Ruger Security Six or GP 100
Copperheads suck...There is no overkill when it comes to one snake, let alone two snakes tryin' to make more...screw the porch!!
you all are advising some fairly heavy iron for a packing gun. Yes they are optimal, but I wouldn't want to backpack a full lug, stainless steel gun, just because. A thin model 10 or 15 will work just as well without the weight, I personally would go with a .357 if going wheely, just for the extra ballistics.
far as loading your cylinder with 1/2 shot and 1/2 fmj or whatever. I wouldn't but to each his own. if you run into a snake, load a shot shell, because if you run into a bg without a snake, that first shot should be something that does more than get his attention.
I just reread your requirements and would agree with some of the others, 9 mm will not do for defense against large animals. Wild hogs, mountain Lions, bears, you will want more power. Smith and Wesson makes a small five shot 357, with a 3 inch barrel it might be ideal. Probably about the lightest 357.
I agree with GED. You're asking a lot of one gun.
A S&W alloy J frame .357 would fit the bill for light carry. But, you only get 5 shots. I wouldn't trust a Taurus Judge to hold up nearly as well as a trusty ol' J frame. I would trade the .410/.45 long colt versatility for the reliability and ruggedness of the J frame.
Or, get one of the S&W Night Guards - not as light as a J, but plenty of firepower with night sight on the front. Put a CTC grip on it, and you're golden.
A S&W alloy J frame .357 would fit the bill for light carry. But, you only get 5 shots. I wouldn't trust a Taurus Judge to hold up nearly as well as a trusty ol' J frame. I would trade the .410/.45 long colt versatility for the reliability and ruggedness of the J frame.
Or, get one of the S&W Night Guards - not as light as a J, but plenty of firepower with night sight on the front. Put a CTC grip on it, and you're golden.
If you plan on jogging you really need a small gun like a an airweight
J-frame .38 Special or a Kel tec .380 because any thing heavier gets really bothersome. A .357 mag is wicked loud out of a lightweight snubnose and not fun to shoot to me, so you need a second gun with a long barrel for accurate and powerful woods shooting and you can carry the smaller weapon as a backup gun. Practice a lot and you won't need shotshells you can blow the snakes head off with a hollow point!
J-frame .38 Special or a Kel tec .380 because any thing heavier gets really bothersome. A .357 mag is wicked loud out of a lightweight snubnose and not fun to shoot to me, so you need a second gun with a long barrel for accurate and powerful woods shooting and you can carry the smaller weapon as a backup gun. Practice a lot and you won't need shotshells you can blow the snakes head off with a hollow point!
I agree with this. I carry an Airweight 38-2 J frame everyday (Thanks GED, for showing me the light), but when I head to the woods, it is either a GP100 4" from the group buys or the old battle axe, 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Long Colt. Yes, it's a little heavy, but it is wicked accurate with some hot handloads. No matter what you get though, DO NOT SKIMP ON LEATHER!! A good holster and belt will make all the difference in the world on comfort.
Well, by now you have heard a lot of opinions. You know how that is....mostly what each person, probably after much experimenting, has settled on for themselves. You are probably gonna have to handle many revolvers and make your own decision. The .357 in a stainless seems to be the one most mentioned. I even recommended that in an earlier post and I don't own a .357 Magnum. I have owned several and probably owe some of my hearing loss to shooting an M19 lots. For owning only one revolver, it's really hard to beat a .357 Mag. For me, it's just a least favorite caliber, but, you can bet...If I only owned one revolver it would be a .357 Mag or a .44 Mag. You can get them light or heavy, short or long, cheap or expensive. I prefer larger calibers with both light and heavy loads but not necessarily magnums. Up until recently I owned 4 Smiths (a J, K, L & N) Just the other day I talked a friend into letting me have back a favorite he had talked me out of some time back (S&W 696 .44 Special) so now I have two L frames. I also have a Ruger Redhawk .45 Colt that I would carry into any woods in the country. The point I'm making is you have to decide what is right for you. To me, owning, and using, several different ones is part of what makes it enjoyable. I can decide whether I want to carry a lightweight J frame, an old standby stainless .38, a Scandium big bore, a fairly heavy stainless .44 Special, a fun .45 ACP revolver, or a big bruiser Stainless .45 Colt. They all get used lots. However...one of the most fun handguns I have ever owned now belongs to someone else (I needed the funds for my 696). It is one that many people here have derided as an option. It was a lightweight Taurus Judge with 3" barrel and 2.5" chamber. I'm here to tell you that .410 takes good care of the Copperheads at normal snake range. I'm not advocating the Judge as a true self defense handgun but for the woods it would work well. Mine was lightweight and easily carried -- very efficient on snakes with bird shot -- and extremely accurate with .45 Colt loads. With heavy woods loads it would be a handful, but no worse than many .357s. I probably will have one again some day down the way. Just plain fun!
Anyway, just handle and shoot as many different ones as you can and make your own decision. Trying to get someone to select a handgun for you is like trying to get someone else to select your girlfriend or wife. Have fun.
Anyway, just handle and shoot as many different ones as you can and make your own decision. Trying to get someone to select a handgun for you is like trying to get someone else to select your girlfriend or wife. Have fun.
