Thinking like a Cowboy

MC2 · Feb 6, 2026

I'm no cattleman, but have cows in my pasture.
Was thinking about cowboys the other day, their tools and such.

They normally had a rifle and pistol in the same caliber.
My dream list includes Colt Peacemaker/Henry rifle in classic 45LC (of course), S&W 29/Ruger 77/44, Walther PPQ 22/Ruger 1022 (but I'd have to ride a pony!)

If you were a modern cowboy (choosing from modern guns/caliber) what would you pack in your saddle scabbard and holster?

Wadlow Palerider · Feb 6, 2026

I own two Henry big boys , one in .44 mag and the other in .357 mag. I also own two S&W revolvers. one in ,44 mag and the other in .357 mag .If I were a cowboy and had a choose one set up or the other, Id probably go with the 44 mag. I do think the S&W 629 classic is an "N: frame and not nearly as comfortable to carry as the .357 combat classic which has a shorter barrel and I think it is a K frame... but the trade off is the rifles which are the same size. - in my opinion the ,44 has way more stopping power, and if supper depended on killing some wildlife or defending yourself against hostiles. Im sure I want the ,44.

Lt Choate · Feb 7, 2026

I'm no cowboy either, but I do have horses and have ridden most of my life. When I am trail riding in the woods I have moved to the Glock 20 which is 10mm. Plenty of capacity and will stop just about anything in North America.

Wadlow Palerider · Feb 7, 2026

Lt Choate said:
I'm no cowboy either, but I do have horses and have ridden most of my life. When I am trail riding in the woods I have moved to the Glock 20 which is 10mm. Plenty of capacity and will stop just about anything in North America.

my carry in the woods gun is a Springfield XD-M, in 10mm. It is holstered to my chest, bc
I consider it to be too heavy to carry on my hip. As you said - plenty of stopping power.
I thought I was going hog hunting in AL, and I wanted to harvest one with a handgun, well that trip did'nt pan out, but I have since ordered a base-plate for the weapon and will be attaching a red dot optics to it soon enough. Woe to the feral hog that steps in front of me during deer season.

BKLooney · Feb 7, 2026

I would head in the direction of a Henry rifle chambered in .357 and a Uberti Cattleman in the same...and a new hat..

While I've ridden a few horses in my lifetime, I've ridden more mules. First mule I ever rode was when I was about 10 years old, I kicked him a little to try to keep up with my buddy who was riding his horse (it was his mule too) and it threw me across the handlebars and then reach down and bit me before he ran back home!

Lt Choate & Wadlow you guys hit my two mountain carry's, my Glock 20SF or SA XD-M! I usually have the XD-M up there as I have owned it a lot longer and have put way more rounds downstream with it, just more used to it.