Bear backup...
 

I'm planning an archery hunt for fall of 2004 for grizzlies in Alaska. I was thinking of packing a super redhawk 454 just in case. Anyone have any sugestions on what cal. will have the most knock down power I can get. I'm not really into handguns, so my knowledge in this area is limited (although it wouldn't be that way if my wife would let me).

Thanks for any replies,

Kirk

RE: Bear backup...
 

Well most here will tell you that you are wasting your time with a handgun with regarding bears but to me I would want my Dan Wesson 445 supermag with me just in case. I would just use heavy hard cast bullets at a good velosity and practice practice and practice some more. I would just feel better about having one with me rather than a shotgun leaning on the bank somewhere where I can't get to it.

Oh 454 is great for this as would the 480 ruger.


brian

RE: Bear backup...
 

I would use i shotgun with slugs mixed with buckshot, thats what a lot of other guys will tell you to. You could learn to shoot with it slung on your shoulder and practice bulling the butt of your gun forwards which will spin the gun right into your hands. Or if you have someone going with you they could back you up with the shotgun (you probably won't both be shooting at the same time.) Good Luck-Hope you don't have to use the backup. I want to go grizzly hunting some day, i guess i will have to wait until i just happen to find about 10,000 for a guide.

RE: Bear backup...
 

A friend I went moose hunting with this year went on the Kodiak island hunt with a bow. He had a .454. But he was hunting Blacktail. Anyway, a grizz was stalking him for 1/2 mile. He was scared to death, so he dropped the deer but the bear walked right past the carcus. Well its not so easy to kill a bear up there it appears. You have to prove that the bear was a threat. So wisely he didn't shoot. He said he couldn't hold that .454 steady enough to get a head shot. So wisely he didn't run, and stood his ground as the bear smacked the ground and roared and finally gave up and went backt to feed on the blacktail. He swears that next time, if he would ever go back, a slug gun in the only thing he will carry. I trust him greatly and don't doubt the story. Cause all he has left of that blacktail is scull and horns.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Well, a SGT in my outfit in Fairbanks killed an 8' brownie at a range of 8 feet with a 6" barrelled .357 Mag. and a factory 158-grain semiwadcutter. Shot it in the end of the nose as it approached him. He had laid his rifle down just out of reach to start gutting a moose. He figured the bear wanted the moose......

Keep yore powder dry!!

RE: Bear backup...
 

So are you recommending the .357??

RE: Bear backup...
 

..Garantee my Smith&Wesson..357 Mag with 145 grain Silver
tip bullet will do the JOB...:)..

..JESUS IS COMING BACK BE READY...

RE: Bear backup...
 

totoe... if you're counting on a 357 to stop a grizzly if it's mad and coming for you... I certainly hope you are "ready", like your signature says.... LOL.... of course, a 357 is better than a sharp stick, but on something like a bear, if I HAD to depend on a handgun, it would be no smaller than the 45 Colt, loaded HEAVY... preferably something like the 480 Ruger, if I could get it chambered in a regular Redhawk... whatever I carried would be loaded with hardcast, heavy for caliber bullets...loaded hot.

"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness..those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Santayana

RE: Bear backup...
 

actualy if you depend on any hand gun to stop a detemand charge you better be ready to meet your maker..
a handgun is a allright tool to hunt with but they are not realy stopers.

if you dont have a lot of handgun experance and cannot\will not get it go with a long gun back up.

you said "I'm not really into handguns, so my knowledge in this area is limited (although it wouldn't be that way if my wife would let me)."
so have you shot a hg? what is the bigest you have shot? how do you shot with a hg?

if you have not shot hg you need to work up to a 454.
just thnk how many people learn to shot a rifle with a 458 mag? same princile of starting off with a 454.
the only relibal stoper "man or animal is a brain shot" it stops every thing.
i do not recomend a 357. but if one could shoot it good enought to hit the skule with a load "180gr-200gr hard cast" that would pinetrat to the brain it would work.

if you are going to rely on a hand gun as a stoper try this test.
take 6 helum bloon about 6-9in around tie them up on a windy day.
at verying ranges 5 feet to abot 25.
run 50 to 100yd to get the blood pressuer. then take out you hg and see how many you hit.
when you can do that a take out all 6 as fast as you can "say 7-9sec" then you could conider it a stoper.

now i am not trying to be a "ah" but that is the only way i would call its a stoper.

now as far as cal. the bigest one you can hit with.
a 357 that you can hit with is better than a 454 that you miss every time with.

what ever cal you chose shoot it a lot.
L. O. D. Charter member and L.O.S.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Bear backup...
 

Totoe ... Make sure you are properly wiped down with condiments if you plan on shooting a grizzly with a 357... you want the bear to at least enjoy the meal Yep a 44 mag and larger with hardcast bullets as well as plenty of practice shooting something at real close quarters may be better than nothing. Don't forget the Pepper Spray either. Had an aquaintance that bowhunted Wyoming and took a nice 6x6 and then ran into a grizzly ...he was packing a 357 and he said it felt like a capgun sitting in that holster. Good thing for him the bear scattered.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Tote a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. Nothing but a big handgun anyway<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> In all honesty unless you are limited to carrying a handgun I would grab a Marlin 45-70. They and some of the more potent factory ammo were the choice combination for coastal bear defense up there on the Alaskan shore.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Any handgun will suffice if it is properly lubricated. What you do is grease that thing up real good with bacon grease. Not gun oil, but pure, fresh bacon grease. That way when you run out of ammo, throw the handgun at the bear. It may stop and sniff it long enough for you to get away.

RE: Bear backup...
 

I know a big caliber handgun is gonna make ya feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but if you really want to REALISTICALLY stop a bear attack leave the handgun in the truck (or at least don't rely on it as your primary or ONLY defense) and get a can of &quot;Bear spray&quot;.....not the little Yogi and BooBoo sized can.....they make one about the size of a can of hairspray.
Keep it in easy reach on your belt and know how to use it......IMO the only real chance you have with any handgun on a P'd off Grizzy that REALLY wants you dead ,is when its alredy standing on your neck and you are lucky enough to get the gun into its open mouth or under its chin and touch one off.
Everyone seems to think that they could down a charging Grizzly with the right gun.....99.9% of these people probably have zero chance. Of the other .1% that might pull it off.....probably half of them would just be lucky.
If you don't want it to get that far use the industrial sized can of pepper spray. Also with pepper spray.....you don't have to worry about &quot;Shoot Don't shoot&quot; repercussions.

RE: Bear backup...
 

A .357 for big bears? I think we're on the right track, but a little dislexic here. For me, a .3-7-5 H&H will be much preferable, over a pistol, pepper spray, or suicide note.

Honestly, any gun beats no gun (until a few years ago, the world record Alaskan brown was killed by a native American woman with a .22 rimfire), but instead of a handgun which is adequate for whitetails, I'll take just about any decent elephant gun - .375, .416, .404, etc.
Just don't trust those bears to have a sense of humor.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Bear backup...
 

I would pack a .700 nitro express. Just in case the bear is as big as an elephant. lol

RE: Bear backup...
 

..Look here i saw a 22 hornet,put a raging 541 pound black
bear down in his tracks,bullet was put right in the skull
just dont miss...:)...

..JESUS IS COMING BACK BE READY...

RE: Bear backup...
 

Well, totoe, for a guy like myself that has spent the most part of his life in the southern WV area, I can definately tell you were a fellow nieghbor. Yep, that urban legend in the Racine area, has been going around for 20 years.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Personally I would want the guide as a back up, armed with maybe a .375 H&H Mag, as a minimum. But I would want my customized S&W 25-5 4&quot; .45 LC on my hip just for comfort. Loaded with 300gr Hornady XTP Mag's or a good 300gr lead hardcast. Your 454 Super Redhawk would do the job, if you are up to it. You have a couple of years to get good with it. Pratice. Start out by trying to hit what you are shooting at, then work up to the speed part. Try and get to were you can get off 6 aimed shot into a 20x20 piece of cardboard at 20-25yds in 8-10 seconds, double action that is. It just might save your skin. You will not have time to thumb the hammer back more than once on a charging grizzlie.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Brown bear back up question: For the 6 years I lived and hunted in the Alaskan bush I went thru the 44 mag idea and the more I was around the Brownies the more I learned. Most, but now all brown bears will leave you alone if you leave them alone. Understanding brown bear behavior and staying out of their way is the best advise. However, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to defend your life I would look at these facts. A brown bear is not easy to kill quickly. Most people are going to be to excited to aim a pistol sucessfully enough to stop a bear fast. A brown bear can and will do a lot of damage to a human in a very short time. These bear sprays now on the market may be the way to go. Didn't have them when I was up there so don't know much about them. If using a firearm I would suggest getting as much lead into the bear as fast as possible. I used a 12ga. pump shotgun with the barrel and stock shortened, but still legal, and full of slugs. I had a sling on it and could carry it and still do other things(but didn't try shooting a bow). I do of a guy that shot a brown bear in the head with a 44 mag and the bullet bounced off the skull. Sat the bear on his butt and he did leave but even the guy said that the bear was more curious than mad. Anyway, hope some of this helps you make the proper choices and good luck on your hunt. Alaska can not be beat for hunting experiences.

RE: Bear backup...
 

Get a ruger super blackhawk 44mag and buy some 330gr superhardcast bullets from garrett

RE: Bear backup...
 

If you're facing half a ton of angry bear why would you handicap yourself with the .44? Sounds like somebody has a secret fantasy of being a bear snack. I would put my money on the .454casull or if you have a REALLY BIG set, try the Magnum Research .45-70BFR. I would chose the .454Casull or .475Linebaugh.They will give a little more control and with cast bullets will provide plenty of penetration.