my cell phone on my belt right in front of the IWB gun and with my shirt untucked it just looks like I have a cell phone on my belt...it completely masks the firearm and doesn't get in the way.
 
#23 · (Edited)
I carry at least one no matter where I go...even at home. Usually two snubnosed revolvers, but with a bumb leg I am carrying one higher capacity semi-auto and a snub revolver for a while.

Crap happens, even in small mountain towns.

- My wife was on the VT campus the morning of April 16th when 32 people were killed.
- A woman was shot in the head and killed by her estranged boyfriend at our local wal mart that we do our weekly shopping at just a couple years ago. He executed her at the front of the store in front of a lot of people. She worked at the store in the front.
- A girl was abducted from the taco bell beside the wal mart and murdered several years back. Her body was found 2 miles down the street from where I live.
- A bank was robbed at gun point in our town several weeks back.
- My co-worker's next door neighbor shot and killed his other neighbor's grandfather, shot the neighbor, then set his house on fire with his wife and son in the house. They had to jump from the second story window to escape. That was just several miles down the road
- The hospital my wife worked at a few years ago had an inmate escape, beat the deupty unconscious in the bathroom, shot and killed the hospital security guard and then escaped. While he was on the lamb, he shot and killed a local police officer. That officer was the partner of a close co-worker of mine's husband.
- A few weeks ago 3 people that reside in my town were arrested for a home invasion and murder in a neighboring town.


Crime and violence isn't just in the big cities my friend...too many bad things happening too close to home to ignore.
 
#24 ·
I would carry a lever action rifle.. and the fact you have a 357 already the rifle would be 357 also. I dont like the caliber for a bear but you would have a better weapon for a bear over a SP101 for a bear. Plus the rifle would be more than enough should you wander onto someone's "farm". Again better than a pistol.
 
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