Self-defense firearm for extended hiking

Forgot to mention things I'm considering:
M&P Shields (I don't like the capacity though)
Revolvers in .38 or .357 (Because different loads might be better for bears and stuff, but still, capacity and reloading will be issues)
Compact CZ75 and similar (because DA/SA and I like them)
Maybe glocks I fucking guess.

>>33620752

A Glock or Sig in 357 Sig would probably be good for most wildlife.

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>>33620733
Glock 20 or 17.

>>33620733
Research OC/CC and vehicle carry / storage regs for each state and major city that she'll visit or pass through.
Make sure she can comply with regs for each part of the trip.
Then work out which weapons are allowed, especially mag and make or model restrictions .

>>33620850
Drawbacks being expensive to practice with. It also seems overkill for people. I'll scope it out and see if it's affordable. I'm going to really emphasize practicing a lot before her trip, and something in that caliber might put a damper on that.

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>>33620733
Glock 29 is a nice compact 10 meme-meter. Light weight and with hot loads like Buffalo Bore it will kill most anything

>>33620940
This is a point of concern, but I've mentioned it to her. I'd rather her have something decent and reliable for her purpose and worry about laws after. It's certainly possible she just won't comply with them, I have no idea. Besides that, having it dissembled and locked in a trunk in high risk states should suffice. Luckily there isn't much hiking to be done in New Jersey.

>>33620961
How do you think the recoil compares to most 9x19 or .40s? Do you think a small framed female should be fine with a bit of practice? I'd feel good about 10mm if she could get decent with it.

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You won't have enough time to squeeze off more than six shots anyway let alone reload if a big ol grizzly is coming at you, go for the 44!

>>33621044
I like your logic, but I think 10mm is perfectly practical if bear is on the menu. Also, no offense to my friend, but she'll have trouble getting off one round with something like that, I think. Also, carrying one isn't all that practical for hiking.

>>33620733
How much bushwhacking is she likely to do? If snakes are a concern, I'd say a revolver with the first round or two being snake shot while travelling off-trail
Otherwise I'd say a moderately sized semi auto in 9x19 is enough, unless grizzlies are a concern. Brown bears scare easily, so the main problems would be coyotes, mountain lions and other medium predators. I think 9x19 is fine for that.
If she doesn't mind the weight / recoil though, I'd go with a light pump action shotty loaded with buckshot.

>>33620733
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF0LatUtW6A

video relevant to the topic. i'm also interested to hear what people have to say

>>33621143
Didn't consider snakes, honestly...
That's not a bad idea. I think she's mainly concerned with people though. I think 9x19 is where I'll end up, but I am trying to convince her to have a rifle or something to keep in the car if she's going to be far from civilization. She knows how to shoot ARs well enough, but she might not be into the cost on top of a pistol. Getting a decent shotgun can be done under $300 though, I'll pitch it to her, but I doubt she'd be taking it up a mountain.

>>33620986
>Do you think a small framed female should be fine with a bit of practice?

Not him, but my ex could barely finish off two mags of 10mm out of a glock 20. She was 5'4" and 125lbs for comparison's sake. The recoil is pretty snappy if you aren't using anemic loads. I think you'd be better off just getting a 9mm compact and some good hollowpoints for her.

I also don't know shit about hiking, so I'm not sure if a couple ounces make a difference, but that same ex got a cz p-01 and really loved it. If you're going for a long hike, you might want something polymer for weight considerations.

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>>33620733
Don't carry a pistol for bears/large predators, it's a fools gambit and odds are you'll never see one. The most likely threat to your person that isn't environmental? Other people.

>>33621156
This is a good good advice video. I'd think this'd work great or just have a pocket gun in a pocket holster kept in a place where it'll be comfortable (jacket pocket, front pant pocket)

So just carry whatever you usually carry in something that emphasizes comfort over concealment.

Then strap this fucker right next to it for critters.

>>33621206
Thanks for the info. She might be a little tougher than that, but still, I don't even think I'd enjoy shooting a lot of 10mm. Polymer is probably a must if she plans to hike with it, every bit of ounces is important.

>>33620733
Normally I'd suggest 357 revolver, but not many girl can handle that round

Is she massive? (as in having mass, not necessarily big or something).

Anyway I'm really hard pressed on recommending semiauto when doing trekking/hiking. So many things can go wrong

>>33621511
I don't really think an automatic is more or less reliable than a revolver honestly. She's not massive, but she's not spaghetti arms either. If I can find a lighter, cheaper, .357 I'm kind of into it, I'd just encourage practicing a lot, especially reloads. I really think an auto is going to be better for people, which are still the main concern.

>>33621571
It's not about reliability per se.

Unless it's a babby's trek, hiking usually involves uneven terrain and stuff and most likely your gun will take a bump. That can cause both fte and ftf. Shit gonna suck hard when a hog (for example) is charging at you and your gun suffers an ftf and you don't have time to clear it.

I personally carry 3-inch s&w .357 if I go innawoods and not planning on bagging anything

>>33621674
>hiking usually involves uneven terrain and stuff and most likely your gun will take a bump. That can cause both fte and ftf

I'm probably just being retarded, but could you explain this? I'm in Florida and everything is flat so that might have something to do with it.
Murphy's Law I'm sure but the only situations I could imagine this happening are the mag release getting hit or the slide being pushed slightly out of battery, both of which seem avoidable with a decent holster.
Maybe the extractor getting hit or huge amounts of dirt getting in everything but those seem avoidable too.

>>33621674
Not to start an internet fight or something, but the concerns you have for automatics "taking a bump" and failing is really not accurate. Sure, it's possible for the slide to be pushed out of battery or the mag to fall out or something, but that really shouldn't be a problem if it's being carried in a reasonably secure manner. Even pocket carrying, I've never had my gun fail like that in any way. Revolvers can get damaged too, though I'm sure that takes quite a bit of a bump to fuck up timing or something. I don't think it's an issue with either platform outside of extreme circumstance.

>>33621798
Even with the holster, if there is a chance that you bump your gun (maybe you fell awkwardly or something), things would be out of place a bit. fte is usually gonna happen

It might be anecdotal but that's what happened to me couple years back and I lucky I didn't see any bear back then

>>33621986
I suppose, I don't doubt it could happen I guess. I feel like it's going to be correctable very quickly though. I would hope I'd remember to do an equipment check if I took a nasty fall, but I'm pretty autistic about checking my pistol when I'm out and about.

A Kel-Tec sub 2000 would be a nice little carbine that can fold easily into a backpack. Also it would probably be easier for your inexperienced friend to shoot over a pistol. My little bro has one and its a pretty fun gun too.

>>33621206
Though I'll admit I don't own one, I've shot a p01 and it was very good.
Advice on polymer vs. Metal frame:
While polymer will be lighter if you don't have to use the gun, if you do, a heavier frame gun will produce less felt recoil. The cz SP01(larger version of the p01) is a nice example of this, that thing is ultra comfy to shoot.
>>33621174
>Taking a shotty up a mountain
Yeah, it sucks. I'll admit to leaving it behind o a hike with lots of elevation gain, but it was nice to have at camp for things that go bump in the night

>>33622079
That's actually not a terrible idea. I think having something like that to leave in a car might be pretty practical. Won't beat a pistol for carrying in terms of conceal ability and draw speed, though. I didn't really think of PCCs much, thanks for mentioning them.
>>33622091
You're not wrong on the polymer question, but she'll be carrying it a lot and potentially never shooting it. I think it will be more appreciated if it's light. and 9x19 isn't too snappy out of polymer pistols.

One thing on my mind worth asking... Are there any .380s that are comfy to shoot and still small and light? I'm hesitant to recommend it for self defense unless she's using buffalo bore or something, but it might be the most practical for carrying, and I'd like to at least give her some options for it.

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I carry a RIA 1911 in 10mm with me. We have bears (mostly black, but grizzles have been slowly making their way in my AO) moose, and mountain lions.

I also normally carry bear spray, and it's generally my first choice if I were to come across a bear, but mine just expired, so I need to get a new can soon.