No, I have never been associated with that company. And I will most definitely have my gun near dominant hand and ready!

That is very good information. I was already aware that it would obviously be close quarters with muzzle contact on the mtn lion but never consider that the slide of a semi auto could foul. A revolver has far less moving parts which would make since to carry. Only down side is that you only get 6 shots. A moving target that is potentially attacking me from behind might be difficult stop with that limited amount of ammo. I will most likely be toting my schrade 498 for when I'm out of bullets or when I drop my gun. With that being said I would like this scenario to remain hypothetical and not a reality.

Now that you've brought knives into this, I know of a man who cut the throat of an attacking cougar with a Schrade equivalent to the Buck Model 110. He was badly ripped up, but survived.


Next we have the case of Harry Wolhuter, who killed an African lion dragging him off. Used an I. Wilson knife with six-inch blade. Just look him up on the Net. No time to detail that now.


Finally, we have a father with a Spyderco with a three- inch blade, probably a Delica from what I saw on the TV news. Big Bend Natl. Park, TX. Father saved a six-year-old son by repeatedly knifing a cougar at a motel. The blade wasn't long enough to reach vital organs, but the attack drove off the cat .

Would go with the 29 using a JHP bullet that is not traving all that fast so you have better recoil contraol.

The Speer .44 Magnum 200 grain Gold Dot HP Short Barrel Load has their 200 grain .44 Special bullet traveling at 1080 fps from a 4" barrel...recoil is very manageable and the bullet expands every time.

Also any of the loads that use the Barnes all copper HPs would be worth a look.

I would not go semi-auto because with cats being very quiet one may be on you before you can get a shot off. With a revolver one should be able to get multiple shots off in a ground fight...if one has a semi you may only get one before it jams...

I have a .44 Magnum Mountain Gun...the Speer 200 is what I carry..

Bob

You sure it was a motel and not a "cat house"?

One of my friends told me that when he takes a walk alone in cougar country,he carries a .357 Mag.But when he goes with somebody,he makes sure that it is somebody he hates,he says a .22 is enough...shoots him in the knee and runs away!
Needless to say I don't go hiking with him!
Qc

I recommend a magnesium fire lighter.

Build a camp fire in the midst of your encampment and you should have no problems. If you do somehow actually encounter a mountain lion and in the even more unlikely event it attacks you, any of the firearms you mentions will be sufficient to dispatch it.

Several years ago, a teenager hiking near Colorado Springs was attacked by a juvenile cougar. Kid killed it with a knife he had in his backpack.

According to this link from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, there have been fewer than a dozen fatalities from mountain lions in the last 100 years. Not comforting if you happen to be unlucky number 13. However, the link has some good information on preventing lion attacks, which is probably more pertinent than what load you have in your handgun.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife -
Lion Country: Part 1

Just for the record, when I'm fishing or hiking in lion country, I carry my Ruger Speed Six 2 3/4" with Hornaday Critical Defense.

Thanks for sharing, that is one excellent presentation.