Hello!

I want to pick up a revolver for carry in the Wyoming mountains when deer & elk hunting - much of which I do in black and grizzly bear country. I’ve always wanted a S & W 686 in 357 magnum. Is this sufficient for my purpose, or do I NEED a 44 magnum?

Thank you!

Jim

do griz come running at the sound of the shot ? That should answer your question.

With the right bullet I would say that would be a bare minimum. Which is obviously risky. So I would want a .41

Not enough for me

Bear Spray. A friend with a shotgun with slugs.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
...griz...

When I lived in Alaska .41 was considered bare minimum. Originally, I carried a .44 magnum then switched to a .454 casull.

As far as the .357, there was story about a surveyor in Alaska carrying a .357 who was mauled by a bear and the only thing that stopped the attack was the bush pilot returning and scaring the bear off.

An Alaskan bear is quite a bit different than a typical griz in the Western CUS. I am not discounting the danger an angry griz represents.

Did the surveyor get any shots off with his .357mag.

I'd like to suggest something more substantial and decisive.

Hmmmm, I don't view bears as "critters". But that's just me.
But, I do like the S&W .357 magnum with shotshells to dispatch ornery field mice...

No griz here in Michigan just black bears. But I'm more concerned about the 2 legged kind of predator when I'm backpacking or fishing. I have a Ruger GP 100 in .44 Spl just for that purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Did the surveyor get any shots off with his .357mag.

Of course, I wouldn't have typed it if was left holstered and immaterial.

I personally saw a 2 year old Oregon black bear take three 2506 slugs and 6 point blank 357 revolver shots in the skull to die. Died at my feet BTW.

Ruger Alaskan 44 mag with flat-nose hardcast boolits here, but wish I would have bought the 454 Casull instead. I have 2 GP 100's in 357, but when bear may be in my future they stay in the safe. Plenty of bear in the Bob...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aileron,

It’s always a trade off between ‘potential’ effectiveness and weight. One question is, are you rifle hunting for deer & elk or bow hunting?

Though distance can be short, the threshold for using spray is much lower than firing rounds.

The only place I give higher concern to ‘bear defense’ is the greater Yellowstone/Glacier Park areas, & AK. Black bears from a hunted population are of little concern.

I’d rather any gun than no gun, even if on the light side. Someone recently drowned in the Boundary Waters Area when their canoe tipped. Accidents, falls & similar are the larger threats.

I’d go as large as you can handle, I’d carry my 500 S&W with me if I were in that situation. I’d agree 41 mag for minimum but there are 10mm revolvers (Heck even semi autos) that can be loaded with bear loads that may work.

I have a coworker that moved from Alaska who killed a bear with a 9mm. I don’t recall what type of bear it was but they stumbled upon it and he said it was a frightening situation and they got lucky.

What about 10mm? They say it will destroy anything, might have to get a semi auto for it though

I think two-legged predators are more likely and more dangerous to be encountered than four-legged ones. But for bears, I'd go with a four-inch .44 Magnum. At very close range, a .357 Magnum with heavy and/or hard-cast bullets might be OK, but still seems a little on the light side. If feasible, you should also practice shooting it one-handed and from awkward positions, since one hand is all you're likely to have if a bear is chewing on the other one. Also, if the bear decides it wants dibs on the deer or elk you just shot, just let it go.

Ruger Blackhawk in 44mag, along with my 45/70 makes me feel all warm and fuzzy out in the woods.