What handgun to buy?

[AKHog]

Yeah... cause you're the greatest shot in the world, and you can hit the back legs of a bear moving 30 mph straight at you!   Even thought the front legs are between you and the back ones.  

No, I don't see that happening at all. I don't think that is a realistic situation. I don't think a griz would necessarily run you down or attack from long range unless it thought it was threatened or REALLY hungry.

What I imagine as a dangerous situation is when the bear is surprised at very close range, either by myself or someone I'm with. In this case it's practically hand to hand combat right away. This is by far the most common bear attack scenario you hear about, and this is probably when a large caliber hand gun would be most effective.

[icepac]

My sister lived in Kodiak for a long time and used a 44 magnum for bear.

In her usage, she found that shooting past the bear's head with large supersonic bullet made the bear leave 100% of the time and she never had to actually shoot one.


That said, I would buy two Zastava M88s and spend the surplus on getting trigger jobs and personalizations done rather than buy one expensive gun since two guns almost double the possibility that at least one will be where you are when you need it.

[saggs]

Having been around bears in the wilderness a lot, I just don't understand peoples paranoia about them.  And I disagree that Grizzlies are more aggressive then Blacks, that has not been my experience at all, and I've seen no real data to that effect.

Gyrene.. you talk about when you accidentally startle a bear, and yes, you are right that is when they will attack, if they attack.  But just as often, probably more often, when you startle a bear it will just run away in a big hurry.  Besides with the incredible hearing and smell that bears have, it is pretty dang hard for a clumsy human to sneak up on one.  As for the mountain biker story, sounds like they had some crappy spray, it is not all created equal, I spring for the expensive (about $70-$80 a can) stuff, or maybe it was old, you should replace it every couple years because it does loose potency over time.  But it did apparently keep the bear at bay long enough for him to loose his nerve and leave.  Who knows what would have happened if they had taken a pot shot at it with a handgun, it is very possible in that case that they may have just wounded it enough to piss it off and been in really bad shape.  So... I'm not convinced it would have ended any better with a handgun instead of spray.

I did manage to startle a black bear in the Winds one day, we came over a rise and out of the trees into a small lake basin from downwind and he was about 50-70 feet in front of us, in the middle of taking a dump  .  He froze and stared at us for a few seconds, I kept my head down and we slowly backed away (while getting the camera out).  After staring at us for several seconds he turned and ran off.  The pile of scat was still steaming when I came back to it.  

To put it in perspective, according to Wikipedia (which could be wrong, but is usually right) there where 26 fatal bear attacks in the North America from 2000 to 2010.
Yet in the decade from 1998 to 2008 there where 449 deaths from lightning strikes just in the USA, and thousands die every year from hypothermia, or drowning in the backcountry.

I'm just saying if something happens that is going to cause your death in the backcountry, odds are that it won't be from a bear attack.  I worry more about weather, or falling and breaking a femur, or falling in a river when fording, or mistaking death kamas for wild onions (not really but it has happened), killing me on a trip then I do bears.

[saggs]

EDIT:

Whatever, I give up.  Some people just like to have unfounded paranoia about stuff.   


BTW:  For a fun handgun I think you can't go wrong with a 1911, or something like a Sig Sauer P229 or Glock 19 if you want something concealed.   I just think it's silly to carry it for "bear protection."

[MarineUS]

All I know is; I talked to the guy yesterday and I will purchasing this baby the week I get back from Afghanistan.

[saggs]

All I know is; I talked to the guy yesterday and I will purchasing this baby the week I get back from Afghanistan.
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.416 or .50?


That's a big chunk o' cash.

[MarineUS]

.50

And yeah it will be....about 10,900 after taxes and some ammo.
64 bucks for ten rounds...  

(The guy said it was an M82 but I'm SERIOUSLY thinking he was misinformed. It looks a LOT like the M82's brother. The M107. They are both considered to be the "Barret Light fifty.")

[Charge]

I once read an American silhouette shooters handbook which represented various very powerful handguns and loadings they could use and there was also mentioned hunting and among those were a very fitting remark:
"It has been a custom for people who shoot bears with their revolvers to file the front sight flat. To assist in fast draw you ask. Not really. It's because when you shoot a bear with your big a55 revolver it does not hurt so much when the bear catches you and shoves the barrel up your butt."

Pretty much tells what they thought of the potential of a powerful hand gun to stop a bear. 

-C+

[mbailey]

I did manage to startle a black bear in the Winds one day............The pile of scat was still steaming when I came back to it.  

Whose pile, his or yours 

[katanaso]

To put it in perspective, according to Wikipedia (which could be wrong, but is usually right) there where 26 fatal bear attacks in the North America from 2000 to 2010.
Yet in the decade from 1998 to 2008 there where 449 deaths from lightning strikes just in the USA, and thousands die every year from hypothermia, or drowning in the backcountry.

I think the biggest factor for the fear, which ignores actual statistics, is the thought that being eaten alive would most likely be a scary and horrible death. 

[Jebus]

I have a Glock 20 10mm for hiking, fishing and biking.  I feel quiet comfortable with the gun and can shoot it very well... Surprisingly well actually.

15+1 of 200 grn hardcast double tap bullets at 1300 fps.

I like it because it is light compared to revolvers and has good fire power.  One Mag is for 4 legged another mag for 2 legged.

[AKHog]

Whatever, I give up.  Some people just like to have unfounded paranoia about stuff.  
... I just think it's silly to carry it for "bear protection."

Saggs I appreciate what you are saying, I just fail to see a good alternative.

I'm not basing my paranoia on anything unfounded, I'm basing it on my personal experience and the experiences of my friends and others in my town. The griz population is growing and there are bears being sighted in areas they haven't been in 50+ years. I've spent a ton of time in the woods around all the predators and I realize there are other dangers too. I carry bear spray just about everywhere I go but I want to add a level of protection. A rifle is not practical for my needs. I know even a large caliber hand canon is a compromise but I'm all ears if you have a better alternative.

I agree bear attacks are rare compared to lightening strikes, but you are only looking at a very general statistic. Factor in how much time I spend in the woods around my house, in known griz country, and the types of things I often do, and I have a much larger chance of encountering a bear than the average human. Just like looking at golfers who play in the rain compared to normal humans regarding lighting strikes. Statistics are difficult to quantify in those regards.

[AKHog]

I like it because it is light compared to revolvers and has good fire power.  One Mag is for 4 legged another mag for 2 legged.

That is helpful, thanks. The biggest reason I don't carry my .357 is it's weight. How much does your Glock20 weigh?

What rounds do you load for 4 legged and 2 legged?

[icepac]

Tanfoglio witness compact (or full size) in 10mm?



Under 500 bucks.

Of course, I may wait for Vltor to start delivering thier version of the "bren 10".

[ROX]

Tanfoglio witness compact (or full size) in 10mm?

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Under 500 bucks.

Of course, I may wait for Vltor to start delivering thier version of the "bren 10".

Don't know about "compact" or "10mm" but I have the .45 cal version and it is SWEET!

I think that asking around to friends and going to the range with them and giving different models a good 20-30 test fire  is way better than anything.  Guns are like cars.  A different fit for everyone.  Test firing like test driving is the way to go.