Hiking the appalacian trail

[Firearmed]

What would be your choice of handgun for personal protection on the a.t.? Keeping in mind that it has to be as light as possible while still packing a punch, plus comfortable to carry.

 

[gunworks321]

The whole trail or just part of it? Because you are going through multiple states with differing handgun laws, a multi-state carry permit is going to be needed and then there is New York.

 

[spencer rifle]

Yup - gotta watch that reciprocity. We had a Kahr CW9 with us in Virginia. You can carry a firearm through the Shenandoah NP but not an axe. Go figure.

 

[shibumiseeker]

My lightweight hiking gun is my LCP .380. If I am worried about predators bigger than the 2 legged type I carry my Glock 29. Pretty much I only carry it when hiking in grizzly country.

 

[Firearmed]

I do section hikes and this paticular section will be in N.C. which from looking at reciprocity laws honors Indiana permit. Just curious to other opinions on most lightweight hangun that would offer decent protection? At this point I'm pretty settled on my Taurus PT 145 Pro.

 

[wtfd661]

I would take a Glock 27

 

[fastwally]

SP-101 3" or model 60 3" 357 mag.

 

[Archbishop]

I hike with my Kel Tec PF9 in my cargo pocket of my pants.

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

I'm also an AT section hiker and I hike with the same gun I carry. My M&P9c. Out of curiosity where are you guys hiking from/to?

 

[Lunati]

My friend is going to do the whole trail starting in March, pretty crazy...

 

[Dyerbill]

My friend is going to do the whole trail starting in March, pretty crazy...

Cooler than the other side of the pillow!

 

[Clay]

buddy of mine did the entire thing in one go, and for him it was a life changing experience.

Started out with a decent sized load out, and quickly got down to almost nothing but a small back pack for most of the trip.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I would carry a handgun that shoots a caliber big enough to neutralize a black bear.

 

[draketungsten]

I do backcountry camping and hiking. Have thought about doing an AT section hike but never taken the time. There's no way I could take off the time from work and family to do the entire thing end to end at once. However, when I go out, I pack a Ruger LCR. You're biggest concern probably is the wild life so you don't need something that carries plenty of rounds like you're geared up for a firefight.

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Its a booger when you misspell the title of a thread isn't it?

 

[draketungsten]

LOL. Helps to prove that the brain is able to figure out what the intention is without you being consciously aware of it. Kind of like this....

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

 

[Indiana Camper]

I hike with my Kel Tec PF9 in my cargo pocket of my pants.

Same pistol but in Hill People Gear bag on my chest. Very easy/fast to access and helps spread out the weight.

 

[MarineOne]

A big piece of advice from someone that has spent a couple of weeks on the AT every year for some time now.....do not bother taking a gun. You don't need it while you're on the AT. I section hike a stretch of the trail every year for at least a week at a go. If you're serious about hiking you wouldn't carry the wasted weight of a handgun. I fail to see where exactly you feel like you'd need one on the Trail. Bears? Yeah, they're there, but how many people have been attacked by black bears while hiking on the AT? I'd be more inclined to worry about a moose up in Maine than I would a bear. Of the major bear territory on the AT, I've hiked through a lot of the Trail in North Carolina and Virginia and have seen more snakes than I have bears. The bears that I have seen were no threat whatsoever to hikers. You stay away from them, they have a tendency to leave you alone.
I'm sure I'm going to be flamed for posting such a crazy idea of not carrying a gun on the Appalachian Trail, but like I said earlier....if you're serious about hiking you won't worry about it. Enjoy the Trail. Don't worry about potential violations of local gun laws while carrying something that you won't even need anyways.
Don't believe what I have to say.....I'd suggest reading a few books or articles written by hikers that have completed the whole Trail. See how many of them are packing heat in their trek.

 

[comanche]

we hiked for a week last spring and I agree with MarineOne that no firearm is needed for animals. We were in New Hampshire White Mountains. There were hikers carrying next to nothing and were out for months at a time. We saw almost zero wildlife and there were days we never even came across another soul on the trails.

 

[Lunarphase]

MarineOne is right on with his opinion, but I always feel safer with a side arm, it's not about the animals for me. I carry a Star PD 45 most everywhere, not enough weight to bother me.