For you guys that work in or near areas that you would expect to come across bear, what caliber gun do you carry for protection?
I carry a Glock 23 (.40) daily but I want something to pack around in the mountains with me when I'm in bear country. I am considering either a Glock 20 (10 mm) or a .44 mag revolver.
The .44 Magnum is generally considered the minimum for reliable bear defense. The .454 Casull, the .460 Limbaugh, and the .500 S&W Magnum are considered better, but the recoil is generally considered excessive for most people that do NOT practice a great deal with these extreme calibers.
A full-load .44 Magnum is no powder puff, however.
Look for solid copper bullets; no hollow points ... maybe not even softpoints since you're likely to aim at the skull.
I'm with Cliff. Unless you practice a lot with a pistol that has a heavy recoil you might be hurting your chances of survival by carrying one. Larger calibers weigh a lot, too.
I'd rather empty something with which I'm comfortable with a fair amount of accuracy than to get two wild rounds off before I hear bone crunching.
I carry a Kel-tec 9mm. I don't have any bears in my area though. It will hold 10 rounds. By then, he will already have gotten me, or we'll both be scared and running the away from each other, hopefully!
I don't have to worry about bears in my area but I own a .44 magnum revolver, and I find it pretty comfortable to shoot. It would be a lot carry all the time, but if you're already carrying a .40 it probably wouldn't make all that much difference in weight. Also, mine is a Colt Anaconda, and you could get a lighter gun in .44 cal.
Pepper Spray, Wasp and hornet spray, and little bells on your pant legs, to let them know you are coming!!
And, You know you are in bear country, if you find Pepper spray, hornet spray, and little bells in their scat!!
🙂
N
.22 will get the job done
If you remember to take along a dispensible traveling companion.
> For you guys that work in or near areas that you would expect to come across bear, what caliber gun do you carry for protection?
>
> I carry a Glock 23 (.40) daily but I want something to pack around in the mountains with me when I'm in bear country. I am considering either a Glock 20 (10 mm) or a .44 mag revolver.
Assuming you mean black bear, 44 mag is fine, but my understanding is that many people who have a lot of encounters with bears choose a good bear spray with the firearm as backup.
Wasp spray isn't the same.
I've heard several people mention the bear spray. I guess I'll get some and continue carrying what I carry. I wouldn't really want to carry anything heavier.
I've taken out a black bear with a 9mm. Don't ever want to try that foolishness again! Took all 15 rounds! I've carried a .44 mag for years, but in reality, I can't hit the side of a barn, from the inside with a pistol! The last time I was surveying in bear country, I had a scabbard strapped to the tripod leg with a 12ga pump in it. That works!
-JD-
I'm with JD...12 ga. with slugs!
Loyal
> I've taken out a black bear with a 9mm. Don't ever want to try that foolishness again! Took all 15 rounds! I've carried a .44 mag for years, but in reality, I can't hit the side of a barn, from the inside with a pistol! The last time I was surveying in bear country, I had a scabbard strapped to the tripod leg with a 12ga pump in it. That works!
>
>
> -JD-
I recommend a 10 Gauge with 3-1/2" mag slugs &/or 000 buckshot. For a pistol I carry a 10mm. In a short while I expect to have a .44 Mag revolver available. B-)
