Bear gun

Soccerdude

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If you were spending alot of time in grizz country hiking, fishing, camping, etc. Would you prefer a 10mm or something different? I currently use a .357 with heavy solid bullets. Don't want to start a fire storm but looking for opinions.
 
Every time this comes up all I can think is 12 gauge. Although I doubt I could win a quick draw contest with one or a big heavy handgun like a 44. We just have no idea the encounter one might have. If we need to draw fast without time to think then its whatever you can handle fastest and hit your mark? Idk but I think the 357 would be bear minimum. Ha Ha
Bear minimum would be a great post starter!
 
I pack a .41 magnum with solid lead bullets. I have seen guys carry a 12 gauge with slugs. I have also seen guys with a 45-70 with the trapper (short)barrel. When I am hunting, I just have my hunting rifle with the scope turned down to the lowest power. I wouldn't use a .357 unless you can find an old .357 maximum.
just sayin...mh
 
The only advantage to the10mm is more shots. I've never been attacked by a bear, but from what they say you're lucky to get 1 shot off . so spraying lead for 5 minutes isn't what it's about.


Keeping in mind any carry handgun is a joke compared to a hunting rifle I'd want at least a 41 mag if not bigger.















Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I use a 357 with 180 hard casts but something to consider is a mossberg 590 shockwave. Here's a pic of 5 shots of OO buck ini fairly rapid succession at a full 25 yards. At 15 yards I can keep it all in the red. Only 25 inches long and can be packed in a small back scabbard.
6466620190406173850.jpg
 
After having a small grizzly run in to 19 yards from me opening day last year in Montana, I switched up to a 10mm and hardcast.

I won't say what I was packing at the time, but when I racked the slide to jack one in he slammed on the brakes. Looked up at me just as I poked my head out from behind a big pine and bolted faster than any animal I've ever seen when he saw me taking aim.

I'll suggest practicing your draw from how ever you carry, might be worth the effort if the real deal ever happened to you. I know I'll be at the range with my gear all loaded to make sure I can actually get it done when it counts again.

Last year I heard him coming and had time to act when I saw him. If he'd been sneaking in on me, I'd have had no chance. Luckily my buddy and I had each others back and one of us would have been able to get him off the other if push came to shove.

95537125bearcountrycomfort.jpg


Cheers, Pete
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-08-19 AT 09:37AM (MST)[p]All good calibers but the 10mm is far to small. The reason I say this is few years ago a guide pumped his whole 10mm clip into a griz and the hunter had to jump in with his 7mag to put it down. the 10mm didn't phase it. I know some guys will jump in defense mode cause this think the 10mm is the greatest thing since slice bread but for me personally hell no


But really comes down to want you what. I get the 10mm is nice and light. With my luck in panic mode my clip would fall out thus is why I like a double action revolver.

With this being said I know a camp wrangler that shot a griz with a 12 gauge. Cant remember what size load. So they took his gun and gave him a .22. The outfitter was pissed so getting the .22 was a punishment. Next day he got charged y a griz and 1 shot from that .22 dropped the griz dead. True story. I called BS on it and I had to ask the game warden for myself. The guy got charged 10 grand for the first bear and nothing for the second.
 
Bear Spray being better than a gun is fake news. The study you are referencing includes gunshots that did not hit the target, and people carrying guns that didn't use them.

I am not totally against bear spray, but there are instances where it didn't work also. Nothing wrong with carrying a gun. The bigger the better, but it has to be carried, and when handguns get too big, they get left in the truck. In that case, carry bear spray.

Bill
 
I carry a glock 10mm personally. 44 mags, 454?s, 460s, and 500?s are considered ?bear medicine? but it comes down to what you shoot the most accurately and what you can shoot the best under rushed and uncomfortable situations. For me it's the 10mm. Doesn?t do a man much good to carry a hand cannon on his chest he can't hit chit with.
 
Just saw another Grizzly attack in my news feed. Ennis, Montana....17 yr old survived using spray. Lucky kid!
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-09-19 AT 03:05PM (MST)[p]I'm sure you'll have heard the story about bells and pepper spray in the bear crap.
I would use that short barrel 12 with double 00 followed up with slugs hoping that the double 00 would as least blind him some what.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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LAST EDITED ON Apr-10-19 AT 03:18AM (MST)[p]>Bear Spray being better than a
>gun is fake news. The
>study you are referencing includes
>gunshots that did not hit
>the target, and people carrying
>guns that didn't use them.
>
>
>I am not totally against bear
>spray, but there are instances
>where it didn't work also.
>Nothing wrong with carrying a
>gun. The bigger the better,
>but it has to be
>carried, and when handguns get
>too big, they get left
>in the truck. In that
>case, carry bear spray.
>
>Bill

So if you can be 100% sure you can make a killing shot under pressure of being mauled to death and make sure you weren't too surprised to use it, a gun is better. Thanks for proving my point.

Not saying I don't carry a gun, but I know I can spray pepper better than lead.

The reason you don't see guns in bear poop is because they don't taste as good as bear bells.
 
More important is to know how to and practice operating whatever defense you choose be it a pistol, shot gun, rifle and/or pepper spray.

The grizzly bear who killed the guide last fall was due in part because the hunter didn't know how to operate the guides 10 MM glock. In the fog of war, the hunter pushed the mag release button thinking it was a safety release but which in actualtity unloaded the pistol leaving the man unarmed and defenseless.

Had the hunter taken a few minutes at the beginning of the hunt to learn, handle and shoot the 10 MM. That would have given the hunter valuable experience to fall back on in the heat of the moment to give him a fighting chance.
 
The simplicity and safety of a double action revolver reduces the chance of messing something up under stress or everyday carry. Just aim and pull the trigger. Probably a 4" 629 is about the best compromise of weight, size and power for a last ditch against a big predator. I remember Elmer Keith talking about how useless a semi auto with a lost magazine is.
 
What would have been better is if the guide had had the 10mm on his person with a round chambered. And the client should have been ready with his spray as well. As in it was on his person and ready.

Whatever you carry have it ON YOU. Even, and especially, when doing stuff like cutting up an elk. I sure wish that the guide had been able to respond with 16 rounds of 10mm or maybe even been able to get the spray into action earlier.

I don't know how the 17 year old kid was carrying his bear spray, but it must of been fairly handy, since he was able to get it into play while being attacked.
 

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