Bear Defense

[Takem406]

Thinking it's time for a side arm for grizzlies while elk hunting.
I'm a Glock fan boy, not going to lie. I use for my my carry gun daily, my night stand gun and the wife's gun. With the new 40 MOS model in 10mm, would that be a viable option with HOT cast loads? I don't like the idea of hiking around with a huge revolver with a ton of recoil. I've shot 44s and a 460, and I can handle it. However I've put thousands of rounds through a Glock and feel more comfortable with it. That would probably allow for more than one shot before I get mauled. LOL
I'm seeing more articles from respected writers on the subject saying it's a good choice.

For scouting this summer I'd probably get a 450 Marlin in a Browning BLR, but that's not an option for hunting. Also I'd like to shoot a cat this winter with a pistol.

Mace is good, I know the studies, but I haven't bought a gun in a few weeks lol!

I guess it's really all speculation, really even a 44 is under powered for a piffed off bear.

Thanks boys

 

[lazylabs]

The new glock is my exact plan. I am not sure that even a 500 will stop a close charge. If it comes down to firing a pistol at a charging bear luck will probably play a bigger role than actual knockdown power.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Will you be hunting Elk with a rifle or bow?

 

[Rick Richard]

Purchased a 44 Super Redhawk this year for that exact purpose....grizzlies in Wyoming. Maybe should have waited for the new Glock 10 MM, but too late now.

 

[FEENIX]

When bow hunting and scouting, I carry my .44 Mag and a bear spray. When I'm hiking or camping, I have my Karelian Bear Dog with me.

I think this would make a very good bear defense >>> The Baddest Pistol Yet: The Double Barreled Colt 1911 .45 |

 

[Takem406]

I'd bow and rifle hunting. And also camping and scouting.
I just bought the 9mm MOS, what a shooter! I used to hate Glocks but then I went and bought one... Now I'm one of them supporters. There's better guns yes, but for what they are they are great!

 

[RevJim]

I tested two loads from a G29 ( with a Lone Wolf factory length bbl) on two dead hogs. these hogs had just been shot, weighed right at 300# each, so they had big heads. First one was the DT 220 GCHC, complete penetration into the ground beyond, unrecoverable. The other was a Buffalo Bore +P 155 XP, completely shattered the skull inside, found sticking out of opposite side! This was out of the G29 length barrel. Put it in a G20, with a high cap magazine, you will be good to go! No, its not a 41 mag, but with the heavy cast, it may as well be! Another one is I get a solid 950fps from my G30 with the Buffalo Bore 230gr FMJFN +P with the factory barrel. That one really surprised me, going that fast from such a short barrel.

 

[Takem406]

Yeah my buddy suggested the 41, it's a lot hotter than the 10. I just think a large 10 with an RMR or even XS Big Dots a good shooter could get a lot of hits before you get eaten. That 40 MOS has a 6" barrel right?

 

[Rick Richard]

Yes, 6 inch barrel

 

[Takem406]

That would add a lot more thump!

 

[FEENIX]

Thinking it's time for a side arm for grizzlies while elk hunting.
I'm a Glock fan boy, not going to lie. I use for my my carry gun daily, my night stand gun and the wife's gun. With the new 40 MOS model in 10mm, would that be a viable option with HOT cast loads? I don't like the idea of hiking around with a huge revolver with a ton of recoil. I've shot 44s and a 460, and I can handle it. However I've put thousands of rounds through a Glock and feel more comfortable with it. That would probably allow for more than one shot before I get mauled. LOL
I'm seeing more articles from respected writers on the subject saying it's a good choice.

For scouting this summer I'd probably get a 450 Marlin in a Browning BLR, but that's not an option for hunting. Also I'd like to shoot a cat this winter with a pistol.

Mace is good, I know the studies, but I haven't bought a gun in a few weeks lol!

I guess it's really all speculation, really even a 44 is under powered for a piffed off bear.

Thanks boys

Just in case you didn't see this >>> http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f61/bear-spray-vs-bullets-149875/

 

[jmden]

A max of 9.5g of Longshot has you at 1287fps with 180g bullet at 662 ft. lbs. of energy. Longshot also gave the most energy in the Hodgdon online reloading with a 200g bullet at 1175ish fps and about 613 ft. lbs. of energy. I carry a .40 and have a hopped up bear load shooting a 180g XTP well over 1200fps (cases are fine and don't plan to reload these cases and I shoot very few of these particular rounds) under 8.2g Longshot (I think Hodgdon max is 7.5g), so I'm sure you could hop up that 9.5g load a bit, carefully.

Living where you do, though, I still think I'd carry bear spray and a bigger gun. Just me. I just went round and round with this debate, studied the thread above that Feenix mentioned and ended up getting DE in .50 AE. 7+1 (plenty of shootable power, and more available rounds than typical big revolvers) and my current bear load for it has nearly 1600 ft. lbs. of energy and I'm shooting with good accuracy and no brake on the 6" barrel with a 300g Hornady XTP-MAG (notice the 'MAG' designation--this particular bullet is designed with a particularly heavy jacket to help withstand the faster and very powerful (too powerful?) .50 SW, so it will make a big hole and penetrate quite deep in a .50 AE--from the research I could find it was the best bear defense bullet to fit the chambering and weapon that I had--had all the conversations with various techs at various companies about the design of their bullets for this application--even other companies recomended the XTP-MAG!). A little heavy gun to pack, but it spends most of it's time on my backpack hipbelt in a Blade Tech Level II duty paddle holster with thumb strap retention. I usually pack a 13 pound LR rig in the same spot, so a nearly 5lb pistol is barely noticed and with the paddle holster, it comes right off the pack and onto my pants when need be.

Big fan of having the non-lethal bear spray option close at hand too, but if being charged, I think the pistol would be put in action first.

 

[Takem406]

Oh yeah, mace is has been proven time and time again! I like your idea of having both!
I thought about the Desert Eagle. My problem with that pistol is the fat grip doesn't fit my small hands.

Maybe a big revolver would be the way to go in the long run?

 

[Deleted member 46119]

More than likely, I will never be in that situation but

1911 with 165 COP (Copper Only Projectiles) loaded to the max. In California, when hunting, even your self defense arm has to be loaded with lead free bullets.