Bear vs the 40 cal

I concur. I was making 5-6 mile days in relatively tame terrain this elk season and my rifle paired with a very lightwieght hunting pack was killing me, if you're already packing 60 pounds of gear you probably don't need to add 7 pounds of shotgun when 2.5 pounds of handgun and will suffice.
 
the 45 colt Ranch Hand weighs in at a whopping 4.5 pounds. I know they make some lightweight shotguns for a hefty price, but I don't have one. my H&R weighs a freaking ton. the ranch hand can handle ruger only loads and I believe that would be more than enough to penetrate a bear, 250gr at nearly 1500FPS, prob even more with the 10" barrel, would suffice against any close ranged animal. but opinions are like blankity-blanks ya know. just seems to me like it would make a great pack gun, I could be wrong, maybe the unusual grip position would make follow-up shots and quick chambering less than ideal, I guess I will just have to by one to find out. I really need a good excuse for a new caliber anyways and the 45colt has always intrigued me as a hand-loader and caster. good luck OP, have a nice trip, take some pics of the bears up there if you can do it "safely".

big horn and little horn are simply astonishing at nighttime. I forget exactly where, but there is an observatory at the top of one of the mountains and you can see so many shooting stars that it looks like a constant meteor shower. glacier Nat'l is pretty amazing too as are the Tetons and even Yellowstone. wish I could be there
 
Years ago, I went backpack fishing trip into the Bighorn Mts of north central Wyoming. This is wild and untamed country with some grizzlies and many black bears. I carried a single barrel featherweight 16 gauge shotgun loaded with a slug and always felt safe. Yes, it was a single shot but that's all the mountain men of olden times had with their muzzle loader rifles.

Jack

 
I always hear this statistics about how bear spray works better then guns, how are those calculated?

I mean in most cases where the bear attacks had it been shot prior? so if it attacks it attacks someone with a gun? does hutners encounter bears more often then hikers? etc etc so many variables

you give me a choice and i'd pick a gun 10/10 times
 
I live, work, and recreate in country where bears, (black bears) are very numerous; cougars also. Matter of fact, we even get them in town from time to time. The state outlawed use of dogs for hunting these predators a few years ago, and their population is higher than ever. It isn't hard to find a bear track in almost any of our forested areas, but I have never heard of a bear attack around here.

While I suppose that the chance of a bear attack is within the realm of possibilities, I don't think that I would dedicate 3 or 4 pounds of protection into my backpacking trip unless I was going into an area that had an actual history of problems. If you think logically about it, you would be better off wearing a motorcycle helmet everywhere ya go.:rolleyes: jd
 
Back in the day, when I'd go into 'bear country' I felt comfortable with this along . . . .

NamM48.jpg
 
I always hear this statistics about how bear spray works better then guns, how are those calculated?

I mean in most cases where the bear attacks had it been shot prior? so if it attacks it attacks someone with a gun? does hutners encounter bears more often then hikers? etc etc so many variables
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The stats are based on actual encounters where sprays and guns were used to deter bear attacks, not imaginary ones. A gun requires very quick deployment with flawless acurracy of a well placed shot under intense pressure. Bears don't typically charge across open fields. You might get a few seconds. A shot incapacitates the area where it hits, allowing all his faculties to resume the attack. Bear spray is effective in the general direction, and incapacitates sight and smell.

Whose defense do you think works better on coyotes? A skunk, possum, or a groundhog?

In most cases of wild bear attacks, it is due to a human unexpectedly showing up in a place where a bear did not expect to see one.

In most cases of less than wild park bear attacks, it is due to a conditioning of the bear to not fear humans, and to associate humans with the food they carelessly transport.

Hikers usually hike on trails that a number of humans use on a regular basis, and they typically do not make it a priority to move with stealth and quiet. Smart ones wear things such as bells to make noise in bear country, so they don't surprise them.

Hunters typically leave the main paths and go to where their game is not expecting to find humans, and they tend to move as quietly as possible, or sit quietly for long periods of time. Also, where bears are not hunted, but other animals are, bears can learn to associate a gunshot with a gut pile buffet. Hunters typically have more bear encounters than hikers for these reasons.
 
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I can not believe how this type of question constantly comes up. Bear spray. Period. I was camping just out side of Yellowstone over 30 years back and there WAS a bear problem at the time. Bear spray was unknown. I kept the .45 in the sleeping bag with me because of the number of people attacked in bags. I figured it was a last ditch effort to stick it in the bear's ear if I had to. During the day, when we were fishing and hiking, I carried my fishing equipment and that was it. I live right in bear country now and am more concerned about the dog or me getting snake bit. I think this was on here before, but black bear attacks are way more common than Grizzly attacks. If I remember correctly, someone looked the stats up on this forum.
 
I think this was on here before, but black bear attacks are way more common than Grizzly attacks.
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It's hard to conclude anything behavioral based on this statistic, as the numbers and range of black bears is widespread, while grizzlies in the lower 48 are few. Grizzlies do tend to be more wary of humans, for a variety of reasons. Grizzlies tend to be more territorial which makest them more likely to respond positively to the "playing dead" defense, and far less likely to eat the human intruder.
 
Well, there you have it. More black bears, more attacks. I don't know that black bears consider humans a direct food source, other than the food they may be carrying or have around them. When anything is starving the food chain starts to get a little weird.
 
I currently live in Alaska and regularly travel to remote areas where encounters with black and brown bears are common. I also work among people who regularly deal with problem bears, providing me with a good idea of what works for bear defense. I resolved my last black bear encounter with a rock, which usually works. In my opinion, take it or leave it, pepper spray is a great seasoning. If the wind's blowing in the wrong direction, your spraying yourself or the guy next to you. It's my understanding that bears like spicy food so good luck with your pepper spray. I think a 40 cal loaded with 15 rounds of 200 grain hardcast lead would be a great bear defense gun. I carry one myself and wouldn't hesitate to use it on a brown bear if I had to. However, I shoot very well and can handle the pressure of a charging grizzly. I have been charged by dangerous game in the past and have put down two lions at less than 20 feet (not at the same time) and one cape buffalo at about 40 feet. Something else to consider, in more than 90%of bear attacks, the victim was alone. Bears don't like to attack multiple targets. Your companion and your dogs make it very unlikely that you'll have a bear encounter. If you do have an encounter, it's likely to be at a distance that won't allow you to draw your weapon in advance of the attack. Make sure your holster will allow easy access while lying in the fetal position with a bear chewing on the back of your head. A bandolier style holster where the gun lies across your chest is a good choice.
 
I know this isn't fresh, but wanted to point out Buffalo Bore's 200gr .40S&W 'outdoorsman' round, designed for animal protection.

If curious, check out this link: .40 S&W Outdoorsman by Buffalo Bore

I carry a 4" GP100 with Buffalo Bore heavy .357Mag ammo [180 grain], which produces something over700 ft/lbs of muzzle energy from a 4" barrel. That is about what a weak .44mag load is producing, but I don't have to pack my 7.5" SRH everywhere!

However, humans, cougars, coyotes and black bear are the largest predators in my neck of the woods.

When in the area described 2 years ago I still kept the GP100 with this ammo selection and didn't feel hopeless. I had bear spray and the GP100 if the bear spray didn't work.

Even if I don't buy their stuff much, I respect the fact that Buffalo Bore has velocity/energy charts AND identifies the measured velocity from their sample guns, with barrel length measured.

The .357 Mag ammo I just mentioned looks to be about 730 ft/lbs of energy from a 4" barrel, but it looks like the same load would come out into the low-mid 800s [840s?] in a 6" Ruger GP100.

This easily trumps the .40S&W or .357Sig cartridge powers [low 400s to mid 500s in ft/lbs?]

I bought another brand of ammo that claimed to be in the 800s, but was actually in the 500s from a 4" gun, despite being recommended for bear.

I love the full disclosure of BB's sight. YMMV
 
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