Sidearm for trail running?

Looking for your thoughts on a handgun for multi-purpose woods carry/SD. I trail run out in the sticks and have decided it's prudent start doing so armed. Main concerns are wolf and bear, but running into a meth lab out in the National Forest isn't out of the question, either, and cougars and feral hogs have also been reported (rarely) in some of the areas I run. My wife would also potentially use the same weapon for piece of wind when she solo hikes out in the sticks (more concern for two legged predators than four in her case).

I've narrowed my options to:
1) Ruger Alaskan .44 mag
2) Ruger SP101 in .357 mag
3) Glock 20/29 10mm
4) Colt Delta Elite 10mm

The revolvers could obviously be loaded heavy for my uses and light (38/44 special) for the Mrs, but I suspect a narrower range of options is available with the 10mm.

I run with a pretty heavy camelback as it is, and the difference in weight between the lightest and heaviest of those is around a pound, so I'm not concerned about the actual weight of the weapon. I am concerned about finding a way to snugly carry it. My experience is that a couple of pounds, well secured to my body, disappears after a mile or two but a couple ounces bouncing around is annoying as hell.

I'm pretty sure I could put one of the revolvers into a simply rugged pancake and tuck it into a reachable side pocket of the camelback, don't know about the Delta. I understand there are some limitations with selecting safe holsters for Glocks due to the trigger/safety mechanism, but don't know the details.

Questions:
1) Can the Glocks use heavy handloads with the factory barrel, or do you need an aftermarket?
2) Is there a significant difference in felt recoil/follow-up shots between the Delta and the Glocks?
3) Anyone found a way to run with a Glock or 1911?

Any other suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
Thanks!

How about the ruger gp 101 instead of the sp 101? I think you get 6 round cylinder in the gp 101 versus 5 for the sp 101.

Now on to your actual questions:
Question #1: As long as your handloads are jacketed bullets, then you should be fine with the stock glock barrel. The polygonal rifling of the glock barrels makes them prone to pressure spikes when non jacketed bullets are used.
Question #2: I've never shot a delta elite, but have shot the glock 20 quite a bit and it's a fantastic weapon. The one I shot was stock and honestly one of the more accurate service pistols I've shot. I was really impressed and I find glocks to be pretty average pistols in the accuracy department. The glock 20 has recoil similar to 45acp+p loads in my opinion.
Question #3: http://www.activeprogear.com/jogger_holster.html This seems to be the best option I found for jogging. It keeps the gun off your waist and therefore not tugging at shorts all the time.

I would like to throw out some info on the 10mm auto round. It's extremely versatile and has loadings up to 230 grains for bears and wilderness issues. It will push a 230gr bullet to higher speeds than even 45acp+p and you can go as light as 130gr. Actually you may be able to get bullets a little heavier or even a little lighter should you have a need. I think doubletap makes a bunch of 10mm loadings to choose from.

I'd have to opt for the 10mm. I'm a huge big bore fan (.44, .45, .475) but given that this handgun may do double duty as personal protection for your wife, I would go with a 10mm. Plenty of power for anything you will run into in Wisconsin. Also a 10mm glock is not as expensive as the super redhawk alaskan (second choice), and has a higher capacity.

I'd agree with the Glock or Colt 10mm. They would give you the high-power projectile you'd need against bear or feral hogs, plus much more capacity and quicker reloads than revolvers.

Wearing them while "trail running" does present some issues for securely carrying it, depending on how rigorous you are "running", and how you are dressed. I'd suggest a drop-leg holster though--they seem to work for the military, in some very rigorous conditions. Maybe a Serpa Level2 Tactical:

http://www.blackhawk.com/product/Level-2-Tactical-SERPA-Holster,1173,1416.htm


I owned a Colt Delta Elite 10mm for about 5 years, and it was one of the most reliable, accurate, and fun to shoot firearms I've ever owned. It is a bit heavier than the Glock, but you can't go wrong with all-steel, and the Delta Elite has FANTASTIC build quality and reliability. It would feed ANY ammo I put through it, from the cheapest ball ammo to the most exotic frangible rounds.

Glock 20 C for sure! It is incredibly size to power efficient, reloads a lot of ammo very quickly, is as reliable as a hammer in any conditions I've ever shot one in, has very manageable recoil, and as such will solve pretty much any problem you might need to solve.

I'd much prefer a double stack DA/SA 10mm like a FNP or Sig, but until such time as anyone other than Glock figures out that 10mm is the ideal carry round, it isn't likely to happen, so the Glock 20 continues to represent the ideal all purpose carry gun in my opinion.

Michigander said:

but until such time as anyone other than Glock figures out that 10mm is the ideal carry round

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Plenty of us have figured it out, but as usual, the market needs time to figure out where the demand really is, instead of trying to 'generate' demand in what it wants us to buy. RIP Capitalism.

I concur, buy the Glock 20.

Michigander said:

I'd much prefer a double stack DA/SA 10mm like a FNP or Sig, but until such time as anyone other than Glock figures out that 10mm is the ideal carry round, it isn't likely to happen, so the Glock 20 continues to represent the ideal all purpose carry gun in my opinion.

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+1 Here.

Personally I'd build a widebody 1911 in 10mm because I prefer 1911's. That would give you double-stack capacity. But there's no way you could do it for the cost of a G20. There was a used Glock 20 sitting at the local gun shop here for around $400 IIRC. Hard to beat in any flavor.