For defense against people or animals, I’d set up a G20 the same way I set up a street gun.
Handguns and hunting are an interesting issue. Over the last 30-odd years, I’ve killed about a dozen deer and a boatload of small game with handguns. Every time I did, the handgun was a primary. After a few years of carrying Ruger single actions and Smith N-frames along with a rifle, I realized that I had never seen a situation where I could use a handgun faster than the long gun that was already in my hands, and that the last thing I needed in the game fields was more weight to drag around. Now when I hunt with a long gun, I carry the smallest, lightest pistol I can. It’s not for game, but for the drive to and from the hunt, or in case I run into someone who wants to steal my gear while I’m in camp or taking a dump.
There are legal issues with carrying a handgun while you’re hunting. In Washington, any weapon in your possession must be legal for taking the game you’re hunting, which rules out grouse guns and J-frames. These days I carry a G19 with ammo from DocGKRs list, which just barely makes the cut. Look into it before you carry a handgun afield.
Most of western Washington is wet, sloppy, nasty jungle. Unless you’re hunting over crops or a clear cut, most shots are inside of 60m. I prefer still hunting over stand hunting, and my average with handguns and long guns over the last 15 years is something like 30m with one kill at about 80m. (For what it’s worth, I’ve also found that I have 3-5 seconds to make a hit while still hunting before the deer vanishes into the brush.) Most of those were in broad daylight, but I’ve seen plenty of deer when it’s legal to shoot but too dark to see iron sights. During hunting season, the clouds are usually low and this kind of gloom can last for a LONG time, so I’d definitely go with night sights or an RMR on a primary hunting pistol.
I’d definitely use adjustable sights. Pat McNamara, an M4C SME, has an interesting take on them in this thread: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=94770 I like them for the same reasons he does, and because I can get a precise zero without a lot of screwing around. I don’t worry much about damage—unless we’re talking fixed-sight revolvers, any drop that would damage an adjustable Glock rear sight would probably knock a fixed Glock rear sight out of alignment. You’re hosed either way if that happens. Keeping your pistol on a lanyard helps a lot, and is mandatory in tree stands and around boats.
Sights don’t make the gun more accurate per se, but some iron sights are easier to shoot well than others, which gives you the same effect. Bullseye shooters find that narrow light bars result in higher scores. Action shooters find that narrow light bars slow them down, so they generally use a somewhat wider notch. I’m in the middle of sorting out my favorite Glock sights, so I’ve got a variety of Glocks set up with different sights right now, including a stock Dawson and a Dawson with a 0.165” notch. Let me know if you want to meet on the range and try some of them out.
I’m actually building a G22 Frankengun for hunting deer in western Washington. One of my G17’s has an adjustable Meprolight rear with a 0.159” notch and a 0.125” post. This setup is fast and accurate, and I’ll probably use it on the G22.
Finally, about the light: definitely wise for a camp gun and for defense. But don’t have it with you while you’re out hunting. G20 + light = the perfect rig for jacklighting deer.
Let me know if you have questions.
Okie John
