Side Arm for Grizzly Country
- Thread starter Bang4theBuck
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Glock 20 10 mm. Gightfighter inc. kenia chest holster. Double tap or buffalo bore ammo . Holster also works with Glock 19 or 19x for 9mm practice to get muscle memory down cheaper than the 10 mm. If you want excuse for new gun lol. If not practice up with 357. But I love my glocks and chest rig. Be safe and good luck.
This is the best write-up I have seen on bear protection handguns. https://alaskagunsite.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/the-case-for-the-357-magnum/
This is a good read
In my eyes, a bear defense handgun needs to be absolutely reliable. If you have to stuff an auto in a bears mouth, or against anything while being attacked it likely will go out of battery and not go bang. If any type of failure happens, clearing said failure is really tough one handed especially with a bear on top of you. Just pull the trigger again in a double action revolver. It needs to penetrate, not expand and that means like 4+ feet to get to something in the CNS that will shut things down.
I have a 44 mag 629 S&W Magna Classic that I love and carries great in a Kenai chest holster. But for last ditch and always available I have a 3" Model 65 K frame loaded with Buffalo Bore 180 hard cast LFN ~ 1300 fps.
I love my auto handguns for most everything else but for this job the double action revolver is the better tool IMO.
This thread got into it pretty good.
www.longrangehunting.com
This is a good read
"Stopping" bears with handgun or rifle cartridges
"Stopping" bears with handgun or rifle cartridges
www.buffalobore.com
In my eyes, a bear defense handgun needs to be absolutely reliable. If you have to stuff an auto in a bears mouth, or against anything while being attacked it likely will go out of battery and not go bang. If any type of failure happens, clearing said failure is really tough one handed especially with a bear on top of you. Just pull the trigger again in a double action revolver. It needs to penetrate, not expand and that means like 4+ feet to get to something in the CNS that will shut things down.
I have a 44 mag 629 S&W Magna Classic that I love and carries great in a Kenai chest holster. But for last ditch and always available I have a 3" Model 65 K frame loaded with Buffalo Bore 180 hard cast LFN ~ 1300 fps.
I love my auto handguns for most everything else but for this job the double action revolver is the better tool IMO.
This thread got into it pretty good.
How many carry a 44 or similar when you are rifle hunting?
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that the 10mm with factory ammo is equal in oomph to the .41 magnum. Sorry, I just had to say it, but unfortunately our local Cabelas is still selling that myth. Yeah, it's kinda funny how that bovine anal seepage gets spread around in some gun shop's, anyone...
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Hatrick
Well-Known Member
HaroldNRAEndowment
Well-Known Member
Grizzly Speed Eye Opener: I have no experience, But the spec's on a Grizzly indicates one can cover 100 yards in 5 seconds = 50 Yards in 2.5 seconds = 25 yards in 1.25 seconds. I am not sure if with shorter distances it is not linear due to the time it takes to get up to maximum speed, but usually it takes a second for the human to comprehend and analyze what the appropriate action to take.
rammac
Well-Known Member
I'd rather be under-gunned to some extent and good with my chosen caliber than just depend on spray or nothing. The truth of the matter is that I carry my .44mag in a Kenia chest rig as my primary defense gun but I'm pretty confident in my 10mm (I also carry it in a Kenia rig because you really need that gun at hand, not 5 feet away when you're gutting an animal or taking a leak) too because I practice quite often (at least once a week with each). Nobody can say how they will react to a real bear attack until it happens to them. The key is that when the attack happens you will react according to your nature. If you've practiced a lot and gone through the scenario in your head (assuming that you will have the bear in your face and that your will get injured to some degree) then your chances of reacting well will be better.
greengiant
Active Member
My bear defense setup was recommended, in part by our Alaskan Guide and in part by a U.S. Park Service Ranger in Denali Park, AK while on a family vacation a prior year.
Guide Recommendation: 44-Magnum in Chest Holster. I used a Model 629 "S&W" 4-inch 44-Magnum loaded with HMS 305gr 44-Rem-Mag Bear Ammo from MidwayUSA.com, carried in a "Guide's Choice" Leather Chest Holster. Ranger Recommendation: Large Bear-Spray in holster. I used "Counter Assault" Bear Deterrent 10.2oz in a belt holster both from Amazon.com. Ranger had first-hand knowledge of many Grizzly & Brown Bear attacks, as well as, a couple on himself. He told me that the handgun would be good, but, in a close encounter, unless you placed a perfect shot to the brain or the upper spinal cord, you might kill him, but, you would not turn or stop him until he had gotten to you and his experience had taught him, use the bear spray first, it would turn the bear giving you time to access your gun and shoot if necessary. I have been fortunate on my five trips to AK of not encountering a bear attack, so, I cannot unequivocally say what works. The guides had not personally encountered an attack, the Ranger had. Since I kinda like remaining alive and remaining in one piece, I chose to cover my odds and took both. The little extra weight was a small price to pay for the secure feeling of adequate protection! Properly prepare yourself and go have a fantastic hunt!!
Guide Recommendation: 44-Magnum in Chest Holster. I used a Model 629 "S&W" 4-inch 44-Magnum loaded with HMS 305gr 44-Rem-Mag Bear Ammo from MidwayUSA.com, carried in a "Guide's Choice" Leather Chest Holster. Ranger Recommendation: Large Bear-Spray in holster. I used "Counter Assault" Bear Deterrent 10.2oz in a belt holster both from Amazon.com. Ranger had first-hand knowledge of many Grizzly & Brown Bear attacks, as well as, a couple on himself. He told me that the handgun would be good, but, in a close encounter, unless you placed a perfect shot to the brain or the upper spinal cord, you might kill him, but, you would not turn or stop him until he had gotten to you and his experience had taught him, use the bear spray first, it would turn the bear giving you time to access your gun and shoot if necessary. I have been fortunate on my five trips to AK of not encountering a bear attack, so, I cannot unequivocally say what works. The guides had not personally encountered an attack, the Ranger had. Since I kinda like remaining alive and remaining in one piece, I chose to cover my odds and took both. The little extra weight was a small price to pay for the secure feeling of adequate protection! Properly prepare yourself and go have a fantastic hunt!!
Back in 1991, while bow hunting in NW WI, I had a 250+ lb blackie come up my ladder after circling my stand several times. I fired just over his head in an attempt to scare it off. Didn't work. My second shot was fired at a distance of 4' striking him in the throat and exiting thru his spine which successfully ended the attack. My gun was, and is a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 LC with a 4 5/8" barrel loaded with 300 gr. Cast Performance WFN gas checked bullets. I now live in hunt in prime grizzly country, and this gun is always with me, carried in either a cross draw, or shoulder rig. Its reasonably light and compact, plus I can get it into play very quickly. Regular practice is a must, and only practice with the ammo that you are going to carry. No gun, short of something with a lanyard on it, will stop a determined attacking bear in its tracks. Whatever handgun you carry, use appropriate ammo, and practice, practice practice!
rammac
Well-Known Member
Don't assume that a park range knows what they are talking about, they have their biases built in, most are environmentalists with degrees and their degree includes a bias toward always assuming that nature is benign.
Most rangers are taught statistics about bear spray that include data that doesn't involve an actual attack. Most of the Forest Services "data" on bear attacks is derived from their use of the spray to turn curious or hungry bears away from campsites and such. Also, the Forest Service does not differentiate their data on the circumstances of the bear contact. Questions like; was the bear casually walking by when you sprayed them, was the bear eating at a garbage site, was the bear walking when you sprayed it. Casual bear contacts are in no way the same as an actual attack. A casual contact can be broken very easily, usually just by talking calmly and walking slowing away.
A real bear attack gives you no chance to deploy a spray first, you wont have the time, you'll need to choose which tool to use in less than two seconds so choose wisely.
Most rangers are taught statistics about bear spray that include data that doesn't involve an actual attack. Most of the Forest Services "data" on bear attacks is derived from their use of the spray to turn curious or hungry bears away from campsites and such. Also, the Forest Service does not differentiate their data on the circumstances of the bear contact. Questions like; was the bear casually walking by when you sprayed them, was the bear eating at a garbage site, was the bear walking when you sprayed it. Casual bear contacts are in no way the same as an actual attack. A casual contact can be broken very easily, usually just by talking calmly and walking slowing away.
A real bear attack gives you no chance to deploy a spray first, you wont have the time, you'll need to choose which tool to use in less than two seconds so choose wisely.
+1 for a chest rig!!!!!!
Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents
Using a pistol to defend against bear attacks seems to be a viable option.www.ammoland.com
This. Great analysis. Opened my eyes. Wish someone would do this analysis on two-legged predators!
OutsideSeth
Member
I don't know what info I looked at but here is one small snippet (I'm not even sure this was the same study the article I looked at referred to or not) that seems to contradict what you posted. Maybe I looked at biased info, who knows. Post a link to your info so I can see where you got your numbers.
Shoot or Spray? The Best Way to Stop a Charging Bear
While many gun proponents remain adamant that firearms offer better protection against a charging bear than pepper spray, a growing body of scientific research suggests otherwisewww.outsideonline.com
6 Best Bear Guns
What are some good bear guns? There are many, but here are 6 excellent bruin bashers that can keep you safe in the deep woods...aliengearholsters.com
I've read that article as well. Outside Online posted this story more recently that that talks about the two studies most often used and why there were never intended to be used that way.
In short, the bear spray numbers include chance encounters by hikers and bear management by wildlife officials while the firearm numbers are based on bear "attacks."
Does Bear Spray Work?
The science is clear, right? Not so fast, according to, well, science.
www.outsideonline.com
epags
Well-Known Member
I have to agree 100%. Killed a moose (in Alaska back country. Was busy skinning when a friend flew into the lake next to where I was. Told me he spotted several bears heading my way and stood watch while I finished. I had no clue there was bears close by due to the brush and trees.
Bottom line expect the unexpected.
Betarider
Well-Known Member
I have great reserve for using a wheel gun for
defence. The shot at dusk now has you deaf and blind. Just where do you put that second shot! I'll take a semi auto to point that flash and noise at the 
