Bear protection handguns?

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

If I need protection I would go with "TROJAN" first.
Second an 18 1/4" 12 gauge Pump with slugs & 000 staggered.
3rd a Pistol that I can shoot accurately S&W Model 29 6" with 305 gr CBD (Choice Bear Defense Gas check)

 

[Mark37082]

If I'm hunting in grizzly country, my rifle would be my first choice in an aggressive bear encounter. If I'm fishing or hiking, the hand cannon gets the nod. Why else would I have my angry bear kit?

 

[ohlongarmisle]

What's a hand span?

This,

 

[HARPERC]

My biggest issue is I have a hand span of 10 3/8 so most grips are small and the web takes a beating unless I switch out to larger grips. Then big bores become manageable in my hands. I really don't mind shooting them at all. I have friend with Contender 45-70 that is most recoil I have shot but it was incredibly accurate! Little tough to carry and one shot.

I spent some time helping a young man his first handgun. First advice always is get something that fits your hand. Second something with a variety of power levels. Three cost effective practice ammo. Four practice. Five keep practicing until you wear it out. The New Colt Python with ammo from .38 Special to Buffalo Bore 180 hard cast is the end result.

If he was as big as @Muddyboots I'd have just got him a bat!

 

[HNDLDR]

I run a custom barreled 5" 500 S&W, one shot, to the brain, let the Glock guys worry about mag dumping and spray and pray, we can just worry about one shot to the brain and end it there.

Why do you assume the Glock guys are spraying and praying and mag dumping?

Isn't a bear with one 10mm through the brain just as dead as a bear with a 500 S&W through the brain?

I have a 10mm (not an Glock) and a double action 454 Casull. Would feel just as comfortable with either.

You get the shot right you win, you don't, might not be your day.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Why do you assume the Glock guys are spraying and praying and mag dumping?

Isn't a bear with one 10mm through the brain just as dead as a bear with a 500 S&W through the brain?

I have a 10mm (not an Glock) and a double action 454 Casull. Would feel just as comfortable with either.

You get the shot right you win, you don't, might not be your day.

Amen brother.

 

[wilkup]

I run a custom barreled 5" 500 S&W, one shot, to the brain, let the Glock guys worry about mag dumping and spray and pray, we can just worry about one shot to the brain and end it there.

Brother, you must be one hell of a shot with that 500

 

[HNDLDR]

There's an infinite number of scenarios that could play out in a bear attack.
I can think of multiple scenarios that would make the high power rifle, shotgun, big bore revolver, or stout semi auto the better choice.

I've never experienced a bear attack and I hope I never do. I feel that any fire arm is better than none at all. If it happens I just hope it turns out better then having my soiled corpse hosed off with a garden hose at the coroner's office.

The subject sure stirs up a lot of sh** on the internet though!

 

[memtb]

Brother, you must be one hell of a shot with that 500

Ya don't shoot them at 50 yards…..ya shoot them at very near "point blank" range. Pretty hard to miss at 5 to 10 feet! And you better not miss……or someone else will be telling "your" story! memtb

 

[HNDLDR]

Ya don't shoot them at 50 yards…..ya shoot them at very near "point blank" range. Pretty hard to miss at 5 to 10 feet! And you better not miss……or someone else will be telling "your" story! memtb

I hear ya on that. I would speculate that the head is moving up and down pretty fast as that bear is charging towards you. If the moment of truth ever comes I just hope it's as easy as you say it is.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Hey, just because there are full power loads doesn't mean you need to use them.

Even comparing a generic reduced recoil load in the 500 S&W to the hottest load for the 44 mag.

Buffalo bore 440gr at 1325fps for a little over 1650 lb/ft in the 500 S&W
Buffalo bore 340gr +p+ load that is 1425fps and 1533 lb/ft in the 44 mag.

You can't even shoot that 44 mag load in all guns because of the pressure.

Which means you'd have to deal with more recoil and a +p+ load to even get close to the reduced loads for your 500 S&W, and the 44 mag only gets worse from there, while you still have all kinds of room to play with the 500 S&W and do better.


You've got options, don't ditch her yet, and generally speaking the 500 also has several great heavy high sectional density bullet choices, most others do not. And I don't think there is another at all with bullets that hit that 300+ sectional density area.

So don't handicap yourself if you don't need to, if you don't load, you might contact TII Armory or Aria Ballistics to see what they can do for reduced loads, one thing you can do is get 500 JRH or 500 S&W Short loads, they are reduced loads that work in the 500 S&W mag.
Matt's Ammunition does some reduced recoil loads, Buffalo Bore has that slower 440gr but they also have 500 JRH/500 S&W Short.
**Just note, some have reduced loads that are severely reduced, like 800-900fps, I wouldn't go that low. Though the 700gr at 900fps is actually still throwing 1259 lb/ft, and the 600gr at 1000fps is 1332 lb/ft and would be very easy to manage, like let your child shoot it easy.

See what companies like that can do for reduced recoil loads for you, perhaps try something in the 500gr area at 1250fps or so

I run a custom barreled 5" 500 S&W, one shot, to the brain, let the Glock guys worry about mag dumping and spray and pray, we can just worry about one shot to the brain and end it there.

I use Hornday 350gr, H110 43.5grs, LRP, Velocity 1997fps, FPE 3100. Or Barnes 325gr, 44.4gr, H110, LRP, Velocity 2101fps, FPE 3186, best load. Its a handful. It's a 2 hander to shoot. These loads were chrongraph. Note the Larger Rifle Primers. Talk to Hornday people about this. I had read about a great many years ago on using Larger Primers in the 500 S & W. They felt people were having problems from the recoil and triggering off a 2nd round and hitting themselve in the head with the revolver, and causing damage to there head. The primer has to be hit harder to go off. I kind of felt that it may have nocked some sence into them. It does raise the revoler up in the air each time it fired.

 

[HARPERC]

Pretty hard to miss at 5 to 10 feet! And you better not miss……or someone else will be telling "your" story! memtb

Lots of misses in that range. Always has been.

 

[wilkup]

Ya don't shoot them at 50 yards…..ya shoot them at very near "point blank" range. Pretty hard to miss at 5 to 10 feet! And you better not miss……or someone else will be telling "your" story! mem

Roger that. Personally speaking, as someone not having ice running through their veins, I'd prefer to have as many opportunities to hit that bobbling softball size target headed my direction at 30mph+ as possible and I'd absolutely want to start pulling the trigger long before those teeth and claws were only 10' feet away

 

[memtb]

I hear ya on that. I would speculate that the head is moving up and down pretty fast as that bear is charging towards you. If the moment of truth ever comes I just hope it's as easy as you say it is.

Not saying easy, but long shots are likely wasted shots. If one can maintain their composure….a good hit at under 10 feet is a lot easier than a shot at 10 + yards.

Also, when you shot a bear, it must be justified by the investigating officers. It matters not what you see as justifiable! memtb