Best Pistol for Backpacking

best pistol for backpacking
When it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, you never know what you will come across or what kind of situation mother nature will throw at you. Some of these things could require you to defend yourself. From bears and big cats, to backwoods criminals or hunters, you may find yourself needing a pistol.Table setup not completed.

Top 5 Pistol for Backpacking

Ruger’s Mark IV has climbed to the top of the list for being a creative and very productive pistol.
Its design offers a very easy gun to disassemble. With the push of a button, the Mark IV will disassemble into four parts that will be very easy to clean. Plus, all controls are easily accessible to make shooting this gun simple.
Ruger equipped the Mark IV with adjustable iron sights and a Picatinny rail for mounting any accessories. To load up the 10-round magazine just pull down the spring tension release to hold the follower back.
This pistol is not meant for rapid reloads in cases of combat. But it does have some of the most precise accuracy and little recoil or booming. This means that even kids can be comfortable with using it.
The Ruger Mark IV is one of the best when it comes to dependability. Most failures are shooter initiated. The base of the magazine that sits pretty deep in the magwell. Misseating the mag will cause a failure in feed.

What We Liked

  • Customization
  • Reliability
  • Fun to shoot

What We Didn't Like

  • Not a quick reloader
  • Nonadjustable trigger

The most popular models of Glock are the 9mm. However, the Glock 20 is one full-size gun with a double stacked 10mm cartridge that is worth taking a look at. The double stacked magazine holds up to 15 rounds with 1 in the chamber.
For its size, the Glock 20 is pretty light, even when fully loaded. This pistol is built to last. It may even out last you. This Glock is made for being put through the paces, whether at the range or out in the wild.
Using the equipped iron sights, this is a very accurate pistol. However, bolt on a red dot and watch the precision skyrocket. Even with just the stock sights, 50 yards or 100 yards are nothing for this gun.
Being a Glock product means this is one of the easiest and simplest pistols available. All controls are easily reachable without having to adjust your grip.
Buying a Glock, you know you are getting a top-notch pistol.

What We Liked

  • Very reliable
  • Precise accuracy
  • Decently priced

What We Didn't Like

  • Lots of recoil
  • Fairly large
  • Long trigger reach

Smith & Wesson is one of the top makers when it comes to revolvers. Their 617 model lives up to this reputation too.
With a 10-round cylinder, the 617 comes with a 4-inch stainless steel barrel and satin finished grips that are just the right size. All of its parts are perfectly fit together so there is no wobble in the cylinder. Everything moves in unison.
This pistol has become known as the go-to “kit” gun. It comes with a black front sight, an excellent sight picture, and an easily adjustable rear sight. Though the hair triggers aren’t the greatest, it does have one of the smoothest triggers.
The 617 looks like something that would shoot a big caliber. However, it shoots a .22LR and has very little recoil and no muzzle flip. Also, being a revolver means you won’t have to worry quite as much about misfires like you would a semi-automatic pistol.

What We Liked

  • Very reliable
  • No cylinder wobble
  • No muzzle flip

What We Didn't Like

  • Very pricey
  • Not very customizable
  • Fairly large in size

The Browning Buck Mark comes with a reputation of being able to shoot just about any type of cartridge and comes in a tightly assembled and beautifully finished package.
This is a standard blowback gun that comes with a single action trigger. Best yet, it is American-made and holds 10-rounds plus one in the chamber. The sights are a standard black and are adjustable for windage. Both rear and front sights can be replaced with aftermarket options.
The Buck Mark’s trigger might be the best feature it has. A light and crisp break like the one this has is surprising for a gun like this. It’s a quick reset and a soft recoil that will keep you on target.
It is a very reliable pistol. Misfires are pretty rare with this gun.
This rimfire pistol is very comfortable to have, hold, and shoot. However, it is not a small pistol by no means.

What We Liked

  • Very well put together
  • Easy to shoot
  • Very dependable

What We Didn't Like

  • Pretty large
  • Not easy to disassemble and clean
  • Maybe not the most accurate

The Colt Woodsman has become known as the first truly successful rimfire .22 caliber as far as semi-automatic pistols go.
This pistol is very hand-fitted but this means it is built to last. The grip has a one-of-a-kind shape that makes it suitable for all sizes of hands to fit perfectly. However, it is designed for right-handed people. Lefties will need an aftermarket grip.
The Woodsman is well-balanced, so the target transitions are a breeze. Its trigger is light and crisp and is one of the smoothest actions in the market. Plus, it is extremely reliable. Once you get your grip, looking down the sights, it is very easy to find targets, close up or at a distance.
The Colt Woodsman is a gun that has been around for centuries. It may not be the most tech saavy pistol here, but it is one of the greatest models. However, it is the most expensive models on our list.

What We Liked

  • Customization
  • Decently priced

What We Didn't Like

  • Can be more expensive