You just never know what you might come across, which is why these backcountry sidearms make good companions.
When you are your only back up better be prepared with the proper handgun.
There are five backcountry sidearms suggested in the following list, and each are proven life savers against deadly foes of numerous kinds. What will be your choice? These would be smart, but as long as you have something, you can consider your backcountry experience that much safer.
1. Glock 20 10mm Pistol
The hot loads in 10mm have proven themselves as powerful medicine, even against Alaskan brown bears. If you run into two-legged menaces, wild dogs, or hungry bears, 15 rounds of 10mm ammunition is certainly a deterrent.
2. Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum Revolver
If you love a strong wheel gun, this all stainless steel 5 shot handgun is small and has a big bite. Load it up with .357 Magnum, and this little handgun is ready to take on any threat the woods, prairie, or mountains can toss at you. Range time with this gun is quite enjoyable as well.
3. Smith & Wesson 329PD .44 Magnum
This ultra light revolver has a scandium frame that brings it to just under 26 ounces unloaded. It also will take full loads of .44 Magnum ammunition. This revolver is easy to carry on long backcountry hikes, and has a lot of punch. As for recoil, it will certainly wake you up, since it's such a lightweight revolver. It will also fire lighter .44 Special loads.
4. Smith & Wesson Model 460V .460 Magnum Revolver
The S&W Model 460V is a giant-sized X-frame revolver with a good amount of versatility. It will fire .45 Colt, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W Magnum, giving the shooter many choices in power levels. Versatility and massive power is the name of the game with this great revolver.
5. Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum Revolver
When only the most powerful revolver is needed the .500 Smith & Wesson magnum is absolutely earth shaking. This is the ultimate revolver defense against huge brown bears, as long as you can handle the power and recoil.
Do you like articles about the outdoors? Click here to view more articles by Eric Nestor. You can follow him @ericthewoodsman on Twitter, The Classic Woodsman on Facebook, and @theclassicwoodsman on Instagram. You can view more Nestor Photography photos at Nestor Photography.
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