Which caliber

[xsn10s]

Any big flat cast bullet. And I'd prefer a revolver. Not knockin the 10mm, but the delivery system isnt super reliable like a solid steel revolver with a huge rubber grip and no mag to fall out and no slide to jam on pocket lint etc. when He's charging at 3 feet, you arent getting more than 2 shots off anyway so the bigger the bullet the better. Most agree that a 12ga full of slugs and 000 buck is probably the best possible solution, so I'd like to carry whatever is closest to that! I want to shoot his tail off... from the front!

I like the big, wide metplat ideal. I never had to use it but felt better for having it in bear country.

 

[WhiteRiver]

Glock Model 40 10mm in a Kenai chest rig or a S&W 329 in a Kenai chest rig. I have a Ruger Redhawk .454 but these days generally opt for the lighter guns.

The only time I had to use a handgun on a bear, it was a S&W 657 in .41 magnum. Young black bear on my deck had been looking in the window at my 1 year old little girl and showed no fear of my dog. One shot to the head at 5' and it was game over.

 

[biff's reloading]

In Montana, my son carries a 4.5" Freedom Arms .454 with 330 gr hard cast handloads. My daughter-in-law carries a S&W M&P with Lehigh Defense Penetrator handloads. I carry a 4.5" Super Blackhawk .44 with 300 gr hard cast handloads. All are carried across the chest. So I would say that you should carry the biggest gun that you have, that you can control and shoot accurately. The gun you have is better than no gun. I'm not going to start a spray versus gun debate on a gun forum, but we also carry spray. Spray in the left hand and gun in the right.

Spray works great.... unless the wind is in your face

 

[Garyjt]

I have been on guided hunts in Wyoming for elk. I have seen 41mags, 45 colt revolvers and 44 mags carried. I did hear of a grizzly shot with a 41 mag because the bear was charging the men while dressing a down elk. The bear was disabled with 1 shot from the revolver. It was an older grizzly with few teeth and the men believed that is why it charge them to get the down elk.
Therefore, the man who shot the grizzly was accurate with his shot and was clam enough for good shot placement. I have always relied on my rifle I use for elk hunting and carried bear spray while in Wyoming. Bear spray would be the most accurate for me on a charging grizzly.
When doing a lot of walking, a side arm can get heavy really quick. The bear spray is easily carried and very reliable.

 

[brant89]

Any big flat cast bullet. And I'd prefer a revolver. Not knockin the 10mm, but the delivery system isnt super reliable like a solid steel revolver with a huge rubber grip and no mag to fall out and no slide to jam on pocket lint etc. when He's charging at 3 feet, you arent getting more than 2 shots off anyway so the bigger the bullet the better. Most agree that a 12ga full of slugs and 000 buck is probably the best possible solution, so I'd like to carry whatever is closest to that! I want to shoot his tail off... from the front!

I'm far from a pistol expert, but based on my limited experience in timed events, if your first couple shots don't make their mark it's unlikely that the next 10-12 shot will either, and that's without a large predator on the other side of the shot timer. Lol.

 

[DoneNOut]

By how butthurt everyone is getting over a potential reliability issue with Glock 20's you would think this was a 6.5CM vs 308 thread.

Dial down the hate. I saw a couple guys trying to diagnose/troubleshoot the issue. I'm a Glock guy, but I've never had a 10mm Glock. So, when you brought up this issue with Glock 10mm, those of us who know Glocks in other calibers to be a great gun are just surprised. Makes me want to buy one and treat it like a step-child to see if I would get the same magazine drop issue!

All I'm saying is I had a friend who was a Glock fanatic, never had issues with any of his pistols, but when he shot Buffalo Bore and Underwood ammo in his 10mm the mags would sometimes find their way to the dirt, and it NEVER ONCE happened with target loads (like what you use in competition), only the kind of ammo you would actually use against a bear. Then I found several other reports where people had the same issue and of course rather than admit that there might be a problem, everybody said the same two things that are being echoed here; the mag release was being depressed or the mags weren't fully inserted. Then even after testing and still having issues everyone maintains that it's a user error because Glocks are infallible. I don't care who carries what, but it's pretty ignorant to claim that something can't possibly happen just because it hasn't happened to you.

 

[HNDLDR]

I have a Super Redhawk 454. It's big and heavy I don't carry it much anymore. Now I carry the other polymer 10mm. The Springfield XDM. As mentioned by someone else I don't like the grip angle of a Glock. The way the XDM points is a lot more natural for me. I have a Kimber 10mm also but when it comes banging around in the woods I let the XDM take the beating.

 

[DoneNOut]

Any big flat cast bullet. And I'd prefer a revolver. Not knockin the 10mm, but the delivery system isnt super reliable like a solid steel revolver with a huge rubber grip and no mag to fall out and no slide to jam on pocket lint etc. when He's charging at 3 feet, you arent getting more than 2 shots off anyway so the bigger the bullet the better. Most agree that a 12ga full of slugs and 000 buck is probably the best possible solution, so I'd like to carry whatever is closest to that! I want to shoot his tail off... from the front!

I've blown the equivalent of an entire kleenex out of my duty holstered Glock! I know, shows my weapons maintenance discipline! LOL However, when it just becomes part of your everyday kit, it happens.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

454 casull or 44mag revolver

 

[brant89]

Dial down the hate. I saw a couple guys trying to diagnose/troubleshoot the issue. I'm a Glock guy, but I've never had a 10mm Glock. So, when you brought up this issue with Glock 10mm, those of us who know Glocks in other calibers to be a great gun are just surprised. Makes me want to buy one and treat it like a step-child to see if I would get the same magazine drop issue!

I agree that my response was brash, my apologies. I don't own any Glocks, though I've shot plenty. They shoot great, and are top tier from a reliability standpoint. If I shot competition more regularly I would be running a Glock. But competition loads (or even normal SD loads) are not the same as 220gr hardcast at 1200fps. Most people will probably never experience the mag drop problem, but then most people will never have to defend themselves from a bear either. Not trying to bash anyone's pistol choice, but the problem DOES exist. And to be clear, I don't currently own any wheel guns either, so I have no dog in the fight.

 

[Rebell]

I don't hunt a bunch in grizzly country any more but run bear baits in Idaho. I am more comfortable with my wheel gun as it's what I have used for years. A bunch to be said for comfort and practice. My 44 mag 629 was my go to when I was still guiding hog hunts and a client would cripple one and I had to find it. It took care of two large chargers at short range.

I was working with a helicopter pilot years ago based in AK. We went shooting after work one day and he asked about my 44. I asked if that was a popular defense gun in AK. He said a few use it but the file off the front sight. I asked why they did that and he told me that after you shoot a big bear with it, and then shoved it up your butt it won't hurt so bad. When I got done laughing he told me they all carried 12 gauges with slugs and buck shot.

 

[Longcruise]

If you really really really think you might need a handgun for bear protection, don't rely on a single action revolver. If you have never had a bear make a move on you, you will be shocked at the speed. Almost (emphasis on the "Almost) as important as action type and caliber is how quickly you can bring it to bear (unintentional pun there )

 

[xsn10s]

I don't hunt a bunch in grizzly country any more but run bear baits in Idaho. I am more comfortable with my wheel gun as it's what I have used for years. A bunch to be said for comfort and practice. My 44 mag 629 was my go to when I was still guiding hog hunts and a client would cripple one and I had to find it. It took care of two large chargers at short range.

I was working with a helicopter pilot years ago based in AK. We went shooting after work one day and he asked about my 44. I asked if that was a popular defense gun in AK. He said a few use it but the file off the front sight. I asked why they did that and he told me that after you shoot a big bear with it, and then shoved it up your butt it won't hurt so bad. When I got done laughing he told me they all carried 12 gauges with slugs and buck shot.

when I hunted Alaska 12 GA with slugs was common defense. My 45-70 loaded with 350 gr Horndays was kinda a compromise hunting/ bear defense load. My 44 was mostly a backup to my rifle. Or when the rifle wasn't in my hands like during bathroom breaks

 

[biff's reloading]

when I hunted Alaska 12 GA with slugs was common defense. My 45-70 loaded with 350 gr Horndays was kinda a compromise hunting/ bear defense load. My 44 was mostly a backup to my rifle. Or when the rifle wasn't in my hands like during bathroom breaks

Or in the tent when yogi jumps on top of it...