Luck by definition means the odds are against you. That means having the right gear, and knowing how to use it. Thats the reason why deer hunters dont waste their time with deer rifles, and duck hunters dont waste their time with shotguns. Less felt recoil means a delf defense pistol that many small frame shooters can handle. Proper 9mm bullets yield sufficient penetration in soft tissue, but it may not stop a bear quickly enough to avoid being mauled. People arent buying snubbies in big calibers for this kind of situation any more than theyre buying large knives because they want to join that one guy who actually did kill a grizzly with a Ka-Bar. Ill have to ask what brand he has. Of absolute importance when you choose a handgun caliber for bear defense, stopping power is at the top of the list. Sourced? This gun has a 2.5-inch barrel and is fitted with Hogue grips. Popular among Alaskan guides and hunters, the .375 is capable of launching a 270-grain bullet at 4,300 ft.-lbs. Holy shit you have some serious issues. I had no expectation that the pistol would kill the bear. 44 Magnum ammo should do the trick though! I learned things that could make the difference between success and failure. There are other downsides to carrying larger firearms that may not pose as big a problem for some people. Really the extra bullet is unlikely to matter either. As a geologist, Nelson has killed four bears in defense of life and property (DLP), including two black bears and two grizzlies. Depends on what type of bear. You could try noticing that fact, wondering about it, and asking, Why wouldnt you choose a long-barreled gun that shoots with higher velocity, better penetration, more accuracy, less muzzle flip, less recoil, and holds one more bullet to stop a charging bear?. FOLKS AT BUFFALO BORE AND HORNADY PARTICULARLY FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAPPY TO HELP. Among firearms platforms, a rifle delivers more energy and is effective to greater distances, making it the first choice. Cause theyd be weaponless from the a _ _ rape theyd get coming through Canada. 3) Self defense from a bear attack with a pistol is a cautionary tale at best, correct? .45-70 GovernmentFirst adopted by the U.S. military in 1873, the .45-70 Government has been one of the longest-standing big-game cartridges of all time. Aim is critical too and handguns just arent accurate, nor can they match a rifle let alone a a rifle that needs hard cast bullets for this job anyways. Are you melting snowflake? If Im on my ATV my rifle stays in your typical V shaped rifle mount that attaches to my front rack, retained by rubber straps. I know a guy who emptied his 9mm into a Black Bearkilled it well enough. While not stated in the account, one of the pictures indicates the first, crucial shot, was to the center of the bears chest. Keep your distance if possible. Center Mass hits can disrupt the circulatory system, but science has proven that enough blood remains in a humans system that they can continue to act for up to about 10 seconds. I've killed big bear with one shot (usually .338 mag) but I was also in on a bear kill with my hunting partner when things didn't go well. Always remember to check local regulations when traveling in bear country. I dont have any particular issue with what youve said so far, but you must understand that by refusing to give any actual citation of your sources you are undermining your own argument. Another round used effectively years ago was the from the Howdah double barrel pistol in .577 cal. And as I said at the git-go, a hell of a lot of hunters have been mauled by grizzlies after they shot them. The 44 magnum is no exception. .. While some may consider it the minimum, its plenty powerful enough to stop an onerous bear. Its the statement of a man who has experience, understanding, and appreciation. You have entered an incorrect email address! Hes a fear pimp. Your alcohol. It wasnt a challenge or snub to anyone, really. Aim for the center of mass whenever possible in order to ensure a quick and clean kill. The comparative recoil data shows the difference between our chosen calibers. It was a statement that very few of us are in the far north, so very few of us are in the far-north areas where black bears are so much bigger, aggressive, and dangerous. test, none of us were looking forward to running the S&W 329 PD with the Hornady 240-grain JHP loads I had brought along. And if you want grownups to take you seriously, you really do have to stop sounding just like Jesse Pinkman. The 44 Magnum offers several advantages over the bigger calibers especially if you pick the right firearm. I have found 30 instances so far. That might be the reason. Im not criticizing him for that, but he didnt say it was his research. A handgun is worn on your person, however, and is invaluable because it stays with you, whether youre answering natures call or stopping to field dress a game animal. 2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Having shot a 44 magnum numerous times, I can tell you that it is not one of my favorite range guns. Please dont take out your rage on your wife or kids tonight. They are lucky to have survived given they left their primary defensive weapon in a tree! That poor bear, he was just turning his life around. Hence common sense is applied to protect ones self. And Im sick with the flu,so Im goofing off in this pathetic comments section. I WAS STILL PRETTY DANGEROUS WHEN WOUNDED AND SAME APPLIES TO BEAR. Down in the article a little ways Paco talks about his bear kill. Several folks have even successfully killed bears with a 9mm. Presumably he removed it when they started cleaning the moose, which is probably the worst time to do so. This is really what the .44 mag was designed for., Yup. The 44 Magnum is a powerful handgun, but it is not powerful enough to guarantee a one-shot kill on a bear. You can easily see in this chart how the different calibers using standard factory loads compare in delivered energy down range. GRIZZLIES: In the far north, when attacking grizzlies are on sportsmen before they can aim a long gun, they un-chest-holster an big-blast Alaskan snubbie. I suppose if one hit a bear in the eye with a .22 cal. Show me on the doll where the handgun touched you. of energy at 1500 fps, while the 495-grain DDupleks leaves the muzzle at 1410 fps with 2,180 ft.-lbs. The heaviest I have found without casting my own is 265 gr. When it comes to defending yourself against a bear attack, theres no substitute for 44 mag ammo. Bruh it's a black bear not a Grizzly. Considered by many to be the minimum for big bear defense rounds, the .44 Remington Magnum was first introduced in 1955 for revolvers and gained widespread popularity in the 1970s thanks to Dirty Harry. Many bear attacks happen in brush where a shorter draw is preferable. Sherman, set the wayback machine for September 7th, 2006. Upon second thought, I think you just honestly misunderstood my meaning, and I may have misunderstood yours in the reply I just wrote. At this kind of range the accuracy of the longer barrel doesnt much matter nor does the penetration, which doesnt much matter anyway. TWO OR FOUR LEGS , SLITHERS OR SWIMS( ATTACKED BY SHARKS ONCE, HAD .223 BANG STICK THANK YOU VERY MUCH, END OF SHARK AND ATTACK) BE PREPARED. I use Lyman no. statement Ive made people really understand what to do about bears? here: Live survive love laugh and be happy, not screaming in terror before dying in pain, 7mm Remington Magnum (168gr Nosler AccuBond LR at 2,880fps): 19.6 I heard that bear was a friend of Cecil the lion. They have not released their data, but they found handguns to be 84% effective against bears, surprisingly, more effective than long guns. Great choice. For hiking and camping, I prefer a chest rig. Thorofare Country south of Yellowstone, Grizzly at 10 feet, .44 magnum and .357 magnum, September, 2013 (report from 2015) Then at about 2:45 p.m., a collared boar grizzly identified as bear No . I wonder what Larry Kelly would have to say about the negative talk here about the Magnaport Stalker handguns that his company builtand he took to Alaska and the African continent to do his testing with it way back in the late 70s or 80s. How many you need? Because of intense interest from his family and friends, Doug wrote a detailed account of the attack and the aftermath. When youre out in the wild, its important to be prepared for anything. I am thinking I would allways have a friend with me to watch my back, if indeed I was to be in a situation of a bear encroachment. And to the the post of a guy shot many times with a 9mm, you are correct sir. I doubt any bear could withstand two quick rounds from this one to the head! Alaskan moose hunters Doug White and Reed Thompson were working on packing out the meat and head from a successful hunt. Bear will win every time. They were attacked by a large grizzly bear . Your fat. .338 Winchester Magnum The favorite among Alaskan guides as a backup gun, the .338 Winchester Magnum was released in 1958 as belted, rimless cartridge. You should instead be astonished of its success and dominance instead of blaming it on things like youre made up fake news. For many backwoods trekkers, hunters, and homesteaders the 44 mag is the mainstay of their bear defense. . So, I asked about this. This attack makes29 pistol defenses against bears that I have found. These are the most vulnerable areas on a bear. Every 1.5 pages, it tells you that youre now at the exact trail spot where yet another guy from yet another sawmill was killed by a grizzly on such and such a date. The majority of my travel is either via ATV or Snowmachine, while not on foot. WHEN CLOSE TO HOUSE CHEST RIG WITH SHORT BARREL S/W .44 MAG OR SUPER RED HAWK .44 LONG BARREL. Hes read some books so hes an expert. This div height required for enabling the sticky sidebar, 2022 Yestactical.com We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The article was about pistols being used to defend against bears. They did not have a .44 magnum. WTF are you doing using a holster you are not absolutely certain how to operate? Click bait makes me so mad I wish I had a .44 magnum! Ive watched, while working out, flossing, but never sittingI dont sit while I watch TVpretty much every documentary on bears ever shown, including the one on crazy, brave, brilliant, dead Timothy Treadwell. The .44 magnum boomed in the night and the boar fell straight down, his head three feet away from where I stood. Let's look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. This is really what the .44 mag was designed for. Its chambered in nearly every major manufacturers rifle and has a plethora of ammunition choices as well. 3. AT 1.82 per round, I can afford to go to the range to hone my skills. He was a brave soul. Since then, I have switched to a GunfightersINC chest holster. Likely a happy accident for them due other evolutionary happenstances, but they are around because the weaker ones arent. Can a .44 Magnum L5 Desert Eagle stop a Bear attack? I am looking forward to seeing them. Dean Weingarten is a fear salesman, and not just in this article, but most of his others. I have fifteen articles on the Alaskan revolver in my archives, and i learned something from them all. Thats about the only way a handgun bullet is going to drop a charging bear that quickly. Startled bears can be extremely volatile as can those with a fresh kill if they perceive that you are threatening to take their dinner. When I need it, I simply have to grab my pistol and pull. Value. .44 Remington MagnumConsidered by many to be the minimum for big bear defense rounds, the .44 Remington Magnum was first introduced in 1955 for revolvers and gained widespread popularity in the 1970s thanks to Dirty Harry. It might have continued on to hit the spine, resulting in the instant collapse of the bear. The second and third time I used bear spray was against overly aggressive dogs. Again, Im not saying this because I necessarily disagree with you, Im saying it because it hurts your own cause. Be be over armed -not under. And they dont work well if you dont shake the cans from time to time, just like spray paint. (Another was uncovered after I wrote the last article.) Tyler Freel A 12 gauge's effectiveness can vary tremendously based on the ammunition used. Hell, it wasnt even American. Your comment is just what the doctor ordered. . If youre ever faced with a bear attack, youll need to know how to defend yourself. I carry both, with bear spray on my left side and a .44 on my right, so IF the bear spray fails Im not completely f-ed. The period of time for their data set was from 1883 to 2009. of energy from the muzzle. Caliber: .44 Magnum. LOL! A clean kill is the best way to avoid having to track a wounded bear. Scotty reminds me of an autistic. When Jeff Newville faced his moment of truth with the grizzly, he barely had time to fire his revolver. Hes an intelligent and well-educated man who honestly believes his own be-afraid B.S., but its still be-afraid B.S. What did work was the short barrel shotgun. Spray products vary. .300 Remington Ultra Magnum (180gr Nosler Partition at 3,243fps)(4,202 ft lbs): 25.7 Best wheelgun, .44 Rem Mag $1195 at Guns.com Jump to Details Best Lever Gun Marlin Model 1895 Reliable, durable, chambered in .45-70 Government $1199 at Brownells Jump to Details Editor's Pick Rifle CZ 550 American Safari Magnum Popular for a reason, heavy hitting, .375 H&H $1299 at Palmetto State Armory Jump to Details Best Shotgun Thanks for visiting eatingthewild.com. DO NOT SEE THE MTN LIONS MUCH BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE AS SEE THE TRACKS AND A GLANCE OUT THE WINDOW ONCE IN A WHILE. Does a 44 Magnum rifle kick? Im pretty sure, he would say, the gun is only as good as the person handling it. It is imperative that your bear defense gun is readily available, quick to deploy and that you can place a shot on target under extreme stress. Scotty, or Cisco or whatever his current intertube name is; I believe may be afflicted with the same disability as my unfortunate nephew. akgunners command of language, his clarity of thought, and his thinking were just superb today. I have a more-than-full-time job except when I have the flu,like today,and Im not going to write your articles for you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You still need to know how to use it effectively in order to maximize its potential. A charging grizzly bear can reach speeds of 35 mph an hour for short distances and their acceleration rate is phenomenal. You write em and put your name on em, you have to do that heavy lifting. for grizzly protection. Delivered energy at a given distance, usually measured in ft-lbs. Interesting study. The Ruger Red Hawk Alaskan owned by a friend who regularly hunts in Montana is his bear defense weapon. A 12-gauge shotgun and slug will deliver impressive energy and is effective to moderate ranges. Did you ever even bother to check on last weeks bear attack in Florida after I said you were wrong? Considered by many to be the most versatile North American big-game cartridge, the .338 Win. I dont even know if Hank The Anonymous was insulting me, or how, or about what, because Hank cannot use words. .. Im kidding, of course! 7. I mention this one because of its immense stopping power at extremely close distances. You have to do more than say there are books out there, you have to read em. Although I seldom agreed with Jeff Cooper he was right when he said that if you use a handgun as an offensive weapon its tantamount to committing suicide no matter what the caliber. He plainly states that he was researching attacks where pistols where used in defense. Very difficult to do, but an absolute guaranteed instant stopper. LOL . The accurate answer is "it depends". .357 S&W MagnumWhile some folks claim the .44 Magnum is the minimum for charging bears, many others have opted for a Glock 20 in 10mm Auto and, interestingly enough, passed right by the .357 S&W Magnum. Zero. Anybody at all? Im comfortable carrying the .38, with better bullets, where I hunt. Sad! But I always heard that bear spray worked better than a gun. Lets face it. Only one of them ended in failure. 2. Likely been in a group home since his folks could no longer care for him. As a wildcat cartridge, it hasnt seen the widespread use of other rounds on this list, but that hasnt stopped many guides and hunters, Nelson included, from converting Marlin lever guns for its very effective use. Can a 44 Magnum kill a bear? Maybe you should pay more attention to the world around you and have a little less Tude with everyone. 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As for his own writing, yeah, I sure do criticize it. has 780 ft.-lbs. This weight advantage may amount to only a few ounces on a fully loaded pistol, but after eight hours of up and down mountains on foot tracking an elk or mountain goat, even a few ounces can make a difference. No gun. If you do encounter one, though, remember these tips: It is important to note that even if a 44 Magnum round does stop a bear in its tracks, there is still a chance that it could come back after being shot. Unfortunately, most everything else on this page is hogwash! At anytime I can simply reach forward, undo the straps, grab my rifle and Im good to go, or so I thought. Since the bear usually knows where you are long before you are aware of the bear, your reaction time may be considerably less than 4.5 seconds. The dog was close enough however that the spray did hit the dog right in the face. Like a man. Heard that from: a city weenie whos never met a bear. While some may consider it the minimum, it's plenty powerful enough to stop an onerous bear. What handgun can kill a grizzly bear? 8. I DO GET THAT:) I think akgunner wrote a comment below the article which is more helpful than the article itself. A handgun is just plain Darwinism in motion. .73 (2 3/4) 12 GA Slug 437.5 gr @ 1560 FPS (2363/ ft lbs): 71 6. Here are some tips on how to do just that: Many people have this question, and the answer is not a simple one. As a firefighter for 25 years in a major urban dept. It is better to have and not need than to need and not have, in my opinion. 1. I READ STORIES ABOUT THE GUIDE WHO KILLED THE BEAR WITH A 9MM ( LUCKY ALL I CAN SAY AND HE KNEW BETTER ME THINKS THAN TO CARRY SUCH IN BEAR COUNTRY) AND ALSO THAT MONSTER GRIZZ SHOT IN ALASKA AFTER HE KILLED AT LEAST TWO HIKERS AND TOOK ON GOVERNMENT HUNTER ON DEER HUNT WHO EMPTIED 7MM INTO HIM AND BEAR FINALLY DROPPED AT HIS FEET. All in the family wish him nothing but the best, however his violent and irrational demeanor makes him a true pariah and danger to himself and anyone around him. All of the guides I have hunted with insist that everyone have a bear defense firearm on their person almost at all times. Two or three times, he never replied, I looked everywhere, no bear, as I turned and looked behind me, ( I was setting in a camp chair) I was eye to eye with a big Boar Grizzly coming in fast, ( Luckily he wasnt charging yet) I looked him in the Eye, he was not stopping! When you consider the other factors involved, the 44-magnum may even be a better choice for some than the larger and more powerful calibers. The article is not an argument against carrying a long gun, but a reason to carry a good back up as well. However, if we are considering the average person on an outdoor adventure, we need to look at the best fit option. the rifles were left outside the tents, but inside the protective alarm wire. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. Good placement and a heavy bullet at a decent speed. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Thankfully he decided to scale the cliff because it was a good 20 seconds or more before I could undo the straps to my rifle and get it pointed in his direction. Ive personally gotten black bears to leave my campsites dozens of times just by raising my voice a little, and (when with others) Ive literally run them off dozens of other times.
