Pistol Caliber
 

Going hunting and fishing up in Alaska next year. Need a sidearm for protection. Any suggestions? All info welcome as I have plenty of time to research and compare, just want to get started early. Thanks and have a great weekend!

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

454 Casull,I have no problem shooting my raging bull one handed.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

Minimum .44 Mag, but go bigger if you can handle it.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

Thanks guys. I thought I would be able to get by with a .45. The most important thing is not taking any chances.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

i think i would take something more than the .45. i just bought a 1911 in the .45 cal. and it feels like a pea-shooter compaired to my .44 mag. :)

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

Busch, if it's the .45 LC that you want, you could go with the .454 Casull!
Most of the time you could use the .45's and when you're out in bear country load it up with the .454's.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

IMO that is the best idea , if not a 44mag with heavey cast bullets .
The 45ACP is a poor choice

The proud shooter of a Ruger SRH 454

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

Wait a couple more months. Ruger will be releasing their SRH "Alaskan". It was designed to be a back up sidearm.It will be chambered in two Calibers. The 454 Casull(can shoot 45 Colt)and the powerful 480 Ruger.These will have a 2 1/2"bbl.They are due to be released in May last I heard.Get you order in early.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

I love my .44 mag RSR with 4x extended eye relief scope but for backup dont really need the scope.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

I shot a Ruger SRH 454 choped to 3 1/2 " with full power loads and hot 45 colt loads , all I can say is the 454 loads HURT my hand ( I shoot lots of full power loads from my 7 1/2" SRH ), the 45 colt loads were more than some would want to shoot.

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

I wish Ruger was putting a 3.5"- 4"bbl on the Alaskan.
I think it would be a better choice. With that short 2.5" it will be a bear to hang on to.Then having adjustables sights on that short little barrel.To me that's a waste.I'm looking forward mine getting here.It should be exciting hanging on to it with full house Casulls.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

I would choose a powerful handgun, but one that I could shoot accurately and practice with regularly. Some, like jcb9901 can handle a .454 with confidence. Most of my friends that bought .454 Casulls or .475 Linebaughs are intimidated by their guns. Hence they seldom shoot these cannons and they are not likely to be competent in the event a bear charges. One of my buddies that fishes Alaska a lot bought a double action Smith and Wesson Mountain Gun in .44 Magnum. He loads it with heavy 305 grain hard cast bullets from Buffalo Bore (1325 ft./sec., ME 1189 ft. lbs.) when he's in the river, but practices regularly, double action style, with less expensive loads so that he is proficient in getting the gun out quickly and getting off several accurate shots.

Pick ammo that will penetrate. The usual expanding jacketed hollow points and soft points loaded in factory rounds in most .44 magnums,and even in some .454 and .480s often fail and flatten out on the skull or shoulder bones. Quality hard cast bullets or heavily constructed full metal jacket bullets with a flat nose, essentially solids, can reliably penetrate grizzly skulls or reach into the heart and lung area.

Picking out a new gun is such a kick. Have fun and good luck in Alaska.

Doug

RE: Pistol Caliber
 

The S&W Model 500 comes in a 4" version that would be a great pack gun. I'd load it up with a 350-400 grain solid bullet. .50cal is a more than big enough hole, and penetration would be outstanding. The recoil is stout, but not unmanageable as long as you're committed to practicing enough with it to be proficient. The only downside to the Model 500 is the high cost, but if it were me I'd look for one used before I'd buy one new.

The SRH Alaskan would also be a decent choice (I'd choose .454 Casull over the .480 Ruger, but that's just a matter of preference), but I think the 2.5" barrel is excessively short. I'f they'd made it a 4 or 4.5" barrel it'd be better. The gun is for back country defense against nasty 4-legged critters and can be carried in a manner suitable for such, not a CCW revolver to be carried in a front pants pocket during a midnight trip to the convienience store, so the 2.5" barrel is unnecessarily short and compromises performance and handling a little too much IMO.

Mike