Bear Protection - .454 Casull factory ammo recs?

Just ordered a Super Redhawk Alaskan for a chest rig for hiking/hunting. Am not set up to reload .454 and do not plan on shooting the gun 'for fun' a few boxes every so often to stay proficient at the draw is all.

What are folks liking for factory hard cast ammo? Something mid 300 grain or so. Hoping to stay over 1100fps out of the 2.5" bbl.

Some good stories from the 365gr Garrett Ammo.

I've been using Hornady 300 grain XTP magnum bullets. I reload, but my loads are identical to the Hornady factory loads. I've shot two elk in the past few years with this load and it was very effective.

You've shot two elk with a 2.5" 454? I'd like to hear more about how they went down, follow up shots etc...

I am actually looking at this exact gun vs. the 4" xframe 500 for defense myself, I live in bear and wolf country, now it's black bear, but I can't help think that this small 454 has got to have recoil that would rival a braked/comp'ed 500 that's also 11.6oz heavier.

I don't reload either, interested in how this thread plays out, I'd love to hear about how manageable or not this 454 is at the range. With full loads.

While I'm using 400's in my 460....my recent research shows that a wide metplat, 360 grainer, is likely the best way to go! Heavy cast is certainly the best way to go for big and/or potentially dangerous animals. memtb

I ended up with a box of HSM 325gr hard cast, their..."bear load". I haven't shot the S&W .500 in years, so I cant compare, but initial thoughts are recoil isn't terrible. Will get more into some drills later this month to see if keeping a quick 3 shot string or so on paper is doable. Will also report back with some velocities out of the 2.5.

Planning to get a box of Buffalo Bore 360gr as well, just haven't found any local and the extra $30 for shipping 1 box seems excessive.

Overall though, I'm comfortable shooting it, I'm 5'10 about 175 soaking wet and it doesn't give me too much trouble. I moved my G19 over to the wife's nightstand and I keep the .454 in mine...sheetrock be damned.

I'm shooting a 7.5" Freedom Arms with a Vortex Viper reflex sight. 3 moa dot. I've got two elk in the last 3 years and a bunch of turkeys and marmots. Furthest marmot this year was 212 yards. I shot a record book black bear several years with a 325 grain hard cast from a .44 mag. Hit him twice at the point of the right shoulder as he faced me. Found both bullets in the hide at the back of the left hind quarter. Those bullets went through about 5' of bear on the diagonal.

I have the Alaskan 454 short barrel . I bought the 454 Buffalo Bore 360 grain hard cast for it. Despite all the hype you read , the gun is controllable and not bad to shoot. Practice.
It's also nice to that the gun will shoot 45 Colt rounds for practice/plinking.
The chest rig is a great way to go.
I used to pack the long barreled 44 Mag Redhawk or 45 Colt BlackHawk but the draw is WAY slower.
And when I'm out in the mountains the gun is ON me at all times. Ready.

Another vote for the Buffalo Bore 360 grain! memtb

Buffalo Bore and HSM are hard to beat.
360 Buffalo Bore is a little faster off the line than the 320 HSM, but either one would be an excellent bear load.

COBrad said:

I've been using Hornady 300 grain XTP magnum bullets. I reload, but my loads are identical to the Hornady factory loads. I've shot two elk in the past few years with this load and it was very effective.

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The xtp is a good killer..... I use them in the .45 auto and they stone deer.....
My friend use to shoot them in muzzleloader sabots and always recovered perfect mushrooms from elk. We cant use them in the muzzload now (rule change)and he sure gripes.

500 S&W 4" Barrel. 375 gr Barnes XPB. Dead Bear

Vandy321 said:

moved my G19 over to the wife's nightstand and I keep

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Holy crap....youll all be damned when ya torch that off in the house at jack the ripper. I remember my friend letting the raging bull bark near me and the concusion by the truck was intense. Pretty impressive power in the big pistols.