You can never have enough options when it comes to choosing a personal defence handgun.
Hiking may be done for a variety of reasons including fitness, adventure, discovery, and more. So even those of you who live in urban areas may participate since paths can be found in close proximity to them. It’s also a rather risk-free activity for the most part. However, this does not rule out the need of packing a first aid kit, a method of calling for assistance, and a firearm (if you can).
Since the introduction of the internet, there has been a heated debate over the best pistol to carry and the best ammunition to use with it while hiking. This debate is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. That is, unless, of course, everyone thinks that I am completely correct. You may choose one of the finest 10 hiking trails I’ve picked from the list below that best suits your budget and lifestyle, and then go out on the route.
10 Handgun for Hiking Reviews to Help You Choose the One
The right handgun can help save your life in case you find yourself in a dangerous situation. However, choosing the right one can be challenging as there are so many options available on the market today.
To help you with your search, we have compiled this article with detailed reviews of the top 10 handguns for hiking
1. S&W J-Frame Revolver

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
Gunmen, it is claimed, speak about 1911s, shoot Glocks, and carry a J-Frame as a matter of course. It seems that this pistol is a poor option, according to the current group-think attitude on the Internet. Sorry, but I don’t go along with the crowd. Do you want the truth? Owners, while getting ready to leave the house, reach for their S&W in357 Magnum more frequently than not.
It’s kept in a Blackhawk pocket holster while not in use. That’s right, the one that the Internet Tactards claim will get you murdered on the sidewalk. It’s small and lightweight, making it easier to hide and transport. That means I’ll have the revolver on me at all times, which is important when it comes to carrying weapons.
A surprising percentage of the serious shooters I know do exactly the same thing, which is a little shocking. In addition to having an external hammer, the J-Frame M&P Scandium alloy frame is also available in double-action alone with no hammer.
Outstanding Features:
- Very portable
- Comes with the alloy frame
- Very easy to hide
2. Glock G17 Handgun

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
This weapon, which was designed by a 50-year-old manager for a car radiator plant in Austria, astonished the whole globe. In all, there were 34 pieces to the basic cannon. Everything, with the exception of the barrel and slide, as well as a few tiny internal components and springs, was constructed of plastic. Even the magazine itself was made of plastic.
The pistol was inexpensive to make and priced far lower than the competitors, and it revolutionised the handgun market. The pistol has a capacity of eighteen 9mm rounds and has become popular among those who need a large amount of ammunition. The Glock G17 is the carry pistol of choice for millions of people throughout the world.
Outstanding Features:
- Very light
- Cost-effective
- Wonderful feedback
3. Ruger 1911 Commander

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
John Browning’s masterwork has been in production for more than a century and continues to be one of the most popular combat pistol designs in the world.
In contrast to the plastic Tupperware guns that now dominate the market, many experienced shooters prefer it. This is partly because they still believe in the laws of physics and that a large cartridge strikes harder.
They are also aware that chambering 1911 in a calibre other than.45 ACP is a sin in their society. In comparison to the Officer size, the full size 1911 is a little hefty and unreliable; the Commander size is exactly fine.
Outstanding Features:
- Shoots beautifully
- Larger cartridge
- Very sizeable
4. The S&W M&P Shield

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
S&W M&P Shield in the calibre of.40 S&W. On the pistol, I have a Crimson Trace LaserGuard that is installed on the sights, which are Trijicon HD Night Sights.
A whole new class of handguns was born with the introduction of this weapon, which bridged the gap between the micro pistols and the considerably bigger “sub-compacts” of the day. You can easily transport it since it is tiny and lightweight. Despite this, it is virtually as simple to use as most full-sized firearms.
With chambers for mature cartridges such as the 9mm and.40 S&W, the Shield gave you the best of both worlds in one package. Now that it’s available in.45 ACP, it’s possible that it’ll become the ideal concealed carry weapon. the ability to cock easily makes it easy to be accurate with the gun. And While small, it stays and gives a huge grip that makes everything more comfortable.
Outstanding Features:
- Comes with the laser guard
- Portable
- Very mobile
5. Ruger LCP Pistol

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
Guns with the 380 ACP calibre gained popularity. The Kel-Tec P3AT was the starting point. As soon as Ruger debuted their LCP in 2008, it quickly rose to become the most popular pistol in the world, aided by the marketing power of the Ruger corporation.
It went on to herald the beginning of a revolution in micro.380 pistols. The pistol is small, lightweight, affordable, and convenient to carry in one’s pocket. The.380 ACP isn’t a powerhouse, but it gets the job done on a regular basis.
With this gun, You can handle big bears if necessary, as well as hogs, coyotes, and anything else that crosses your path and is capable of harming you making it still an awesome hiking gun..
Outstanding Features:
- Contains a small polymer frame
- Small
- Inexpensive
6. Ruger LCR Pistol (n)

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
This is the J-Frame for the general public. Ruger pioneered the use of polymer manufacture for this pistol, lowering the cost of the firearm much below that of the S&W handguns. The quality is great, as it would be expected from a Ruger.
The Ruger LCR is a highly popular and moderately priced double-action revolver with a single-action trigger. However, it can carry a strong cartridge like the.357 Magnum thanks to the use of polymer in the frame, which reduces both weight and cost while maintaining durability.
Various calibres, ranging from 22LR to 357 Magnum, may be purchased for use with this firearm. Mine, of course, is in the latter category, and it has stood up well to a great deal of use.
In addition to being a tiny, lightweight pistol that is simple to carry, it is chambered for a strong cartridge and is reasonably priced so that a working man may readily purchase it.
Outstanding Features:
- Easy to use
- Great quality
- Allows for enough calibres
- Lightweight
7. Glock 23 Handgun

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
This is the Glock “Commander” size pistol, which is available in black or silver. Because it is smaller than full-size guns, it is easier to carry without sacrificing power. Although the Model G19 in 9mm is arguably the most popular, many gun enthusiasts still believe in the effectiveness of defensive cartridges that begin with the number four.
A total of 14 cartridges may be carried in the G23 in.40 S&W, which is a small package that is pleasant to carry all day. It is the weapon of choice for many gun enthusiasts who are looking for a gun to carry on a daily basis, especially while hiking.
Outstanding Features:
- Very easy to carry
- Allows for 14 cartridges
- Suits for daily use
8. Glock G43 Handgun

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
The S&W Shield marked the beginning of a revolution in carrying firearms by introducing a tiny, compact, lightweight handgun that could fire full-size rounds in a small, compact package. When the new category grew too popular to ignore, Glock jumped in with this 9mm handgun. This Glock is, like other Glocks, dependable to the point of being tedious.
This compact, the lightweight pistol has a seven-round capacity, with six rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber of the barrel.
Outstanding Features:
- 7 rounds capacity
- Very light
9. Smith & Wesson M&P

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
This polymer-frame, double-stack, striker-fired pistol from Smith & Wesson (Military and Police) is perhaps the second most popular handgun in the polymer-frame, double-stack, striker-fired pistol category after the Glock 19.
With the M&P having debuted in 2005 and Glock having had a 20-year head start in the market, coming in second place behind the Austrian wonder pistols is a fairly spectacular performance when you consider the circumstances.
There are some elements on the M&P that I favour over the Glock, including the grip angle, trigger, and metal magazines, that I find more comfortable to use. When you attempt to eject an empty magazine from a plastic magazine, it has a propensity to stay in the magazine well; metal magazines respond differently and fall out.
Outstanding Features:
- Very fine to use
- Contains the polymer frame
- Easy-grip
10. Charter Arms Bulldog

You can have short product description here. It can be added as and enable/disable toggle option from which user can have control on it.
When David Berkowitz, also known as Son of Sam and the.44 Caliber Killer, used a Bulldog during his reign of terror in New York City during the summer of 1976, the weapon had its 15 minutes of fame. That anecdote serves as yet another example of how it is the shooter, not the gun, who decides whether a gun is used for good or evil. That the decent folks of New York were denied access to the same weapon was a disappointment.
Honestly, this gun rules, and for hiking, it offers you an easy carrying option, with a weight of 21 ounces, this pistol is slightly heavier than the smaller model.
It has 38 Specials, but it makes use of the considerably bigger one, which is a special cartridge that may be a devastating defensive round. It makes a good personal-defence cartridge when used with some of the more recent ammunition, such as Hornady’s Flex-Tip loads.
Outstanding Features:
- Mind-blowing special cartridge
- Not heavy
- Very effective
- Nice feedbacks
Conclusion
In the end, it is vital to understand that a handgun pistol for hiking is a weapon designed to accompany you when you are trekking in the great outdoors. It serves no particular function other than to be there in case you need it.
Whether you want to use this gun for potting small game, killing snakes, shooting vermin, deterring a bear or even self-defence, the best gun for the job will be dictated by your geographic location and the activities you engage in outside.
I’ve provided you with a list of the ten greatest smartphones now available on the market in 2022; you will almost certainly discover one that matches your specifications in the list above. Take pleasure in your purchase.