which side arm?

[grpolarbear]

Sounds like you have made the right decision. Put Elmer Keith into your search engine.His wisdom and expertise is the reason we have the .44 magnum today.The man is legendary.The ideas he expressed 40 years ago have been proven by time to be as near to the truth as a mortal man can come.He knew how to wring every bit of effectiveness out of a portable handgun. God Bless Elmer,I hope to shake his handle some day in Gods heaven.

 

[Sully2]

S&W 686 SST in a shoulder holster.

 

[WyoElk2Hunt]

S&W 460 in Wyoming for big bears along with Pepper Spray. Wyo just started letting you carry a pistol oin Bow season because of so many bear attatcks.
Also have a S&W 44 Mag but elected to move up. I even carry the pistol in rifle season. I also like a wheel gun for less chance of malfunction.

 

[ATH]

Resurrected thread, huh?

In Indiana where the worst I have to fear is bumping into a meth cooking operation, I carry a G23 (40SW) loaded with self-defense ammo.

In Montana grizzly country I did that for a year when I had no other option...then picked up a titanium 41Mag that I load with 250gr hardcasts pumped to the max. We do a lot of backpack hunting so weight was really an issue. Didn't hunt griz country this year but next time I do will add bear spray to the arsenal.

A bowhunter was killed in Idaho this year by a griz....the news got to me while I was in a remote area so I never did hear if the guy or his buddy had a backup gun, I'm assuming not since I heard that the partner killed the bear with his bow.

I figure any handgun is better than my fingernails vs a griz, but I'd hate for that to be my primary option.

 

[sp6x6]

I have grown up hunting Mt, NW LOTS OF G bears. I pack a 4'' tit. 44 mag. I shot on a state champ pistol team, so I favor mag over bear spray... I spray bullets

 

[kc0pph]

Have not got a chance to read this yet but i am a .357 mag guy. My 586 is the gun of choice for me. My father was telling me about this he found today and unfortunately i can not get on the site from work. So it will have to wait til tomorrow. He summed it up saying the 125 gn cast bullet is the best to stop animals if i remember right.

Here is a link to it


Handgun Stopping Power: A Dialogue

 

[winmag]

I carry a Taurus Tracker in 44 mag. It's a 5 shot double action in stainless with a 4 inch barrel. It's fairly light so I don't feel I should ever leave it behind. It's also ported so it's not to hard on your hands.
For bear protection the 40's or 45's do NOT have enough whop. You need a 44 mag and up. This pretty much leaves out the auto's unless you try a big desert eagle but then you won't want to carry that.
For stricktly bear protection the 500 s&w would be the ultimate if you felt you could shoot it effectivley in a crisis situation but it's very heavy. If I could pick any one handgun for bow hunting it would be the titanium s&w in 44 mag, ultralight and tons of knock down power.

STRANGE, I put two Winchester DPX hollow points out of my XD .40 all the way thru a bear this year. One completely demolished the skull. Maybe I should've chose one with more "whopp" so I could get the job done.......
Everyone has an opinion, but I can guarantee you my lil' auto XD .40 is plenty of medicine on blackbear.
Don't get me wrong, I love wheel guns too, & if I were hunting bear I'd take my .44Blackhawk, but for a backup gun I find them too bulky as all my wheel guns have long barrels.

 

[FEENIX]

I carry a Taurus Tracker in 44 mag. It's a 5 shot double action in stainless with a 4 inch barrel.

I carry the same pistol except blued with .250gr partition gold JHP along with a can of bear spray.

 

[Lyons7STW]

Titanium 44 mag in the mountains... 6"nickel 357 mag for hogs here at home.
Glock 45 every day all day for seven years... works wonders on ****ed off pit bull dogs!

 

[ATH]

Just heard friend of friend's story of a grizzly bear attack. Apparently a .357 was enough to save their life.

 

[Speedo]

Just heard friend of friend's story of a grizzly bear attack. Apparently a .357 was enough to save their life.

I've heard a report of a griz killed with a .22 lr, bear had it's mouth open and the .22 went in through the roof of the bear's mouth an into the brain. I wouldn't even think to tell anyone to carry a .22 because a grizzly was killed with one.

I wouldn't carry a pistol after a bear as a first choice but I do carry a Ruger Super Redhawk .454 with a barrel cut to 5" loaded with Cor-Bon 300 gr. flat nose when I don't have a rifle with me.

Gus

 

[cavtrooper94]

I carry a Glock 23 and trust it for any situation except for the bears you mentioned. When Bears are a possibility I carry my S&W 329 PD 44 Mag. Good bullets in the 40 cal will handle almost anything else I can think of. Living in Alaska I've seen plenty of situations where someone carried their favorite 45 ACP into bear country and have it no work out so well. The last one I remember was an XD in 45 ACP. The bear was turned after 13 or 14 rounds and then went miles before dying. Good bullets in a 44 mag or 454 that you will carry all day is just the ticket. The 460 and 500 S&W are nice for handgun hunting but too heavy and produce too much recoil for valid self defense.

 

[Pons]

Depends on how much weight & bulk I feel like carrying, & where I'll be hunting. Usually, the G27 fits the bill, sometimes I'll step up to the G20 (10mm) for some more power. If I really don't mind hauling or just want the power, I'll carry a Ruger .44 mag.

 

[ishootkittens]

ANY highpowered ruger revolver. Those things are built to take punishment and kill. That is all I need out of a side arm.