Gun store Shooting Locations It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 2:35 am



Rules WGO Chat Room Gear Rent Me Shield NRA SAF CCKRBA
Calendar




Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
 My new Carry Firearm for Camping/Hiking 
Author Message
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Marysville, WA
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2011
Posts: 11581
Real Name: Mike
Have been spending some time "off grid" and started wishing I hadn't sold my old S&W 686. Well, with the 6" bbl it was a little long for belt carry although in a shoulder rig it rode real nice when I used to take it with me on my motorcycle while trail riding.

Oh well, gone is gone so I decided to go looking for another .357 wheel gun only this time with a 4" bbl. Looked at prices for the 686's today and new ones are just too expensive.

Decided to go looking for a Rossi as I have a really nice one from that company in 38 spl with 2" bbl. Turns out that Rossi is no longer making pistols.

Then I read a review and watched a couple videos on the Taurus Tracker. Decided to give it a look.

This is the end result.

Image

Took it to the range today and shot some 38 spl's through it and then some 158gr "Jacketed Flat Point (JFP) Magnums" through it.

Almost a direct copy of my old 686 as far as feel and function for a lot less. Ended up with the Tracker, a Galco Holster, and box of "Defense" ammo for around $400 less than what I would have to pay for just the 686 new.

It does have a fairly stiff trigger with 12# DA and 5# SA but didn't seem to affect accuracy all that much (taking into consideration I haven't shot a wheel gun for at least 5 years). Was pleased to have the porting with the heavy 158 gr Magnum loads. A lot less muzzle jump with the shorter barrel. The porting did cause the guy shooting next to me to stop shooting and step back until I was done though icon_eek icon_eek

Don't care for the "squishy" grip that Taurus puts on it but the new grip and one speed loader is already on the way via Amazon. I will need to get use to a "Six Shooter" that holds 7 shots though. I'm a chronic "shot counter" and was ready to dump and reload after 6, then realizing I had one more. :bigsmile:

BTW, if anyone remembers the Taurus of old, they sure have changed if this pistol is any indication.

_________________
"I've learned from the Dog that an afternoon nap is a good thing"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
" - William Shakespeare


Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:32 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Tacoma :(
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011
Posts: 2403
I love my 44 tracker. Slap some hogue finger grips on that and it will be amazing. I polished mine shiny with 1500 grit. Take it camping and hiking all the time.

_________________
"A nation grown free in a single day is a child born with the limbs and the vigour of a man, who would take a drawn sword for his rattle, and set the house in a blaze that he might chuckle over the splendour." Sydney Smith (1771-1845)
Spoiler: show
NOW YOU DID IT...
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage


Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:53 pm
Profile
Site Admin
User avatar
Site Admin

Location: Olympia, WA
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011
Posts: 38292
Real Name: Dan
You're going to shoot out your stent!


Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:46 pm
Profile WWW
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Faxon, OK
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011
Posts: 17807
Real Name: Chuck
I carry a 9mm for two legged critters, and bear spray for four legged critters.

_________________
"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." Thomas Jefferson
"Evil often triumphs, but never conquers." Joseph Roux


Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:09 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Free At last in NC!
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012
Posts: 695
golddigger14s wrote:
I carry a 9mm for two legged critters, and bear spray for four legged critters.


Bear spray is to cover the carcass after you shoot to avoid a civil suit from the loonies. "I did all I could ..."


Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:41 pm
Profile
User avatar

Location: KC area Missouri
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2016
Posts: 1562
All bear spray is is seasoning for you, bears like humans with a little kick.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:54 pm
Profile
Site Admin
User avatar
Site Admin

Location: Renton, WA
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011
Posts: 51919
Real Name: Steve
Now c’mon ... deadshot2, you’ve never posted a gun review without target pics and reloading data.

Don’t let me down, man. :bigsmile:

_________________
Steve

Benefactor Life Member, National Rifle Association
Life Member, Second Amendment Foundation
Patriot & Life Member, Gun Owners of America
Life Member, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Legal Action Supporter, Firearms Policy Coalition
Member, NAGR/NFGR

Please support the organizations that support all of us.

Leave it cleaner than you found it.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:59 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Can't say
Joined: Sun Sep 7, 2014
Posts: 8134
I have the same Tracker .357 as the OP and I was surprised at how awesome it is.

I think you'll grow to like the swishy ugly grips since the are remarkably good at absorbing recoil and dispensing sweat.

_________________
I defend the 2A. US Army Combat Veteran and Paratrooper: OIF Veteran. BSM and MSM recipient. NRA Lifetime. Entertainment purposes only. I'm a lawyer, but have not offered you legal advice.


Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:16 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Faxon, OK
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011
Posts: 17807
Real Name: Chuck
I love the Taurus "squishy"/Ribber grips.

_________________
"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." Thomas Jefferson
"Evil often triumphs, but never conquers." Joseph Roux


Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:09 am
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Tacoma :(
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011
Posts: 2403
https://www.hogueinc.com/grips/taurus/tracker

These are my grips. Love them.

_________________
"A nation grown free in a single day is a child born with the limbs and the vigour of a man, who would take a drawn sword for his rattle, and set the house in a blaze that he might chuckle over the splendour." Sydney Smith (1771-1845)
Spoiler: show
NOW YOU DID IT...
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage


Thu Jun 14, 2018 9:07 am
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Marysville, WA
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2011
Posts: 11581
Real Name: Mike
Massivedesign wrote:
You're going to shoot out your stent!



No Stent, just "jumper cables". I got the full monty, a quad bypass.

I believe in holsters too so the family jewels are safer than if I carried it tucked in the front of my pants :rofl9:


Saw the Cardiologist last Wednesday and he told me I was good to go for another year or more. Hell, he's the one with all the "letters" behind his name so who am I to argue with him. :thumbsup2:

_________________
"I've learned from the Dog that an afternoon nap is a good thing"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
" - William Shakespeare


Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:37 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Marysville, WA
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2011
Posts: 11581
Real Name: Mike
A.Oster wrote:
https://www.hogueinc.com/grips/taurus/tracker

These are my grips. Love them.


These are the same as I had on my 686 and I loved them then. I expect my Amazon delivery driver to have a set on my doorstep this afternoon with some that fit the Tracker. Also have a spring pack on order from Wolff. Will be doing a trigger job on it to reduce the trigger pull weight a little. Probably shave a couple pounds off SA and DA each. While at it I'll be doing some polishing on trigger parts to smooth it out some. Not bad as is, it's just that my 686 was much smoother. Will probably just use some Flitz and cycle the trigger mechanism a couple hundred times to lap/polish the mating surfaces. No sear engagement change or angle modifications, just polish/lapping.

THEN I'll post some target pics.

On that note, I finished working up a load for my 2-groove .308 barrel with Berger 185 gr Juggernaut Tactical bullets. They did so well when I was at Raton shooting some factory loads with them I decided to build some more affordable ammo. Ended up with Hornady brass, Fed regular LR primers, 46 gr of 2000MR, .020" off the lands with the cases just F/L sized using a Forster Benchrest Sizing Die. At 200 yards four shots fit inside a hole I can cover with a .308 win case heat (~.470" dia). This makes the group .224 MOA in size. This will be my LR load for shooting over 500 yards.

Darn Berger bullets are too expensive for everyday shooting so my load for <500 yards will be built using 175 gr Sierra TMK's and IMR 4166. 42.3 grains of the Enduron powder yields the same small groups but the bullet gets blown around a little more at the longer range. The TMK's are about $0.20 less per bullet, depending on how large a quantity in a package.

Tough decisions face me every "Range Day". Which Rifle do I take? The .223 Bolt Action, the 6,5 Creedmoor "Chassis Rifle", or the 2-groove .308, also a Chassis Rifle. Each one now has a consistent accuracy load that produces sub .25 MOA accuracy and are fun to shoot.

Don't expect me to produce any pistol performance like that. When they "stole" the arteries from my forearms a lot of arm strength went away, at least temporarily. I'll need some time playing with the magnum to get at lest some touch back with a handgun. I just bought it because I didn't want to carry a rifle while hiking, a 9mm Semi-Auto just wasn't enough in my mind, and I didn't want to go up to a "Dirty Harry" revolver. In my mind a .357 shooting 158 gr jacketed slugs is nasty enough for defense against anything I think I'll be encountering.


BTW, for those who think a .357 isn't enough to discourage a bear I'll share this. Back in the late 70's and early 80's I traveled to Alaska 8-10 times per year for work. While on one of those trips I read in the Anchorage newspaper about an Alaska State Fish and Game "Trooper" who had a brown bear chewing on his ankle. He used his 4" bbl .357 Python to kill the bear. According to the article he put all six rounds into the bear's neck and shoulder but didn't go into any more detail. Amazing that he was able to stay focused long enough to aim and shoot. Injuries to his leg were supposedly minor.

I don't expect to encounter any bears and what I might run into, the .357 should be more than adequate.

_________________
"I've learned from the Dog that an afternoon nap is a good thing"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
" - William Shakespeare


Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:09 pm
Profile
In Memoriam
User avatar
In Memoriam

Location: Tacoma Wa
Joined: Tue Oct 8, 2013
Posts: 16607
Real Name: George Bailey
Just a question but why did you pass on Rugers 5 shot SP101?

its like 10 bucks more.

_________________
"Remove one freedom per generation and soon you will have no freedom and no one would have noticed."......Carl Marx

"Let us Cross the river and sit in the shade of the trees" .....Stonewall Jackson

T. Jefferson "....the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. it is it's natural manure"


Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:01 pm
Profile
Site Supporter
User avatar
Site Supporter

Location: Faxon, OK
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011
Posts: 17807
Real Name: Chuck
Real men just say "Shoo!"

_________________
"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." Thomas Jefferson
"Evil often triumphs, but never conquers." Joseph Roux


Thu Jun 14, 2018 9:19 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 14 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 45 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

cron

Rules WGO Chat Room Gear Rent Me NRA SAF CCKRBA
Calendar


Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.
[ Time : 0.982s | 16 Queries | GZIP : Off ]