Handgun logistics while backpacking.

“Anyone go backpacking with a large handgun? If so, how do you carry it so it's readily available and does not interfere with your backpack?

Please no debate over gun ownership or need in the wild here. Suffice it to say that I'm going backpacking with someone who, for reasons I'd rather not go into detail with here, has no choice but to carry a gun.”

“Oh boy, here we go again.”

“If I had to pack heat with me, I would find a way to attach it to the shoulder straps.

Maybe that is wrong, I don't know? I have never carried a piece with me before.

Yep, that doesn't sound right. What if it accidentially discharges and I catch a bullet in the foot, or worse, Big Jim and the twins gets snagged?”

“Don't carry cocked and locked then...
last edited: 7/26/05 10:51:32 AM”

“Come on Phil - go into detail!”

“I would think a hip holster on the packbelt. Sarbar is the only one I know who carries regularly. Maybe she'll weigh in.

Good for you for exercising your rights.”

“I don't pack a gun while backpacking, but it it would not be easy to have it handy and packed safely. Putting it in the top pocket of your backpack requires you to take off your pack to get access, but otherwise it would be buried and harder yet to get to.

You could add a front "fanny pack" to the hip belt and stuff it in there. Something like a camera case or map case.

Packing it on your side is probably the best location for quick access, but then it is not concealed and would be very annoying to many people. I have only seen one backpacker ever wearing a gun on his side (and he actually had a pair of pearl-handled guns).

Firearms are now prohibited in some National Parks and Wilderness areas. No easy solution...other than save the weight and leave the firearm at home.”

“I had a boyhood friend carry a gun in a shoulder holster. He bent over, the gun fell out, discharged, and the bullet went into his guts.
He had to wear one of those bags at his side to poop in for months.”

“I am sorry and must appoligize for my sarcasim! I did not mean to poke fun.

Do you pack heat because of bears?”

“"He had to wear one of those bags at his side to poop in for months.”

So do you still need TP while hiking with one of these? Sorry, stay on topic here.”

“WK, my comments were not in reaction to your comments. I know you well enough to kinda know when you are kidding.”

“Do you really want to go into the care and feeding of a stoma, Nigal? lol...”

“Nope, Nigal. ;-)
His guts were rerouted to the bag.”

“This calls for a thread of it's own I think! :)”

“Phil - was this mystery hiker Gen. George S. Patton?”

“From the movie:

Patton: They're ivory. Only a pimp from a cheap New Orleans whorehouse would carry a pearl-handled pistol.”

“I have always carried mine in the top pouch of my pack, but I don't anticipate needing to get to it instantly. If I were in that situation I would probably go with a hip holster. They make ones for both the inside and outside of your pants, so if you preferred to have it concealed I would go for one that fits on the inside of your pants, they are very convenient though when it comes to accessibility.”

“I have seen the two pearl handled pistols (they are different guns).


I was college friends with Geo Patton's grandson.



He later presented them to the Patton museum at Ft. Knox.



A quick google found them:




Geo Patton's son, also George (III), was my friend's father. He was a cavalry general (brigadier I think) in Vietnam. (calvary was Helicopters).


He had great stories. Showed us around the mini-museum he had in his house. Both memoribilia from his father in WWII and from himself in Vietnam.


It was tricky going for a visit . . he would greet you at the door with a sawed off shotgun.
last edited: 7/26/05 11:37:19 AM”

“1st of the 9th, ba-by!”

“I hope this is vague enough.......

Sometimes US Federal law enforcement personnel, such as US Park Police, Secret Service, and FBI, feel compelled to carry their weapons when not on duty. This applies to some local police officers travelling in their jurisdictions as well. Often, people in this situation feel that if something Bad happens, they had better be prepared for the worst. If you were an FBI agent on a trip and a crime occurred and you couldn't stop it because you did not have your gun, how would you feel? What if there was loss of life involved and you couldn't help?

If someone has a medical emergency, a doctor isn't going to refuse to help because they're not on the clock. Good law enforcement officers have the same kind of "always on duty" ethic.

Throw in the fact that you're going camping in bear country, and bringing the gun is a no brainer.
last edited: 7/26/05 12:21:37 PM”

“BlackHawk

http://www.blackhawkindustries.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=2097&d=”

“wear this one inside a button shirt...http://www.specialforces.com/store/catalog/product_25868_Under_Cover_Chest_Holster.html

I've used this one...”

“Shoulder harness is the only way to go.”

“A shoulder harness with a 40lb backpack with shoulder straps? How's that going to work?”

“Went on a 7 day Hike with my brother inlaw several years ago and asked him on arond day 5 why he hadnt take a pictures from his camera which I assumed was in the camera case he had attached to his back pack shoulder strap....... I have noticed many camera cases since then, while hiking.

Its sort like realizing how much porn is out there in Motels, between the box spring matress and bed frame!”

“hiking with 007 must be pretty interesting...be careful, you don't want to go "outing" anybody...you'll have to change your trail name to Rove
last edited: 7/26/05 12:50:37 PM”

“Its sort like realizing how much porn is out there in Motels, between the box spring matress and bed frame!”
nimrod
12:49:13 PM
7/26/05


LOL”

“#&%!$, do I have to explain everything?

You integrate the shoulder harness into the pack straps and tie off to the hip belt.”

“Just don't bend over...”

“there's a lot of reasons for not bending over on the trail”

“Those of you who have hiked with me know my background...here is the link to the holster that I have been using without you noticing....

http://alssam.com/uchosy.html

the UCC3XH...soft trama plate in front of the weapon....extra mags in the under arm...”

“I've carried a gun on & off hiking for years. Mostly I don't carry hiking,because of the weight. Never needed it in 35yrs of hiking & other things are more important. All of my handguns (4) cannot fire if dropped. Even if the hammer is cocked & dropped it cannot fire. I won't carry cocked & locked. Constant pressure has to applied to the trigger to fire. If I do choose to carry, it's over/under derringer .45LC (old west round & double the size of the old army .45) or it will also chamber 3" .410 shotgun shells. Decent calibers in a very compact size. With 5 triple 000 pellets, that is my choice round. I do have a permit & supposedly with HR 218, I can carry it anywhere in the US on my badge. I never leave it exposed or show it to anyone. One, I would prefer no one knew I had a weapon. Kinda takes the advantage away. Two, some people do-not-like or are afraid of weapons and I respect that belief.”

“Philbaker

What part of the country are you going backpacking in? You mention you are going into bear country. I hike and BP in Bear territory all the time and would never carry a gun because of that. Are you taking a bear canister for your food?”

“There's porn between the mattress and the box springs in motels?”

“Two, some people do-not-like or are afraid of weapons and I respect that belief.

People have no way of automatically knowing that the weapon is in the hands of a competent law enforcement officer. All they see is the weapon.

There have been bear troubles where we're going, I'll be happy to have the thing there in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.

Thanks everyone for the advice!
last edited: 7/26/05 1:07:02 PM”

“LOL bit...yeah, and in the drop ceiling too...”

“What part of the country are you going backpacking in? You mention you are going into bear country. I hike and BP in Bear territory all the time and would never carry a gun because of that. Are you taking a bear canister for your food?

Somewhere in Alaska. We are not bringing a bear canister, but we probably should, and may rent one.
last edited: 7/26/05 1:14:32 PM”

“dayhiker - LOL. I heard from SierraMel that the guy with the two pearl handled guns wore them as a tribute to his friend who originally owned them. Not sure if that is really true.”

“I never would of believed either, Bitpusher, thought it was an urban legend. I looked off and on for years between the matress and box spring and found nothing. Then I started looking under the box spring within the boxed-in bedframe. I havent decided if its more disapointing finding it or not finding it!
last edited: 7/26/05 1:14:35 PM”

“9MM gets laughed at up in Alaska....with good reason.....(.45 +P+) at the minimum.... .357 works, and .44 mag is the standard.

As an additional, remember that Summer is rapidly ending up there, September starts Winter all over again. If you haven't been exposed to extreme cold weapons maintenance, get a quick class...weapons carried concealed next to body, drawn in sub freezing conditions tend to jam from freezing moisture......”

“hiking with 007 must be pretty interesting..

The stories are very engaging. :)”

“I know a few people in DC who are compelled to carry at all times.”

“I have found porn under the hotel mattress twice, and a BB Gun Pistol once.”

“9MM gets laughed at up in Alaska....with good reason.....(.45 +P+) at the minimum.... .357 works, and .44 mag is the standard.

The weapon in question is a .357. That's why I quantified "large" in the first post of this thread.
last edited: 7/26/05 1:40:01 PM”

“I just dont understand the need to pack heat on the trail. Blows my mind.”

“It's a manhood thing, embear. The bigger the gun, the smaller the...”

“I agree ya gotta be ready for a crime when it happens..."Hey officer, I'd like to report a crime. Bitpusher throw up in the fire pit!"”

““I just dont understand the need to pack heat on the trail. Blows my mind.”

Well, as I insinuated in my original post, in this case it's not so much "packing heat for the trail" as it is always having heat regardless of the situation. And if you're going to have heat along, might as well be something useful, right?

Then again there's always this.....

http://www.alaska.com/inalaska/story/6738593p-6626281c.html
last edited: 7/26/05 1:50:22 PM”

“ankle holster”

“You are like a million times more likely to get struck by lightning. A bullet cant stop that. LOL

I guess I dont understand carrying a gun at all. I'm not going to live my life in fear.”