Protection
Colt 1911 .45 ACP
I carry this as a sidearm for personal protection on remote trails where help is far away and encounters with feral hogs or other threats are a real possibility.
Why It Makes The Cut
Where to Buy →The Colt 1911 in .45 ACP is my sidearm for personal protection on remote Texas trails, and I carry it in a belt holster on every hike. Central Texas backcountry — particularly the private ranch land and wildlife management areas I frequent — puts you in genuine proximity to feral hogs, venomous snakes, and the occasional aggressive dog, all in locations where cell service is nonexistent and help could be an hour or more away. I chose the 1911 platform because I trust its reliability, I shoot it accurately, and the .45 ACP round delivers the stopping power I want if a three-hundred-pound boar decides to charge out of a cedar thicket at close range. I carry it loaded with one in the chamber, safety engaged, in a quality leather holster that keeps it secure during scrambles but accessible when I need it. It is not the lightest sidearm I could carry — and I feel the weight on long hikes — but the peace of mind it provides in genuinely remote terrain is worth every ounce.