Question for you pistol guys

If she is comfortable with her present revolver I would move to the same type in a 41 mag, they are a more reliable stopper than a 357 in my experience without more felt recoil, while I have not shot a bear with one I have put down sick animals with one and they work.
 
Bayou City Boy said:
Depending on the circumstance and the kind of bear, even with a 44 Magnum revolver, you might want to shoot the bear 5 times and then yourself once... If you still can....

I always enjoy reading your post...Sometimes a 44 mag isn't big enough.
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Originally Posted By: warpig602.....15 rounds of 357 Sig trumps 6 rounds of 44 mag IMHO.

I would agree in most cases.... However, if an upset bear is closing on you at normal "bear speed", someone might find your carcass next to a pistol with ~10 rounds still in the mag..

The bottom line is, if you are in dangerous bear country, any hand gun is not going to be a great comfort. You'll need it and a lot of luck to come out on top. A heavy caliber rifle or a 12 gauge with slugs is a lot better choice if dangerous bear encounters are expected.

-BCB
 
I shoot the 357 sig too and it is known for a barrier penetrator and has the same power as a 357 magnum within the 125 grain bullet range, and you need atleast 180 grain hardcast bullet in the 357 magnum but I wouldn't want to use my 357 sig in bear country knowing my life might come to an end because I couldn't upgrade to the proper caliber. 357 magnum would be my smallest caliber I'd take because a 400 pound blackie can soak up a lot of lead. Sometimes 6 more powerful ammo rounds beats a big magizine half empty because the bear was to fast to let you goe off more than 1-2 rounds. Depending on size the 357 mag could be too small.
 
If it were my Mom I'd go buy her a .44 mag she can practice with the specials and pack the full house loads while out and about. It has enough energy and is in a revolver which is fairly fool proof. A semi auto that jams can turn the tide in a hurry unless one has trained for such an event. I'd also buy her a bell as avoidance is an even better solution.
 
If you read about the bells on the shoes from the people who survived those attacks they are a lot of mixed emotions about those bells it was suppose to scare a bear away when they hear you but several attacks had been confirmed and said bears get use to hearing people and the bells and associate it together and its like ringing the dinner bell. I learned alot of the bear survival from a man who raises Kodiac bears and there has been a lot of mixed report on sprays and bells getting mixed reviews and sometimes it works and sometimes it don't but a good 357 mag or 44 mag would work reguardless. Don't want to make all this out to be a bear thing but it is the biggest animal on your list and you should take a caliber for bear protection.
 
I have used the bells and carried "Bear Repellant" hiking the backcountry of Yellowstone, I can tell you the bells work. Usually when people get into trouble, is when they come up on a bear that didn't know they were there. The bells let them hear you. There no Kodiaks in Colorado, I doubt you would have an easy time finding a Grizzly there, I know that there some there. More often than not Black Bears can be chased off with loud noise, I have had to do that in the Boundary Waters. Just pray it isn't a sow with cubs. Black Bears aren't real brave, and would rather avoid you. Usually when they attack, they are cornered or cubs are involved. I would be more afraid of Mountain Lions.
 
Actually, even in Alaska, there are more people attacked by black bears than by grizlies. True, this reflects the fact that there are a lot more black bears out there. Black bears are not more dangerous, there are just a lot more of them and you are much more likely to meet them.

Jack
 
I am going to vote for a 44 magnum. I like the 4 inch Ruger Redhawk. Granted it is heavy there is no getting around that but it will soak up even the heaviest of loads. A nice practice load is a 180 or 240 grain lasercast swc loaded with Unique. Very accurate.
 
I have a S & W 686 (7 shot 5" barrel .38/.357) and really like it. It is a very nice shooter on the range but have never used it on animals - I use it with one hand and am in the ball park at 25 yards. It fits nicely into the right holster, easy to load, clean, and maintain. I recently bought a S/W MP9 and am learning something about semi auto pistols. The recoil is much more difficult to control (i.e. accuracy) as it jumps much more than the .38 spec (practice). I think two-handed is pretty much necessary. The spring in the magazine is very stiff so it is much more difficult to load than the revolver. I guess one can get a speed loader to get around this - but more money. Pistols do not seem as easy to clean/maintain as a revolver but then I'm more of a revolver person anyway.
 
I'll second the opinion on being a lot more worried about a cougar. They are sneaky SOB's and you dont hear them coming. You can here a black bear coming a long ways off...

And it is true there are far more black bear attacks and killings, but thats just because there are 10x more of them and your more likely to run into them. I"m still not to worried about blackies, cougars are what really scare me...
 
I think a 44 mag is too much for the subject of the OP question. It isnt "what would you carry" its "what should this person carry" a small almost 60 year old women I would think would have a hard time controlling a 44 mag. A the old saying goes...a hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .45.
 
Originally Posted By: tntrapperthe 40 is nothing but a 9mm with a litter bigger bullet. the .357sig is a 9mm but going faster.. id go with a 45

By your logic, a 45 is nothing more than a bigger .40 traveling slower. You should read about transferred energy as well as temporary and permannet wound cavities before dismissing the greatly underrated .357 Sig round.
 
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warpig...your right about being a big caliber for a woman near 60. I guess if it was my wife I'd rather her carry a lighter handgun one she will keep with her than a big 357 or 44 she will leave at home but if she has no problems with shooting it and packing it it would be at least a 357 mag. I use to have the 357 sig and loved it and very accurate and also out penetrates a lot of caliber bigger than it and if its all I had I'd have to take it because it will stop cougars and wolves and the bear thing though, I guess we will read about it when it happens...who knows maybe a bear has been killed with one but the muscle and mass of a bear in your face has a lot more variables than shooting on the range. They run over 30mph and breaking the shoulder will drop it in its tracks and sometimes bullet velocity is too fast and can richocet off there skull and that is where heavy bullets will penetrate. Its still better to take a smaller caliber than no caliber.
 
I found this on The North American Bear Center web site.

Quote:Spray more effective than guns against bears: study

Guns were effective only 67 per cent of the time because shooting accurately during a grizzly charge is difficult, and it takes an average of four hits to kill a charging grizzly bear.

Most of the incidents involved grizzlies. The remainder involved black bears and polar bears.

The research dealt with concerns that wind can interfere with accuracy and can blow the spray back on the user. In 71 incidents studied, wind interfered with accuracy 5 times, caused minor irritation to the user 10 times, and caused near incapacitation twice. The spray was used at an average distance of 12 feet.

There were no reports of the spray malfunctioning unless one considers 11 additional incidents where it was applied to objects like tents. When used in that way, the spray attracts bears to roll in it.

Smith et al. concluded that bear spray is an effective alternative to lethal force.

Reference

Smith, T. S., S. Herrero, T. D. DeBruyn, and J. M. Wilder. 2008. Efficacy of bear deterrent spray in Alaska. J. Wildl. Manage. 72(3): 640-645.


Sounds like pepper spray is the best thing to carry.

North American Bear Center
 
Having been in a few incidents where other officers got excited during a physical situation... Pepper spray can disable the user, sometimes more than the intended target...
Quote:There were no reports of the spray malfunctioning unless one considers 11 additional incidents where it was applied to objects like tents. When used in that way, the spray attracts bears to roll in it.
Consider if you sprayed at a bear, the wind blew it on you, and the bear tends to like the smell and wants to roll in it...Where does that leave you.... provided he has forgotten that he's mad at you to begin with, and wants to eat you......

I've heard of guys dying of asphyxiation due to an overweight female sitting on their chest....I think a bear may be heavier...
 
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