side arm
 

Thinking about getting a pistol to pack along when hunting. More of a finishing gun than a hunting gun. Might also use it for some hunting but don't have any plans. Should I gear up for something to use on grizzlies in tight quarters or more of a mid caliber gun. I have gone griz hunting one time and would like to do it again Most likely would be Alaska so caring a pistol would not be an issue. Thinking somewhere between 357 mag and 44 mag. I am totally clueless on this so any input would be appreciated.

If you are going to hunt in areas that have brown bear or grizzlies I wouldn't choose anything smaller than a .44 mag. In addition, just having a handgun will not help you unless you know how to shoot it well because under the stress of self defense you will not shoot the same as you do when poking holes in targets. Practice often and under different conditions and if you can do it shoot at targets moving towards you. You cannot practice too much.

44 magnum, 454 casull, 480 ruger, 460 S&W to name a few. The more power you get the more recoil you get so consider shooting all your bullets quickly without flinching and losing accuracy. Most big game rifle calibers would still have more power than a handgun and if you don't hunt around bears 99.9% of the time getting whatever you enjoy shooting would be a huge factor.

Glock 10mm if big bears aren't on the agenda the majority of the time.

I second the glock 10mm. That's the reason I got mine

I as well as have a 10mm in a Kimber, too nice to beat around like that, but when I am out with the big boys, its my 6" .44 mag with 300 XTP's and Buffalo Bullets. I also have a .460 but too much too pack around with an 8-3/8ths barrel and scope.

I would suggest a revolver that has ammunition that you can easily find. With a revolver you can shoot mild loads for some purposes and heavy loads for other purposes. With a semiautomatic you have a fairly narrow range of different power ammunition to make the pistol work with reliability.

Long barrels are easier to hit targets with but a real pain to carry around. A 4" barrel works well, a 6" barrel is still manageable but a bit awkward, and anything over that usually stays in the truck.

A 44 Magnum works, as does a 45 Colt. The 45 Colt can be loaded much more heavily if it is used in a Ruger firearm and it can come pretty darn close to the 44 Mag. Ammunition for both cartridges is fairly easy to find.

You can shoot 45 long colt and bust out the 454 rounds if you need that extra firepower.

#1, stay away from a semi auto if you are getting it as a backup piece for Alaska. #2, 10mm is NOT a caliber I would suggest for anyone to carry for a Bear defense firearm against a Brownie. I actually wouldn't suggest anyone to carry a sidearm for Brownie defense period unless you have tons of practice shooting a a bouncing tennis ball because that is around the size of the target you will have to connect with. Not to mention the speed that that freight train with teeth will be coming at you. If you do decide on a sidearm instead of a 12 gauge SG loaded with slug, 00buck, slug combination, then I would have to recommend something in .44mag or bigger. So when you DO miss that tennis ball sized target coming at you, an believe me when I tell you, you WILL miss, at least you just might have a powerful enough round to deter that massive furball enough to give you another shot.

I suppose I fancy myself a handgunner, so I highlighted/bolded 3 comments in your post that jump out at me.

You're wanting a 1) finishing gun, 2) possibly a hunting gun, and 3) possibly a bear defense gun.

Those are 3 different handguns in my book. My personal "finishing gun" is a Ruger Mark II 22LR (lots of pictures of it on this forum). My personal go-to "hunting gun" is a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44mag 7.5" or 357-44 Redhawk 7.5". My bear defense gun is a 454 Casull Ruger Alaskan or Ruger Toklat (stock picture below, but I've also plastered this place with my newest Alaskan with my first Toklat.

In this case, a master of all is a master of none - but a few options out there would be pretty d@mn good at all 3 of your needs. For Bear Defense, you'll need at least a 44mag or a 45colt that can be loaded hot - If I recall correctly, you don't reload, so that limits your options to 44mag. For a defense gun, a long barrel is a pain in the butt, as it is for a packing/belt gun, so something on the order of a 5.5" should fit the bill. You won't want anything too short, else it won't be able to hunt effectively at all, but a 5.5" won't be ideal for hunting either.

A Trijicon RMR on a JPoint mount with an Aredondo JP to RMR adapter on top of a 5.5" Ruger Redhawk in 44mag with a Tyler T-grip to fill in under the grip neck would make a fine hunting, finishing, bear defense revolver. The RMR will offer a bit more precision aiming than the factory sights with less dependence upon sight alignment for hunting, and since it's tritium and FO illuminated, it'll be on if you ever need to quick draw on a charging bear.

A 5" Smith & Wesson 629 in 44mag is another fantastic option, if you're not adverse to the policies S&W has supported over the years.

I have two Toklat's (The Talo exclusive 5.5" slab sided Super Redhawks). It's far and away the best balancing SRH I've ever handled. Incredible power in a very manageable, great balancing package.

However, the 454C isn't for everybody. The recoil is extreme. It's absolutely not a novice's revolver, especially when you consider the competency requirement of rapid fire accuracy for bear hunting. I'd highly recommend trying one out before buying.

Nomercy brought up some excellent points. From your OP post and NM's emboldening of it, your primary purpose for the pistol would seem to be a finishing gun. You don't really plan on using it for hunting and "may" use it for grizzlies only if you ever go grizzly hunting one more time.

Based on your statements, it seems like you would be best served by a .22 LR as Nomercy448 stated. However, if you are just torn between a .357 and a .44, get what you think you'll enjoy shooting and use the most. If you ever decide to go grizzly hunting in Alaska again, I know I would take a .44 over a .357 all the time. Let us know what you decide and why.

That would depend on the state a person is hunting in. In some states a .22 rimfire is not a legal firearm to kill big game with, wounded or otherwise.

Very true in that many require a minimum large centerfire handgun to even finish off an animal similar to what would be required to shoot the animal in the first place.

I have to go along with NoMercy448 on this (where legal of course). The only thing that runs through my mind where big bear hunting is involved is why would you consider using a handgun when you should have a rifle of adequate stopping power in the first place. And as far as using a handgun for bear as a defensive weapon in, as you put it, tight quarters I would suggest the largest caliber you can handle. A bear coming down on you will likely only allow you to get one shot off anyway. Maybe two if the first one hits hard enough. The 500 S&W would be my choice.
Just watching bear charges on TV gives me the willies. I had a 300+ lb black bear come at me after I jumped it and gut shot it with the first round. But really don't think he was coming for me, he just didn't know where the first shot came from. The second and third made that point clear to him but too late. (I was using a Rem 760 which is why I was able to get the shots off so fast.)

As a side arm when in bear country I would recommend the 44mag; as it will allow you to practice with lighter ammo, as would the 375.

However, I would want "more" gun in this case !!!

.44mag, Taurus Tracker, 5 shot.

240 or 300gr

I believe what I read prior to purchase for brown bear protection was,
.40+ caliber
200+ grain bullet
1,000+ fps

I wouldn't want a pistol to protect me from a bear, I'd much rather have a rifle and make a killing shot the first time. Or, hunt with a buddy that I can outrun...

Try getting that rifle off your shoulder while walking thru brush with your hands full of fishing gear or hiking with your walking sticks in your hands. The buddy thing is good though.

I know I will hear some crap for this but I did a little research and apparently the bear spray is more effective than trying to dispatch a bear while it is charging at you. From looking at the website and the reviews on it has saved more mauling than using a sidearm.
But I sure as heck would carry a revolver not a semi-auto and here is my reasoning. If you ever and a huge what IF get attacked by a bear and are able to grab your sidearm. Ever pressed a semi auto hard against something and tried firing it? The fact that the slide has to move back the cycle another round is another thing I don't like semi-auto for self defense with a bear. I would choose a light weight 44 mag and if I went the semi auto route if you did not have a 10mm and had a 45 I would buy a .460 Rowland conversion kit for it. If you did not feel like spending all that money or could not borrow a 44 mag.
http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/...ar%20spray.pdf

A light weight .44 mag is not really a good idea, if such a thing is made. The last thing you want with a heavy load is a light handgun.

There is one the Smith&Wesson Model 329 PD. It weighs 25.1 ounces (empty) or at least what I consider light weight compared to the other 44 mags weighing 40 ounces or more (empty). I have heard that if you switch the woods grips out to some type of rubber grip the recoil is no where as bad. Still a good amount but not as painful.
But also look at it like this how many rounds do you think you will be able to get off and put those rounds on target while a bear is charging at you? Noting this bear is bounding with his heading bobbing around and a bear can cover 50 yards in as little as 3 seconds. Will you even be able to draw the weapon an at least get a round off? Me I couldn't do it unless I practice a lot. Also that adrenaline will be running so you will likely not notice the recoil just like how a lot of us never notice the recoil when we shoot an animal or at least I don't but I sure as heck notice it at the range.

It isn't how many you can get off, it is how many you can hit the target with. As Bill Hickok said, you cannot miss fast enough to make up for poor shooting. Anyone who carries a handgun and does not practice regularly and under stressful conditions is just enjoying false security. A handgun requires practice to be good and if you are going to use it for bear security you should practice on a target moving rapidly toward you as well as other types of stress inducing things such as someone with a stop watch giving you time constraints and practice reloading under stress as well. Just carrying a handgun for bear rotection and not being good with it is about as good as carrying a Louisville slugger, perhaps not even as good.

Oh yeah training is key. I should've clarified, I get sidetracked at work and forgot where I left off. What I meant was when I said how many rounds do you think you will get off. I was referring in correlation to carrying a light 44 mag. You won't be able to get enough off to matter for the recoil of the light weight 44 mag so that first one will probably be the only one you can get off whether you carry a light 44 mag or a heavy one. Apologize about the confusion.

Something to figure in your calculations. Near half speed, say around 20 MPH, a Bear or Hog is going to be covering 10 yards a second.

Just thinking out loud. Chances are the pucker factor is going to be high, chances of missing the first shot probable. And factor in handgun stopping power and it is likely to take more than one hit just to get it's attention.

I want something with low recoil or you may never get a second shot.

I want something I can shoot with one hand if I have to. Large caliber magnums are hard to shoot one handed and even slower to recover from recoil one handed.

The best handgun is likely to be different for each shooter.