Sidearm caliber

[BigCountry344]

What caliber do you guys think is enough for your sidearm to be used as black bear protection when backpacking in the backcountry? Curious to see what everyone else is carrying.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have a Glock 20. I like that I can also shoot 40 sw through it for cheaper practice (off label use) and less recoil. I load it with the heavy 10mm stuff when concerned about bears.

 

[Downeaster]

Not too be more of a d**k than i already am, but cartridge? 10mm minimum.

 

[Jardo]

Black bears aren’t too tough but they can be mean. I always carry a 44 Mag in bear country but would feel safe carrying my glock 22 in 40 s&w.


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[Wmmichael20]

357mag

 

[black dawg]

I carry a 9 and practice with it often. I don't think caliber is going to matter as much as just being able to use the thing quickly and accurately.

 

[Sawfish]

Smith & Wesson M629 44 Magnum in a Dick Miller flap holster.

 

[TradAg02]

10mm, but I carry it for the grizzlies.


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[Huckleberry Hound]

I carry an 8 round .357. If im in grizz territory, .460 s&w.

 

[OXN939]

If you look at the efficacy of modern handgun cartridges, 10mm auto is the first one that shows an appreciable difference from less powerful calibers. That or above is good to go. Most people shoot semiautos more accurately than revolvers, and most people become less accurate the the farther up the power chain from .357 mag they get... so G20 is a good choice.

 

[The Savage Rabbit]

Glock 29, 10mm with either 155 grain lead fee hollow points (California Condor Lead Free Areas) at 1375 fps or 200 grain WFNGC solids at 1250 fps. Or a Smith & Wesson 629 5" .44 mag.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I carry a 10mm in grizzly and brown bear areas. I’d fee fine in black bear country.

 

[skyler_2010]

I will be carrying a sig 226 in .40. in northern mn. Mostly for people issues tho less for bear problems

 

[RCL]

Glock 29 SF

 

[Titan_Bow]

If I’m not in grizz country I usually don’t pack anything other than the weapon I’m hunting with, just seems like a lot of extra weight. In grizzly country I like to have spray and a glock 10mm


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[The Savage Rabbit]

I think the G29 SF is the best field pistol on the market. Highly effective loads available for home personal defense and for bears.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I know I should not really be too concerned about black bears but I still carry something with me when I am in bear country. From my limited experience, I wouldn’t count on a 44 stopping a bear, even a black bear, that was intent on getting me. I did some handgun hunting in the past and I have shot six black bears with 44s. Two dropped in their tracks and the other four covered enough ground that they could have gotten me had they wanted to. None of these were self-defense type situations but I did have to shoot quickly on three of them. I think the ability to get off up to sixteen 10mm rounds in a very short time might make the Glock 20 a better choice over a 44 for black bear defense.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

In black bear country I’m comfortable with my Ruger Bearcat .22. Spent a couple decades with that set up and it works just fine.
If I’m in real bear (grizzly or Brown) country I want something with more penetration, 38spl/9mm and up

 

[generalist]

Glock 27 with Buffalo Bore hard cast.

 

[BigCountry344]

So let me ask all you guys this, is anyone with an auto concerned about it jamming? I know some guys only take a revolver to the mountains because it will not jam on you.