50 Cals for Hunting Dangerous Game? Real World Experience? Bullets/Loads?

Handgun is for when bear Is on top of you or rifle is out of ammo. Easier to find your pistol when it has not been knocked out of your hand in a charge. Rifle is first defense, pistol is to fight your way back to your rifle. Have rifle ready when able but have a backup in your pistol. Example. Field dressing Your game Have rifle close but wear pistol. Every situation is different! Expect the unexpected, planning for the worst hoping for the best.
 
belldar said:
Handgun is for when bear Is on top of you or rifle is out of ammo. Easier to find your pistol when it has not been knocked out of your hand in a charge. Rifle is first defense, pistol is to fight your way back to your rifle. Have rifle ready when able but have a backup in your pistol. Example. Field dressing Your game Have rifle close but wear pistol. Every situation is different! Expect the unexpected, planning for the worst hoping for the best.
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Never bring a pistol to a gunfight.o_O
 
longestrange said:
Everything's on the table.
Either way, I have a general question:
When to switch to backup? If a bear is charging, and you've got some space, probably keep working the rifle bolt. At some point he's gonna be too close to have time for working the bolt or, worst case, closer than the end of the barrel.
At some point, pumping a whole lot of rounds into him in a hurry might at least slow the charge.
Any thoughts?
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Rule of thumb....NEVER HUNT DANGEROUS GAME ALONE... Between two of you...you have minimally Six shots...when you shoot and if the animal turns towards you..your partner fires second....then you...repeat! So ....if back up is needed inside of 60 yards...followed by strong prayer! You won't be able to see using a Scope as distance is closing to fast....and back up at this range is not for the faint of heart....we were all created...animals and us....FIGHT OR FLIGHT! JUST my humble opinion...have been here, done it and still here! First time it happened....I chose flight because I had a strong back up PERSON HOLDING MY .460 WEATHERBY...made more sense to dive out of the way! Make your first shots count....may you never have to experience it!
 
belldar said:
Handgun is for when bear Is on top of you or rifle is out of ammo. Easier to find your pistol when it has not been knocked out of your hand in a charge. Rifle is first defense, pistol is to fight your way back to your rifle. Have rifle ready when able but have a backup in your pistol. Example. Field dressing Your game Have rifle close but wear pistol. Every situation is different! Expect the unexpected, planning for the worst hoping for the best.
Click to expand...
Very well said!🤗
 
I usually read all the posts but don't post very much. Since I hunt in bear country, I carry a 44 mag Desert Eagle. I also own a 50 DE but I have found the 44 has such manageable recoil you can actually double tap with it. They really love hot loads. On the other hand, the 50 which weighs about the same, has significant muzzle flip which makes a followup shot a little slower. If you don't mind the weight my vote would be the 44. On occasion, I will carry my Ruger RedHawk with iron sights instead. I agree with the previous post about shooting both before you decide.
 
skipglo said:
Rule of thumb....NEVER HUNT DANGEROUS GAME ALONE... Between two of you...you have minimally Six shots...when you shoot and if the animal turns towards you..your partner fires second....then you...repeat! So ....if back up is needed inside of 60 yards...followed by strong prayer! You won't be able to see using a Scope as distance is closing to fast....and back up at this range is not for the faint of heart....we were all created...animals and us....FIGHT OR FLIGHT! JUST my humble opinion...have been here, done it and still here! First time it happened....I chose flight because I had a strong back up PERSON HOLDING MY .460 WEATHERBY...made more sense to dive out of the way! Make your first shots count....may you never have to experience it!
Click to expand...

Would you mind telling your DG encounter and the particulars? Sounds interesting
 
I wish I would have kept at least 1 loaded round from my S&W 460 to add to that pic, "Now that's a round" I sold the one I had because I want a performance centre one, and they are hard to come by at least lately they are.

Dean
 
skipglo said:
Very well said!🤗
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I have fortunately enough never found myself in a bear situation I needed to us my firearm but have been scary close. I did a research paper 20 years ago(feel old now) In college on bear attacks and learned a bit. Most attacks the attacked didn't have a warning or time to get a shot off or even draw their firearms. A lot of the killed or shot bears came after the bears attack either by another hunting partner or the attacked themselves. I decided I would best to have a handgun I could comfortably and consistently wield from on the ground or underneath the Bruin if my life depended on it. That rules out a Few of the bigger big bore handguns and the DE in my opinion. I like to carry my 454 and 480 but find myself carrying my Glock 20 10mm more and more. It has a magazine capacity of 14 and is still lighter than my big bores. Also more compact and the paddle holster I have it in is crazy fast to remove the pistol from. I can also take my pistol from my pack to my belt for when field dressing and always have it handy. This isn't gospel for pistol carry in dangerous game areas but through trials, practice and research I found this to be the Best option for me right now. two Trains of thought. Big heavy hitting Revolver or something you can be comfortable with and handle packing around so you always have it on you. Again I like both just choosing this method as of now. As I said above the pistol will be the last resort😉
 
I am going to echo JSHKS, shoot a few and make sure you can handle it and the follow up shot it might take for a bad first shot.
I would only use a handgun as a back up gun, never a primary. there are some really great .458", .416", .505" and .429" rifles in carbine that would do a wonderful job as primary. I like the 454 Casull, the 460 S&W, the 500 S&W, the linebaugh series are good. I like the freedom arms guns, also the S&W X-frames. IF you must; get a 45-70 hand cannon from Desert Eagle or one of the 6 revolvers manufacturers that make the big 6-guns. you can hand load 500+ grain hard lead "thumpers" in it at a slightly reduced loads for "comfort". Yes, I know a guy in Idaho that actually does this.. I refuse to shoot that BFR from Desert Eagle. John, friend from Idaho, states the 7.5" barrel is more comfortable to shoot than the 10" barrel. he has both.
 
belldar said:
Handgun is for when bear Is on top of you or rifle is out of ammo. Easier to find your pistol when it has not been knocked out of your hand in a charge. Rifle is first defense, pistol is to fight your way back to your rifle. Have rifle ready when able but have a backup in your pistol. Example. Field dressing Your game Have rifle close but wear pistol. Every situation is different! Expect the unexpected, planning for the worst hoping for the best.
Click to expand...
Getting bear in your rifle scope is a lot harder and slower than a pistol unless you are good at shooting your scoped rifle from the hip. I know.... No time for bear spray ? Pistol . Rifle is slowest to deploy unless you have an open 100 yard shot. Trust me.
 
I have the super red hawk alaskan in 480 and I love it. That being said if I'm going to more than a half mile from the truck I almost always bring the 10mm
 
400 grain, cast bullets @ 1400+ fps from my 460 S&W would make a pretty fare stopping cartridge.....provided the bullet is placed where needed. Most rifles would do no better with equal placement.....especially with the bullets that many prefer to hunt with these days. memtb
 

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