Handgun in Bear country
- Thread starter wildstreak
- Start date
sra61
Member
I have Ruger Alaskans in 44 mag. and 480 Ruger. I love shooting them. I also have a Ruger Toklat that is a 5" barreled 454 Casull. All of them are manageable recoil wise. With the loads available nowadays there are plenty of powerful bear loads. The hard cast lead bullets with a wide flat nose provide the best penetration. The Alaskans have a 2.5" barrel which makes them really handy for up close protection. I have a Guide's Choice chest holster ordered for the Toklat.
MountainMariner
New Member
I carry a Glock 20C in a Galco holster. 15 rounds of 200 grain can be quickly fired with another 15 as backup.
I have a 329PD in .44 mag. They shoot real well but it's not a plinker! I don't know how it will hold up after lots of heavy rounds go thru it. Of course, we don't use it with heavy rounds too often. My wife shoots it well and carries it when we're in the berries patches.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
You are correct.
We used 12 and 20 gauge slugs for bear hunting when I lived in Wisconsin and I seen up to 550 pound bears go straight down. There's no tracking. If you had the space/room it would be my choice every time.
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"I have a 329PD in .44 mag. They shoot real well but it's not a plinker! I don't know how it will hold up after lots of heavy rounds go thru it. Of course, we don't use it with heavy rounds too often. My wife shoots it well and carries it when we're in the berries patches."
That's kind of what I figured after owning the 340pd. Nice and light but not a pinker.
That's kind of what I figured after owning the 340pd. Nice and light but not a pinker.
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HuskyMusky
Veteran member
tim
Veteran member
missjordan
Veteran member
I liked the idea of bear spray until I read the humorous story in one of the 2014 Rmef Bugle issues about a guy whose spray can went off and covered his, "private area" in itchy/ burning bear spray. A gun sounds less dangerous!
Jordan, you had me thinking for a moment, then I decided he'd have been worse off with a pistol discharge... Myself, if I am not rifle hunting, I'll keep my 44 close when a shotgun is more than I want to pack.
sra61
Member
Or if the wind is blowing a little bit and you catch a face full of fallout? Then you're incapacitated. It happens.
Againstthewind
Very Active Member
Or you are testing it like it says not to do and you make sure that you are upwind but your wife and kid get a little bit of overspray blown back to them. Been there. Still here about it every time I pack the spray. That said I am still with the shotgun/guide gun group because of my Barney Fife pistol skills.
My wife left the .44 and just carried bear spray on a hike a couple of days ago. Of course she ran into a black bear. She gave the spray a quick shot but the wind was bad and just added a thin layer of cayenne flavor to herself. Fortunately, the bear wasn't interested in a spicy meal. It came with 15' or so and veered off, I don't think it was from the spray residue. She'll probably remember the .44 next time. Then we may have some fresh meat!
luckynv
Active Member
Ruger Stainless Super Blackhawk loaded with Buffalo Bore 340gr +p+44mag, in a Guide Chest Holster, Good luck and God bless
tim
Veteran member
i am hoping to try the bear spray out on the neighbors dog. That !@#$%^ keeps getting into my garbage.