Hunting sidearm question...

DJones2987 · Feb 18, 2017

Hey all, I'm purchasing a pistol to carry as a sidearm for bow season due to it being legal in western MD.

The question I have is, Maryland has no guidelines I've found for sidearm ammo capacity or type of ammo permitted to be loaded. Clearly you can't purchase greater than 10 round mags in MD but you can possess and use mags greater than 10.

The reason I need to know is I'm debating between a .45 and a 9mm and the capacity I'm allowed to carry and type of ammo will push my decision one way or the other.

I've asked MSP and DNR with no answers.

Thanks in advance.

BUFF7MM · Feb 18, 2017

DJones2987 said:
Hey all, I'm purchasing a pistol to carry as a sidearm for bow season due to it being legal in western MD.

The question I have is, Maryland has no guidelines I've found for sidearm ammo capacity or type of ammo permitted to be loaded. Clearly you can't purchase greater than 10 round mags in MD but you can possess and use mags greater than 10.

The reason I need to know is I'm debating between a .45 and a 9mm and the capacity I'm allowed to carry and type of ammo will push my decision one way or the other.

I've asked MSP and DNR with no answers.

Thanks in advance.

Well if your using the firearm for its intended purpose under the law, of the 2 choices I'd go with the 45 since you're buying a new gun. Not saying a 9mm won't do what you need it to do but I'd rather do what needs done with a 45, but that's just me.
Now my choice for carrying an auto loader in the woods is the 10mm, but that's another discussion.

DJones2987 · Feb 18, 2017

Buff7mm said:
Well if your using the firearm for its intended purpose under the law, of the 2 choices I'd go with the 45 since you're buying a new gun. Not saying a 9mm won't do what you need it to do but I'd rather do what needs done with a 45, but that's just me.
Now my choice for carrying an auto loader in the woods is the 10mm, but that's another discussion.

One of my choices, the Glock 21 can be converted to a 10mm with a barrel, spring and mag change. So that's another thought.

callidus · Feb 18, 2017

With modern ammo, 9mm/.40sw/.45acp are virtually identical in flesh so go with capacity. If you're willing to open up to other calibers, .357 out of a longer barrel or 10mm might be better suited.

iH8DemLibz · Feb 18, 2017

An angry bear will take all fifteen 9mm rounds to the face.....

.....then laugh at you.....

.....then pounce on you.....

.....then eat you.

.45!!! I would recommend a .45LC double action wheel gun. With at least a 300 grain hard cast bullet with a wide meplat. You want wallop and penetration. Not expansion.

And you don't want a semi-auto jam while Yogi is sizing you up as a potential meal.

bitterkenny · Feb 18, 2017

You can get some heavy cast .45ACP likes these. I think I'd rather pack those then 9mm HP's for 4 legged critters.

DJones2987 · Feb 18, 2017

callidus said:
With modern ammo, 9mm/.40sw/.45acp are virtually identical in flesh so go with capacity. If you're willing to open up to other calibers, .357 out of a longer barrel or 10mm might be better suited.

Modern ammo is definitely incredible. Still leaning toward 45/10mm.

iH8DemLibz said:
An angry bear will take all fifteen 9mm rounds to the face.....

.....then laugh at you.....

.....then pounce on you.....

.....then eat you.

.45!!! I would recommend a .45LC double action wheel gun. With at least a 300 grain hard cast bullet with a wide meplat. You want wallop and penetration. Not expansion.

And you don't want a semi-auto jam while Yogi is sizing you up as a potential meal.

Not so much worried about bears in my area as coyotes. Most we see are smaller black bears and will usually run off fairly quickly.

bitterkenny said:
You can get some heavy cast .45ACP likes these. I think I'd rather pack those then 9mm HP's for 4 legged critters.

And thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

iH8DemLibz · Feb 18, 2017

DJones2987 said:
Modern ammo is definitely incredible. Still leaning toward 45/10mm.

Not so much worried about bears in my area as coyotes. Most we see are smaller black bears and will usually run off fairly quickly.

And thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

Coyotes are very timid creatures.

They'd rather leave you alone then try to attack and kill you.

Just like most snakes.

Make your decision based on a two legged predator encounter.

DJones2987 · Feb 18, 2017

iH8DemLibz said:
Coyotes are very timid creatures.

They'd rather leave you alone then try to attack and kill you.

Just like most snakes.

Make your decision based on a two legged predator encounter.

Yeah, two legged predators are always a concern during bow season. Much more dangerous than 4 legged ones.

Maxsplat · Feb 18, 2017

If I'm not wrong your main concern is the legality of having a mag larger than 10 rounds. While we can't purchase them in the state, I can't give a clear answer on carrying a higher capacity mag. This question may be best asked in the training section.
My thoughts, and I'm not a lawyer so we know where this can get us, are that you could purchase a standard capacity mag out of state and then carry it. Again I'm not a lawyer though.

As for caliber I'm a 45 guy. Starting to really appreciate the 10mm. If price is not option, and we know it always is, you could always get The Field Pistol https://youtu.be/mymewEQiQhY lol

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iH8DemLibz · Feb 18, 2017

Standard/high capacity is legal to possess and use.

DJones2987 · Feb 18, 2017

Maxsplat said:
If I'm not wrong your main concern is the legality of having a mag larger than 10 rounds. While we can't purchase them in the state, I can't give a clear answer on carrying a higher capacity mag. This question may be best asked in the training section.
My thoughts, and I'm not a lawyer so we know where this can get us, are that you could purchase a standard capacity mag out of state and then carry it. Again I'm not a lawyer though.

As for caliber I'm a 45 guy. Starting to really appreciate the 10mm. If price is not option, and we know it always is, you could always get The Field Pistol https://youtu.be/mymewEQiQhY lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, my main concern is capacity allowed while carrying as a sidearm for hunting.

Lol and that's awesome.

RoadDawg · Feb 18, 2017

It's not a great thing to underestimate your potential pool of adversaries in the woods.

Carry what will handle the greater of the probable/possible threats.

Is a .44 mag going to be overkill for a rabid raccoon? Yes...

But it is going to put down that momma black bear that you've just royally pissed off by accidentally walking between her and one of her cubs.

A wheel gun with a big enough punch will be more reliable than a semi-auto with multiple small rounds.

But that's JMHO.

jaybee · Feb 18, 2017

we had packs of wild feral dogs in the woods

they were my biggest concern

BigSteve57 · Feb 18, 2017

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...
I would take in a revolver: 45 LC+P, 454 Casull or 500 S&W.

outrider58 · Feb 18, 2017

RoadDawg said:
It's not a great thing to underestimate your potential pool of adversaries in the woods.

Carry what will handle the greater of the probable/possible threats.

Is a .44 mag going to be overkill for a rabid raccoon? Yes...

But it is going to put down that momma black bear that you've just royally pissed off by accidentally walking between her and one of her cubs.

A wheel gun with a big enough punch will be more reliable than a semi-auto with multiple small rounds.

But that's JMHO.

^^^This x100

Biggfoot44 · Feb 18, 2017

Yes, probability is greatest of two legged threats, but the chance of four legged is greater than zero.

Not bowhunting per se, but the situation is not dissimilar to my 4wd'ing and casual hiking in GWNF. I regularly see bears, and tracks and droppings all the time. I have also had one almost walk over me while I was positioned to ambush Bambi .

My conclusion has long been I would rather deal with a pot grower or meth cooker with a .44 or .45 , than deal with a bear using a 9mm or .38 .

lee2 · Feb 18, 2017

.500 s&w

TheRealJimDavis · Feb 18, 2017

If you're carrying cause you're worried about bear, you need to be, wait for it, loaded for bear. I agree with 10mm. It would do you double duty for all threats. Other suitable bear rounds are less double duty. If you're just carrying cause you can then do what you want, but that was passed because DNR acknowledges that while you're gutting and dragging dead deer, you may look like food to a bear, and a bow isn't gonna cut it.

Maxsplat · Feb 18, 2017

lee2 said:
.500 s&w

Well that escalated quickly.

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Hunting sidearm question...

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