Side Arm for Grizzly Country

[Zuma]

I am going on a horseback Mule Deer hunt in Grizzly Country. I will be with a guide. I am told that it is advisable to have a side arm for protection from the grizzly bears. The simple choice looks to be a 44 mag, with hard cast bullets, but I'm interested in hearing what you guys are using, and what advantages and disadvantages you have seen. I am limited in the weight that I can carry, so that is a consideration. I have a 6" S&W 357 Wheel gun, and hoping it is reasonable to use that for protection.

I carry the Smith and Weston 500 revolver when in Grizzly country.

 

[texas]

My first choice would be a 10mm loaded hot with 220gr hardcast followed by heavy loaded 45 colt hsm bear loads. Big bore big bullets and manageable!

 

[epoletna]

I got an S&W Model 69 .44 magnum for an AK trip that ultimately did not happen. It's a 5-shot revolver with a 4" barrel -- very light (that's the reason I got it.). If your pistol is a nuisance to carry, you'll end up leaving it at camp just when you need it. I shot it a few times with handholds, and I'll admit it kicks like a mule. But I'm sure I would not notice if I was shooting at a grizzly. Anyway, if you'd be interested in this pistol, PM me. I won't need it now that my trip is canceled. Sill in the original box. Full disclosure: it does have the S&W lock, but that's a small price to pay for a super-light .44 magnum.

 

[epoletna]

Oh, and it's stainless for wet climates.

 

[Montana'eer]

That is not a true charge, that's a faint and that's why the bear spray seemed to work, that bear had no intention of actually attacking, she was just trying to make sure that the guy in the video wasn't going to go after her cub. A real charge is far more aggressive and you typically wont see it coming because the bear is actually stalking you so it will hold to cover until it's ready to attack. I live in SW Montana and more often than not, when you read about bear attacks around here, real attacks, it's more common to hear about how the bear just ran right through the spray without any effect. What's even more of a problem is that when people buy a can of spray they never practice with it and it's not unusual to hear that some guy TRIED to deploy his spray and he never did because he didn't know hot to disengage the safety, or he didn't know how to use the spray.

My post was to illustrate how fast they can move on you. Whether it was a bluff charge or not is irrelevant. The question still remains (for us) is can you hit a moving target the size of a bowling ball at that speed? Imagine if that was in big brush. Ever hike Jewel Basin? In a lot of areas you would never see it coming. That guy had the luxury of seconds and a visual..

I've only encountered one grizzly and it was on a Hutterite colony in Choteau. I had two dogs working near the creek bottom and I spied the bear scooting out the far end about 300 yards downwind from us. I gathered my dogs and promptly headed for the truck, lol.

 

[Betarider]

I carry either the S&W 329 or a Springfield XDM in 10mm, depending on the terrain I'm in (tough terrain forces me to carry less weight so I take the XDM).

In a real bear attack situation having 16 rounds is a joke, you'll never get a chance to fire more than a two or three rounds before that bear is on you. I carry the 10mm at times simply because it's light, not because of the magazine capacity.

I love my XDM in 10mm too!

 

[waldosec]

IMHO, hunter from WY.

Chest Rig Holster.
Hard Cast WFN Ammo.

Also, be careful, check that the ammo you buy is rated for your gun.

Ex. Some Buffalo Bore Ammo in 44 mag, states in small print that is not to be used in S&W revolvers. Too high Pressure.
Last hunting season, a guy went to the shooting range with his New S&W 29 ( or 329PD) fired 3 shots of Buffalo Bore and it locked up the cylinder. Never was able to open the cylinder, had to go to a Gunsmith.

Lastly, if grizzly is with in 100 yds, and tips it's nose or but, Just Shoot!
You were in fear of grave bodily harm or death is what you tell the Forest Service and Game Warden.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I hunt in Grizzly country and pack a Colt Python with a 4" barrel using HSM 180gn. flat nose solid lead bullets that are designed for this purpose. After being mauled by a grizzly elk hunting years ago, I packed a. 44 mag until I got tired of the extra weight. On my only other encounter, I used bear spray which was extremely effective. I prefer a revolver to a semi automatic because, there are many cases of guys ejecting the magazine attempting to shoot a charging bear. I don't want to have to do anything but pull the trigger if I get in that position again. I also pack it in a shoulder holster for easier acquisition, if I were to get mauled again.
Make sure you get a good can of bear defense spray to take and carry it on your side!

 

[bigtuna431]

A Ruger Red Hawk or Taurus Raging Bull in 454 Casull come to mind... Even A S&W in 460 will chamber a 454...

 

[osok-1k]

Go to Buffalo Bore's website and read the article by the guy who runs the place. He lives and works in bear country and has much more real world experience than most anyone who isn't in those environments daily. A 44mag in a shoulder holster with heavy magnum loads is exponentially better than .357. I used to carry a S&W 329PD with a scandium frame and lots of recoil but it is not built to handle a lot of full power magnum shooting, 10mm is a good choice with the right ammunition.

 

[StraightShooter77]

I am going on a horseback Mule Deer hunt in Grizzly Country. I will be with a guide. I am told that it is advisable to have a side arm for protection from the grizzly bears. The simple choice looks to be a 44 mag, with hard cast bullets, but I'm interested in hearing what you guys are using, and what advantages and disadvantages you have seen. I am limited in the weight that I can carry, so that is a consideration. I have a 6" S&W 357 Wheel gun, and hoping it is reasonable to use that for protection.

You'd be best with the .44 mag or higher, but most often these are are big old revolvers.

When defending your life from a grizzly you want semi-auto IMO. 10mm is also a solid option as well. Glock makes a full size 10mm I think its the Glock 20

Shoot Straight!

StraightShooter77

 

[dmerrifield]

When ever I am asked this question, I always tell the story written by Pat McManus in Outdoor Life. He recommended a 357 mag with the front sight removed and polished. This was for when the grizzly took it away from you and shoved in up your backside; it doesn't hurt as much. The moral of the story is pay attention to your guide and avoid shooting except as a last resort. Remember they can out run your horse. Have a good hunt

 

[WhiteRiver]

I love the Gunfighter Kenai chest holster. The gun is right there when you need it. I wear my pack over it so even when out of my pack, the gun is there. I have separate holsters for the 3 handguns that I carry depending on the trip. I have a Smith 329 stoked with Buffalo Bore when weight is the biggest factor. I have a Ruger Toklat Edition in .454 w/ 5" barrel if I'm craving maximum power. Finally I have a Glock 40 10mm for fun and because sometimes I want to carry a Glock. All of handguns I carry are stoked with hard cast slugs for maximum penetration. As was already mentioned, a rifle is almost always preferable to a handgun for stopping a charge. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Somewhat fake news. The bear in the video had stopped her charge before the spray was distributed. It was a bluff charge and she had stopped and was turning as he sprayed. She was getting between the cub and perceived danger. I will have to admit that I probably would already have been throwing lead. In that case I would have shot a bear needlessly. Like many of the experts say, most charges are bluff charges. I ain't a waitin' to find out.