I also tend to think the 40 would be plenty.
It is my "possibles" go to as well. JMHO

Of your current inventory - the 19 with Buffalo Bore or Underwood. I would chose Lehigh penetrators or CEB solids. Bears have a lot of fat and you need to get through to make a difference.

I think you have three good choices with the .40, 357 and 45.... I also think any critical defense round will suffice. And any of those will also work on any dangerous two legged critters. I would think it would nice if you could find a .357 sig barrel for the p229 but that surely isn't critical and it does add another caliber to your inventory.... for good or bad.

I've shot big bears (Black and Brown Bear) with BIG caliber rifles and they are far tougher than many think. While you've listed some fine calibers for two legged predators and mountain lion (.357, 9mm, etc...), I'd go with a .45 ACP and something like a Buffalo Bore, Double Tap, or Lehigh Express deep penetrating, solid bullet load for the best performance when dealing with bear.

I live out in the sticks. I considered my 686 with JSP as being best around my property, but because of ammo availability and capacity, I chose instead a Gen 5 Glock 22 .40 loaded with Speer 165-grain FMJ. It's one hot round. Gives FMJ penetration with a decent bullet weight. Be a good combo from your P229 and has plenty of power for everything but the biggest animals.

The Model 19 would be my first choice, followed up by the Colt Commander.

Hard Cast bullets are a must.

Also consider carrying bear spray.

For 4 legged ones__ Buffalo Bore's Outdoorsman.

A fishing guide killed a grizzly with a 9mm with
these.

Poli Viejo

We used to have a member here whose name I forget right now, that was some sort of woodsman/trapper. He prowled around out in Montana or Idaho IIRC. It's been awhile but I believe all he carried was a P225.

Much can depend on location. If near Yellowstone or Glacier Parks, I can see more prep, same in AK.

For most of the rest of the lower 48, no sense to carry a boat anchor.

.357MAG works fine enough up to and including black bear, at least with the ones around here. But if I were dealing with a grizzly scenario I think I'd rather have that OTHER .357 and goodly quantity of penetrating firepower, though you being in CA still limits you to a somewhat sketchy 10 (hint: find a free-state mag if traveling away from the Iron Cali-curtain). Even with 10MM it seems most documented big bear takedowns with that caliber have required some action akin to a mag dump and hits well clear from the charging bear's ricochet-prone noggin.

Hot Underwood hard cast would be and has been my projectile of choice. As does the factory protests, the SIG may not like it much over a long haul but for a short, intense limited use the gun should survive it fine. Just keep in mind that alloy isn't really fond of uber-power loaded ammo before going off to the range and massively boning up on the nuances of handling the recoil of +P++++ .357SIG (or similarly insane .40 for that matter).

Frankly a shotgun paired with a defense-friendly barrel length loaded with 3" magnum slugs with be a better option if dealing with those giant monsters. Which is why I often haul around a Shockwave in addition to my 10 when I'm up traipsing around the Canadian border where there's plenty enough grizzly bear sign to be found to play on the unnerving center of one's mind.

Also if you think outdoor-ready 10mm is a hard find, if you don't already have an ample supply of critter-ready .357either you're going to be in for a rude awakening. Perhaps achievable if timed lucky enough online (then again you're in Cali, and I've often heard the whining of our luckless customers as their AMMOSEEKing their way around the web), but damn near impossible to come across around here in a brick+mortar, including our own shop. At least we've been able to get in 2 3/4" and 3" slugs. Just sayin'...

quote:

Frankly a shotgun paired with a defense-friendly barrel length loaded with 3" magnum slugs with be a better option if dealing with those giant monsters. Which is why I often haul around a Shockwave in addition to my 10 when I'm up traipsing around the Canadian border where there's plenty enough grizzly bear sign to be found to play on the unnerving center of one's mind.

Beat me to it.

Not a problem, it's an opportunity to pick up another firearm - but OP did say he wanted to work with what he had.

Self defense against predators came up in a thread where someone was flyfishing for trout and bear were known to come around if they chanced to see them on the hook.

The fishermen weren't too crazy about carrying a 12ga pump shorty but the hunters were all about "it's not easy to run hip deep in a stream." They had some interesting stories about elk hunts and the bear are learning they can intimidate a choice trophy meal.

Bear can and will ignore spray, just like a crackhead can and will ignore tasing. Neither can ignore a 12ga slug. I've never heard of a pro game guide who only carried spray. The scent of downed game in your possession is a powerful motivator.

The breaching tool carry pouch is short enough to expose the bird head grip making it a legal carry if the Shockwave is. YMMV.

S+w 19 in .357, followed closely by the 229 in .40

quote:

Originally posted by sigarms229:
The Model 19 would be my first choice, followed up by the Colt Commander.

Hard Cast bullets are a must.

Also consider carrying bear spray.

This, for sure!

If you have a center fire rifle and it can be carried, that is your answer. There is quite a difference between stopping and killing. A pissed off predator can inflict a lot of damage in the time it takes to die.

Recent Meat Eater podcast had an eye opening interview with a guy who was witness to a bear attack, 300WM and 10mm both were involved in the solution. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/...2903?i=1000548801588

The heavier the bullet, the less hollow the bullet, and the flatter the meplat of the bullet, the better.

I always choose bullet penetration over everything else.
You don't know what you are going to have to use it on. From a 45# thin skinned animal all the way up to a 800# heavy boned and hide aggressive animal.You also don't know how far away your adversary will be.
I would pick the Colt 45 with the heaviest bullet available, then go do some practicing shooting that round and making sure the ammo works ALL THE TIME through your pistol.

I also agree about a short shotgun in 12 gauge. You can pick up a decent enough shotgun nowadays for what a few boxes of Underwood ammo might cost for your handguns.

I don't arm for a bunch of threats roaming around . I arm for the biggest threat Bears, need a 375 at the least.