Sidearm preference

dan maule

Very Active Member
Jan 3, 2015
987
1,210
Upper Michigan
My brother lived there n Alaska for quite a while and he said the locals always told him to file off the front sight of his 44 so that it wouldn’t hurt as much when the bear shoved it up his butt. I always thought that was funny.
 

buckbull

Veteran member
Jun 20, 2011
2,124
1,293
I am not a particularly good shot with sidearms. in such a situation it is entirely possible I might shoot my pecker off. (perhaps a sharpshooter after all! ;) :LOL: )

so given the choice I think I would prefer the bear ate me.


I believe the best option would be to bring a fat, slow friend along.
Just get Covid and shrink that thing up. The comments on this news story will have you rolling on the floor in laughter.

 
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kidoggy

Veteran member
Apr 23, 2016
9,581
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idaho
Just get Covid and shrink that thing up. The comments on this news story will have you rolling on the floor in laughter.

lol. just use three fingers instead of four . problem solved.
 
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tim

Veteran member
Jun 4, 2011
2,407
1,057
north idaho
No one hunts grizz witih a .30-30
but everyone wants to know which sidearm to have in case of an emergency. Do any handguns come close to the power of a .30-30?

something to think about.
 
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memtb

Active Member
If anyone chooses a shotgun......be very conscious that all slugs arenot created equal. The old standard sugs of yesteryear will likely fail miserably! They are very soft lead, starting out with a huge frontal area, expanding very rapidly upon impact.....penetration will be almost non-existent!

If a big-bore lever gun (as in 45-70 with a .459” dia. bullet) is considered lethal....perhaps my 5 - shooter moving a .452” dia. , 400 grain, hard cast, wide metplat, bullets @ near 1600 fps mv will also be adequate! Easier to handle in very close quarters, and capable (though a handful) of rapid shots with one hand.....not real easy to do with a shotgun or a lever gun! Can also reside fairly comfortably in a cross-chest rig, leaving both hands for camp chores or fishing while being quite adequately armed!

But hey......that’s just me! 😉 memtb
 
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archeranthony

Active Member
Dec 10, 2018
461
327
Texas
I took my 460 S&w the first time I went out 3.5” barrel I can tell you I will never do that again that thing was so damn heavy and bulky. Yeah it’s a cool gun that is loud and kicks like a mule but it’s not practical for backcountry hunting. It’s a safe Queen. Plus if you shoot it without ear protection which I did while hunting hogs one time, be prepared for a ringing that stays for a week or more. I now carry a Springfield xde 45 single stack.
 

memtb

Active Member
There have been quite a few Alaskan Browns and Grizzlies hunted and taken with handguns using the proper bullets! Not to mention, quite a few large African game animals.... some of them members of the the Big 5!

Several years ago John Linebaugh held a get together in Cody, Wyoming (I think), where there was competition between various handguns and African big-bore rifles comparing total penetration. If you observe the list.....the handguns faired pretty well! memtb




Inches Caliber Bullet Velocity F.P.S.



Exit 470 Nitro Express 500gr Trophy Bonded Solid 2042 Rifle 74”+

Exit 458 Lott 500gr Barnes Solid 2250 Rifle 69”+

Exit 375 H&H 300gr Barnes Solid 2550 Rifle 69”+

56” 50 Alaskan 460gr Belt Mountain Punch 2031 Rifle

55” 44 Mag 300gr Belt Mountain Punch 1964 Rifle

54” 454 Casull 316gr Belt Mountain Punch 1600 Pistol

53” 45-70 Government 400gr Belt Mountain Punch 2088 Pistol

51” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol exit side

49” 500 Linebaugh 430gr Belt Mountain Punch 1270 Pistol

49” 500 Linebaugh 468gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1303 Pistol

48” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol

44” 500 Linebaugh 500gr Grizzly LFN 1100 Pistol

44” 500 Linebaugh Max 525gr Cast Performance WFN 1237 Pistol

42” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? ? 1270 Pistol

40” 500 Linebaugh 414gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1085 Pistol

39” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 948 Pistol

39” 45 Colt 300gr Cast ? ? 1286 Pistol

36” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? LWFN 1045 Pistol

32” 50 Alaskan 525gr Cast Performance WFN 2019 Rifle deformed

29” 414 Super Mag 255gr LBT LFN 1439 Pistol

28” 44 Mag 310gr Garret Defender HH 1083 Pistol

27” 45 Auto Rim 260gr BRP Keith 916 Pistol

24” 500 Linebaugh 400gr Buffalo Bore JHP 1417 Pistol

24” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works WFN 892 Pistol

24” 45 Auto Rim 250gr (cowboy load) RNFP 870 Pistol

23” 470 Nitro Express 500gr Woodleigh JSP 2264 Rifle

14” 375 H&H 260gr Nosler Accubond JPP 2781 Rifle

13” 44 Mag 250gr Winchester Black Tallon JHP 1194 Pistol

13” 445 Super Mag 270gr Speer Gold Dot JSP 1343 Pistol

12” 445 Super Mag 300gr Hornady XTP JHP 1376 Pistol

10” 45 Colt 200gr Speer (ashtray) JHP 1142 Pistol

5” 22 Long Rifle 39gr Remington Golde “Paco” FP 965 Pistol
 

archeranthony

Active Member
Dec 10, 2018
461
327
Texas
There have been quite a few Alaskan Browns and Grizzlies hunted and taken with handguns using the proper bullets! Not to mention, quite a few large African game animals.... some of them members of the the Big 5!

Several years ago John Linebaugh held a get together in Cody, Wyoming, where there was competition between various handguns and African big-bore rifles comparing total penetration. If you observe the list.....the handguns faired pretty well! memtb




Inches Caliber Bullet Velocity F.P.S.



Exit 470 Nitro Express 500gr Trophy Bonded Solid 2042 Rifle 74”+

Exit 458 Lott 500gr Barnes Solid 2250 Rifle 69”+

Exit 375 H&H 300gr Barnes Solid 2550 Rifle 69”+

56” 50 Alaskan 460gr Belt Mountain Punch 2031 Rifle

55” 44 Mag 300gr Belt Mountain Punch 1964 Rifle

54” 454 Casull 316gr Belt Mountain Punch 1600 Pistol

53” 45-70 Government 400gr Belt Mountain Punch 2088 Pistol

51” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol exit side

49” 500 Linebaugh 430gr Belt Mountain Punch 1270 Pistol

49” 500 Linebaugh 468gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1303 Pistol

48” 500 Linebaugh Max 465gr Belt Mountain Punch 1326 Pistol

44” 500 Linebaugh 500gr Grizzly LFN 1100 Pistol

44” 500 Linebaugh Max 525gr Cast Performance WFN 1237 Pistol

42” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? ? 1270 Pistol

40” 500 Linebaugh 414gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 1085 Pistol

39” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works LFN 948 Pistol

39” 45 Colt 300gr Cast ? ? 1286 Pistol

36” 45 Colt 335gr Cast ? LWFN 1045 Pistol

32” 50 Alaskan 525gr Cast Performance WFN 2019 Rifle deformed

29” 414 Super Mag 255gr LBT LFN 1439 Pistol

28” 44 Mag 310gr Garret Defender HH 1083 Pistol

27” 45 Auto Rim 260gr BRP Keith 916 Pistol

24” 500 Linebaugh 400gr Buffalo Bore JHP 1417 Pistol

24” 475 Linebaugh 420gr Montana Bullet Works WFN 892 Pistol

24” 45 Auto Rim 250gr (cowboy load) RNFP 870 Pistol

23” 470 Nitro Express 500gr Woodleigh JSP 2264 Rifle

14” 375 H&H 260gr Nosler Accubond JPP 2781 Rifle

13” 44 Mag 250gr Winchester Black Tallon JHP 1194 Pistol

13” 445 Super Mag 270gr Speer Gold Dot JSP 1343 Pistol

12” 445 Super Mag 300gr Hornady XTP JHP 1376 Pistol

10” 45 Colt 200gr Speer (ashtray) JHP 1142 Pistol

5” 22 Long Rifle 39gr Remington Golde “Paco” FP 965 Pistol
I’m guessing this was before the 460 came out or they didn’t test one?
 

memtb

Active Member
I talked with John about 6 months ago, my 460 was the topic of our conversation.....but, I never asked him why it was tested! I gotta do that one day. Or better yet, the next time they gather in Cody for some shooting....I’ll bring my 460 with my 400’s and take a run at that test! memtb
 
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archeranthony

Active Member
Dec 10, 2018
461
327
Texas
I talked with John about 6 months ago, my 460 was the topic of our conversation.....but, I never asked him why it was tested! I gotta do that one day. Or better yet, the next time they gather in Cody for some shooting....I’ll bring my 460 with my 400’s and take a run at that test! memtb
Good idea. I love mine. Just recently bought some 454 Casul to try out of it too.
 

Bonecollector

Veteran member
Mar 9, 2014
5,852
3,656
Ohio
My kill or be killed ammo of choice in Glock 10m. The gun is light enough you won’t leave it in the truck and just enough to reduce recoil to get off 2–3 shots quickly. Underwood Ammo packs a punch.

38691

i’ve seen enough grizzly hunting videos to know that one shot will not be enough no matter the caliber. And these shots are in ideal conditions.
If I was hunting from a horse I may carry something bigger on my chest or a shotgun in a scabbard. However I’m usually hunting extremely light because I’m going in deep. (tee’d that one up for you)
 

memtb

Active Member
I took my 460 S&w the first time I went out 3.5” barrel I can tell you I will never do that again that thing was so damn heavy and bulky. Yeah it’s a cool gun that is loud and kicks like a mule but it’s not practical for backcountry hunting. It’s a safe Queen. Plus if you shoot it without ear protection which I did while hunting hogs one time, be prepared for a ringing that stays for a week or more. I now carry a Springfield xde 45 single stack.
I don’t carry a handgun (any handgun) when back country hunting, for exactly the same reason.....weight, bulk! I carry the handgun when handgun hunting. For myself, it’s either rifle or handgun.....not both! memtb
 
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