Need 44mag bear load

[cinch]

So, my dad drew his 4th Wyoming moose tag this year. And of course it is in the heart of grizzly country. I was hoping some of you might have a good bullet/load that might have a better chance of shutting down a p.o.ed bear. I tried talking the wife into getting me a 460. After she got done laughing at me she said no. So, anyone that has a good bear load, thanks for the help!! Pistol is a Smithers 629, 8 3/8.

[wayneborngesser]

Googled ".44mag bear load" and got this:

Handgunning Magazine - How to Hunt Black Bear - Bear Loads
Should be a good start.
Wayne

[jwp475]

Originally Posted by cinch

So, my dad drew his 4th Wyoming moose tag this year. And of course it is in the heart of grizzly country. I was hoping some of you might have a good bullet/load that might have a better chance of shutting down a p.o.ed bear. I tried talking the wife into getting me a 460. After she got done laughing at me she said no. So, anyone that has a good bear load, thanks for the help!! Pistol is a Smithers 629, 8 3/8.

Do you want to reload the Bear load or Factory ammo.

About any quality 300 grain Wide Flat Point Hard Cast gets my vote loaded to about 1150 or 1200 FPS. I do not advocate loading the S&W M-29 as hot as the Rugers..

[Winchester 69]

Phil Shoemaker wrote an article for Rifle magazine a few years back addressing the issue of handguns for defense against bears. The bottom line was to back off from the bear, exiting it's space. If the bear pursued, he used a .357M, because that is what he carries, to fire into the ground in front of the bear to discourage its advance.

Essentially, if you're hunting moose in Grizzly country, go moose hunting with a bear rifle. A handgun ain't gonna cut it.

[grpolarbear]

A heavy hardcast bullet as fast as you can safely push it,300/320 gr.Look at Buffalo Bore,s stuff.

[jwp475]

Originally Posted by Winchester 69

Phil Shoemaker wrote an article for Rifle magazine a few years back addressing the issue of handguns for defense against bears. The bottom line was to back off from the bear, exiting it's space. If the bear pursued, he used a .357M, because that is what he carries, to fire into the ground in front of the bear to discourage its advance.

Essentially, if you're hunting moose in Grizzly country, go moose hunting with a bear rifle. A handgun ain't gonna cut it.

I dissagree with you and Phil on this and I have spoken to Phil about this. A proper load and bullet in a handgun can be very effective. When I lived in Alaska in the 80s I knew of several that sved thier selves with a handgun.

Just try and get a rifle into action from your sleeping back in a Dome Tent if a bear decides to come in..




The Bear in the left of the picture came in while I was working on a Moose kill and the 475 revolver flattened him with one shot. The Moose on the left was also taken with one shot from the 475..





The rest of the hunters on this trip

[Iron Worker]

I don't know the link but it was written by a guide that has seen ( Claimed) Numerous kills and hits on Black Bears by various hand guns. He says the problem with cast bullets is they will go clean through a Bear with out the shock value. So he stated and provided evidence that a heavy Jacketed bullet is preferred because the rapid expansion also produces great shock waves though out the Bears body. So load up some 300 gr Hornady XTP bullets or if you don't reloads order some factory stuff Hornady loads it factory stuff with those bullets.I love loading cast bullets in my 44mag and 45 long Colt they're some heavy hitters but they're also quite hard they don't expand much even when shooting through trees. I've shot my 44 mag through 10" pine trees and collect the bullet that was stopped in the dirt hill side a couple feet away and it went from a Kieth style bullet to a round noise and that's it no change in diameter it just plowed its way through the tree.Shoot a same weight jacketed bullet through same tree and it was stopped meaning all its energy what expended in the poor tree.