Gun type for hiking/camping

[Savage]

15 shots ? Most 2 legged confrontations are at 7 yards or less , a bear charge or other critter for that matter is over in the blink of an eye . Comfort is in the carry and extra ammo is weight that lessens comfort . In most cases if it ain't over in seconds with several or less shots fired you are in deep trouble.

Everyone should plan for an encounter based on a statistical model.    I have never heard anyone who had been in a firefight bemoan the fact they had too much ammo.
Savage

[SHOOTALL]

nope nither have I but both of us know people complain about weight and will leave a weapon in the truck rather that tote it if they feel it is heavy. And the 357 has a higher one shot stop record than anything else.
You can carry tons of ammo but you can't miss fast enough to win a fight .

[Savage]

Everyone has their comfort level. One should always go about their business with whatever level of readiness they feel necessary. Statistics don't dictate my level of preparedness. I'm not always as prepared as I would like to be, but life has taught me that more is better.
The same things that make a auto pistol a better choice on the street, also make it a better choice in the woods. This is in the absence of brown or grizzly bear of course!  For those, if I can't have a rifle, I'll take the largest caliber, big honkin, revolver I can find.
Savage
Savag

[Kal52]

For me Id choose .357, you can get the smith mod 60 with a 5" barrel if that makes things better. I prefer my sp1o1, or my cimmarron lightning .38

You could get either .357 or .40, and just for insurance,  get a nice single shot shotgun, cut it down to make it more portable and use some tupperware stocks to lighten it up.

Good luck

dave

[SHOOTALL]

I disagree an auto is better on the street all the time .

[Savage]

I disagree an auto is better on the street all the time .

That's cool. I can only draw from my personal experiences and observations. In my 50+ years of carrying handguns, in military, civilian, and as an LEO, I can't remember a single time a revolver would have done anything that needed to be done better than an auto. Of course I've never hunted large dangerous game with a handgun. Nor do I plan to. Perhaps your experiences have been different. Either revolver or auto will work just fine for woods carry, just a matter of preference. For hiking in the lower 48, or the urban wilderness, I favor the auto loader for all too many obvious reasons. 
Savage

[SHOOTALL]

I agree we see it different , I find a j frame light weight perfect for me . An auto the same size in my pocket is hard to get my hand on an drawn . The cyl. seems to hold pocket open just enough that my hand is guided around the grip and aids in the draw. Its an all season gun . The auto ( larger one) is nice in winter under a coat but not all the time for me .

[Dweezil]

Backpacking: Taurus .38 Snub, hammerless, small/lightweight.
Carcamping, in Jeep accessible areas: Glock 36.  My normal CCW piece. Really not worried about non-human animals.   

Add a .22 for plinking when car camping.

[walks with gun]

         In one of these posts I noticed someone ask why carry concealed in the woods.  I've found myself  concealing more often as not even on my own place, we don't need to upset the pants wetting liberals any more than they already are, after all to them anyone with a gun must be crazy.  Besides they can always pass a new law forebidding bears, wolves and whatever from having sharp teeeth and claws.   Another plus to carrying concealed is if some nut knows your packin he might just take you out without warning, it's been done before.

[Old Griz]

When I was big into backpacking and climbing in the 70s everyone you met on the trail was your friend. You shared stories, food, drink, and sometimes when they were in need, clothes, medical supplies, and even shelter. Unfortunately, things have really changed since then. You can still be friendly, but you have to be on your guard at all times. The two legged critters are your biggest danger. For that either your .357 or your .40 will do. However, if your backpacking trip ever became a prolonged survival situation, the versatility of the .357 would really shine. A few rounds of .38 special for small game. I would hate to have to eat a marmmot, but if you got hungry enough . . . you could tell everyone else it was a short eared rabbit. I've heard that rattlesnake is good eatin'. The .357 loads for protection. Mountain lions aren't the toughest cats out there, and a .357 is enough gun for them. Here in Tennessee black bears have been harvested for years with them. (However, it's always better to be the hunter than the hunted!)

So between your two choices, I'd go with the .357.