.44 for bear protection
 

I just bought a redhawk .44 mag for bear protection on the rivers up here in AK and was wondering what type and weight of bullets i should load for the grizzlys. any info will help


Thanks from Alaska,


Bud

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

For a grizzly id be more worried about penetration over any other factor, Id go with a heavy jacketed round nose soft point in the 300 grain range or a partition, id imagine most folks in here are gonna tell ya to go with a 300 grain cast lead bullet. any of those would be my choices for the 44 mag.

Personally if i was gonna tote grizzly repellent in the form of a handgun i might have went with a super redhawk in 454 casull or a BFR in 45-70.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

Speer used to make a 300 gr JFP... the bigger and heavier, the better.

actually, as hard of a noggin as a griz has (and that's about the only sure stopper you're gonna have if you get charged) you'd be better off with a 12 gauge stoked full of Hi-Impacts

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

Buffalo Bore has a "factory" load with a Lead Bullet Tech. 403gr cast bullet pretty stoked up... I going to pick up a box for my next adventure in big bear country.

Erik


Rusty Axe Camp

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

I have never been in this position, so I am poorly qualified as most of the replys probably will be. In other words, mostly opinion. But right off hand, I would want a Hard Cast bullet like the buffalo load. At least 300gr with H110 pushing it out.

You can't beat that penetraton. I would stay away from XTP's or even partitions. Penetration is what you want and need I would think.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

Go with the 300 gr bullet of your choice and practice. That gun with stout loads can be a challenge to shoot accurately, and when you factor in the fear factor of a bear charge you'll be thankful you shot it a lot. Get some pepper spray too, it has a good track record with those bears.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

if that was me i'd opt for a big heavy hard cast lead with a big meplat... big meplat = big wound channel and at 44 mag velocities a 300 gr or similar bullet will provide some pretty respectable KO... Some WW296 or H110 should get you there without much fanfare

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

I would go with a 300 or hevieyer Hard cast bullet for the penatration .

Like the Federal 300 gr cast core load.

pepper spray
 

pepper spray.......... haha thats a good one....... i guess bears might like they're food spicy too.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

Oh yea? You actually tried it and it didn't work?

pepper spray
 

i havent tried it personally but theres lots of people that have been treed after spraying...... even eaten, it dulls theyre senses for a couple minutes.... but when they can see and smell again .......... theyre pretty hostile........... i prefer a 12 guage but its just a hassle luggin it around all day

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

Well, I imagine it better than hitting em with your boot.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

I would go with a 300 gr. WLN GC, or 320 gr. WLN GC Ballistic Advantage BOAR-SALMMER Premium Hunting Bullet (Ph. 325-529-3363). Also a Cast Preformance 300 gr. WFN GC, 320 gr. WLN GC, WLN GC-DC. Good luck.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

A friend of mine did a coastal with his .44mag. , he was working for AF&G at the time, a 180gr jacketed went from front to rear , hit 2 bones and kept on going, however, the brown went about 75 yds after the shot, luckely in the other direction.
My friend said if he HAD to do it again, does not want to, he would want the Lee 310gr rfngc over 22gr H110, about 1300fps from a 7 1/2" barrel, using ww's metal.

RE: .44 for bear protection
 

I was watching a show on photographing wildlife these guys were taking photos of a grizzly at really close range at one point the bear got so close they could have reached out and touched it but at that point the photographer gave the bear a good 3 or 4 second burst of pepper spray and the bear took off and stopped after a hundred feet looked back and then began running away again.

After seeing that im almost willing to bet you would have a better chance of detering a bear with pepper spray rather then a gun. especially with some of the bear attack stories ive read where the bears were shot several times and kept attacking.

It makes sense because with a gun shot wound the bear still has its two most important senses vision and the sense of smell with a blast of pepper gas in the face it loses both temporarily. and as for a predator that seriously relies on its sight and sense of smell to survive when it realizes it has lost use of both the instinct of the bear takes over and it gets the heck outta there.

RE: pepper spray
 

Yes its a big canister and squirts 20 feet,cost about $45.
In Fla. we have a BAN on black bear and have to do all we can
not to shoot it, unless it is trying to attack you.
Sounds like you have never encounterd a MaMa with cubs!

RE: pepper spray
 

I'd just move to Florida :-)

RE: pepper spray
 

Scubagtr, that's why I like to hunt hogs with dogs.
When hunting deer I carry 44 side arm in case the
rifle jams, but always carry a canister of spray
in a canister holster.