Black bear and cats a good .357 will do the job. Grizzly nothing less than a .44mag loaded heavy. I base it on what I might run into more than what I run into. I keep the frist two cylinders of my revolver loaded with snake shot as I run into more cotton mouths than anything. There's black bear out in the swamp but they usually don't pay you no mind.

Baldy got it a good 4' 357 mag where your at should do it. I would suggest a good double action instead of a single action.

Since you evidently don't have to worry about large carnivores, then a .357 should do fine. As for good SA's - well, there's not a lot of choices, so you might as well get a Ruger and be done with it.

Personally, if I'm spending a lot of time hiking, I would want something light in weight. I would carry one of S&W's .357 L-frame scandium DA's. Seven shots in a quickly reloadable 21 ounce package makes for a potent package....

PhilR.

A .357 snubby sounds mean as all get out but the short barrel reduces effectiveness to no more than a good 9MM auto if that. You don't want to get 3 to 7 yards from wild animals either and that is your effective range from a moving target accuracy perspective. In a 4" and longer barrel you begin to realize the true potential of the magnum round and have an easier to aim revolver.

If I were to face off with a full grown Black Bear I would want 4" or more barrel. If racoons, coyotes and skunks are your game a Ruger Single Six in 22 Magnum would be about as effective as handguns get. They are accurate, easy to aim over a bit longer distances and use low cost ammo and will put down smaller animals. They can be effective against bad guy's also.

Carried a SW M13 3" barrel 357 a lot of miles in woods. Usually carried a hot load of hard cast 160 gr swc with first shot a Speer shot shell. SW still makes a stainless version of it with a shrouded ejector rod.

Originally Posted by TOF

A .357 snubby sounds mean as all get out but the short barrel reduces effectiveness to no more than a good 9MM auto if that.

The trick here would be to use a load that will push a bullet at useful velocities from a short barrel. For instance, Buffalo Bore's 158 JHC will leave a 2.5" barrel at about 1300fps. That puts M.E. at close to 600 ft/lbs. (it makes 686 ft/lbs. out of a 3" barrel). There aren't a lot of 9mm's that will do that. In fact, I don't know of any standard-pressure 9mm's that even come close, and I'm pretty sure that even +p 9mm's don't top 500.....

PhilR.

I would carry the Ruger Super Blackhawk(Stainless Model) with 5.5" barrel in .44 Magnum, its accurate and will last forever. I used to have one and wish that I hadn't got rid of it. I may get another one, I loved that gun and even took a couple of deer with it when I was in Texas.

My Glock 21 used to go out in the boonies with me as a sidearm. While IMO was a bit large for EDC, this was it's best application. 14 rounds of 45ACP and I never needed to worry about weather conditions.

Originally Posted by PhilR.

The trick here would be to use a load that will push a bullet at useful velocities from a short barrel. For instance, Buffalo Bore's 158 JHC will leave a 2.5" barrel at about 1300fps. That puts M.E. at close to 600 ft/lbs. (it makes 686 ft/lbs. out of a 3" barrel). There aren't a lot of 9mm's that will do that. In fact, I don't know of any standard-pressure 9mm's that even come close, and I'm pretty sure that even +p 9mm's don't top 500.....

PhilR.

Have you ever chronographed those loads. We don't seem to get those velocities out of short barrels in Arizona. Our chrono data is more like 1100 FPS and less. Manufacturers advertised velocities and what you actualy get don't always agree.

My Glock 23 goes with me when I'm out. Ya, it's not the greatest weapon for our Grizzly's but it's all I have for now. I did read a story recently in which a Grizzly broke into a home and the home owner took it out with a .40
semi-automatic.

If you hike smart the problem of an animal atach is rare. It does happen around here once in a while but not as ofen as some people tend to think. I worry more about Cougars than bears. Their stealthy and just love to hunt for the game of it.

Unless you're in bear country...most places in the good old USA a 4" .357 will do you proud...shotshells are overrated for snakes..gotta get close...I'd carry 158-gr. JHP all around and practice a lot....most places, in the woods a 2-legged problem is more likely than any 4-legged one...whether you run into a meth lab or just a rob-em-and-leave-em situation...incidentally, lots of us have never smelled a meth lab...they smell just like a chicken farm.......and the woods are full of them....so if you smell chicken-sh.., it's good to be careful...common for those guys to be heavily armed and un-neighborly.....a 4" steel-framed revolver just ain't that heavy to carry...20-50 rounds spare...

Thank you,gentlemen, for your advice. I have a 686 w/6" barrel.
my thought is that it is alittle too haevey for concealed carry in bush.
Am I correct ?

My choice for a woods gun is a Glock 22 in 40 cal. I agree that a good 357 revolver is a good woods gun and carried one for many years in that role but they are heavy guns, sometimes heavier than a good 1911. The lighter weight of a plastic pistol combined with higher capacity and a good caliber choice seem to be a better choice.

If you don't have to worry about bears, anything 9mm or above that carries well and you shoot well will work. Rabid critters and coyotes are the only problems around here too. Two legged critters given me much more problem in woods than four legged ones.

Since that is what you have get used to the wieght until you can get a 4" model. How much does E.R. time wiegh? Safety vs. a little discomfort? Get a shoulder holster for comfort and go on.

Your 686 6" weighs 44 Oz. a 4" weighs 40 Oz. The next smaller revolver in .357 that will handle a steady diet of full power .357 loads is the SP101 at 27 Oz. and it is 3" max.

If you feel you need a .357 I suggest you simply get used to what you have.

If you get a well designed holster, don't buy the cheap one size fit all ones, it makes carrying a lot more comfortable

+1 for the SuperBlackhawk. When I lived in grizzly country nothing less would do. I did have the 7 1/2" barrel cut down to 5 1/4" for wieh=ght and ease of carry. Improved the balance too.