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40s&w Glock 27 for woods carry?

19K views 85 replies 47 participants last post by  DHart 
#1 ·
Looking for a hiking gun, was originally going to get the Glock 20, then the 29, and then I was flirting with the idea of a revolver, but I want something that can be easily concealed, yet have enough power to do the job on smaller 4 legged threats, wild dog, coyote, hog, possibly a black bear but not likely, etc.

I was at a LGS yesterday and tried a Glock 26 in the pocket, didn't think about trying the 27. But from what I can acsertain, they are the same size, everything, the 27 is marginally heavier than the 26. The 26 felt good in the pocket, a bit big, but good. I was thinking about 9mm for a hiking gun but my thinking that 9mm is a bit light, but better than nothing. So why not a 27 in 40?

I won't carry a lightweight 357 revolver, just not into punishing myself, don't want to, for personal reasons, open carry a larger firearm, and I want a caliber that's easy to find and relatively inexpensive because my thinking is I'll likely never run into a situation where I'll need to pull the trigger on a wild animal to protect myself, so why get a hard to find and expensive caliber, but I want something heavy and hard hitting enough that it'll kill or injure a wild animal enough to stop its train of thought/attacking me.

Do you think that a Glock 27 carried in a pocket holster, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 200gr hard cast that runs roughly 950ft/sec and outputs roughly 400ft/lbs of energy would be good enough for woods carry?
 
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#44 ·
27 sounds large for pocket carry, especially if you hiking trails it would get uncomfortable.
Maybe IWB is the way to go? And backup G22 mags.
I have put FMJ in my 27 to enhance penetration when I was in the Everglades and was concerned about alligators.
I've carried a G20 OWB in the woods in upper Michigan. Honestly, that was too much for me to carry and conceal comfortably at the time. Weight becomes a huge factor.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 
#45 ·
10mm Glocks would be my first choice. But if you want to save something in size and weight, the G27 id the perfect choice for what you want it for. I often carry a 27 as backup when night hunting for coyote, when I am not carrying my G20.
 
#46 ·
"27 sounds large for pocket carry, especially if you hiking trails it would get uncomfortable.
Maybe IWB is the way to go? And backup G22 mags."

Mine will pocket carry in large pockets (i.e. cargo pants). It does cause them to sag. I just use an IWB, almost always and a loose shirt==I'm a big guy and a t-shirt will work most times.

If you need the G22 mags, you might want to think about more range time (?)==LOL
 
#47 ·
Why does backup mag = more range time? Why dont you just carry one in the chamber and no magazone at all?

In real life you may need to shoot at a moving target. Do you have a lot of practice doing that? More ammo cant hurt if you can spare the weight.

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#49 · (Edited)
For woods carry (especially) and for street carry, as well, I'd go with .40 or 10mm and forget the idea of pocket carry. Get a good gun belt and a super comfortable leather holster like the High Noon Bare Asset and CC is easy and comfortable.


A G27 or G23 would certainly get the job done, but as a confirmed lover of the .40S&W caliber, I find the M&P40 and M&P40C considerably more comfortable (and much more enjoyable) to shoot. The SIG P320 40 Compact is really nice shooting, as well, but it is noticeably larger than the M&P40C.

So, if you were to go with a compact .40, I would definitely encourage you to go with the M&P40 Compact. The ergonomics and feel-in-the-hand are top notch and the pistol launches .40 caliber rounds very comfortably - much more comfortably than the G27 or G23 do. And, I think the addition of Talon rubber grip wrap (they're on all my polymer frame pistols) makes the grip feel exceptionally nice.

And, another great thing is that the M&P40C can be converted to 9mm or .357SIG with just a barrel swap. The ejector & extractor in the M&P are the same for all three of these calibers. Three calibers with one pistol.

M&P40C 10+1=11 round capacity, with 15-round spare mag.


With 15-round mag for 16-rounds of .40 caliber capacity.


You lookin' at me???


For social situations, .40S&W Federal 180gr HST is about as good as it gets in all-around performance from a compact, easy-to-shoot, defense auto-loading pistol. Consistent penetration to 18.5" and expansion to .72" - and that's with a 3.4" barrel!


For four-legged threats, with .40S&W I would probably go with 180gr. XTP. With a 180gr. XTP, you can get in the neighborhood of around 1150fps, or so, with 8gr. of Longshot in a .40. The XTP bullet penetrates well, with expansion, in hunting/animal targets. That would be a good animal load. Even an off-the-shelf 180gr. XTP .40S&W factory load would deal pretty well with most 4-legged vermin in the lower 40.
 
#50 ·
I personally carry a G27 when a little bulk is not an issue. I use a Hornady XTP 180 gr plus reload. I also have a 9mm conversion for it for general plinking. I like having 2 guns for the price of one.
 
#51 ·
What is nice about a G27 is I can down grade to a 9mm by just buying a BBL. and Mag. Or I can buy a 357 sig BBL and use my 40 cal rounds. I can also use other glock mags so I can carry more ammo loaded, The G27 is the best of both worlds It is lik having 3 guns in one


Looking for a hiking gun, was originally going to get the Glock 20, then the 29, and then I was flirting with the idea of a revolver, but I want something that can be easily concealed, yet have enough power to do the job on smaller 4 legged threats, wild dog, coyote, hog, possibly a black bear but not likely, etc.

I was at a LGS yesterday and tried a Glock 26 in the pocket, didn't think about trying the 27. But from what I can acsertain, they are the same size, everything, the 27 is marginally heavier than the 26. The 26 felt good in the pocket, a bit big, but good. I was thinking about 9mm for a hiking gun but my thinking that 9mm is a bit light, but better than nothing. So why not a 27 in 40?

I won't carry a lightweight 357 revolver, just not into punishing myself, don't want to, for personal reasons, open carry a larger firearm, and I want a caliber that's easy to find and relatively inexpensive because my thinking is I'll likely never run into a situation where I'll need to pull the trigger on a wild animal to protect myself, so why get a hard to find and expensive caliber, but I want something heavy and hard hitting enough that it'll kill or injure a wild animal enough to stop its train of thought/attacking me.

Do you think that a Glock 27 carried in a pocket holster, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 200gr hard cast that runs roughly 950ft/sec and outputs roughly 400ft/lbs of energy would be good enough for woods carry?
27
 
#53 ·
Guys there is no guarantee that you will stop a human with a service caliber pistol. What you may run into in the wild are much stronger and much much faster than we are. Even though chances are slim. I did read where a guy in Alaska killed a black bear in his home with a Glock 27, don't remember how many shots. I wouldn't be over confident.

I'll tell a quick story. Buddy and I were walking into our bow hunting stands. We come up on a moose maybe 40 yards away. Moose looks up for a second then goes back to eating like we aren't even there. Buddy says "let's get closer". I say "go ahead idiot, I'm going this way". I see no reason to irritate a peaceful moose. Buddy catches back up to me within 30 seconds. And tells me he went about 10 steps and the moose looks up and starts staring at him. That unnerved him enough to get out of its comfort zone.

Just sayin'
 
#56 ·
I wish I had bought a G26 instead of my G27. Even though my duty magazines fit in the G27, making it the perfect on-duty BUG. The 9mm is capable, provides more rounds and would save me thousands of dollars in ammunition costs, over the life of the firearm.
 
#57 ·
9mm is capable on people, and the possible animals encountered in a populated area. I personally wouldn't want to go into the woods carrying a 9mm if I had the choice. Personally for woods carry it's .40 or above. It used to be a G27 with Critical Duty or Fed HST 165. Now it's 230 grain Gold dots, HST, or Critical Defense.
 
#59 ·
For the reloader, this makes an excellent .40 caliber woods load which ventures into 10mm territory:

180 gr XTP bullet over 7.9 gr of Longshot, 1148 fps, 31,813 psi, 207 PF

(This load is comfortably below the max SAAMI of 35,000 psi)
 
#60 ·
Looking for a hiking gun, was originally going to get the Glock 20, then the 29, and then I was flirting with the idea of a revolver, but I want something that can be easily concealed, yet have enough power to do the job on smaller 4 legged threats, wild dog, coyote, hog, possibly a black bear but not likely, etc.

I was at a LGS yesterday and tried a Glock 26 in the pocket, didn't think about trying the 27. But from what I can acsertain, they are the same size, everything, the 27 is marginally heavier than the 26. The 26 felt good in the pocket, a bit big, but good. I was thinking about 9mm for a hiking gun but my thinking that 9mm is a bit light, but better than nothing. So why not a 27 in 40?

I won't carry a lightweight 357 revolver, just not into punishing myself, don't want to, for personal reasons, open carry a larger firearm, and I want a caliber that's easy to find and relatively inexpensive because my thinking is I'll likely never run into a situation where I'll need to pull the trigger on a wild animal to protect myself, so why get a hard to find and expensive caliber, but I want something heavy and hard hitting enough that it'll kill or injure a wild animal enough to stop its train of thought/attacking me.

Do you think that a Glock 27 carried in a pocket holster, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 200gr hard cast that runs roughly 950ft/sec and outputs roughly 400ft/lbs of energy would be good enough for woods carry?
Since you mentioned a couple of good sized animals hog and bear I would suggest a G23 over the G27 also loaded with something appropriate from Underwood or Buffalo Bore. I would carry a couple of magazines one loaded with ammo suitable for two legged threats and smaller animals the other with ammo designed for hog and bear.
 
#68 ·
On my woods activities in most of my state I am concerned with bears, mt. lions, wolves and for those critters I feel well armed with a G27 with 180g HST and cast 180g at 1300fps alternating in the first mag and the second mag all cast. HST in the first mag are for bad boys.

In other parts of my state moose and grizzlies are a potential for a meet and greet on the trail. I had a bow hunting buddy get run over by a cow moose in the elk archery season defending her calf. When I'm in their habitat I will carry an old 44 Mag Vaquero with 300 cast slugs out the barrel at 1377 fps. That is a heavy shooter but comforting. If the Grizzly areas are our destination the Vaquero is often accompanied by a Marlin 45/70 405g hard cast at 1977fps. also comforting but heavy. The Marlin does make for more restful nights.
 
#69 ·
It's a good choice. Not great, but good. I still believe most threats walk on two legs.
 
#71 ·
Groo here
I have had a G-27 for some time.
I started with a 357sig barrel to carry and a 40 for range.
I now have a 9mm barrel for range and the 357 for carry.[the 40 never shot accurate for me]
Carry a 357 sig withhard cast/ FMJ 147 for woods [ max go through]
For city , maybe a 115gr for min go through.
For most woods/winter critters, drilling deep trumps expandsion.
For city critters quick expandsion for no blow through.
Range time 9mm[cheep] keep the 40 if you cant find anything else.
 
#72 ·
No doubt the 125-grain Gold Dot is a proven self-defense round but increasingly I have been leaning towards the 147-grain Hornady .357sig XTP round for that task. (Hint, hint, big American ammo companies). If the 147-grain 9mm JHP round is alleged to be the cat's meow for self-defense purposes what's not to like when the nearly identical bullet is traveling 250 fps higher velocity? I keep waiting for heavier JHP self-defense ammo to be issued by "name" ammo companies for this very reason.

For woods carry I think the 140-grain Sellier & Bellot is just about right for caliber against animals normally found east of the Rocky Mountains. Naturally a .40S&W would be better, but then there's that nasty recoil, muzzle flip the .40S&W exhibits that turns me off. Chances are I will never have to discharge my weapon against man or beast, so .357sig fills the bill for me.
 
#75 ·
I just had my first experience with an animal charge.

Freaking cow moose with a calf came at us 10 yards from 20 yards on Mountain Dell golf course in SLC Utah. Wouldn't you know it I was completely unarmed. I would have kept the cart between me and the moose if it had come all the way, but my idiot uncle I didn't realize until moments after went running down the fairway. I told him that was stupid as it could have easily have run him down. We laughed about it but I wouldn't have minded having my .454, or even my Glock 27, rather than my golf putter in hand.

Before you even start I have tried carying once or twice on the course but nothing comfortable enough and out of the way of my swing. I haven't ever tried small of the back, but concealment in a tight golf shirt and bent over doesn't seem likely.
 
#79 ·
In .40 I'd get the DT 200 gr. HCFP's. They may not reach box flap velocity but it doesn't really matter. I have fired hundreds in many different guns and never had an issue. They penetrate and nothing beats the size of that meplat and the square profile. The bullet will penetrate, cut and plow. It's got the sectional density of a 250 gr. 45 with more velocity.

In 357 sig I'd get S&B FMJ 140's. They get to 1,300 fps in 4" barrels, they feed well, don't have a ton of blast and are not as loud as some 125's out there. The primers are sealed also.

One thing you may consider for a woods, carry or HD Glock is buying the OEM red 6# firing pin spring. They come with 5.5#. It's less than 10% difference and you can't feel it if you have lightly polished a few things (15 min. job). It will set everything off for sure or if it doesn't, at least you know the 5.5# would not have either.

You can also use 4" barrels in the sub compacts if you want. Either OEM, aftermarket or aftermarket threaded which I would choose to protect the crown of the barrel a little bit. No worries about shooting lead either though hard cast in an OEM Glock barrel is fine.
 
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#81 ·
357 hard to get huh? makes no sense and more powerful than a 40. Plenty of lightweight 3/4in 357 revolvers. you can use 38 and shot shells.
The 40 will be plenty. Avoid fancy fast expanding critical defense and similar bullets. You will have little to no penetration on a black bear skull. Plenty of 500lb plus black bears.
For the 9 or 40, Id stick with the XTP (+P 147 in the 9).
With the 26 and 27, you can always carry 2 full size mags. If you feel the need to have a mag of hardcasts. Dogs packs, two legged critters (mexicans, pot farmers, meth cookers.) will be your biggest threat.
 
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