[survival]

Usually I go on hikes with no protection except a walking stick, but now with the "new ways" that people rob others, I'm thinking about packing either my 40 with me or a .22. The 40 for any atackers or bears and/or the .22 for atackers or snakes.

What are you thoughts about this, do you pack (open or concealed) when doing a normal hike with the family?

 

[Ripon]

If I'm hiking on public property where I suspect I will encounter other hikers / people I will conceal. If its my property, which is damn rattle snake infested, I carry open and for very quick draw. Maybe I'm getting older or they are getting sneakier but I find myself taking them out at the last second more and more often lately - little shits.

 

[AquaHull]

I carry concealed 95% of the time except PFZ's. If open carrying while walking in the woods, it's a long gun over my shoulder , or my cover shirt was taken off exposing the G19.

1.8 seconds drawing from cover should do it, although 1.3 seconds from open carry is faster.

A hot loaded G23 would work on 4 legged predators well. I'd go concealed if legal to do so, one can always switch to open by tucking your shirt or jacket behind the handgun.

This time of year I just pocket carry a Kahr CW9 in my Berne jacket

 

[bennettvm]

When I go camping/hiking I open carry. Protection from both bears and people.

 

[JPARIZ]

I ALWAYS carry concealed. Don't leave home without it.
It's not just you, others may need protection as well.

 

[Sr40ken]

If I'm in the woods, .357 magunm in the open. Around two legged critters in town, .40 concealed.

 

[rickkyw1720pf]

I think I will start carrying open when hiking, for the simple fact the more people carry open the more other people will take it as normal.

 

[Southern Dad]

I have the option to carry open or concealed. Most often, I carry concealed but there are times that what I am wearing doesn't make that convenient. If I'm not wearing a windbreaker, jacket or sweater it is not easy to keep a weapon hidden. Rather than look like I'm attempting to hide it, I will then wear it openly. I don't want my weapon to be halfway concealed. A poorly concealed weapon tends to really upset more people than an openly carried weapon.

 

[GTGallop]

Usually I go on hikes with no protection except a walking stick, but now with the "new ways" that people rob others, I'm thinking about packing either my 40 with me or a .22. The 40 for any atackers or bears and/or the .22 for atackers or snakes.

What are you thoughts about this, do you pack (open or concealed) when doing a normal hike with the family?

I'm in AZ so open carry is pretty common around these parts. I usually see it once or twice a week in the normal course of my day. I myself carry a .40 concealed on most occasions. It's on me right this very minute.

When I hike I carry open and I carry a Taurus .357 with a 6" bbl. It is a nice heavy piece and accurate as all hell even out at distance. I find the .357 has the heft to stop coyotes, bears, wolves, skunks (special note - DO NOT SHOOT A SKUNK!), or the other two legged predators out in the wilderness. For smaller prey, I flip over to 38 Snake / Rat shot. Because it is a revolver (Double Single Action) I don't have to worry about a feed failure like the .40 would. I've thought about the .22 but you still have a good chance of a ricochet if you are shooting at the ground by or near your feet. If a snake is further off than that, I just give him space and go about my bidness.

 

[GTGallop]

If I'm in the woods, .357 magunm in the open. Around two legged critters in town, .40 concealed.

+1 Exactly!

 

[shotlady]

i feel nekkid hiking with out and think about it everyonther step. i am usually by myself when i go hiking. here in los angeles open or concealed is a problem.
i need to move.

 

[JPARIZ]

i feel nekkid hiking with out and think about it everyonther step. i am usually by myself when i go hiking. here in los angeles open or concealed is a problem.
i need to move.

Yeah I need to move too. I read that most traffic accidents happen within 5 miles of home so it looks like we are outa here. It totally sucks we love our house & neighborhood, it's really gonna suck to leave.
Reminds me of another statistic I read about... I read that during the holidays as high as 27% of all traffic accidents are caused by drunk drivers! I thought that was excessive until I realized that the remaining 73% are caused by sober drivers. Maybe the drunks were right and they really do drive better. ;-)

 

[AsteroidX]

LOL JP !! :shock:

 

[JDE101]

I have a concealed carry permit, and I carry where ever it is legal to do so. I put on my pants in the morning an holster my 1911. So obviously, if I go on a hike, I am carrying, just as I am when I go to the grocery store, out to eat, or to take the garbage out to the back or answer the door. Always carry if it is legal to do so!

 

[WoadWarrior]

1.8 seconds drawing from cover should do it, although 1.3 seconds from open carry is faster.

Aqua... I would never doubt what you are saying... but even an LEO with thousands of practice draws from an open holster is still considered FAST at 1.5 seconds (and I assume you include placing an aimed shot in that), which is why we are trained to shoot a subject with a knife at 25 ft (since he can cross that distance in about 1.5 seconds). Drawing concealed at 1.8 seconds is faster than most experienced LEOs draw with an open holster. If you really can draw a concealed pistol, aim, shoot, and hit what you aimed at that quick, then I am truly impressed and would love to have you on my team when SHTF.

 

[Renec]

concealed on a daily basis..but we've digressed! Hiking? I used to wear a .380 on a leg holster,but now just carry my M&P 45 and I wear/carry in the open while hiking/camping/offroading..we're in AZ,so open/concealed isn't a huge issue..unless you run across the immigrants from California(who freak out)..been seeing a lot of "No Cal" stickers on vehicles lately..instead of the "So Cal"

 

[PaulS]

All the LEO that I know (used to belong to the police range) couldn't get their guns out of the holster in 3 seconds. Most of then don't practice and they only shoot once a month and that is done with light target ammo. I practice with my guns from every position. If you think you can draw fast try it from a seated position with a table or desk in front of you - or in your car. I don't wear my pancake holster very often because there are too many positions where it is hard to get to. My shoulder rig is only hard to get to if I am laying on it or if I have to use my weak arm to get to it. My brothers and I used to practice at twenty-five yards drawing from different positions shooting at a silhoette firing fire rounds instinctively: right shoulder, left shoulder, heart, head, heart. those five shots were completed in less than three seconds when starting with the gun in the holster. My weak hand shooting the same course of fire took an extra second or so and I usually shot an extra inch to the right. I could never quite get that fixed but I am practicing again only this time it will be just double-taps to the head. We also trained with shotguns from the hip, and snap shooting big bore rifles. (bolt action)
If you want to be accurate - then practice. If you want to be fast - the practice. If you want to be fast and accurate then practice, practice and practice.

 

[AquaHull]

Aqua... I would never doubt what you are saying... but even an LEO with thousands of practice draws from an open holster is still considered FAST at 1.5 seconds (and I assume you include placing an aimed shot in that), which is why we are trained to shoot a subject with a knife at 25 ft (since he can cross that distance in about 1.5 seconds). Drawing concealed at 1.8 seconds is faster than most experienced LEOs draw with an open holster. If you really can draw a concealed pistol, aim, shoot, and hit what you aimed at that quick, then I am truly impressed and would love to have you on my team when SHTF.

1.8 on target, 1.3 close to target , but on the paper. I practice with an airsoft G26 in my Tagua Quik Draw holster that I carry my real G19 in. I stand in front of a full length mirror in the barn to watch my form.

I would be over 2 seconds if I actually aimed

Different types of cover garment affect the draw. A T-Shirt in the summer is great. I lift up the shirt as I'm reaching for the grip with my right. Of course Murphy interjects his opinion from time to time.

A CarHart jacket today would add a second or even two to the time.That's why I carry a P3-AT or CW9 in my front coat pocket. I can walk with my hands in my pocket for a faster draw

 

[Fuzzee]

I just don't see open carry the smart choice unless you're on your own property or a friends. Anywhere out in public among stranger with the way people are these days like scared little mice at the sight of a gun and the way the our LEO's react to calls at times, it's foolish. You're best keeping your business, your business and not airing it out to everyone leaiving them to judge and react to it. I train and draw quite fast from concealed carry with the open top holsters I prefer. Extremely close to the thumb snap holsters I use for open use. When open carrying your giving away the advantage of looking less of a threat too which changes the way a person will deal with you from the get go. If they've got intention to harm and see you armed their going to deal with you first if they decide to engage and that means you probably having less time to deal with that threat before you know it is. I know how I'd be if I was the threat and came across someone armed and prefer to look at it in that way on the opposite side. If I was the threat and saw someone armed and decided to deal with them I would not give away view of my weapon or me till I had the drop on them and if I was good about it they'd never know I was there till they saw their own brains flying by the second before they died.

 

[9UC]

I just don't see open carry the smart choice unless you're on your own property or a friends. Anywhere out in public among stranger with the way people are these days like scared little mice at the sight of a gun and the way the our LEO's react to calls at times, it's foolish. You're best keeping your business, your business and not airing it out to everyone leaiving them to judge and react to it............

Very well said Fuzzee! For a roughly a year before I got my CCW I carried "open" I carried the gun to and from the car, but seldom, but it remained in the car even though unpermitted open carry is legal here. Nature of the beast, I had to carry open for three years as part of military duties and I was never comfortable and always felt as thought it made me a target, especially when working main gate at TSN, RVN. The only time I'm not carrying during waking hours is if I have to go out to the base commissary or hospital and/or other legally designated " free target zone" free, sorry, I meant "Gun free Zone".