Sidearms & Scatterguns Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

[hoosierswat]

Looking for advice from anyone that hunts around bears and carries a pistol (revolver) as a back up weapon. Last year I went on a moose hunt north of Kotzebue, Alaska. Going back this fall for Caribou. I want to buy a revolver in .44 mag. I was considering a Ruger Alaskan or a Smith & Wesson 629. Anyone have experience with these revolvers? Any suggestions?

 

[aloreman]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

either or you cant go wrong

 

[2Shots]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I have carried a 629 mountain gun. The lighter the better.

 

[hoosierswat]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I was also looking at the Smith 329PD. But I've read where hot rounds have locked the gun up. The 329PD is made with the lightweight alloy.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Ruger Alaskan in 44mag or 454 is a good choice, but my top pick is a Glock 20 or 29 in 10mm. Buffalo Bore and Double Tap both sell 220gr Hardcast 10mm ammo that delivers over 700ftlb, with superior sectional density to nearly any 44mag loading. Light, Rugged, High Capacity, and easier to shoot than a big bore/high energy revolver. The G29 tends to give up ~50-75fps to the G20. Just my 2¢…

 

[Wintermute]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

If you're actually planning on defending yourself against a Grizzly with a .44mag the right ammunition really makes a difference. I'd personally recommend Garrett Ammunition:

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/44hammerhead.html

btw, those are 310gr super hard cast bullets with a 4" muzzle velocity of 1200fps delivering 990ft/lbs of energy, and they stay together...they won't flatten or shatter on a grizzly's bones.

It's what I carry and it'll actually punch through the hide and bone on a grizzly.

--Wintermute

 

[Downzero]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Revolver over pistol, for sure.

 

[teamr2]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ruger Alaskan in 44mag or 454 is a good choice, but my top pick is a Glock 20 or 29 in 10mm. Buffalo Bore and Double Tap both sell 220gr Hardcast 10mm ammo that delivers over 700ftlb, with superior sectional density to nearly any 44mag loading. Light, Rugged, High Capacity, and easier to shoot than a big bore/high energy revolver. The G29 tends to give up ~50-75fps to the G20. Just my 2¢… </div></div>

We hunt Alaska as often as we can and have noticed more than one guide / pilot that are carrying G20's. They all used to carry big bore revolvers. 15 rounds in a light weatherproof package is pretty good stuff. Not a single one of them would recommend it over a rifle / shotgun though.

 

[Sgt. 0811]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I saw a deal on tv where an alaskian resident took down a moose with a G20 that was attacking his dog. Starting to think the G20 is the real alaskian handgun.

 

[Bronco]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Have a friend that has been up there several times and he carries a Delta Elite 10 mm. My self, I'd carry a STI double stack in 10mm, 20 rnds.

 

[JFK52]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I have a good friend who is planning on spending several months in Idaho and is going to borrow my S&W 629 44 magnum with a 6 inch barrel for bear protection. I am glad I ran across this thread and will pass it along to him for his consideration.

 

[normbal]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hoosierswat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was also looking at the Smith 329PD. But I've read where hot rounds have locked the gun up. The 329PD is made with the lightweight alloy. </div></div>

I haven't seen that. I've run factory Remington and Cor-bon loads and my own home loads (240 grain bullet at over 1500 fps which is about as hot a load as it gets) through my 329PD and no problems so far, several hundred rounds down the pipe.

Recoils a bit harshly, but hey, it's a .44 magnum.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I have carried both a 329PD 44mag and 460 Rowland conversion on a Springfield frame. Both are solid smackers with hard cast loads and I carry them loaded with factory Buffalo Bore loads if bears are likely. I prefer the 460 Rowland based soley on preference for the 1911. I would hate to have to use either one for a brown bear that's for dern sure and if there was any way possible I would be carrying a 12 guage slug gun. Some times that is just not possible with a hunting rifle or backpacking national parks.

 

[LWILLIAMS]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ggmanning</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have carried both a 329PD 44mag and 460 Rowland conversion on a Springfield frame. Both are solid smackers with hard cast loads and I carry them loaded with factory Buffalo Bore loads if bears are likely. I prefer the 460 Rowland based soley on preference for the 1911. I would hate to have to use either one for a brown bear that's for dern sure and if there was any way possible I would be carrying a 12 guage slug gun. Some times that is just not possible with a hunting rifle or backpacking national parks. </div></div>

I may be wrong but I thought they opened up open carry in national parks last year or two years ago. I was in Yellowstone when they did this and there was a big event of a lot of people open carrying there. May be able to carry that shotgun yet in the national parks. State parks may have a different view on this though. I would double check on this though. I carry concealed in the parks anyways so I am good to go.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

They did....I was referring to carrying the shotgun. I went low profile and concealed my pistol hiking Yellowstone. Even on a lot of the bigger back contry trails we took we ran into folks (foreign, some with kids, etc) and it was just easier to carry a hidden pistol in a chest pack. We were there the week the couple got killed by a bear and we saw a good many while there. Saw quite a few glassing wildlife in the areas off thew beaten path.

 

[Intrepid4576]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ruger Alaskan in 44mag or 454 is a good choice, but my top pick is a Glock 20 or 29 in 10mm. Buffalo Bore and Double Tap both sell 220gr Hardcast 10mm ammo that delivers over 700ftlb, with superior sectional density to nearly any 44mag loading. Light, Rugged, High Capacity, and easier to shoot than a big bore/high energy revolver. The G29 tends to give up ~50-75fps to the G20. Just my 2¢… </div></div>

im a glock fanboy so to speak - and there is a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr2IG6t85Jg) of a guy droping what i think is a elk with 1 or 2 shots not sure how many - its defenty powerful

but according to the ft/lb measurments a 44mag has alot more NRG behind it - and a 50ae has even more and comes in a pistol form - but glock is the most reliable pistol....

i guess anything is better than nothing but if i had a choice and i knew it would fuction correctly id rather have a 50ae just for the pure NRG behind it

 

[Wintermute]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Honestly, I have to disagree with all of the 10mm for a bear recommendations. All the hunters in Alaska I've talked to, the minimum recommended for a grizzly was a .44 mag with a 300gr or higher hardcast bullet. .454 or .500S&W were considered better. Stainless DA revolvers with no more than a 4" barrel were the primary recommendation.

I talked to guys there who did say you could take down a bear with a 41mag or a .357...if you had a clear clean shot and knew what to aim at. They said that in an attack though, the bear is usually on you before you could do a damn thing about a clean aimed shot and you would just end up trying to put rounds into it while it was on top of you. For that, a DA revolver worked well since jammed against the bear it wouldn't malfunction.

If in an attack you could get your gun and fire, you wouldn't be picking a target on the bear, just pretty much shooting into it at really close range. Alot of bullets may hit bone or other heavily protected areas like the bears head and if you didn't have something massive enough to punch through the bone you'd just end up dead (honestly, if you're actually attacked by a grizzly, you're chances aren't that great no matter what you're carrying).

I wouldn't take an auto and I definitely wouldn't go with anything less than a .44mag with Garrett ammunition.

If you're just worried about a Washington blackbear, then that's one thing...a 10mm would work fine for that. For a grizzly, you're probably just going to be underpowered.

--Wintermute

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

A medium bore rifle and bear spray accompanies me into Grizzly country. Sometimes, when we are just tooling around in the Bighorns, I carry a .454 Super Redhawk. Better than nothing.

You are better off with bear spray than with a handgun you can't shoot well. When a brown bear charges, you are going to probably be able to snap off a round, maybe two, accurately.

 

[steppenwolf]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Here's a linky with some comments from real Alaskans discussing 10mm-carry up there in bear country, and the reasons they do:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/show...Defence-Sidearm

Me, personally, if I'm out in the Alaskan bush, I'd always want my rifle (a magnum) in my hand or slung over.

But the premise behind these sorts of handgun/bear threads needs to be a bit more clearly discerned: sure, a rifle would always be preferable to any handgun, but one hard fact of spending time in the bush is that just when Mr. Bear rounds the corner, you'll likely not have your rifle in your hands because your hands will be doing other things while the rifle is parked against a tree way across camp, or back in the truck or was left behind in the cabin when you stepped out to [pick one].

Your life-saver will then be whatever you have holstered on your person and wthin quick-reach in the seconds you have to react if Mr Bear decides you're his lunch and attacks ...

I like my hot-loaded 10mm Glock 20 for just that reason: it's more likely to be on me <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">when I need it</span></span> than my much-more powerful magnum rifle that's not ...

 

[turbo54]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wintermute</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly, I have to disagree with all of the 10mm for a bear recommendations. All the hunters in Alaska I've talked to, the minimum recommended for a grizzly was a .44 mag with a 300gr or higher hardcast bullet. .454 or .500S&W were considered better. Stainless DA revolvers with no more than a 4" barrel were the primary recommendation.

I talked to guys there who did say you could take down a bear with a 41mag or a .357...if you had a clear clean shot and knew what to aim at. They said that in an attack though, the bear is usually on you before you could do a damn thing about a clean aimed shot and you would just end up trying to put rounds into it while it was on top of you. For that, a DA revolver worked well since jammed against the bear it wouldn't malfunction.

If in an attack you could get your gun and fire, you wouldn't be picking a target on the bear, just pretty much shooting into it at really close range. Alot of bullets may hit bone or other heavily protected areas like the bears head and if you didn't have something massive enough to punch through the bone you'd just end up dead (honestly, if you're actually attacked by a grizzly, you're chances aren't that great no matter what you're carrying).

I wouldn't take an auto and I definitely wouldn't go with anything less than a .44mag with Garrett ammunition.

If you're just worried about a Washington blackbear, then that's one thing...a 10mm would work fine for that. For a grizzly, you're probably just going to be underpowered.

--Wintermute </div></div>

I respect your take on this. However, I think some consideration has to be given to capacity and shootability. I have a 4" Smith 500 as well as a Glock 20.

The Glock holds 15+1, which gives LOTS of oppurtunities to miss, while still having ammo left over to score hits with.

*****I've never had to draw/fire a pistol in a stressfull situation - like a charging bear... But I ASSume having a lot of ammo on tap to spray in the direction of the incoming threat would be an advantage.

Not that it's impossible, but rapid firing a smith 500 in DA is a tough thing to do, especially with high power loads with high sectional density (the ones you want to shoot bears with). Perhaps someday I'd be able to do it, but I will probably spend $10,000 on ammo learning. Currently, I can do a mag dump from my Glock 20 a bunch faster than I can fire 5 rounds from my 500.

So I guess when you get right down to it, are you better off going with a caliber/weapon you have time to fire one well-aimed bombshell shot, or firing many smaller and less powerful rounds?

No disrepect intended! A talking point, more than anything.

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I have a 454 Casull that is relegated to deer hunting with a scope. I couldn't get off 2 or 3 well placed shots with that monster for anything. I can even shoot the light 329PD better and faster with heavy hitting hard cast loads. The 460 Rowland is suprisingly easy to unload the mag into a pie plate very quickly with hot loaded 260 gr hard cast (that have the ft/lbs numbers of upper level 44mag loads). That is why I carry that gun. As others noted above I would spray first with a good quality bear spray before the pistol. Honestly, the pistol is a last ditch save your life proposal because without the combination of both good and lucky you will die before a charging bear is deliverd a put down round with any pistol. That said I wouldn't be in bear country without at least the spray and a good pistol.

 

[Wintermute]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

no disrespect taken. I think the difference here is expectations on a bear attack. The two people I've talked to who actually were attacked by grizzly's and survived said there was no time to realize the bear was charging at them. The bear decided to attack and they didn't know until it hit them. They both said they didn't see nor hear the bear until about 1/2 second before it hit them. I think that if you expect that you are going to have time to actually shoot at the bear before it's already on top of you you're assuming quite a bit.

If you see a bear acting aggressively near you and it's not charged, then bear spray would be your better bet. Once a bear charges, they move far far faster than you think.

Both guys said there is a huge difference between a posturing grizzly and an attacking grizzly. The posturing grizzly you have time to see and respond to with bear spray...the attacking grizzly just isn't there, then is and is attacking you.

--Wintermute

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Listen to Wintermute. he is absolutely right.

I was a irrigator in Wyoming and we all carried big bore, flat nosed, short barreled, full handled revolvers with a big front bead and huge rear notch sites. Same exact formula as the 798'ers out of Tulsa working section 4,5,6, in Alaska.

Forget multiple shots, you might get two. If you can, get gone, drop clothing and pray you never need to fire. It is what it was when I bought it, the most useless single purpose firearm I own. We all learned how to spell Linebaugh. If guns are tools, this one is a 20lb mallet.

 

[hoosierswat]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Thanks for all the input. The pistol/revolver would be strictly as a back up. It's not meant to replace common sense and being hyper vigilant while in bear country. It would be a weapon to wear around camp, fishing, or while cleaning, cutting up or backing meat out. A shotgun might be better medicine under some conditions. But we will already being carrying rifles and a shotgun might not be to useful if the bear is already on top of you.
Thanks for the info on Garrett Ammunition, I knew about Buffalo Bore.

Here is a link about a 329PD. A search on Google talks about a couple of them locking up. I'm not saying it's common, it might have even been early production guns.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolve...c-post-1-a.html

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/handguns/49270-smith-wesson-329-pd-2.html

This isn't the forum where the great .44 mag vs. 10mm debate rages

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/foru...345fa33714cges.

 

[KHOOKS]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Just a couple of words for this "BUDDY SYSTEM"

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Before there was a market for mountain guns. A few folks were re-timing Redhawks and dropping in 5 round .500 cylinders. You don't have to do that anymore, in that regard you are fortunate.

 

[Wintermute]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Here's the technical details to think about. When a grizzly charges you, it can run at almost 35mph. That's about 17 yards per second. That's 100 yards covered in less than 6 seconds.

And bears don't work up to speed. They pretty much can start at full speed unlike a car, there's not much in acceleration time. If a bear is 30 yards from you, it can be on top of you in less than two seconds.

--Wintermute

 

[HPLLC]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

i went to Infantry Basic Training and AIT at FT Benning GA with a guy named Vanzandt who's dad owned a gunsmith shop in Anchorage AK.

He had formely lived in the bush where the only way in and out was float plane. He'd also hunted Caribou on Proxy tags for the local neighbors and had killed up to 50 Caribou in a season. His dad and himself had both killed attacking Grizzly bears with pistols. He said the Browning High power in 9mm that he carried was better than the 1911 in .45 because the .45 lacked penetration.

Head shots only he said his dad had dropped 8 rounds of hollowpoints into a bear with no effect before changing magazines to FMJ and killing the bear on the 6th or seventh round of his second magazine.

He was authorized the Presidents Hundred tab and had shot at the Olympic Training center. Had scars all over his hands from field dressing and quartering caribou with hands that were numb, so I believed him.

 

[03bulletstopper]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I have both the Glock 20 and a 454 Casull Taurus Raging Bull. I guarantee I can dump, all 15 in the Glock before I dump the 5 in the Raging Bull. Plus the accuracy on all those follow up shots would be much higher also. Granted I have had the Glock for almost 20 years shot hundreds of failure to stop drills and thousands of rounds while nowhere near that with the big bore. Most importantly you are going to need to feel good about what you are carrying. It will cut down on your stress from the beginning.

 

[Drifter]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

The best hand gun for bear country is one YOU can draw and fire quickly at a fast moving basket ball sized target, with pee running down your leg. A heavy flat nosed hard cast lead bullet is usually what folks up here swear by.

A 44mag is very popular up here and there are a couple good 300+g hard cast bullets available if you don't reload.

Linebaugh did extensive testing with heavy calibers, both rifle and handgun. Here's a look at some of the contenders, along with some other thumpers.
Linebaugh tests

A 44, 45 colt, 454 and up will do the job if you can hit the grape in a serious stressfire situation. Carry a big stick because you will most likely get one shot at close range to stop a charge if it comes down to it.

I carry a FA 475 linebaugh with a 325g flat nose I cast @ 1170 fps, kicks like a 44 which is not bad. Full house loads are fucking horrible and the ballistic edge is not worth the recoil. Comforting while you sleep in a bivy on Kodiak island.

 

[Bonjourjr]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Check this revolver out. You could hunt with this sucker. Kinda heavy though.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/bfr.asp

 

[Dans40X]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Any pistol/revolvers-
Remove the front sight so it won't hurt as bad when the bear shoves it up your ass.

Pepper spray-Leave it home as the wind won't be on your side-
AIR HORNS(pressurized can).

You are not getting an accurate follow up shot on a charging bear under 50yds.

A black or grizzly bear will out run a quarter horse from the first step & can run full tilt for miles & miles & miles.

A bears heart beat is less than 15 times a minute,if you don't paralyze it from the ears back on the first shot,it will cover 100yds & be on top of you by the time you can count to 3.

With a grizzly bear encounter-make noise-play dead- do not shoot until it is point blank.

With a black bear encounter-FIGHT TO YOUR LAST BREATH.

A AK/Yukon moose will flat STOMP your ASS!

The best time to hunt bears is that certain week of the month when your girlfriend/wife is "IN SEASON" to a bear.
A bear boar won't pass up pussy!!!!

 

[eracer]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DANS40X</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any pistol/revolvers-
Remove the front sight so it won't hurt as bad when the bear shoves it up your ass.

Pepper spray-Leave it home as the wind won't be on your side-
AIR HORNS(pressurized can).

You are not getting an accurate follow up shot on a charging bear under 50yds.

A black or grizzly bear will out run a quarter horse from the first step & can run full tilt for miles & miles & miles.

A bears heart beat is less than 15 times a minute,if you don't paralyze it from the ears back on the first shot,it will cover 100yds & be on top of you by the time you can count to 3.

With a grizzly bear encounter-make noise-play dead- do not shoot until it is point blank.

With a black bear encounter-FIGHT TO YOUR LAST BREATH.

A AK/Yukon moose will flat STOMP your ASS!

The best time to hunt bears is that certain week of the month when your girlfriend/wife is "IN SEASON" to a bear.
A bear boar won't pass up pussy!!!!

</div></div>Do you hang her (in a harness, sicko) from a tree branch and wait til the bear gets up underneath her?

 

[Dans40X]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

A bear has a sense of smell that is 100X better than a bloodhound.
Bears will actually TASTE the air off thermals.
I've glassed bears tasting the air several times from 1/2-3/4 miles.


Woman & their period/week of the month-
Case in point-
Timothy Treadwell studied the Katmai brown bears for 14yrs.
His last mistake was taking his fiance w/ him the 15yr-
within a month both were killed/eaten.

 

[jeo556]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Don't forget that 460 Rowland conversion kists can be had for glocks, springfield XD & XDM's if you like the 460 and want the capacity of some of the 10mm options.

 

[300WSM]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I've found the harder bullet is better than the hardcast bullets available.

Really like the Corbon FPPN's. Take the biggest thing you can shoot fast and ACCURATELY.

I dumped 6rds in 6.0 seconds (ruger alaskan) of 454 335hardcast into a target at 15yds but I wasn't accurate enough. maybe 1 or 2 shots would have hit where they needed to go.

I dumped 6rds in about 4.5 seconds (ruger alaskan of 44mag 320 hardcast into a target at 15yds and i was much much more accurate. as in 5 shots hit where they needed to go.

I dumped 5rds of 460sw (460v ported) in 6 seconds of 395gr hardcast 3 shots where they needed to go.

I dumped 15rds of 10mm from a glock 20 (200gr penetrators) in 4 seconds - 12 of them were where they needed to be. (I shoot this gun a lot)

hard flat nose bullets with good velocity and good sectional density go a long long way.

 

[JSTARSZ]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

when I loved in Alaska I used to carry a LAR Grizzly
LAR Grizzly
I don't have anything to do with this pistol I just used it for information purposes. It was a beast of a pistol.

 

[jmb1911]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

When I'm romping in the big bear country (which isn't very often) I carry a .44 mag Ruger Redhawk with a 7.5 inch barrel loaded with Buffalo Bore 340 grain +P+. The BB 340's are not fun to shoot (and damn expensive) but they're punishing on the shooter and the prey.

Bought it for close range hog hunting and works awesome for that purpose. You can find Redhawks in .44 mag for $500, so its not too terrible with regard to investments. I've seen some guides in Alaska use the G20 10mm, which is a great package with lots of potential, controllable firepower, but I personally FEEL more comfortable with a big bore revolver than a moderately powered (when compared to the 44 mag) 16 round semi. Just a personal preference.

I don't have any experience shooting bear of any sort, but damn, if my Redhawk and BB combo won't make a bear avert its attack (of course assuming I hit the damn thing), I'm bear excrement. I hope to never need to use it in a defensive way.

 

[HPLLC]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DANS40X</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any pistol/revolvers-
Remove the front sight so it won't hurt as bad when the bear shoves it up your ass.

Pepper spray-Leave it home as the wind won't be on your side-
AIR HORNS(pressurized can).

You are not getting an accurate follow up shot on a charging bear under 50yds.

A black or grizzly bear will out run a quarter horse from the first step & can run full tilt for miles & miles & miles.

A bears heart beat is less than 15 times a minute,if you don't paralyze it from the ears back on the first shot,it will cover 100yds & be on top of you by the time you can count to 3.

With a grizzly bear encounter-make noise-play dead- do not shoot until it is point blank.

With a black bear encounter-FIGHT TO YOUR LAST BREATH.

A AK/Yukon moose will flat STOMP your ASS!

The best time to hunt bears is that certain week of the month when your girlfriend/wife is "IN SEASON" to a bear.
A bear boar won't pass up pussy!!!!

</div></div>


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In this video, bear spray is cited as working to save two people from being killed. The Army in Alaska issues bear spray rather than loaded weapons to protect soldiers in training areas from bear attacks.

Bear spray does work, and if this guy has time to run away, scream for bear spray, turn around and flail with his bow, he probably had time to draw and fire a couple times, or use bear spray if he'd actually been carrying it.

As with most problems an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

 

[steppenwolf]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Getting back to relevant input from resident Alaskans who actually know what they're talking about when the topic is bear-defense,

... I was surprised how many of the self-identified 10mm-folk up there were carrying G29s, as opposed to a G20 or 10mm 1911 (e.g., Colt Delta)

Linky: http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/show...Defence-Sidearm

 

[ggmanning]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Bear defense is not isolated to Alaska.....of course with brown bear defense it would be the first place you would consider even though some Western states would come to mind also. Black bear attacks are not only more common than brown bear attacks but are also halmarked by the bear's intent to eat a human victim vs the majority of brown bear attacks being defensive. Of course anybody would consider a brown bear more dangerous due to size but our state record kill here in NC is 880# (the North American record) and 6-700# bears are killed fairly often (in 2004 we had 48 bears tagged over 500#), so bears here can get pretty big also. Point being there are some states with a lot of very big black bears, NC being one of them, and we take bear defense seriously as well. In the case of a black bear an encounter generates an attack much less than a brown bear encounter but if it does attack you have to attempt to fight or kill it....if you play dead as recommended for brown bears you will get eaten. Alaskans are no doubt the experts in big bear defense topics but there are lots of folks that come into contact with bears pretty often in places and states not considered by most as areas where you need to think about bear defense. Brown or black they both can kill a human very easily. Of course I feel a lot safer seeing our bears vs time I have spent out West in brown bear country and I would not compare a black to a brown but I do see enough big bears to have put serious thought into bear defense.

 

[no1special]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

fyi; the revolver choice may be mute. try to find one to buy. just not out there. i have tried.

 

[Dans40X]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

BIG difference in species-

Grizzly Bears are found inland/interior.

Brown Bears are coastal.

 

[45.308]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hoosierswat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looking for advice from anyone that hunts around bears and carries a pistol (revolver) as a back up weapon. Last year I went on a moose hunt north of Kotzebue, Alaska. Going back this fall for Caribou. I want to buy a revolver in .44 mag. I was considering a Ruger Alaskan or a Smith & Wesson 629. Anyone have experience with these revolvers? Any suggestions? </div></div>

Of those two in 44mag the Ruger. If it were me, I would go with Ruger Alaskan 454cas or a SW 500. The lightweight SW have known to have bullet jump unless the crimp is very tight. Check the warning in SW owner manual.

Run hard cast bullets but also understand, handguns are handguns and long guns are long guns. Spray is your best defense against bears who are aggressive (bluff charge) and want you to leave their area, 99% of all encounters that are reported as charges but are not. A full on bear attack (charge) where the bear knocks you down and mauls you, you will not have time to draw any weapon so the point in mute.

Good luck and have fun

 

[truth]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Pretty sure the bear needs to see which fits his paws best and decide for himself. About time hunters manned up and evened the odds by arming their quarry.

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: steppenwolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Getting back to relevant input from resident Alaskans who actually know what they're talking about when the topic is bear-defense,

... I was surprised how many of the self-identified 10mm-folk up there were carrying G29s, as opposed to a G20 or 10mm 1911 (e.g., Colt Delta)

Linky: http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/show...Defence-Sidearm

</div></div>

Ummm, there are those of us in the Rocky Mountains that see more Grizzly Bears than some Alaskans, and more that any midwesterner.

 

[opshin556]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

Imagine a 800 pound pissed off bear running at you from less than 50 feet away in dense forest.
You think every shot will hit the intended target?
I doubt it.
(15) rounds of 10mm would be more comforting to me than (6) rounds of .44 no matter what bullet weight/type.
I own a 4" 629 that I carry in the woods with garret hammerhead 310s.
Only because I dont yet own a glock 20.
If you are carrying a backpack of some sort, I would strap a mossy 12 gauge to it and load with breneke slugs.
problem solved.

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

You aren't going to get off but a few accurate shots no matter what you carry, brother.

 

[hoosierswat]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

The sad truth is it is a lot easier to travel with a handgun on a hunting trip. My hunting partner tried to bring bear spray last year and it was taken by the TSA. It's easy to include a handgun with your rifle when your checking a bag.

While the shotgun is a good choice it's not what I'm looking for in a back up. I want something that will be attached to me no matter what my activity may be.

Which ever I choose I was going to go with a guides chest holster form Diamond Custom Leather.

http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/Chest_Holsters.php

 

[noahmercy]

Re: Pistol for Grizzly Bear Country

I just got a Ruger Alskan 454 at auction and have been fooling around with it. I have settled on 454 cases loaded to hot 45 Colt specs as a compromise between stopping power and controllability. (We're talking a 335 grain hard-cast LBT bullet at right around 1200 fps, so it's not like a powderpuff or anything.)

It is capable of shooting from one end of a big griz to the other and busting stuff up along the way. These loads are surprisingly accurate and controllable, muzzle blast isn't as ferocious as the full-house Casulls, and flash is considerably diminished. I can empty all six rounds into a six inch group in just over two seconds at 10 yards. With the full-power 454s I took nearly four seconds to keep them that close. With standard-pressure 45 Colt loads, the gun is a pussycat, feeling more like a medium frame Smith firing 38 Specials.

After talking to several fellows who have hunted, worked, guided, and lived in big bear country, I can honestly say not one of them will recommend an autoloader as bear medicine for a very simple reason; the only autos capable of firing a sufficiently powerful cartridge to <span style="font-style: italic">STOP</span> a bear are huge and cumbersome and more prone to failure from environmental conditions than a quality revolver. Some of them also pointed out that revolvers don't have magazines that can fall out, resulting in a single shot firearm.

Most of those guys I have talked to at length have stated that they do not feel comfortable with anything less than a 44 Magnum loaded with Garrett or Buffalo Bore heavy-bullet loads and prefer a hot-loaded 45 Colt or a Casull. The 475 and 500 Linebaughs have a loyal following as well. Most of them consider the 460 and 500 Smiths to be ridiculously big and heavy. They all agreed that a powerful, fairly compact revolver is their preferred <span style="font-style: italic">sidearm</span>, but all said they never went afield without a 12 gauge stoked with slugs (Brennekes came up often) or a Marlin 45-70, often in Guide Gun configuration.