I don’t just carry for bears. I carry for big cats too, I’ve been stranded in the woods alone for hours with a broke down bike and I’ll never do it unarmed, I agree bears don’t usually want anything to do with you but shit happens

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
Anyone consider bear spray as a deterrent for bears as a first line of defense and a firearm as your backup?

No because going to the range on the weekend and discharging pepper spray gets boring real quick and is very expensive.

I have done the other thing you mention on an unhappy critter, with a single action 500 Linebaugh, two surprisingly rapid rounds. The two people people with me both commented they were surprised how fast I fired two rounds (especially from that thing)

I've nothing against bear spray and would bring some in bear country. But I'm just in country that occasionally has bears.

A Ruger Alaskan in either 44 mag or 454 casull. Short but to the point.

If you can find it, Foggy Mountain Outdoors did a handgun hunting black bear article. His caliber of choice was a 41 mag loaded with JSP. In the article he talks about recovering 44 mag JHP in bear hides that failed to penetrate. Bullet selection is key.

Initially I carried .44 mag in bear country, but I switched to a G20 10mm. 15 rounds vs 6 rounds. I figure I'll need the extras if I am charged.

https://www.underwoodammo.com/...-cast-flat-nose.html

I carry an S&W Model 69 in .44 Mag when I go backpacking in bear country...but I do my best to stay away from bears, as that's not a fight that anybody wins. Most of the places I go, the probability of an encounter is low, although not impossible. If I was fishing or hunting in Alaska, where the probability is much higher, I'd be carrying a long gun. That's not really an option though, where you're trying to make miles and ounces become pounds, and every bit you bring means something else you have to do without. I figure my energy is better spent on avoidance than toting around artillery.

If I ever need to use a handgun on a bear, a lot of things have already gone very wrong. But I also never want to be in a position where I'm getting chewed on and wishing I brought a bigger gun. As such, I opted for the nastiest, hardest hitting round I could get in a reasonably small package. The Model 69 fills that role nicely (although I wouldn't mind a scandium-framed version to shave even more weight). It also makes a decent carry gun around town loaded with .44 Spcl, which is nice for the trip to and from the trail. This means that I don't have to carry a second gun, or worse, leave it in a car parked at a remote trailhead for days unattended, just waiting for some POS thief to come along and help himself.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...zly-bear-attack.html


Out looking for sheds, just a north of Yellowstone park.

The 460 is a huge frame pistol and in something reasonable like a 4 inch barrel the blast is magnificent

I’d go g20 with a 6 inch barrel for just a scosh of extra oomph and 15 rounds. Also can shoot 40sw for cheap

50AE Desert Eagle with the muzzle brake.

A non-intelligent no nothing about bears question....would a 5.7x28 armor piercing round not do the job? Small high velocity round and plenty of them in a 30rd mag with easy follow-up?

Curiosity makes me wonder and no I don't want to try it first hand.

Rich I've considered that as well however I think it is hard to find data on it while there are more big bore or 10mm shootings that I'm aware of. Admittedly I do not research it much but I have. Your closest thing would be finding someone who ran into a bear with a shorty AR running lower velocity ammo to get close to the ballistic match. Also punching a bear in the vitals is one thing but there are more than one example of a bear being dead on its feet and taking the shooter with them.

I had a 454 casull but changed after I was honest with myself about my abilities with the cannon. My G20 is a great gun, lighter so I'm more likely to actually carry it and there are bear loads for it though nothing is a guarantee. While not small the size lets me conceal it when I go into a store or around strangers. My 454 was not exactly a set of car keys. The light weight also plays in if I'm injured and the bear is already on me. Many accounts describe the bear (or cougar) hitting people so quick they are getting mauled before they could get an initial shot off. I also like the G20 because it is more suited to people which are my first concern in the woods.

All that said, I roll with bear spray and a G20. I also live in an area where we all get black bears on our cameras but you very rarely see one in person. Often, like most wildlife, they want to see you as much as you want to see them.

10mm in a Gunfighters Kenai, because I am more worried about cats and humans than bears in my part of the world.

I carry either a G40 or FK 7.5. As mentioned earlier, bullet choice is key and extreme penetrators or equivalent are essential to get through the fat to where is matters. Expanding bullets are not a good choice if bear is on the agenda.

quote:

Originally posted by Challer:
I carry either a G40 or FK 7.5. As mentioned earlier, bullet choice is key and extreme penetrators or equivalent are essential to get through the fat to where is matters. Expanding bullets are not a good choice if bear is on the agenda.

How do you like that 7.5? I've been curious. Always fun to see a gun with a 10mm conversion bbl.

I went to Yellowstone last year, and saw multiple black bears. None closer than 100 yards, and wasn’t too worried. I’ve seen them in the Smokies for years. I feel safe enough with my 9mm or 357 Sig Glock. But.. I saw a Grizzly in Yellowstone, at guessing 250-300 yard. Totally different story. They are massive! Definitely think I’d want the largest thing I could shoot well!