357 vs 44

I have shot both. I purchased a 357 a few years ago and after starting to reload for it I realized with hot 158 grain loads its not that pleasent to shoot. I/ve always disliked shooting the 44 mag for more than 10-20 rounds at a time. My opinion is to get the 357mag. Load some 38 special rounds for it and get comfortable shooting with it then when you pack with it load up some heavier 357 rounds. I shot a blackbear with mine a couple of years ago. It took all six rounds because I could not hit him in the vitals. It was a black bear in a dark thicket of brush and after hitting him with the initial shot I could not tell which way he was standing I could just tell that he was there. The final shot went completely throught the chest and put him down quick.
 
I prefer the 480 Ruger and a hot loaded 45 Colt to the 44 mag..........

Bottom line, use the biggest SOB you can shoot comfortably with a hard cast bullet......
 
I have a Ruger GP100 357 w/4" barrel, also a Ruger SRH Alaskan 454.
Of the two, I prefer the 454. Although it does not allow one with quick follow up shots, the 2 1/2 inch barrel makes for easy carry and has a good swing to it. It IS a devastating round! But not an out of body experience when firing it. I can do almost 20 rounds with no gloves LOL! But since both my wheel guns shoot within an 8 inch diameter target at 25 feet. I'll take the 454. You never get a second chance to make a first impression in an emergency.
But as you stated, you want to be prepared for any threats.
Just my after taxes 2 cents worth!

Sincerely,
8
 
Have you ever thought about carrying a small lever action ( trapper model ) in 44 mag , it's lite , and it's not as hard to be accurate with follow up shots . I carry it with me if I'm going into areas where I think there might be bears and I carry a 22 mag revolver for ever thing else . Big hand guns are great but they take a lot of practice in order to get used to them .
 
Thanks guys. I have a 38 special that I am pretty accurate with, meaning I would feel comfortable using it in just about any situation. I also have a HK USP 40 S&W that I am comfortable with also. The 41 mag that a few of you guys were talking about, is that the same as a 41-70? My boss has that gun and it is nice, and not that bad to shoot. The only thing is he said he can only find one ammo for it, I believe it is Remington wadcutters. I don't reload, so I guess I will just go shoot them both.
 
.357 mag is the answer for me. If you do go with the .44 mag I suggest building your way up from .44 specials. If you're super recoil sensitive you can use .38 specials in the .357 mag. I suggest you find some people who will let you shoot theirs, and you can go from there on deciding what you can and can't handle.
 
If your in brown bear country I'd go 44 mag but for anything else 357. I have a S&W mod 60 with a 3" barrel and when I'm in black bear country I load it with a max load of lil'gun and a 158 gr. XTP-FP. If I'm not in bear country a milder load with 125 gr sp.. I have a GP100 that I deer hunt with but it gets heavy for packing a round. The little mod 60 will fit in a pocket and I take it hiking, fishing and canoing. A big heavy gun is worthless if you leave it in camp. I had that happen on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters in MN. I walked back into the woods to take a dump and ran into a black bear checking out my camp site. He made a low growling noise and two things came to mind first don't run and second I sure wish I had not left my GP100 in the tent. Now I have the little mod 60 and it's always with me. The next time I ran into a black bear the mod 60 sure felt nice in my fishing vest.
 
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In the lower 48 90% of the time the 357 will do you fine, it can also be had in very small light packages. But then you have the 10% when that 38 cal is not enough. I have always subscribed to the have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it faction. And bigger is ALWAYS better.
I do not know what you are looking at as far as a hand gun I have owned 44 MAgs since the mid 70's I have also owned 45 ACP's 9mm's and 38/357's. In my opinion the 44 Mag SA revolver is the most practical. It is vurtually fool proof, safe and efficient. It can be loaded with very potent ammo from Cor Bon or some of the other semi custom supplyers down to the 44 Spl. a balistic twin to the old 44 WCF and very close to the 45 colt as far as stopping power.
For most uses the 44 is all you would need. I know that there are larger chamberings avalible but sheer weight and size as well as perceved recoil make them impractical.
I personally like the SA revolver from Ruger with a five and a half to six inch barrel. I have three two Vaquero Bisleys and a Super Blackhawk that I had the barrel shortened and custom grips and action work done on. The Bisleys are consecutive numbers I usually take the SBH out in the field because it is stainless, and i really love the way she feels.
I also have a Ruger sp 101 in 357 that used to be my back up gun before I retired. Before I realized I did not need a back up gun for my Glock 21Somer day I will get the ability to post pics of my toys instead of just bragging about them
 
I have carried a Colt Trooper 4" in .357 for years in the field. Loaded with 158g jhp I think is very adaptable. However the 44 sp with a 240 swc bullet is a lot better. I cut my 7.5 SBH to 4.5 to use with 44 sp. It has a lot less recoil than the 357 using a 158 vs 240 in the 44 sp.
Jim
 
Some pretty good insight in this thread. I only carry a 44 when not packing a rifle or when carrying my .22. Personally, I don't think it matters what kind of large caliber handgun you are carrying for bear. You maybe might get enough time for one shot and it better be good. Semi-auto, double action, single action, one shot is all you are going to get. Just my two bits.
 
Carry what you shoot well. But I'd take the 357 for an all around carry gun.

It's important to be able to fire all 6 rounds if need be in quick and accurate fashion.

I've never cared for the big caliber handguns, and their nasty recoil and muzzle blast.

The 357 can be nasty with certain loads too!!!! Read many articles over the years where the 125 gr jacket hollow point was the most favorite.

I carried a S&W model 19 for many years. It's a K frame and didn't care for the heavier magnum loads.

The L or N frame 357 in S&W will eat whatever you feed it.

The Rugers,Taurus models will handle the heavy loads too!!
 
I don't think any one gun is perfect for everybody with different skill levels. The big cats are not all that dangerous unless cornered by dogs. I have scared them away with as little as a fly rod. Black bears can be alot tougher and may not be stopped quick enough with a .357 revolver. As far as dope heads go, I would rather have a high capacity .357 SIG double action auto. I could handle most anything you mentioned with .44 Mag but I have been using them since 1965. If your looking for a defence gun and not a hunting gun, I would consider the DA Auto in .357 Sig or .40 S&W. If your willing to take the time and expence, learning to handle the 44 Mag revolver would be worthwhile.
 
I've spent a good deal of time in bear country (4 years in AK bush). During that time I carried a .357 or .45 acp with a 12 gauge as primary protection. I saw a pisssed of grizzly take 3 rds from an '06, 2rds 12 guage slugs, and 2rds .375 H&H to finish her. I now carry a 1911 with 230gr slugs everywhere I go. I can shoot it fast and accurate, which I am unable to do with the .44mag. It's not an 870 rem which is my primary bear defense, but it gets it done. A pistol really doesn't offer much protection from a grizzly bear, but it sure makes me feel better. I say a good 1911 will be a fine security blanket on many a dark, cold night that will protect you from any threat 2 legged or 4. I have owned many revovlers (4 .357mags, 3 .44mags, 2 .45colt) but have found a good 1911 auto to be superior to them all.
 
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