Bear protection handguns?

[jeffreyjwilliams]

Hello
Next season I plan to hunt deer in Arkansas. I am told that from time to time bears pass through the lease. With this in mind, what is a good, dependable handgun (that won't break the bank) to carry for protection? I hear that the Glock 20 (10 mm) is a solid choice. Any other guns to consider?

 

[Cowboyblaster]

Black bear country i go for 44mag revolver gbear and browns 50 s&w

 

[hunter67wa]

xdm in 10mm. 220 hardcast lead

 

[dogz]

G20, Buffalo Bore ammo and a Kenai chest holster

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Model 29 S&W 44 Mag 6" MagnaPort with Deer/Bear loads.

 

[Trooper1]

You're in Arkansas, so no need to worry about Grizzlies or Coastal Brown Bears. If you're not going to hunt with it, why carry a big heavy 44 or 50 cal? DOGZ said it best with a Glock 20 and the Kenai holster. But the 10mm auto is no slouch either. Ballistics close to a .41 magnum. The Glock 20 is more compact, has more rounds, and is dependable. There is a reason they are so widely used by law enforcement agencies. I personally like Sigs. The P220 in 10mm is nice, but it is larger and holds a few less rounds. If protection is what you're after - buy the Glock and become proficient by practicing with it. It will accomplish everything you want. Not to mention the least expensive of the bunch.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

Black bears are not close to their counterparts Grizzly or Brown bears, and are much easier to kill. I took a 6 1/2' boar with a. 357 Mag and 158gn round nose Speer bullet over 20 years ago. I've also taken one with a. 243 Winchester. It has been my experience that boar bears bluff charge you then turn and run but if you get between a sow and cub, your butt will pucker just as she begins biting the daylights out of you. It happened to a buddy of mine so fast one time when we were elk hunting that the other two of us couldn't get a shot before she was gone with her cub. He was packing a S&W Model 29 and never got his hand on it. I believe bear spray today is the best thing to carry. If nothing else, you can spray it on yourself to make you less tasty!

 

[Guy M]

Gone Ballistic - just laughing at the thought of spraying myself to make me less tasty... Thanks for the chuckle.

JeffreyJWilliams - what are you using to hunt deer? Most deer rifles are fine for black bear as well.

Regards, Guy

 

[codyadams]

A glock 20 would be fine, even a glock 22 .40 cal with a good bullet would work pretty much as good, especially when considering there are only black bears. If you want to carry a .44, the Taurus Tracker 44 is what I carry in Wyoming where I am likely to run into grizz, it is a 5 shot revolver on the smaller frame so not as much bulk as your standard .44, and a nice 4" barrel makes it easy to draw quickly. 290 grain hard cast at 1250, pretty stout load, though the ports help.

 

[FEENIX]

Hello
Next season I plan to hunt deer in Arkansas. I am told that from time to time bears pass through the lease. With this in mind, what is a good, dependable handgun (that won't break the bank) to carry for protection? I hear that the Glock 20 (10 mm) is a solid choice. Any other guns to consider?

Yes, they are an excellent choice. I transitioned from .44 Mag to 10 MM (Glock 40). I shoot both of them very well, but I like my odds with 15+1 over 6.

 

[ButterBean]

15 rds of 10mm for me

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Nothing drops a black bear like the 45-70. Carry one gun and hunt deer and protect yourself from bears. I've hunted a lot of black bears. I have never seen an aggressive black bear unless she had cubs and detected a threat. Black bears are far more likely to stay away from you then anything else. IMO anyway.

 

[dusty218]

I carry a Glock 21 in a keni chest holster under may bino pack. I was after a 10mm but if you can't get the job done with 12 rounds of 45 acp+p you may loose anyways. I carry for Grizzly Bears blacks are normally not much of a threat

 

[dogz]

While black bears tend to be less aggressive than G bears they certainly can and will take after you. For years I've studied bruins and have many years seen/watched 40 plus of them. As well I've guided a fair number of spot and stalk hunters on rifle hunts for them.

Twice I've had them come after me (after they'd been hit and we were following them up). The first one came at me in a creek bottom from 9' away, when our eye's met he came fast. I put his lights out with one round from my clients 25/06 with a shot under the chin. After that one I started carrying when guiding. The second time the bear came at me from 15'. He didn't come near as fast as the first one but he came with a definate intent. I took him out with one round under the chin from my 22/250.

Now in both cases the bruins had been shot and had the right to be po'd. In most all, note I said most all the bruins not going to want anything to do with you. But, when they do come with intent to do harm they come fast and can do a lot of damage really quickly!

To my point, I strongly feel that a fight with a bruin isn't a 13 or 15 shot affair. It's about being calm and cool and putting a well placed round into the CNS. You want that bear down right now! It's almost always going to be a one or two shot affair.

Black bears dont' come to attack very often but when they do they come to kill. Here in Montana we yearly have people beat up or killed by G bears. It's a rare thing that it happens and they prove for sure that it was from a blackie.