In the Alabama wood's I carried either an S&W PC .357 8 shot UDR (middle); or, the phenomenal shooting .357 Magnum S&W PC M&P R8 or TRR8 (top).

When I arrived in Alaska my plan was a 5" .460 XVR and I shopped it up here and found it in stock in Wasilla, and I was going to order a Galco Kodiak Holster; and of course that weapon would also allowing me to carry .454 Casull.

Now after research and a lot of discussion, it will be a 10mm Glock with +P high penetration ammo.

With the Glock more carryable in a holster; but more important, triple the capacity (16) over an X-Frame (5) (I also considered .44 Mag N Frame [6 capacity]).

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Excellent choice of gun and dog!

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

You’ve chosen well!!

You’ve got a gun you can comfortably carry and get into action quickly.

It’s also a BEAR THREAD!!

One of my favorite kinds!

Very handsome dog, I have to agree! Speculating about bear guns seems to be a staple of gun forums. Wouldn’t your .357s do just as well, with the right ammo? As I understand it, aren’t anything but shots to the head problematic? In any case, good luck with the Glock 10mm. Hope you never need it.

Yeah, the .357 would do as well, but at half the capacity I want to be able to keep pumping as long as needed, but hope I never need it.

Also you have to be aware of the moose, year round, although they're generally not aggressive, but they can get in a mood in certain circumstances, especially mothers. And, when driving, hitting an 800 lbs. to 1,500 lbs. moose I'm sure is a whole different ball game than a deer in the Lower 48; and I am shocked how often that happens here, and I slow down at night and use the 24,000 lumen light bar in my grill on my Explorer if I'm remote at night.

Thanks for the compliments regarding Moses. Apparently this is the first time in his life he hasn't been hot.

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Glock 20 good choice i have one and like it, Really Nice looking dog!

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Chewy

Not much you can’t face down with a full magazine of hot 10mm in a Glock 20.

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Some Might Say.

It's a good pistol to have even in the lower 48!

Great looking dog and great name.

You made the right choice going with a Glock rather than an X-frame 460. The 460's highest and best use is with a long barrel to generate as much velocity as possible to drive a good 300+ grain bullet to moderate ranges. A short barreled 460 is neither as handy as a proper 45 Colt nor as useful as a full-length 460.

Ya come on to S&W Forum and blasphemize!

Glocking us when you should be packin' a .44 at least.

Fast shots into a Griz better be accurate or you are Bear houres devours.

Ten responses and no one has posted this one yet (modified slightly from the original)?

"A man broke into a house one night. While he was searching through stuff he heard a small voice - "Moses is watching you." He stopped for a moment and said to himself - "this must be a voice from my old Sunday school." So he continued searching, but about 5 minutes later he heard the voice again - "Moses is watching you." He turned his flashlight to the direction of the voice and saw a parrot. He asked the parrot - "what is your name?" The parrot replied - "Jesus". The robber said - "what kind of silly people would name their parrot Jesus?" The parrot replied - "the same people who named their German Shepherd Moses".

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Very handsome dog. Gotta love shepherds. I got one waiting for me at that old Rainbow Bridge...

Don’t know that I would have made same decision about going with the 10mm, but neither would I have opted on the .460 X. They’re very nice but i’d want one more for hunting than defense I think. Why not just a 4.5 or 5” .44 mag for Woods Carry? Capacity I suppose. Hard to argue against that. Good luck up there, that’s a big transition.

You sir have excellent taste, if I could I would be where you are now. In 2014 made the ride of my life from Texas to Alaska and I still lament that I have not been back.I love my glock 20s, but then I love 10mms.....and lastly, Bismarck has been by side for near 15 years and I dread that last day with him as I know he is slowing down.....you are living the dream.

I have a Glock model 40 just for woods carry while my revolvers stay nice and warm inside. I have no shame in saying this.

Dwever, good choice of sidearm for outdoor activities...

I was stationed in Alaska for four years and tried to get out in the bush every chance I could. Back then (1998-2002) the general consensus was to carry a revolver in 44 Magnum or larger. I carried the 4” Mountain Gun pictured below. If I were to move back up there today, I would likely transition to a GLOCK 20 in 10mm as well.

Beyond the extra capacity, your GLOCK will be much easier to control under recoil than a big revolver. This will allow faster follow up shots if needed. Just remember, dangerous bear encounters will be measured in seconds and it is hard to beat the point-ability and stopping power of a shotgun loaded with slugs.

Despite what you read on the internet, your chances of needing to use a firearm for bear defense are very low. Awareness of your surroundings and smart camping practices go a long way to keeping you safe.

You’ll enjoy your time up there!

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

WOW---ALABAMA TO ALASKA. TALK ABOUT A CLIMATE CHANGE ! ! !

IF EXPERIENCED LOCALS HAVE CONFIDENCE, THAT 10MM+P SOLIDS, WILL OFFER ADEQUATE PROTECTION AGAINST THE LARGE AND DANGEROUS, ALASKAN WILDLIFE, I SAY GO FOR IT.....

I HAVE NEVER READ ANY NEGATIVE COMMENT ABOUT GLOCK RELIABILITY, AND THE 16 ROUND CAPACITY IS A PLUS. THE WEATHERPROOF QUALITY OF THE GLOCK, SHOULD ALSO BE AN ASSET, IN THE ALASKAN ENVIRONMENT.....

GOOD LUCK, AND STAY SAFE ! ! !

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Several 460 roland kits for wide body guns, Give u the 44 mag and capacity

Good choice. That 460 would get might heavy as an EDC / Woods gun. I had the Glock but when the 220 Sig came out in 10mm, the Glock got traded....

Wow! How much does Moses weigh!?

This cliché dates back to the 1500s: "To each his own."

The modern version is: "Different strokes for different folks."

The key is this: there are no wrong answers.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Considering cost, weight, capacity, reliability, durability...I think you made a good choice for your intended purposes. A valid argument still could be made for a wheelgun, but the Glock makes sense and would likely be my pick in your circumstances. The best 10mm option for sure.

Similar situation for me, moving from KY to MT. If I won’t have my M69, I’ll carry my G20. However, getting the new gun itch, I added a RIA 2011 in 10mm. Something about steel and wood grips over plastic makes me happy. Be safe out there, and great looking companion!

I know this has been said before. Two great choices a beautiful Sheppard and a fantastic pistol. Get the right ammo and you will be all set...

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NRA Benefactor

I think his proximity to the camera makes him look bigger than actual: Moses is 94-96 lbs. Just right for a male and for a long life. He better live to be 16 after what I paid Delta to get him here to Alaska. His best buddy Thor (left side all 3 pics) is 105.

S&W PC TRR8 generally on my side on the North Alabama Land Trust. Aimpoint and Hogues. Moonclips interchangeable with PC UDR when I needed to go concealed.

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Beautiful Dogs-I can tell Thor is is bud, their butts touch when they lie together. Thanks for your response.

S&W made a snubby just for your situation that'll fit right in your pocket.

Be safe up there, no matter what you're carrying!

.

500ES


.

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Waiting for the break of day

Going to be redundant here. Beautiful Shepard’s, never owned one, but have worked along side K-9’s for years. Have immense respect for Shepard’s, and their cousins. My EDC for the past ten years has been a G-20, I am a big fan of the pistol and the round. Enjoy your time up there-be safe.

You need to change your location to Alaska..........

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Forum consigliere

A couple of comments:
1. Having been charged once, the chances of getting more than one shot off are pretty slim;
2. The Danish Dogsled Patrol (who patrol VAST areas of Greenland for 4+ months at a time in 2 man teams) carry Glock 20s
3. I would recommend Underwood hardcast==I get reasonable accuracy in my G20.

Is that true in most cases? I admit to having absolutely no first hand experience or real knowledge on this topic, but there are countless YouTube videos of Bear(Black & Brown) charges and in most of them, you would have time to empty the mag.

Love my Glock 20, the only thing better for me would be a Glock 21 in .460 Rowland.

Hope you enjoy Alaska. Say Hi to Sara for me.

Now think hard on this......if something goes wrong, do you really want them finding your body next to a Glock?!?

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

A word of advice regarding the dog. When out in the bush, keep him on a leash close by.

Many a hiker has been attacked by bear after the dog pissed him off and the bear followed the dog back to the owner.

Go see Portage Glacier, Denali National Park, Earth Quake Park, and charter a halibut boat out of Homer.

And there is a very nice well run shooting range about 20 miles east of Anchorage. Home - Birchwood Recreation & Shooting Park

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Great photo of you and your Best Friend!

Hi,
That's a heck of a move!
I have a friend that moved from TN to Anchorage, Alaska. Similar change in climate. He's a hiker but not a gun guy. I think he's crazy! Probably best that he stays close to his condo! But, even at that, I read that there are over 30 known Grizzlies that live within the Anchorage city limits!
While visiting, I regularly saw very large and ornery moose all over town.
I had a chance to step into an Anchorage Walmart and found their gun counter well stocked with things like S&W 500 Survival kits, Ruger Super Redhawks in 480 Ruger, etc. Good to see they weren't messing around.
By the way, it's totally worth visiting Valdez, if you like cool, out of the way small towns. I drove the highway and via Thompson Pass to get there from Anchorage, then took the ferry back to Whittier, then onward back to Anchorage.
They have a nice outdoor range in Valdez, too!

Having dealt with a few big bears............

A heavy handgun of choice is A-Okay.

But for me, when crusin' the bush, I carry this'n along on my walks.

Short and handy, with a stout 45-70 handload.



.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I think you will have to change your entire wardrobe. Alabama to Alaska. Wow. That’s climate change.

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby

A buffalo holster. Neat. I have run across a couple of coats and a buddy had some great mittens. First holster I have even seen.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...8&d=1518897990

You tube videos are posed! If you are REALLY charged, do you have time to set up your video camera? (CUT Mr. Bear! I didn't have the camera on!) Your buddy is going to video you instead of helping? (Joe Bob=got great video of the bear tearing your arm off. If you weren't holding a beer, I could probably sell it to the news at 11:00!) Most of those, the shooter is hunting and has provoked the bear and is shooting at a greater distance than a defensive shooting. One complaint that I've heard in the several trips we've made to Alaska is that out-of-staters kill a lot of bears that don't need killing.

The Alaska Game & Fish boys don’t joke around in their investigation of all things related to their natural resources, especially when someone kills wildlife. There will be scrutiny to the shooter’s actions prior to the attack. Did he do something to provoke the bear’s actions? Was the bear just nearby, making a bluff charge, or really attacking?

There is a fine line between a bluff charge and an all out attack. I’ve never experienced either one, but can understand the terror of a big bear rapidly coming your way. I imagine more than a few bears have been shot while making a bluff charge.

I saw many, many bears in my short four years in Alaska. However, I only pulled my handgun once and fortunately didn’t need to use it.

One summer I was camping and fishing along Montana Creek over the 4th of July weekend with my wife and children. My sister, her husband, and their kids were also camping along with us. The salmon were running and we were having a great time! There is nothing tastier than freshly caught salmon. My mouth waters just thinking about it!

Along with the human fishermen there was a young adult brown bear in the area, also fishing in the creek. One afternoon I was herding my two children and several nieces and nephews from the fishing area back to our campsite. The kids were all having a great time laughing and playing as we moved along the trail. When we rounded a turn in the trail we came face to face with that brown bear about 40 feet ahead of us.

He was neither spooked or agitated with our presence. However, he was very interested in the kids and eyed them like a dog looks at table food. I hushed the kids and pulled them behind me as I slowly began backing up revolver now in hand.

The “encounter” ended as quickly as it started when another fisherman was walking opposite direction along the trail and came up behind the bear. His wide-eyed face was priceless when he finally looked up and saw the bruin! I assume the bear felt surrounded and he made a hasty exit off the trail and away from us.

Although no shots were fired and no one was hurt, my heart raced as I pondered what could have happened. It would have ended the same if I were unarmed, but having a defensive tool in my hand was somewhat comforting. I guess that was just another day fishing in Alaska...

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

Welcome to Alaska! Seems you've got a handle on things firearms wise. For all the years up here myself, I've made the transition as well.

Used to be a .44 on your hip and a 12GA nearby. Now it's mostly a Glock 40 or Sig P220 10mm with an extra magazine on the hip and a .45-70 Henry lever gun nearby.

I too, have a .460PC gun for hunting, but it's not a self defense gun......too much gun, not enough capability for that role.

Again, welcome!

For handguns (Besides my G20), I have a custom Reeder 454 and an OM Blackhawk with 300 gr hardcast at 1100-1200 fps.