Polar bear defensive handgun
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As much as I hate glocks, (just personal preference), go with the Glock 10mm. that is what you shoot and are comfortable with.
7-10 rds of 10mm on target are better and 4 misses out of a big revolver!
Loaded with 10 rds of Buffalo Bore or other top end loads you will do much better than a gun you are not familiar with or comfortable with.
Look at the Simply Rugged holsters with the Chesty Puller chest straps. Made in Alaska anyway.
7-10 rds of 10mm on target are better and 4 misses out of a big revolver!
Loaded with 10 rds of Buffalo Bore or other top end loads you will do much better than a gun you are not familiar with or comfortable with.
Look at the Simply Rugged holsters with the Chesty Puller chest straps. Made in Alaska anyway.
I cant understand the pistol/revolver back up idea for a rifle/shotgun BUT????
I spent 19 years in the Alaska National Guard. Chunk of that was on the Bering Sea.
I was XO of a Eskimo NG Company on St. Lawrence Island and CO of a company out of Shishmarif, that included the villages of Whales, Little Dimede, Brevig Mission, & Teller.
Shishmarif is the polar bear capital of Alaska.
They of course are illegal to hunt unless you are native. They hunt the bears with what ever they happen to have. Mainly 223, 308 & '06 (because they can get the ammo from the Ng).
Polar Bears, unlike Brown, grizzly and Blacks aren't know for cabin raiders.
If you have to deal with them a rifle is best followed by a shotgun. But polar bear/human encounters are rare unless you are hunting them.
I did see one killed on the airstrip at Gambell in the early 80s with a 220 swift, but mostly they are killed when seen by hunters.
I've tried the meat, its nasty, the liver will kill you.
Anyway, pistols arnt my choice for bear protection, although when I worked for the Anchorage Police Dept we often got calls to stand by school bus stops because of bears hanging around. All I carried was a Model 28 Smith.
I only shot one little black bear, but it was with a 44 Mag. I wasn't impressed.
I spent 19 years in the Alaska National Guard. Chunk of that was on the Bering Sea.
I was XO of a Eskimo NG Company on St. Lawrence Island and CO of a company out of Shishmarif, that included the villages of Whales, Little Dimede, Brevig Mission, & Teller.
Shishmarif is the polar bear capital of Alaska.
They of course are illegal to hunt unless you are native. They hunt the bears with what ever they happen to have. Mainly 223, 308 & '06 (because they can get the ammo from the Ng).
Polar Bears, unlike Brown, grizzly and Blacks aren't know for cabin raiders.
If you have to deal with them a rifle is best followed by a shotgun. But polar bear/human encounters are rare unless you are hunting them.
I did see one killed on the airstrip at Gambell in the early 80s with a 220 swift, but mostly they are killed when seen by hunters.
I've tried the meat, its nasty, the liver will kill you.
Anyway, pistols arnt my choice for bear protection, although when I worked for the Anchorage Police Dept we often got calls to stand by school bus stops because of bears hanging around. All I carried was a Model 28 Smith.
I only shot one little black bear, but it was with a 44 Mag. I wasn't impressed.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
I wasn't impressed using a 44 on brown bear either. BUT!!!!! I didn't get mauled!! So, the handgun did its job. . Obviously no one with their head on straight would prefer a handgun to a 458 or 416 if it was flat out kill or be killed. But most bear problems aren't like that. Bears usually leave when shot and as a last resort that is a pistol doing what its supposed to.
Agreed. I witnessed a man dispatching a small black bear with a 9mm and determined that pistols are miserable defense against bears, especially big ones. However, when you're backpacking or bow hunting, they're vastly superior to bows and backpacks. Bear spray is probably better in most situations.
However, as previously suggested, a revolver being limited to 6 rounds doesn't leave much for misses. The Glock 20 holds 15 in the magazine and provides a lot of opportunity to miss most of the time and still connect with a revolver full of ammo.
However, as previously suggested, a revolver being limited to 6 rounds doesn't leave much for misses. The Glock 20 holds 15 in the magazine and provides a lot of opportunity to miss most of the time and still connect with a revolver full of ammo.
I was at a local shop this weekend and looked pretty carefully at the 460 S/W, I think with a 10 inch barrel. Even unloaded, it is a pretty heavy gun to tote around, although it was balanced well enough to hold 1 handed and the shop owner (has the same gun) said the muzzle brake is very effective.
One of the interesting conversations we had was his prior experience with black bear. They move fast enough that he was not so sure that he could actually draw (from a chest holster) and fire it fast enough, even with the practice he does, so he now carries a smaller caliber in a conventional holster.
It almost seems like a short pump slug gun or lever action rifle in these larger bore calibers might be more effective from an ease of carrying / handling perspective.
I will admit that my age is starting to show, but I just could not imagine actually carrying that revolver around all day even in a chest holster.
One of the interesting conversations we had was his prior experience with black bear. They move fast enough that he was not so sure that he could actually draw (from a chest holster) and fire it fast enough, even with the practice he does, so he now carries a smaller caliber in a conventional holster.
It almost seems like a short pump slug gun or lever action rifle in these larger bore calibers might be more effective from an ease of carrying / handling perspective.
I will admit that my age is starting to show, but I just could not imagine actually carrying that revolver around all day even in a chest holster.
FearNoWind
Well-Known Member
Desert Eagle .50 ...... Polar Bears ain't nothing to fool with.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
A guy I knew packed a DE 50. I shot it some. I was not impressed. But it was easy shooting. Reliability was so so. Not what you want in a bear encounter. I packed a Ruger Bisley Cowboy in 44 mag for quite a while. Loaded with 320 gr Cast Performance with 20 gr of H110. Problem was I couldn't hit very well with it. And hits are what count.
The new Ruger Toklat 454 or 5 1/2" SRH in 480 Ruger are very good options. Either would be very good. I prefer the 480 with 400+ gr bullets @1150+ fps. But the 454 is very close.
I pack a Glock 20 now and consider myself well armed. As you noted Harry, hand cannons are just that. Cannons. Not the kind of thing you can safely and accurately whip out and get good hits with. Especially 1 handed.
The new Ruger Toklat 454 or 5 1/2" SRH in 480 Ruger are very good options. Either would be very good. I prefer the 480 with 400+ gr bullets @1150+ fps. But the 454 is very close.
I pack a Glock 20 now and consider myself well armed. As you noted Harry, hand cannons are just that. Cannons. Not the kind of thing you can safely and accurately whip out and get good hits with. Especially 1 handed.
I'm thinking that some of you guys don't understand how fast an attack happens. If you got off one or two shots, you'd be lucky. So having 6 or 20 isn't going to make a big difference, but how much stopping power that one round has when it hits its target, will. I'd rather have one 300+ grain bullet out of my .44 mag than one 9mm round, reach its target. I want bone crunching kinetic energy, to impact with that massive predator.
Truth be told, you're better off with spray followed up by a lead chaser if necessary.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
It happens all sorts of ways, but I get your point, whatever you choose you want it in your hand when it starts, and you want to be familiar with whatever you pick.
I don't know anything about bear spray, but I see it's priced about $40 a pop-is any body buying a practice can or 2? I've bought other sprays for around the house over time, and have had occasion they did not work as advertised.
Making sure you're not allergic if it drifts your way would be good to know. How it works in all kinds of weather. I just saw a backpacker article saying to keep it under your coat in cold weather? The distinction of this thread being about polar bear may change completely whether the spray can be deployed at all!
A downside to everything, but your point about not overestimating what you choose to cover your behind is valid.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
One big problem I've noted with many people in bear defense threads is the time thing. And I've been both flat out charged and rushed by over a dozen different brown bear. . Anyone that thinks bear spray is a better choice than a proper firearm is mistaken. Or they have some strange reason they don't want bears killed. .
Before the internet, killin bears wasn't very hard.
Before the internet, killin bears wasn't very hard.
I've no issue with killing bears that are attacking me. Even ones that aren't (have a bear tag in my pocket as we speak).
Spray covers more area like a shotgun blast. If it works to "deter" the bear that's attacking long enough that I can get my wits about me, I'm all for it. Would I rather shoot it and stop it permanently? Ayup!
However, one more thing some of us have to consider is - is it a grizzly? If so, if it isn't fully dedicated to the attack and you shoot it, legally you're screwed. And that sucks, to say the least. You better take damage from that critter, or one of your hunting buddies better. If not, you better have some way to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was going to harm you. F&G don't accept that you felt threatened. They want proof. Bear spray provides enough deterrent to hopefully stop the charge and or attack, and give you time to get your wits back.
I've never been attacked or even charged. I've had grizzly and black bear in my yard though, but I am certainly no expert. Those of you that have shot bears to stop attacks, have you ever tried spray? Or are you just of the opinion it won't do the job because...?
I've seen charging bear stopped by spray. I've also seen charging bear stopped by lead. I like both, again for the reasons I stated above.
Spray covers more area like a shotgun blast. If it works to "deter" the bear that's attacking long enough that I can get my wits about me, I'm all for it. Would I rather shoot it and stop it permanently? Ayup!
However, one more thing some of us have to consider is - is it a grizzly? If so, if it isn't fully dedicated to the attack and you shoot it, legally you're screwed. And that sucks, to say the least. You better take damage from that critter, or one of your hunting buddies better. If not, you better have some way to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was going to harm you. F&G don't accept that you felt threatened. They want proof. Bear spray provides enough deterrent to hopefully stop the charge and or attack, and give you time to get your wits back.
I've never been attacked or even charged. I've had grizzly and black bear in my yard though, but I am certainly no expert. Those of you that have shot bears to stop attacks, have you ever tried spray? Or are you just of the opinion it won't do the job because...?
I've seen charging bear stopped by spray. I've also seen charging bear stopped by lead. I like both, again for the reasons I stated above.
