Polar bear defensive handgun

I didnt read all of the replies so if i repeat something that has been said I apologize. the 9mm...or anything that glock chambers do NOT make the list for handgun calibers I would use for bear defense. 44 mag with 300 grain hard cast bullets are cheap to shoot and thump prett hard and you can get it in a wide variety of revolvers so you can go as big or as small as you with. next up is the 454 casull lots of power and pretty good selection of guns. go heavy on bullets. then you get your S&W X frame revolvers which are awesome but heavy. In my experience a heavy gun get packed less than a light one in day to day use (however I dont expect polar bears in rural wyoming) the 460 and 500 both would put about any bear in its place quickly. Personally the mountain lite S&W 44mag would get a LOT of consideration. if weight is a non issue I have had a lot of fun with the 460 S&W keep this in mind. you will likely wish you had more gun but probably never wish you had less gun. especially when something wants to eat you
 
My grizzly gun in Wyoming is a Smith and Wesson 460 and the Polar Bears are bigger.
 

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lamiglas said:
This is just my opinion. Glock model 20 sf 10mm with a lone wolf longslide upper 6 inch barrel. Using 200 grain beartooth or double tap flat wide nose hard cast. When you go to a short barrel in a revolver you are losing a ton of velocity and energy. With our 10mm loads we are exceeding 44 mag energy with a 3 inch barrel. Confirmed through chronograph. With a 6 inch 44mag same load we are equaling energy with our 10mm. I'm not saying you can't get a hotter 44 load either. I had lone wolf build this for me last year and love it. I had them open the leads in the chamber to accept these bullets for dependability. Goggle what fish and game uses for polar bear country sidearm in Alaska? no I'm not saying this is the best choice for everybody But this is what I would take. With a plus 2 mag ext. I have 18 rounds with close to 900 lbs energy.
Click to expand...


+1 For the Glock! I also chose the Glock model 20 sf 10mm for my brown bear hunts for the above same reason! I have shot a lot of combat pistols and you just can't beat the reliability of the Glock auto in those types of conditions. The revolvers are nice, but low round count.
Just my 2 cents.
 
Just another thought. When I think of a defensive weapon I think of two main things; familiarity with the weapon and the ability to make the shot. If you are shooting 10,000 rds a year competitively with your glocks its pretty safe to say that both of those aspects should be covered.

Now there isn't much that would stand up to a hit from a big bore revolver, but then again, you have to hit it....and the 10mm with a heavy bullet can pack a punch.

I personally would feel more comfortable and confident with a weapon that I have spent countless hours behind than that of one that I was unfamiliar with. Theres a big difference in form, function and recoil of a magnum revolver compared to the familiar glock.

Either way, Stay Safe up there.


j3564wost
 
I run a Ruger super redhawk alskan in 44mag, I'm in Alaska worried more of brownies than polar bears. I've shot several different loads through mine everything from 240 gr sp to the buffalo bore +p+340gr hard cast that are my personal choice for a defensive gun in the bush. I've only staired down moose so far and not been worried about a bigger gun. A heavy 44 load is near the top of most people's pain threshold and ability to make accurate follow up shot(s). 454 although impressive in numbers is not so impressive in the follow up shot capability for me anyways I've shot handguns my entire life. A lot of the wkend warriors here carry 10mm if you are atv riding or snow machining with the chance of filling you gun with mud and crap then a 10mm glock is hard to beat. You will be in a helicopter most of the time so weight shouldn't be much of a concern, nor mud the diamond d holsters are high quality and will probably out last you. I've always been a fan of 44mag and heavyoads even for deer back home, 44 mag Ruger redhawk in a short or even 4" barrel and some real loads will be more than enough to keep you safe. Getting a bullet to penetrate the central nervous system is the key to stopping a charge dead in it's tracks, usually that means a brain shot. I've seen studies of bears being killed by hunters that had 357, and 9mm bullets just under the hide. Shoot one in the face with a lesser caliber may very well stop his forward progress but if I'm shooting one in a defensive situation I want all the help I can get. Get a Ruger super redhawk thwyre make to take the heavy loads unlike some other brands. Do some checking on hsm and buffalo bores websites on which brand is safe to use their heavy loads in and you'll quickly see which gun you'd rather carry.
 
I have been carrying a Taurus Raging Bull 454 in Grizzly country for over 15 years. I currently load it with 300 grain nosler partitions moving at around 1650 fps. This would be like comparing a 300 rum to a 30/30 when comparing to a 10 mm. The 454 imparts a massive wound channel with the right bullet with deep penetration. The Taurus is ported and follow up shots are not an issue. It is true that only having 5 rounds in the cylinder isn't the greatest feeling in the event there is more than one bear. When talking 44 magnums, the only guns built stout enough to use the really hot loads are single action like the Super Blackhawk and Freedom arms. Smith and wessons are not approved for use with hot loads in 44 mag.

I talked to a guy a few years back that got charged by a grizz while on a sheep hunt in WY. He hit the bear with 7 rounds of 00 buck as the bear was running at him across a creek and the bear dropped at his feet. Polar bears can be twice the size of most grizzlies.
 
OK , I went thru all the replies. I've had to hide behind a handgun in close up bear problems a couple dozen or more times. Had to use my Redhawk to turn one once. 320 gr Cast Performance 20 gr 296 . 5 1/2" barrel. I hit the bear twice and it still had plenty of steam. Finished that fight with my rifle.
The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are stronger than the S Blackhawks. I've packed 9 s 40 s 357 s 44s 45 Colts 454 Casul and the 480 Ruger in bear country. 480 SRH is my favorite of all the revolvers with the 454 a close 2 nd.
However!!!!!!!! I now pack a Glock 20 shooting220 gr Buffalo Bore hard cast TC at 1200 fps. My barrel and 20 lb spring and stainless guide rod are somewhere between Lone Wolf and here but the OEM Glock barrel works. At least 15 shots that I can hit well and fast with. Better and faster than I can a revolver. . Hits are what count. I wear the Glock all day every day for a multitude of uses. Like cow moose with calves in the yard if need be. Actually a more real danger here than bear are. . Lots of issues go into a bear protection firearm.
Its easy for me to say no one is properly armed with anything shy of a 416 or 458 . But the reality is that anything is better than nothing. And even a Glock 22 180 gr @980 fps will probably keep you from getting eaten.

My experienced advice is for this particular person is a Glock 20. After market stock length barrel to shoot hard cast bullets.
 
Cold Trigger Finger said:
OK , I went thru all the replies. I've had to hide behind a handgun in close up bear problems a couple dozen or more times. Had to use my Redhawk to turn one once. 320 gr Cast Performance 20 gr 296 . 5 1/2" barrel. I hit the bear twice and it still had plenty of steam. Finished that fight with my rifle.
The Redhawk and Super Redhawk are stronger than the S Blackhawks. I've packed 9 s 40 s 357 s 44s 45 Colts 454 Casul and the 480 Ruger in bear country. 480 SRH is my favorite of all the revolvers with the 454 a close 2 nd.
However!!!!!!!! I now pack a Glock 20 shooting220 gr Buffalo Bore hard cast TC at 1200 fps. My barrel and 20 lb spring and stainless guide rod are somewhere between Lone Wolf and here but the OEM Glock barrel works. At least 15 shots that I can hit well and fast with. Better and faster than I can a revolver. . Hits are what count. I wear the Glock all day every day for a multitude of uses. Like cow moose with calves in the yard if need be. Actually a more real danger here than bear are. . Lots of issues go into a bear protection firearm.
Its easy for me to say no one is properly armed with anything shy of a 416 or 458 . But the reality is that anything is better than nothing. And even a Glock 22 180 gr @980 fps will probably keep you from getting eaten.

My experienced advice is for this particular person is a Glock 20. After market stock length barrel to shoot hard cast bullets.
Click to expand...

I went with a Gen 4 G20 and 220 Grain Hard cast Underwood Ammo for this very purpose. It's the hits that count and the more you get on target the better off you are. I'm using the OEM barrel for now. It works fine with Hard Cast.
 
I was getting a lot of leading with the Buffalo Bore 220 cast. I got the Lone Wolf barrel yesterday. It works good. But I'm still getting some leading. I think it needs gas checks. .
But. Leading or not. It works well!
 

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