Hunting Sidearm 357

So this year I carried my normal EDC pistol with me out hunting, but with all the gear I wear my only option at having it at least semi accessible is shoving it in a zippered pocket (in a holster, by itself) in my bib overalls. Not exactly ideal for drawing in any reasonable amount of time, plus it's a 9mm.

I want to get a 357 and chest rig for the coming year. Thinking either 4 or 6 inch. Obviously, I am looking at the GP100. But I also saw a security six the other day for 425 second hand. I would prefer stainless and this one was blued, but the price seemed right. I don't have the cash at the moment to pull the trigger but I wanted to get some input.

I am not really all that knowledgeable about revolvers. Did they make any of the security/speed/service six in stainless? What is a good price for this type of revolver on the second hand market?

What are the differences between the GP100 and the Six's that may come in to play?

General feedback and advice welcomed.

Thanks guys.

Plenty Six series revolvers were made in stainless. I'd pay $425 for one in good condition, blued or stainless -- in the last ten years or so, I can count on one hand the number of Six series revolvers I have seen on the used market around here, and lack of funds at the time of sighting them is the only thing that prevented me from picking one up yet. People hang onto them.

The GP will be easier to get service from Ruger if needed since they're still in production. The GP is a little heavier, but it is in my opinion the finest in-production DA/SA .357 on the market. My 4" is the one handgun I will not trade or sell under any circumstances. The GP will still work for your great, great-grandchildren.

The Six series were comparable to a Smith k frame. The Gp100 and Smith L frames came out do to concerns of the lighter guns shooting loose with a steady diet of magnum ammo. They're a little heavier and a little bigger but tougher.

If your looking for a dedicated hunting revolver look at the single actions, they're absolute tanks. Lipseys is reportedly doing a run of stainless 357 flattops soon that would be a right nice packing pistol if you like 357. Might also want to consider a cartridge starting with 4 to give you a bit more range. These are my two woods guns, one for everyday packing and a dedicated hunting gun. Both in 44 magnum.

I'm not able to tromp in the woods like I did in the day....but I like my Serurity Six.....or a good BH

If ya can find a SS that`s in Good shape & not gonna try to wear it out you`ll have a hunting backup for many years ,but as mentioned Rugers service for these is limited by availability of parts.

I carry my 6" in a sorta rigged up chesty rig thru the swamps & since carryingit this way I can`t imagine any other hunting rig.

As far as the GPs go not much difference weight wise but the 4"does ride/handle better/slightly qwiker, a little easier to work on than the SS series, more options on sites /scope mounts etc.



GP

Madcapper, you would do well with either gun and I would also consider the blackhawk 4-5/8" 357 Mag. Any of them would serve you for life. No wearing those out. And this is the best chest holster on the market IMO

http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/Chest_Holsters.php

If I was packing it around I'd pick the Security Six or the Blackhawk.

For the price of a used GP100 I picked up an OM Blackhawk in 357. Tight action, nice trigger, real accurate and built on the mid-size frame.

If your heart is set on a 357 so be it. I pack a RedHawk chest rig under my jacket to me
there is no such thing as being over gunned. YMMV. ps

What works or you depends on what you want the .357 for. A 4" GP100 or even a S&W 686 would be a nice option however I would contend that a 3" SP101 might serve you equally as well and be a little lighter to boot. Granted, you are giving up one shot (5 vs 6) but like my first sentence states, what is the purpose of this sidearm?
Are you also carrying a centerfire rifle or a slug gun? Shotgun for birds? If it is either of the first two, it is going to be significantly faster and more accurate to use the rifle or slug gun in a SD role than having to dig around for your sidearm.
If you are concerned about bears when you are bird hunting (black bears most probably as I don't think Grizzlys wander down to Virginia) then the 5 shots in the SP should be more than enough to deter a curious bear.

Obviously this is just an opionion and we all know what opinions are like....but I am constantly trying to keep the weight of my gear down when hunting and the extra weight of a full size 357 vs a more compact one like an SP may be a worthwhile tradeoff.

On the other hand, if you want a 4" 357 because you want a 4" 357 then get on it and post pics when you get it.

I am lucky enough that I only have to walk a couple hundred yards from the car to my tree stand, so weight isnt my biggest concern.

I already had my eye on that diamond custom chest rig, looks amazing, but a little pricey. I will probably suck it up as it looks like a lifetime kind of holster. Figured I would wear it over my jacket.

I will be carrying a rifle. There are bear and coyote in the area I hunt so that is a concern. However, this is really more for 2 legged predators or a possible kill shot on a dying deer.

Of the 4 deer I took last year, I figure 3 of them were inside 40 yards, 2 were inside 25, so maybe I will use it to hunt with if I can do my part.

I figure all of these possibilites are fairly remote, really I want to carry a pistol because I want to carry a pistol And I feel like it makes more sense to have a readily accessible 357 instead of a buried 9mm pocket pistol when walking through the woods in full gear.

I think from the discussion here I am torn between the Blackhawk and the GP100. I am now also considering the Redhawk.

Thanks guys, you took my choice from 2 guns (ss & gp) to 3.

If you are carrying the .357 for a secondary weapon only,any decent condition 2 3/4", 3", or 4" Security Six or GP will do fine.

If you decide to ditch the rifle and use a .357 for your tree stand deer hunting (only advisable in heavy cover where the shots are close), a 6" GP-100 is THE gun. Used one for that for years in upstate NYS (calling that area "heavy cover" is an understatement, it's actually the Amazon. Frozen.) with zero problems; mostly one-shot kills using 180 gr. "deer loads," then later switching to handloads w/158 Speer "Gold Dots," which worked just as well.

The 6" Security Six would work fine, but a 6" GP leaves you a lot of metal for customizing once you decide on the perfect configuration, and avoids cutting on a no-longer-produced Ruger. To me, that's a no-no. Just my opinion, of course.

From researching all of this it appears that most mass market 357/45colt/44mag ammo is pretty anemic (44 slightly less so) .

Buffalo bore loads some smoking hot version of all this ammo.

What do you all think about a 45lc/45acp convertible blackhawk?

Hard to go wrong with that set up. I suspect fewer than half ever use the 45 ACP.

So in the course of this thread you have made the following progression

Original post (Want a .357)
Then it was either a 357 or 44 mag
Now we are into a 357, 44, 45colt/45acp

Do I have this straight?

I would say that if you are going to tote a 44 or 45colt into the woods then you should use that as your hunting gun. Both of these rounds when hand loaded will do 100-110 yards if you do your part, but are very well suited for the 50-60 yard range.

Yeah can you tell I don't really know what I want? Hahah, just feeling things out, Like I said I don't have much experience with revolvers.

There are a bunch of forum members up that way that like revolvers, maybe if you could shoot some .357's, .44's and .45's that might help you make up your mind or not. Don't forget to scour pawn shops. I picked up my BH for $350 Occasionally you will find rocking good deals. Good luck in your quest. I have a .357 BH with 6.5 inch barrel, and an SP-101 in .357. The SP goes with me most of the time, when I carry a .357. In the woods I carry a Charter Arms SS Bulldog in .44 spcl ( I hand load )
gramps