might get laughed at but thats ok....handgun for Griz

[EastMT]

Somebody posted this on another thread, the 357 seems to have a couple fails, but good solid rounds seemed to fair well in any caliber

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents

 

[EastMT]

I carry G20 10mm here in AK, I feel fairly safe with it, if I have time to draw it that is.

 

[PNWTO]

.357 with a good load would be just fine.

This is a really good read from an AK pilot who is a hardcore gun guy.

HK USP 45 field pistol

I experimented with some smaller revolvers, most happily with a Bowen tuned four inch stainless Blackhawk .44 magnum. It was more comfortable to shoot with full power loads, as the gun rolled in your hand. After taking the Gunsite Backcountry course twice, I became convinced that a single action revolver may be great at many things, but as a fighting handgun (animals), the DA revolver offered too many advantages to not carry. When the Scandium 329 revolvers came out, I instantly got one for my wife and I. So did a bunch of other pilots. They were great to carry, but not great to shoot. I ultimately had a half dozen, between my wife and I, all tuned by Bowen. It got so bad, that during periodic function testing, I would shoot three rounds in my right hand, transfer the revolver to my left hand, and finish the last three shots. My wife basically said the only way she was shooting a whole cylinder was at a bear. She is a strong shooter, but would rather shoot a four inch S&W .500.

As I transitioned back into shooting semi auto pistols as primary, my wife increasingly shot a Glock. She asked why we shot thousands of rounds of 9 and .40, 18 rounds a year of .44 magnum, and were carrying a revolver. She started first carrying a Glock 20 and 29, and I followed suit. We assumed that just as a Glock 17 shot most all 9mm ammo, that the Glock 20 would shoot most all 10mm ammo reliably. We picked 10mm loads based on our assessment of the ability of the bullet to perform on a moose or bear. Those loads were often hard to get in quantity and very expensive. Through trial and error, we realized that many high performance 10mm loads would not function reliably in the Glock 20 and 29. My wife's solution was to use 200 XTP factory ammo, which did run. I tried a variety of other pistols, including the Glock 22 with a KKM barrel, and the S&W 1066/1076.

Essentially he now uses a USP 45 loaded with .45 Super due to reliability, performance, and the fact that other good .45 loads are easy to find.

 

[Huntindog45]

if you are just buying a handgun now to use as protection against a bear I would give you about a 1:10,000 chance of successfully using that gun in the even of a bear attack. Guys who train regularly and are proficient with a gun often fail under pressure. Be careful. Make sure you both have spray, make sure it is always on you, and make sure you know how to deploy it. It will save your life.

 

[rileybassman]

People like to bash handguns as defense tools

Great article that was posted on another thread...

GUN WATCH: Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 incidents by Caliber

With all known handgun defense encounters, there is a 97% survival rate... and the fatality likely never even hit or fired the weapon...

I have a .357 and a .44 - have carried both. Carry 180 hardcasts in the .357 (around 1200fps) and 340 grain hardcasts in the .44 (verified 1425 over chronograph)

That's a pretty big difference in energy.

Whatever you carry, shot placement and bullet construction are king. I'd carry spray too.

 

[rileybassman]

Beat me to it lol

Somebody posted this on another thread, the 357 seems to have a couple fails, but good solid rounds seemed to fair well in any caliber

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents

 

[rileybassman]

I'd also suggest how to be "bear aware" from hiking and camping ect. Basically be loud and noisy while hiking, keep a clean camp, I'm sure you've read up on it. The people who get attacked usually do so because they surprise a bear.

I'd hate to be the person who shoots and/or kills a grizz in the park. You'd be better off shooting a human. The amount of fallout from something like that...that Cecil guy would look like a hero. Make sure you have deployed the bear spray no matter what happens and it would probably be good if you let the bear chew on you a bit for good measure.

Yup... good advice (maybe not chewed on lol) but i'd be sure to give that bear a good spray down either way lol

 

[Where's Bruce?]

LAUGH AT YOU?? no we bow down at you..you my friend, just parlayed a little irrational bear-fear into spousal permission to buy a HANDGUN....on your honeymoon!!

dude.. seriously while the iron is still warm, tell her a brand new Chevy Duramax diesel is bear-proof. i've been to Yellowstone..i could outrun 80% of the park visitors when i was there..i stayed close to the tender ones and the older ones. haha.

congrats on the nuptials bud.

Half his advice is good. Use a good, hard cast bullet like HEAVY 10MM OUTDOORSMAN Pistol & Handgun Ammunition.
As for the truck well...

 

[Axlrod]

Dont know about Wyoming but in Montana you only need a Concealed carry permit inside city limits

 

[Ray]

if you are just buying a handgun now to use as protection against a bear I would give you about a 1:10,000 chance of successfully using that gun in the even of a bear attack. Guys who train regularly and are proficient with a gun often fail under pressure. Be careful. Make sure you both have spray, make sure it is always on you, and make sure you know how to deploy it. It will save your life.

This is really important to understand. Regardless of the type of defensive system you choose to use, in most events you will have less than 2 seconds to deploy it. I have encountered dozens upon dozens of people with bear spray or firearms that would take 10 to 30 seconds to deploy either. Did they think the bear would wait around while they fished the spray out of their pack, or take the pack off to unstrap the shotgun?

For me here in AK it is much easier to take my .44 Redhawk to my various work sites than it is to transport spray there. And if you are in a tent, you do not want a can of spray inside the tent at any time. Unless you are suicidal and want a bear to enjoy eating you alive.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

This is really important to understand. Regardless of the type of defensive system you choose to use, in most events you will have less than 2 seconds to deploy it. I have encountered dozens upon dozens of people with bear spray or firearms that would take 10 to 30 seconds to deploy either. Did they think the bear would wait around while they fished the spray out of their pack, or take the pack off to unstrap the shotgun?

For me here in AK it is much easier to take my .44 Redhawk to my various work sites than it is to transport spray there. And if you are in a tent, you do not want a can of spray inside the tent at any time. Unless you are suicidal and want a bear to enjoy eating you alive.

Yup. Some bears enjoy spicy food.

[video=youtube;Zns-7MMttBI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zns-7MMttBI[/video]

 

[DEEF]

GrizzDefense

This is really important to understand. Regardless of the type of defensive system you choose to use, in most events you will have less than 2 seconds to deploy it. I have encountered dozens upon dozens of people with bear spray or firearms that would take 10 to 30 seconds to deploy either. Did they think the bear would wait around while they fished the spray out of their pack, or take the pack off to unstrap the shotgun?

For me here in AK it is much easier to take my .44 Redhawk to my various work sites than it is to transport spray there. And if you are in a tent, you do not want a can of spray inside the tent at any time. Unless you are suicidal and want a bear to enjoy eating you alive.

Good advices here. Also, in regard to the above mention of a .45calibre see the bear defense research discussion here: Grizzly Bear Survival and Defense Tactics — Hunt Backcountry Podcast Episode 121 – Exo Mountain Gear

I'd like to know more about .45 calibre velocity proficiency in regard to stopping a grizz.
Based on the above discussion and what most bear-wise men use, I feel comfortable with a .44mag and 10mm jacketed ammo.
Heavier & High Velocity are Decision making Values I prioritize.
I recoil the previous wise words of admonishment: if you don't practice with it for a 2 second response, you won't survive with it.

Also, thanks to Wyoming biologists work to obtain the recent delisting of the Grizz, we might find a better "self-defense" plea should one need it.

I do not solely trust bear spray to defend my life and especially my wife's life.
Also, based upon the above linked podcast, marine flares peak my interest as a deterrent, but not sure about how it would integrate with existing response methodology and training. Too many steps seems like a recipe to fumble. Fumbling is not an option in the wild. I'm all for a one stop shop. If I wasn't firearm proficient and followed the make-believe-fantasy thinking of the Grizzly Man Timothy Tredwell, I would defer to Spray and Marine flare.

Congrats on your Marriage brother. May the Lord guide and direct your awesome union with abundant fulfillment.

 

[DEEF]

Also listen to how well bear spray served Todd Orr on Grizzly Bear Perspective Podcast with Randy Newberg: Hunt Talk Radio, Randy Newberg Unfiltered | Hunting | Conservation | Politics | Tactics by Randy Newberg: Hunter, Host of Fresh Tracks TV, Speaker, and Hunting Activist on Apple Podcasts

 

[boom]

it's retarded for me to debate whether or not a complete stranger can shoot or not, so i wont.

however, if my wife gave the GREEN light to buy a handgun that i could claim as bear defense; keeping in mind i would want to shoot it later, NOT in a bear danger situation. no brainer for me 686+..that 7-shot wheel gun. 3" barrel please!! that gun is so accurate and fun to shoot.

back to the topic of bears..the only videos i have seen of griz charges stopped by a firearm, the bear was never hit, it was the gunshot that made the bear rethink his/her options.
that Fred Eichler video is the best one..that guide was like the Outlaw josey wales!! fast!!

 

[boom]

Yup. Some bears enjoy spicy food.

[video=youtube;Zns-7MMttBI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zns-7MMttBI[/video]

i couldnt finish that movie. i tried. not even for the hot ass Mercury car commercial girl.

in THAT situation, a handgun would have been AWESOME. i would bleed out and die (with the bear), but my hotass mercury car commercial girlfriend would have the impossible task of replacing me with a new boyfriend. how does the new guy follow that? haha..

 

[larryschwartz]

I will second the idea of a short barrel, short stock shotgun. Remington has a short version of their 870 called the Model 8780 TAC-14. Mossberg has their Shockwave. Both have short barrels and a pistol grip like thing where the stock goes. Buckshot or slugs in 12 gauge from these will be a lot easier to aim and hit with than bullets in a pistol or revolver, and will provide faster results.

 

[Redside]

Also listen to how well bear spray served Todd Orr on Grizzly Bear Perspective Podcast with Randy Newberg: Hunt Talk Radio, Randy Newberg Unfiltered | Hunting | Conservation | Politics | Tactics by Randy Newberg: Hunter, Host of Fresh Tracks TV, Speaker, and Hunting Activist on Apple Podcasts

Just to be fair, how well did his handgun serve him?

Also, another good article and things to consider.
The Cold Hard Facts of Bear Deterrents: Bear Spray vs Firearms – MeatEater

End of the day, be bear aware and practiced with the deterrent you decide to use.

 

[Rucker61]

If you get a 357 be sure to get a revolver and make sure you file the front sight down smooth. That way it doesn’t hurt so bad when that grizz shoves it up your a$$ after you piss him off with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I saw the topic my guess was that this answer would show up by the 4th response. You were too slow.

 

[jmden]

Kinda hard to conceal a short barreled shotgun in Yellowstone National Park. I think the OP'd have some LE company to meet him at the trailhead, etc., if he was packing that around unless he packed it in a backpack...in which case the griz would eat him when the bear spray blew back in his face because of the 20 knot headwind coming from same direction as bear.

 

[wyosteve]

I'd suggest you determine what the penalty for 'firing in a park' is before deciding whether to do it. You say you'd sooner pay a fine than get ate and while I don't disagree, make sure a fine is an option as a penalty. It might be a potential felony. In any event, the issues associated with firing in a park are going to be significant to the point that I personally wouldn't consider it.