Polar bear defensive handgun

[Methow Packer]

I might be placing this in the wrong forum, but here we go.
I am going to Svalbard as a helicopter pilot for 5 months.
I am going to have a short shotgun with slugs in the cabin.
I am bringing a signal pistol.
I am looking for a handgun for backup.
I have a wide variety of glocks in 9mm.
I fire almost 10.000rds a year thru my glocks shooting IPSC.

I know the 9mm glock only has a limited penetrating and energy.
So I have been looking on a 4'' 44mag and a 5'' 454 casall.

Which one should i bring.
I never shoot revolvers, and i bet I can shoot 6 9mm shots in the same time i can shoot 2 454 casall.

what should I do?
buy a magnum revolver or stick to my all time favorite glock.

 

[Methow Packer]

I know several people up there that carry. Each one has a different thought. Some like the 10MM auto for the 15 round capacity. Others think a short barrel 3-4 " revolver in .44 mag or more is better. The bigger the handgun the less likely you'll pack it. I for one as a horse packer carry a10mm auto or a 7 shot 357Mag. Both are similar in performance and energy, but not in grizzly country. If I'm in big bear country which I have been sometimes I pack a cross draw 3" 629 Smith that's magna ported with loads for deep penetration.Those things are 24 inches thick and need deep high energy to slow them down. Remember a handgun doesn't come close to the energy of a rifle.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I agree completey with everything you have said. We have only personally tested this bullet in deer ( complete pass through) and ground. Weight retention has been amazing and very little deformation. We picked this bullet based on its reputation and the tests we have read about and heard about in our research. Bear tooth bullets used to make the bullet that double tap uses but now DT makes their own ( still same bullet from what I understand). they just make it their self. Bear tooth is out of dover Idaho and I have spent a lot of time talking with the owner (his name is Marshall -very nice guy) he told me a lot of guys have reported back after shooting 600 lb hogs with excellent penetration results. Wish I had more first hand experience on game. Hopefully more to come! I love the big revolvers and we only started the 10mm project after I chronographed my 3" 44 mag. By the time it became comfortable to carry I lost to much velocity ( in my opinion). My conclusion was this. If i was OK with carrying a long barreled revolver, it would be the way to go, but if I was going to choose between a short barreled revolver, I would go with the 10. These things are amazingly accurate to a long ways out! Again, don't have a ton of results yet but from what we have seen/ read/ heard we are very impressed so far. On a side note, have you made it to any of the shoots near Spokane that Caleb puts on? Let me know if you can make one and I will bring the 10.

Where are there 600# hogs at?

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I might be placing this in the wrong forum, but here we go.
I am going to Svalbard as a helicopter pilot for 5 months.
I am going to have a short shotgun with slugs in the cabin.
I am bringing a signal pistol.
I am looking for a handgun for backup.
I have a wide variety of glocks in 9mm.
I fire almost 10.000rds a year thru my glocks shooting IPSC.

I know the 9mm glock only has a limited penetrating and energy.
So I have been looking on a 4'' 44mag and a 5'' 454 casall.

Which one should i bring.
I never shoot revolvers, and i bet I can shoot 6 9mm shots in the same time i can shoot 2 454 casall.

what should I do?
buy a magnum revolver or stick to my all time favorite glock.

I'm from Texas and aside from seeing a stuffed polar bear at cabelas I have zero experience with them.....

But having a capable cartridge in a platform that you are extremely experienced with vs a revolver seems like a better idea...

I'd go with a 10mm glock if I were you. Plus having the potential for having 3x the capacity of any large frame revolver seals the deal.

 

[dgr416]

I lived in alaska 12 years and my best life insurance i ever bought was 2 454 ruger super redhawks with 7.5 inch barrels .Its basiclly a 45-70 power in a pistol .I would ise 300 grain hard cast bullets .I didnt trust bear spray ply you couldbt take it on bush planes I used a top flsp banilear hoster from uncle mikes hooked to a spongy rifle sling to tote it .I took it fishing and bird hunting too.I fully trusted those pistols I saw pistols lock up from sand and silt my holster protected mine no problems .Those riugers hold up very well tol not a single rust problem .

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Jill and I were at a RMEF Banquet last night and they had a Raffel for "Fire & Ice" it was a Flame Thrower and a Kooler.
Not sure what the Brand of the Flame Thrower was (I should have kept the Raffle info) but I think that this was the one:

Pulsefire® LRT - Exothermic Technologies

The patented Pulsefire LRT is the ultimate compact, lightweight, handheld flamethrower that sends a blast of fire 25 feet away with the press of a button!

exothermic.tech

I asked what you would use it for and was told "ANYTHING".
Would be good to stop a BEAR!

 

[Arken7mm]

Many reporting that the 44 mag 340gr +P+ hard cast from Buffalobore and Underwood are great big game performers. On another forum, someone posted how they tested the 44 mag 340gr +P+ on a 1,800lb water buffalo and the bullet penetrated straight through. It is very similar to the 454 Casull 360gr hard cast in performance with less recoil and less chances of crimp jump.

 

[Kodiak Special]

I might be placing this in the wrong forum, but here we go.
I am going to Svalbard as a helicopter pilot for 5 months.
I am going to have a short shotgun with slugs in the cabin.
I am bringing a signal pistol.
I am looking for a handgun for backup.
I have a wide variety of glocks in 9mm.
I fire almost 10.000rds a year thru my glocks shooting IPSC.

I know the 9mm glock only has a limited penetrating and energy.
So I have been looking on a 4'' 44mag and a 5'' 454 casall.

Which one should i bring.
I never shoot revolvers, and i bet I can shoot 6 9mm shots in the same time i can shoot 2 454 casall.

what should I do?
buy a magnum revolver or stick to my all time favorite glock.

This is a popular topic. I'd be inclined to say go with what you know, but this one is a little different. These bears can come up suddenly. The magnum revolver is a game-stopper, but you need to be used to it. It's heavy. It is not sleek.

A good go-between is the K9 from Kimber in a magnum, but that is limited to 357. I know a lot of folks who use those in the back country, they handle well and are nondescript. Just a thought.

 

[Kodiak Special]

Many reporting that the 44 mag 340gr +P+ hard cast from Buffalobore and Underwood are great big game performers. On another forum, someone posted how they tested the 44 mag 340gr +P+ on a 1,800lb water buffalo and the bullet penetrated straight through. It is very similar to the 454 Casull 360gr hard cast in performance with less recoil and less chances of crimp jump.

I use this exact round, it does have a potent kick. Not bad though, I can shoot 2 boxes at the range with no issues. It also has just under 1600 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle.

 

[fta0303]

I lived in alaska 12 years and my best life insurance i ever bought was 2 454 ruger super redhawks with 7.5 inch barrels .Its basiclly a 45-70 power in a pistol .I would ise 300 grain hard cast bullets .I didnt trust bear spray ply you couldbt take it on bush planes I used a top flsp banilear hoster from uncle mikes hooked to a spongy rifle sling to tote it .I took it fishing and bird hunting too.I fully trusted those pistols I saw pistols lock up from sand and silt my holster protected mine no problems .Those riugers hold up very well tol not a single rust problem .

I think bear spray is for gamblers. A DA revolver in a suitable caliber is good. Got to practice with it, DA. Also, I think it's pretty cold on Svalbard - would be good to research gun oils or greases for extreme cold weather performance. I've heard of ordianry gun oils freezing up when it gets cold....

 

[CA48]

A light film of White lithium grease in liquid form out of an aerosol can, marvel mystery oil, ATF transmission fluid, penn synthetic reel oil, G-96, artic brake fluid, FP-10, terta gun lube.
These are good to -65degrees


0w20 mobil 1 synthetic, and Mobil subzero fluid would probaly be good options also

 

[Arken7mm]

A light film of White lithium grease in liquid form out of an aerosol can, marvel mystery oil, ATF transmission fluid, penn synthetic reel oil, G-96, artic brake fluid, FP-10, terta gun lube.
These are good to -65degrees


0w20 mobil 1 synthetic, and Mobil subzero fluid would probaly be good options also

Cherry Balmz created a special product for -65 below temps called Winter Balm. It's a specific grease...

https://www.cherrybalmz.com/product-page/winter-balm