Like with the internet advisers, if they don't think ur cartridge choice is up to their minimum standards, they add save last round, what BS, take urself out. What do ya do if the bear spray was all ya brought, and it failed to stop the bear? Can't ya switch to the Benchmade if all else fails. Like those kids on the WY wrestling team, fought off bear attack with sticks and stones and made it out alive! Keep fightN.
S&W 460V trail gun
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You hope I'm accurate. I hope I get a round off. Not being funny because I think it's optimistic to believe a person even gets 1 round off in a bad scenario. A charging bear is a bad scenario to me. If 1 is all you get, I want it to be powerful.
Weight has always been my friend with firing pistols accurately. I'm over 6' and 240lbs. I'll carry this in a cross chest holster.
I'm sincere when I ask if you have a recommendation. I enjoy pistols and have a few to choose from caliber wise. In this case, I prefer a revolver with a 5" barrel.
memtb
Well-Known Member
Sir….you are one of the few that thinks that carrying a bandolier of ammo is "not" a necessity! I'm in your camp……be grateful if you can get one shot into the mix!
On ammo…..heavy, non expanding or controlled expansion are strongly suggested by me! And according to my mirror…..I'm a very reliable source of information!
memtbIt think it is important to remember that bear issues are relatively rare especially if you are taking all reasonable precautions. Packing a pistol is a last resort. The goal is to avoid the situation altogether. I suspect the odds are roughly 50/50 if you get to the point the pistol is drawn. The goal is avoid things escalating to that point.
The bears aren't interested in meeting humans 99% of the time. Stumbling between a mother and cubs, stumbing upon an active kill or surprising a bear are the main risks.
Hunting often conflicts with good bear practices. Making some noise dramatically reduces the risk for fishing and hiking.
If you are going to bait bears with improperly stored food and trash then that falls under natural selection.
I am only really nervous going back in for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th load of meat in the dark solo. If the meat has been hanging for 12-24hrs then the odds of bears being in the area are much higher. Will not hunt grizzly territory solo just because I can't get the meat out in a reasonable period of time.
The bears aren't interested in meeting humans 99% of the time. Stumbling between a mother and cubs, stumbing upon an active kill or surprising a bear are the main risks.
Hunting often conflicts with good bear practices. Making some noise dramatically reduces the risk for fishing and hiking.
If you are going to bait bears with improperly stored food and trash then that falls under natural selection.
I am only really nervous going back in for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th load of meat in the dark solo. If the meat has been hanging for 12-24hrs then the odds of bears being in the area are much higher. Will not hunt grizzly territory solo just because I can't get the meat out in a reasonable period of time.
TxHeartShot
Well-Known Member
One man's BS is another man's solid advice. If you've never been in a gunfight and suddenly you're in one with something extremely hard to hit with a pistol and pretty hard to kill, most of the outcomes are pretty gruesome.
The reality is that one will probably never be in a brown bear's crosshairs, but if so they would probably not be able to draw, aim and deliver a killing shot before getting gnawed on. All the internet gunslingers want to believe they could do it, but they just can't.
In 30 years I've seen two very mad grizzly sows turned away with bear spray in AK while fishing. That's 100% effective in my experience. In 32 years with the U.S. Marshals Service I've been trained and trained others in combat handgun use. I'm really, really good, but I don't even like my odds pulling a pistol on a charging bear in close quarters. I'd be able to put some lead in one but don't like the percentages of delivering the coup de grace. I really don't like the odds of the average wannabe pistolero in the same situation.
I carry bear spray for bears, I carry a Glock 23 for bad people...you carry what you want.
Sounds really good except,You save the last round for yourself, can't use that advice, that's right out of Clint Eastwood movie. Not sure if anyone with a loaded Glock 20 has ever lost in a bear vs man fight
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brcfo_outdoors
Well-Known Member
Carrying a firearm in the outdoors for protection is always a good idea. Whether people have a realistic idea about what they could or would encounter or in what scenario doesn't matter. There are enough two and four legged threats in this world to justify it 1000 times over.
As far as the OP's question, dangerous game ammo will always equate to Buffalo Bore in my head. Costs a pretty penny though.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=558
As far as the OP's question, dangerous game ammo will always equate to Buffalo Bore in my head. Costs a pretty penny though.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=558
Here's a question. A bear is charging, not bluffing, ears pinned not forward analyzing, but a no doubt determined charge, a full on sprint. No time to think about wind direction. Do you go for your gun or your spray?
memtb
Well-Known Member
I try to stay out of bear threads but here is a true story.
I have a friend who is about 45-50 who grew on the Yukon river hunting. He's got way more experience than most people will ever get because he loves to be outdoors and lives in the perfect place. He also has 3 boys who love to hunt. He's had lots of bear interactions over the years. A few years ago they beached the boat and strolled up the bank to look for a moose.
A huge brown charged them with no warning from close by. There were three of them carrying rifles and they ended up dropping him at less than 10ft.(I believe it was closer but can't remember.
Interesting thing is that this guy has hunted for all those yrs and this was first serious attack. For the 11yr old he had only hunted a few yrs and already had a serious attack.
Turned out the bear had a kill farther up the bank but they had no way to know.
I have a friend who is about 45-50 who grew on the Yukon river hunting. He's got way more experience than most people will ever get because he loves to be outdoors and lives in the perfect place. He also has 3 boys who love to hunt. He's had lots of bear interactions over the years. A few years ago they beached the boat and strolled up the bank to look for a moose.
A huge brown charged them with no warning from close by. There were three of them carrying rifles and they ended up dropping him at less than 10ft.(I believe it was closer but can't remember.
Interesting thing is that this guy has hunted for all those yrs and this was first serious attack. For the 11yr old he had only hunted a few yrs and already had a serious attack.
Turned out the bear had a kill farther up the bank but they had no way to know.
I was black bear hunting this spring and had 3 bears walk past me inside of 50yds without noticing I was sitting in a ground blind. Initially, I was comfortable with just having my 300NMI rifle, but after the first bear I got to thinking about finding a bear inside of 50yds within my scope. I also got stuck on the time needed to cycle the bolt for a 2nd shot. What if the bear was snooping around at 25yds? I started carrying a pistol just incase a bear got startled and charged the ground blind.
I would think open sights as well as semi auto or lever action would be critical on a rifle inside of 50yds.
I would think open sights as well as semi auto or lever action would be critical on a rifle inside of 50yds.
memtb
Well-Known Member
"IF" I were in that blind…..my rifle would be on it's lowest scope setting, meaning that I could easily see the target inside of 10 yards. And if the rifle fits as it should, and the hunter "is at one with his/her rifle" inside of 10 yards he/she should be able to, by pure reflex (much like a proficient shot gunner) "point shoot" at least as accurately as he/she could do with the handgun! JMO memtb
TxHeartShot
Well-Known Member
Not sure anyone with a loaded Glock 20 has ever been in a bear vs man fight...
brcfo_outdoors
Well-Known Member
Piggy backing a red dot sight on top of your scope if fairly easy to do with the wide range of mounts available now. Makes it easy to have a close range option with the rifle you already have in your hands. Use it for dangerous game, coyotes, whatever.
