Bear protection again?

B

boxjeff

New member
I'm revisiting a question I've been asking for a bit of time:

What is the best pistol to carry when hiking in bear country? Some insist it should be a 44 and others say a 357-mag or 40 would be ok and what about a 45? I'm looking for something lite, small if possible, accurate and I'm also wondering if a revolver would be better then a semi-auto like a 1911?
 
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God's honest truth

If you use my strategy you can end up will all the firearms you've ever wanted. Just accept the idea that the world is packed full of really big hungry bears, wild dogs in hunting packs, mountain lions and cougars, re-emergent wolf packs, rabid coyotes, not to mention escaped psycho-convicts. They congregate around trout streams in my state..........so, you can see that you'll NEED, at minimum, a .44 mag, .357, a couple 1911s, a .22 and at least one slug gun. :)
 
Well, not to helpful yet. So, I'll add..were not talking a stroll down main street in NJ. My girlfriend and I spend time hiking in Alaska, the place with few people and many bear. We always see Grizzly and black bear, have always carried a 12 gauge and bear-spray but would like to downsize to something lite and manageable. Oh, and if you spent time in Alaska you would hear about all those attacking Bear and, strangely enough, Moose.
 
OK.....seriously

Shotgun, "bear spray", big dog and noise seem to work best. IMO when you downsize you give-up efficacy.
 
In that case you need a good 22. A bear comes after you, you shoot your GF in the leg and run like the wind...

Seriously, anything from 44mag up loaded stout with hard cast bullets.
 
If your talking a 45 colt, in the right platform it can be loaded right along with the 44mag, the 45 acp not even close. The 40 shouldn't even be a consideration. The 10mm I have no experience with, but it may? be up to the task.
 
I've read a lot of bear threads. There are some serious discussions, but mostly endless arguments.

As far as I know, in order of decreasing "power", you have

.500 S&W
.460 S&W
.454 Casull
.45 Colt (handloads)
.44 Magnum
.460 Rowland
.41 Magnum
10mm
.357 Magnum
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
9mm
.38 Special

This is without any research, off the cuff, and I don't own stock in any ammo companies...

The whole argument (which you can easily see by reading any bear thread) is about big/slow vs small/fast, shotgun vs handgun, standard vs hardcast, multiple rounds vs one well-placed shot, any gun vs bear spray, etc. etc.

There is no such thing as "best". Even the folks who have survived bear attacks don't agree. As I remember, some swear by bear spray, and others say a 12ga shotgun is the only way to go.

In regard to the revolver vs semi-auto argument, I've read advice that you carry the biggest revolver you can shoot accurately and to not worry about limited round capacity as you won't have time for more than 1 or 2. This same person said that the only semi-auto he considered effective was the .460 Rowland.

What do I carry? Bear spray and a .44 Mag with hard casts at 1000fps.
 
From the AK DFG website:

http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=bears.bearfax

(The Nat'l Park part may be outdated.)

Firearms should never be used as an alternative to common-sense approaches to bear encounters. If you are inexperienced with a firearm in emergency situations, you are more likely to be injured by a gun than a bear. It is illegal to carry firearms in some of Alaska's national parks, so check before you go.

A .300-Magnum rifle or a 12-gauge shotgun with rifled slugs are appropriate weapons if you have to shoot a bear. Heavy handguns such as a .44-Magnum may be inadequate in emergency situations, especially in untrained hands.

State law allows a bear to be shot in self-defense if you did not provoke the attack and if there is no alternative. But the hide and skull must be salvaged and turned over to the authorities.

Defensive aerosol sprays which contain capsicum (red pepper extract) have been used with some success for protection against bears. These sprays may be effective at a range of 6-8 yards. If discharged upwind or in a vehicle, they can disable the user. Take appropriate precautions. If you carry a spray can, keep it handy and know how to use it.
 
If I was seriously in danger of a bear attack I wouldn't settle for anything less than a 454 casull. Probably just go .500 to be safe :D
 
I love a good bear thread. Here in Commifornia the black bears don't get that big. I've carried .357 with a 185gr LBT hardcast at 1200fps. (this round took a 200# sow and went through and through).

Since I'm no longer allowed to carry lead in much of the state, I may go to 45 colt (Ruger) since I'm stuck with copper bullets now. 44mag and .475 linebaugh were other calibers I was considering...more for the occasional ****** off boar at close range than for our black bears.

For Griz...no brainer...44mag or more power....and a slow hiking partner you don't like.
 
All of this is arguable (as evidenced by the endless arguements *lol*). I'd prefer a gun that can be controlled well and can deliver fast followup shots to something that might be good for one shot. Good penetration is obviously important.

In some imaginary life or death encounter with a large bear - in a revolver, I'd like a 4-6 inch steel full lugged barrel .44 magnum. In a semiauto, I'd like the Glock 20 (10mm). Factory porting for either gun would be interesting to improve rapid fire control (S&W 629 V-Comp or Glock 20C) . Both filled with heavy full metal jacket or hardcast bullets.
 
If you are living in Alaska I would think a .44Magnum is something you would carry going to the corner drug store! L:DL! Seriously though, I live in Northern Idaho and when I hike I carry a .41Magnum. Some may think it is to small, but I have small hands for a man. I went with something I could control for that all important follow-up shot. I think you should go with largest caliber you are comfortable and proficient with. Always remember though, with bears you are going to want deep penetration over explosive expansion. I have never brought it up or heard it brought up before, but a Thompson Contender in 45-70 w/425gr. bullet would probably make any bear think twice about messing with you. Good Luck!:D
 
I'm 65, 6'1", and on a lean day only hit 195 or so. I have also been shooting handguns for 45 of those 65 years.

Having said that: I know what my personal limitations are, . . . and the main "bear" limitations are follow up shots (#1) and my ability to be accurate with a certain caliber/load (#2).

The most I can quickly and effectively manage is a .44 mag. A Ruger Redhawk, Colt Anaconda, or S&W 29 or 629 would be my three choices, and in that order.

There really isn't a "1 shot stopper" when you talk about bear, . . . so you have to be prepared for followup shots, . . . and if you want to live through the encounter, . . . you need to practice, practice, practice, . . . and have your girl friend going round for round along side of you, . . . if you are going to do the "lets go for a walk in the park" thing in Alaska.

A wise man once said something to the effect that the ocean, Africa, and Alaska all share one thing: immediately upon entering any one of them, you become part of the food chain. Take precautions as such.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
I f I thought grizzlies were going to be a problem I'd stay out of the area! However if I didn't have a choice I'd stick with the shotgun or a guide gun.

For handguns a 357mag will do the job if you hit it right, I'm curious though as to how much more margin the 44mag gives you. A bad hit is a bad hit. I guess I'd go with the biggest weapon I had. Just don't cross the line and get something so big you can't shoot it quickly.
 
For Black Bears a hard cast 255 SWC at 900 fps +/- from a .45 Colt will shoot through it on a broadside. The old school .45 Colt will kill just about anything. For Brown Bears you would want a .454 or .460 as mentioned above.
 
For handguns a 357mag will do the job if you hit it right, I'm curious though as to how much more margin the 44mag gives you.
Click to expand...

The heavier bullets in a .44 mag or equally loaded .45 Colt give better penetration through bone and other stuff that can stop a .357 mag bullet.

In a defensive scenario, the idea is not just to kill it, but to stop it from attacking you before it dies. A bigger hole allows more blood out, and will generally drop blood pressure faster than smaller bullet, given equal bullet placement.

I went to Ak back in '04, and carried a .45 Colt loaded with 325 grain hardcasts loaded by Buffalo Bore. I'm very sure I'd have not wanted a .357 mag going down a hill to check on a bear (inland grizzly) my buddy had shot to see if it was really dead forever. He'd shot it running straight at him, and then it rolled down a steep hill out of sight.

He'd hit it well though. He hit it just below the ear, and the bullet went down it's neck and into the chest/abdomen. There's something to be said for a .338 Win Mag when hunting that country.

Daryl
 
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