https://www.foxnews.com/us/ida...-encounter-officials

In a nutshell, while elk hunting, this person was attacked by a grizzly. He pulled a handgun and killed it.
Unless he was hunting with only that handgun, why on earth would you discard an ELK RIFLE for a sidearm? Even a .270 at 20 yards or so beats a .44.

quote:

Originally posted by FrankMoses:
why on earth would you discard an ELK RIFLE for a sidearm? Even a .270 at 20 yards or so beats a .44.

Archery season. No rifles.

That'll do it.
But you can carry a handgun?
Never was allowed in PA when I archery hunted there. Or is it strictly due to what can, and did happen here?

quote:

Originally posted by FrankMoses:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/ida...-encounter-officials

Unless he was hunting with only that handgun, why on earth would you discard an ELK RIFLE for a sidearm? Even a .270 at 20 yards or so beats a .44.

He may very well have been hunting elk, since the article indicated the attack occurred in "heavy timber." While a .44 Magnum wouldn't be my first, second, third, etc..., choice for shooting at a charging grizzly, if that's all he had on hand at the time (as suggested) he'd definitely use it. I've shot a big black bear with a .300 Winchester Magnum and a "small" brown bear (a grizzly within 75 miles of salt water) with a .375 H&H Magnum. Both were hit well with these rifles, but still required multiple rounds to keep down on the ground. Big bears are TOUGH!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by FrankMoses:
why on earth would you discard an ELK RIFLE for a sidearm? Even a .270 at 20 yards or so beats a .44.

Archery season. No rifles.

Makes perfect sense now!!!

A 44 mag with appropriate bullets (hard cast lead or deep penetrating) are better than some rifle cartridges that would expand before hitting vitals.

Yeah if you’re going to carry a 44 Mag as backup, get a really stout 44 such as an appropriate Ruger.

ONLY buy the Buffalo Bore brand LINK hard cast kick ass ammo.

Buffalo has a lot of choices for you. Here is an example: Buffalo Link

Buffalo is your best option.

Scroll down to #9 LINK
.

^^^^^^^
I’ve had nothing but problems with Buffalo Bore ammo. The didn’t seat the ammo correctly on my 10mm hard cast and it was jamming my GLOCK 20 with the OEM barrel and with a Lone Wolf barrel.

If you really really want stout 44 mag ammo, Garrett Cartridges is the flavor of choice.

https://www.garrettcartridges.com/44.html

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Yeah if you’re going to carry a 44 Mag as backup, get a really stout 44 such as an appropriate Ruger.

ONLY buy the Buffalo Bore brand LINK hard cast kick ass ammo.

Buffalo has a lot of choices for you. Here is an example: Buffalo Link

Buffalo is your best option.

Scroll down to #9 LINK
.

Underwood has a good .44 Mag hard-cast hunting round also. 340 gr at 1425 fps

https://underwoodammo.com/44-r...d-cast-hunting-ammo/

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Yeah if you’re going to carry a 44 Mag as backup, get a really stout 44 such as an appropriate Ruger.

ONLY buy the Buffalo Bore brand LINK hard cast kick ass ammo.

Buffalo has a lot of choices for you. Here is an example: Buffalo Link

Buffalo is your best option.

Scroll down to #9 LINK
.

Underwood has a good .44 Mag hard-cast hunting round also. 340 gr at 1425 fps

https://underwoodammo.com/44-r...d-cast-hunting-ammo/

^^^^
I knew I was forgetting something. HSM and DoubleTap are other options as well.

That's even better. I'll update my list.

So, the Bears will be more than Barely dead, right?


.

I shot a black bear with a 44 buffalo bore hardcast once. From a few feet away, after having shot it several times in vitals with 300WM. Bullet lodged in its spine.

He lived for several more minutes. I'm pretty sure he said "F you" when I shot him. Sounded like it anyway.

Bears are tough.

quote:

Originally posted by pulicords:

quote:

Originally posted by FrankMoses:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/ida...-encounter-officials

Unless he was hunting with only that handgun, why on earth would you discard an ELK RIFLE for a sidearm? Even a .270 at 20 yards or so beats a .44.

He may very well have been hunting elk, since the article indicated the attack occurred in "heavy timber." While a .44 Magnum wouldn't be my first, second, third, etc..., choice for shooting at a charging grizzly, if that's all he had on hand at the time (as suggested) he'd definitely use it. I've shot a big black bear with a .300 Winchester Magnum and a "small" brown bear (a grizzly within 75 miles of salt water) with a .375 H&H Magnum. Both were hit well with these rifles, but still required multiple rounds to keep down on the ground. Big bears are TOUGH!!!!

Wow. Impressive. Good shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
A 44 mag with appropriate bullets (hard cast lead or deep penetrating) are better than some rifle cartridges that would expand before hitting vitals.

Bear hunters don't use bullets that expand before reaching vitals, even after hitting bones. Well, the smart ones don't, and most bear hunters who can afford to pursue those animals aren't dumb.

Interesting timing. I just got back from an (unsuccessful) bear hunt in Alaska.


I will do a detailed post later with lots of photos.

The size of these coastal bears that feed on salmon is unreal. They don't look like bears. They look like tanks standing on the mountain.

We were after them after the salmon run, when they are eating wild blueberries on the mountain slopes.

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:

Underwood has a good .44 Mag hard-cast hunting round also. 340 gr at 1425 fps

I'd like to see the pressure figures on that load, if the velocities are accurate and from a handgun. Those are custom oversized cylinder 5 shot .45 Colt load numbers.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:

Underwood has a good .44 Mag hard-cast hunting round also. 340 gr at 1425 fps

I'd like to see the pressure figures on that load, if the velocities are accurate and from a handgun. Those are custom oversized cylinder 5 shot .45 Colt load numbers.

They state right in the product description that the round isn't suited for some guns and they give a list of some acceptable ones that can handle the pressure.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
A 44 mag with appropriate bullets (hard cast lead or deep penetrating) are better than some rifle cartridges that would expand before hitting vitals.

Bear hunters don't use bullets that expand before reaching vitals, even after hitting bones. Well, the smart ones don't, and most bear hunters who can afford to pursue those animals aren't dumb.

That was my point, the handgun was set up for bear, long gun isn't. You don't use the same type of ammo on Elk. At least not that I've heard.

Here's another recent one, but this one didn't end so good .

https://www.foxnews.com/world/...le-before-deaths.amp

I have no desire to ever get involved with a bear, be it with a rifle, handgun, or bear spray. I've taken pictures from a mile away, or from the protection of the inside of a bus, but that's the closest I have any desire to get. But if things go wrong I'd at least like to have the ability to fight back. Be the aggressor animal or human, I don't want my last thoughts to be "man I wish I had my gun." It sounds like these poor folks were alive long enough to know what hit them, and sadly didn't have an effective means to protect themselves and help couldn't get to them in time.

Great work, putting this bear down with a .44 Magnum revolver!

When I'm Flyfishing in Alaska, I carry a John Ross S&W Performance Center .500 magnum for bear protection. It shoots up to 700 grain hard cast bullets, without the cheek-rippling blast wave that the normally compensated .500 magnums do. It's quite the stout recoil, but if you need to stop a bear, one does well to go with the most powerful pistol you can control. Ultimately, it's all about making that first shot well placed and effective.