I live in black bear country and carry a 44mag Redhawk. I had it cut to 4 inches by Mag-na-port, and got the standard port. They do really great work. They do an excellent trigger job on the Redhawk. I use the Garrett 310gr round. Also a WFNGC 300gr from Cast Performance, with W296. Same bullet as in the Fed CastCore round. Grips are Uncle Mikes (Butler Creek). Carry it in a Bianchi UM84R holster. The gun is about 6 ounces heavier than the 4" Smith 629, but will hold up with the heavy 300+grain loads. The only malfunction I've ever had was when the cylinder release button got dirty and dry and did not pop back up all the way. Cylinder locks up when this happens. Adding a set of Ashley Big-Dot express sights. Bears and cougars may not give you much time to aim. Also carry bear spray from UDAP.
Ruger Redhawk for Bear Potection?
- Thread starter Mark IV Series 80
- Start date
MeekAndMild
New member
I just read a bullet ad about the .480 caliber! Hornady is advertising 1315 Ft/pounds at the muzzle.
Alaska Roy
New member
Jim March? -
Massive armoured head? What are you doing, breeding Califoria bears with Hummers? GRIN!
Massive armoured head? What are you doing, breeding Califoria bears with Hummers? GRIN!
What I actually said was "massive armored FOREhead". Based on Kodiak's data, our buddy the bear has a "forehead" that's a whole lot bonier than ours...it's an anchor for the jaw muscles.
So when we humans take a pot-shot at a charging bear, we instinctively screw up and aim for the forehead, because that's where WE keep our brains. The bear on the other hand has his gray matter lower down, more like "eye level and just below".
I don't know exactly how much bullet energy you need to "split" that big forehead on, say, a Black bear. I strongly suspect .40S&W won't cut it...a good .45-70 (from a rifle) almost certainly will. Somewhere in between there is the "boundry" and damned if I know if it's at or above hot .44Mag/45LC+P.
Numerous reports say that hot .44Mag or .45LC+P will NOT split a Grizzly forehead. Again, I don't claim to know exactly what will. I suspect hot .45-70 from a rifle might do it, the .50BMG definately will, but past that I don't want to even speculate.
Edward429451
Moderator
I remember reading a story of Larry Kelly's (Of Magnaport fame), where he was hunting (Griz?) in Alaska and a Griz came in his tent one night and he emptied 6 240 gr SJHP's full into its face from a mdl 29, and it kept coming. His hunting companion dispatched it with a big rifle (338 Win.?).
Of course he should've had solids of some sort, and the heavier the better, but you still cant be too sure. If a griz was coming in the tent, and his face/head is so armored, what would be the preferred shot? High Chest? Neck? Stuff the gun in his mouth?
Of course he should've had solids of some sort, and the heavier the better, but you still cant be too sure. If a griz was coming in the tent, and his face/head is so armored, what would be the preferred shot? High Chest? Neck? Stuff the gun in his mouth?
It sounds like Larry didn't understand a bear's skull layout, and hit the forehead on at least some hits, maybe missed others, dunno.
The PROPER headshot with those .44Mag JHPs would have been the eye sockets, or right up through the snout and into the brain. Or the cheekbones apparantly aren't that tough. Per Kodiak, some Alaskan police agency tested roadkill bear skulls and found that even .38Spl could often make the "up the snout shot" - the armor is on the forehead, above that level.
From what I've been able to read, it seems the "kill zone" is a flattened oval encompassing the eyes at the top end and the nose at the bottom, and covering the cheeks.
Up through the mouth might end up being too low, unless you get lucky and do one right in the center, taking the spine. Which might be possible with .44Mag JHP, or it might not.
With a really good round for the bear involved (say, hot hardcast .44Mag/.45LC+P for a Black bear or .45-70 rifle for Griz), missing that "kill zone" to either side should result in a shoulder hit that could slow him down some. Missing low could hit vitals, or if you're lucky the spine. Miss high, and you *might* knock that forehead around enough to give it a reality check even if you don't kill. In all cases, these are better alteratives to a kill-zone miss with marginal ammo that might (barely) make a kill-zone hit (such as hot 9mm hardball or something).
The PROPER headshot with those .44Mag JHPs would have been the eye sockets, or right up through the snout and into the brain. Or the cheekbones apparantly aren't that tough. Per Kodiak, some Alaskan police agency tested roadkill bear skulls and found that even .38Spl could often make the "up the snout shot" - the armor is on the forehead, above that level.
From what I've been able to read, it seems the "kill zone" is a flattened oval encompassing the eyes at the top end and the nose at the bottom, and covering the cheeks.
Up through the mouth might end up being too low, unless you get lucky and do one right in the center, taking the spine. Which might be possible with .44Mag JHP, or it might not.
With a really good round for the bear involved (say, hot hardcast .44Mag/.45LC+P for a Black bear or .45-70 rifle for Griz), missing that "kill zone" to either side should result in a shoulder hit that could slow him down some. Missing low could hit vitals, or if you're lucky the spine. Miss high, and you *might* knock that forehead around enough to give it a reality check even if you don't kill. In all cases, these are better alteratives to a kill-zone miss with marginal ammo that might (barely) make a kill-zone hit (such as hot 9mm hardball or something).
First I would never us JHP's for bear protection, yes they will work in a good situation, but if a bear is coming at you it is not a good situation
The way the head moves on a charge and how fast he is coming at you, you have to be a good shot under a alot of pressure or real lucky to send a bullet in the eye or up the snout.
I used to carry a pistol for hiking. it was a 4 5/8" SBH with 400 gr cast loads. Bears are funny animals. you never know what they are gonna do and they dont like to die to easily, especially when they are on adrenilin. Now I just carry a rifle in my hands (no slings).
The way the head moves on a charge and how fast he is coming at you, you have to be a good shot under a alot of pressure or real lucky to send a bullet in the eye or up the snout.
I used to carry a pistol for hiking. it was a 4 5/8" SBH with 400 gr cast loads. Bears are funny animals. you never know what they are gonna do and they dont like to die to easily, especially when they are on adrenilin. Now I just carry a rifle in my hands (no slings).