I've been enjoying reading through some of Skeeter's writings lately, and this one got me thinking:
"What's the best 'trail gun' for you?"
In in this article he says,
Quote:
|
a trail gun is one that, with 50 rounds of ammo, will make a package small and light enough that you are unaware of its presence until you need it. Included are a host of .22s, the .32-20, .32 Long and probably best of the lot—the .38 Special.
|
He also concedes the 9mm could be included for those who prefer autos, and he further elaborates that it's the gun you bring out and about, when you don't really plan on shooting anything.
This article was written back in 1977, which explains the emphasis on revolvers. And I note that many of the revolvers he's talking about weigh over 30 ounces. Some he mentions are lighter, in the mid to lower 20 ounce range, but there's also some that could run upwards of 34 oz.
This leads me to some questions for the group. Do you consider this weight range to be as featherweight at Skeeter seemed to? How have polymer or lightweight alloys changed the equation? What sorts of modern automatics would fit in with Skeeter's personal definition of a "trail gun"? How do you define a "trail gun", and does it jive with Skeeter's definition?
And a big one:
If you're carrying a gun outdoors without expecting to actually shoot it, then what kinds of situations could make you change your mind and pull it out?