.357 for bear

I will go fishing with you in Griz country OP and all I will bring for defense is my trusty Ruger Mark II Target in .22LR stoked with CCI Velocitors.



If a griz comes around I'll shoot you in the legs and run away!
 
I will go fishing with you in Griz country OP and all I will bring for defense is my trusty Ruger Mark II Target in .22LR stoked with CCI Velocitors.



If a griz comes around I'll shoot you in the legs and run away!
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Remind me to never go fishing with you!!!:eek:

:)haha
 
not there for the bear

I'm going to Kodiak for the fish, not the bears. I most certainly wouldn't need to fire unless the bear charged me. All the bears in my past trips there were not concerned with us and we slowly moved on to a new spot on the river. On my last trip we flew out to a ranger station where they had a weir and a fish counting station. there was a spot where they allowed people to watch the bears fishing downstream of the weir at about 50 to 75yrds away. One bear caught a salmon then ran right at us with another big bear 10 ft behind him. There was really no time to do anything as the two bears ran right by at 15 ft. and kept going into the brush. Their only concern was the fish. I got a nice adrenilin rush that's for sure.
However where we fish is 15 miles through a mountain pass that can be hard to get through at times. Last time I got a flat on the way out. With a cooler of fish and a flat tire on a trail with thick brush on either side I started to wonder why i waited here instead of riding back with my buddy to get the compressor and plug kit. Nothing happened but i would have felt a little better having the bear spray and some firepower. Bears are known to be very patient and stealthy stalkers chances of having the lead time to react in a dense brushy area is slim.

jgcoastie- how big are the cans of bear spray? it could be tough to cast or ride carrying a fire extinguisher size unit with me.
 
"You can trust it... I won't..."

I'm sure the same thing was said about bear spray when it first came out.

Noahlewis,
You can get bear spray in cans up to 13 oz. I personally carry a 9 oz. can. They fit right on a belt if you have a holster.
 
jgcoastie- how big are the cans of bear spray? it could be tough to cast or ride carrying a fire extinguisher size unit with me.
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No bigger than carrying a 20oz bottle of soda pop on your hip. I tend to wear mine behind my right hip, in the kidney position so it doesn't interfere with my casting...
 
Go bigger, if you can

The .44 magnum has really come into its own with some of the latest plus-p ammo and heavy bullets. Buffalo Bore, Garrett and Grizzly Punch should all outdo a .357. There is the .454 Ruger AK, which, I believe also has the deep penetrating punch bullets. If that is not enought there is the .460 and the mighty 500, which I think can throw up to 720 grains of lead.

Persoanlly, having felt them all, I would consider the Ruger AK .454 in a shoulder rig top notch for your scenario. Check it out here http://www.grizzlycartridge.com/-strse-31/454-Casull-300-Grain/Detail.bok

From what I have read, they penetrate to China and should be a better bet than a .357 on a big bruin.

Shooter429
 
FOr the most part, LISTEN only to those who have first hand experience or live there.

One of the best guides in AK for bear, lets his daughter walk around with a 686 loaded with 180 hard cast, and she has successfully defended a client with it.

If you want an excuse to get a bigger gun, then this is a good time to do it, IF you are just wondering if a well loaded .357 will work on a bear, yes it will.
 
I would prefer a 12g shotgun with Brenneke slugs that were meant for cape buffalo. Anything less is too risky for me, but I'm a big old sissy.
 
I didn't read any but the first few posts.... However, I have done a fair amount of research based on REAL studies. Don't ask me where, cuz it was a year ago i read this stuff.

Even if you have a 9mm... if you unload it at/into a bear it will scare it off most definitely. If you happen to hit it in a leg or shoulder, as long as it's a reasonably sized round it has a chance of breaking bones or crippling the bear. You most likely won't kill the bear with your pistol, of course there are acceptions.

So, just having a pistol and firing it at the bear and hitting it will most likely scare him off or slow him down to the point of him not being able to keep up with you.
 
I didn't read any but the first few posts.... However, I have done a fair amount of research based on REAL studies. Don't ask me where, cuz it was a year ago i read this stuff.

Even if you have a 9mm... if you unload it at/into a bear it will scare it off most definitely. If you happen to hit it in a leg or shoulder, as long as it's a reasonably sized round it has a chance of breaking bones or crippling the bear. You most likely won't kill the bear with your pistol, of course there are acceptions.

So, just having a pistol and firing it at the bear and hitting it will most likely scare him off or slow him down to the point of him not being able to keep up with you.
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There's only two problems with this theory.

1. With a 9mm, likely all you'll do is **** off a bear. And NEVER, EVER ASSUME that gunshots or even hits will be enough to scare off a bear. Do do so is utter ludicrous.

2. In Alaska if you wound, maim, or otherwise severely injure a game animal, you must then make every attempt to track and put it down. Even if it is a self-defense situation, you must do this. Then, you have to report the self-defense killing to the local state troopers, who will then notify AKADF&G. If you don't do all of this, you will be in violation of the law and face some severe penalties, and possible jail time.

Be careful throwing out advice that will either get people killed or thrown in jail.

I'd also like to know the source of these "research based REAL studies". I doubt you have them as no biologist in the state of Alaska would dare publish, or even entertain such a theory. The most effective deterrent for bears is bear spray. That's a real study, google it and you'll have all the information you'll ever need on the subject. As a second line of defense, for use only in the rare event that spray isn't effective, a handgun that you can shoot accurately and are inherently comfortable with should be used.
 
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I would prefer a 12g shotgun with Brenneke slugs that were meant for cape buffalo. Anything less is too risky for me, but I'm a big old sissy.
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I very highly doubt that you'd carry a shotgun anywhere up here for any other task but hunting with it. The terrain is too rough in most places to lug the extra weight. Not to mention that carrying a shotgun while trying to do other tasks (like fishing) would be cumbersome at best.

I've seen too many people practice this theory... Once... And they almost always sell it in favor of a handgun... Not trying to knock your idea, just letting you know what I've seen...
 
I have never conducted a study nor am I a biologist

I have read many first-hand accounts of bear attacks and have tried spray on other animals such as canines and humans. I have never stopped a dog with pepper spray. During training I have been sprayed by OC a dozen times and can keep right on fighting. I can only extrapolate that if dogs and people are able to keep fighting after being sprayed a bear could too.

As I understand it there are 2 types of attacks 1) predatory in which case you are toast if you don't kill it first and 2) defensive in which you might get by through playing dead. However, given the risk, I would not try to determine why I was being charged/mauled, but would do what I could to stop the bear. the only sure way to stop it is to physically incapacitate it. To do this bigger, heavier faster projectiles in the right place are better than smaller, more fragile ones.

Take it for what it is worth. Oh and read the book that comes with your S&W Bear kit. In it is an account of a .357 killing a bear, but many have died with .357s in their hands. One incident took 4 magnum 12 Ga slugs at a few feet to stop a polar bear attack.

Interesting read.


Shooter429
 
I have read many first-hand accounts of bear attacks and have tried spray on other animals such as canines and humans. I have never stopped a dog with pepper spray. During training I have been sprayed by OC a dozen times and can keep right on fighting. I can only extrapolate that if dogs and people are able to keep fighting after being sprayed a bear could too.

As I understand it there are 2 types of attacks 1) predatory in which case you are toast if you don't kill it first and 2) defensive in which you might get by through playing dead. However, given the risk, I would not try to determine why I was being charged/mauled, but would do what I could to stop the bear. the only sure way to stop it is to physically incapacitate it. To do this bigger, heavier faster projectiles in the right place are better than smaller, more fragile ones.

Take it for what it is worth. Oh and read the book that comes with your S&W Bear kit. In it is an account of a .357 killing a bear, but many have died with .357s in their hands. One incident took 4 magnum 12 Ga slugs at a few feet to stop a polar bear attack.

Interesting read.


Shooter429
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Here's some more info, as it's clear that very little research has been invested in these comments.

My favorite... One

Two

Three



There are no absolutes, but it has been proven that bear spray is more effective than handguns at stopping a bear charge/attack.

Am I saying that a person should not carry a firearm for bear defense? NO! What I am saying is that instead of reaching only for your weapon, draw both a can of bear spray and your weapon. Use the spray first. If it fails to deter the charge/attack, then you can still play hero and save the fair maiden from the savage bear. I've been threatened by bears up here a few times, my spray has been effective in all cases.

AGAIN, I'm not saying that you should not carry a gun, I'm just saying that spray is more effective and therefore should be the first option taken.

Take it for what it's worth. I haven't been eaten yet... So the spray must do something other than season the soon-to-be dinner...
 
If I was going to be in big bear country I would have a 12 ga loaded with Brenneke 3" Black Magic Magnums. About 3014 ft/lbs of energy and the most powerful slugs on the market. I would not feel comfortable with a 44mag even with Garrett loads although they are the best of the 44 mags. You only may get one shot at a FAST moving bear and one 44 mag is questionable, forget about one 357. You can think what you want but i bet if you meet up face to face with a large bear your last thought will be I should have had that 12 gauge.
 
You can think what you want but i bet if you meet up face to face with a large bear your last thought will be I should have had that 12 gauge.
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I have been face to face with a couple of bears... My only thought was "D@&! this spray better work!!!" And it did. It's amazing how so many people know exactly what they're talking about... Even when they don't live here...

BEAR SPRAY IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A GUN AT STOPPING A BEAR ATTACK!!!

WHY DON'T YOU PEOPLE LISTEN?!?!



Honestly this has been discussed to death and back again.
 
Honestly this has been discussed to death and back again.



Yup, death being on the .357 side. Please, feed the bears before my next trip up. :D
 
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