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Old 02-22-2021, 03:05 AM
Charles Schwab Charles Schwab is offline
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Hi,

I going to buy a Model 69 but are unable to actually get my hands on either to compare their feel and weight, 2.75" vs 4.25", at any gun shop or gun show in the Seattle Area.

Use: I am a fly fisherman and hiker. The guns only use will be for protection from bears and other attacking critters when in the wilderness when bear spray doesn't work. Otherwise, it will sit in my gun safe. Since I fly fish and wear waders, I will carry it on my chest with a chest holster. I will practice with 44 special rounds but carry 44 mag rounds when fishing and hiking.

Question: Since its primary use will be for last-second survival, within 15 to 20 yards, what would be my best choice. The 2.75 in or 4.25 in barrel. I guess what I'm asking is which has the least amount of recoil to recover for a second shot.

Thank You for your insight
Charles

Last edited by Charles Schwab; 02-22-2021 at 03:13 AM.
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Old 02-22-2021, 05:02 AM
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You'll pick-up 3oz. of extra weight with the 4-1/4" bbl. version (34oz -vs- 37oz).

A 5" 629 Classic weighs 43oz.

When the 2-3/4" came out it got a better crane lock-up arrangement (IMO) than the 4-1/4" had at the time.

Don't know why the later 4-1/4"s wouldn't have gotten it too but don't know for sure.

The L-frame 44 does a surprisingly good job handling recoil but if you're recoil sensitive the heavier the better.

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Old 02-22-2021, 05:54 AM
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I have the shorter barrel one that I take camping. Went short for the handy size. The website still shows both barrel lengths.
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Old 02-22-2021, 06:58 AM
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I'd say 4.25. I've owned and shot both lengths.
I think the long barrel is noticeably better at taming the recoil of a full 44 Magnum load. 2nd shot will be faster.

Digressing... I'm a fan of the 69 and 44 Magnum. But I'd be really tempted to carry a polymer 10 mm instead. Digression over.
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Old 02-22-2021, 08:15 AM
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Quote:
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I'd say 4.25. I've owned and shot both lengths.
I think the long barrel is noticeably better at taming the recoil of a full 44 Magnum load. 2nd shot will be faster.
Digressing... I'm a fan of the 69 and 44 Magnum. But I'd be really tempted to carry a polymer 10 mm instead. Digression over.
Yep.

Veterans of excursions into bear country are ditching the low capacity 'boat-anchor' wheelguns for 10mm Gen4 G20s, or more recently Glock's long-slide 10mm G40. Both are seen being carried in chest holsters by guides, fishermen, and hunters (the latter as a backup to their rifle).

All that said, the OP's better choice here is the 4.25" model. Not for sight radius, which is irrelevant at the close distances within which bears charge humans, but in order to retain the velocity & energy behind the magnum's bullet.

Velocity, and thus down-range 'impact' energy, drops off very sharply in sub-4" barrel, especially in the mega-magnum-type wheelgun calibers (.454). They need longer barrels (4"-6") to allow the powder capacity of the magnum case to work the bullet to magnum velocities. Going short (2.5" or 3") defeats the point of carrying a magnum revolver, which is to stop an enraged 4-legged critter before it can claw, bite, or (with Moose) stomp you to death.

I'd rather carry the 4.6" Gen4 G20 loaded 15+1 with a hot and heavy 220gn hardcast load (@ 1250fps), such as Buffalo Bore, Underwood, or Double Tap offer. With that load, the 6.2" G40 is just 'mo' better.'

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Old 02-22-2021, 08:17 AM
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It seems the only way to really know would be to try both using the loads intending for bear and practice 5 or 6 shots in 7-8 seconds at 15 yards to see if there's a significant difference in accuracy.
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Old 02-22-2021, 10:43 AM
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With a bear about to chew on you barrel length and weight off a weapon mean nothing. Get what ever you wish as the odds on an attack are very long.
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Old 02-22-2021, 11:58 AM
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You should hire me to go fishing with you and I will carry the 12ga shotgun and make sure no bears eat you! If the salary is right, I will also make suggestions as to fly selection. I like the 3".

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Old 02-22-2021, 01:50 PM
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4 inch still listed
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Old 02-22-2021, 02:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Schwab View Post
Hi,

I going to buy a Model 69 but are unable to actually get my hands on either to compare their feel and weight, 2.75" vs 4.25", at any gun shop or gun show in the Seattle Area.

Use: I am a fly fisherman and hiker. The guns only use will be for protection from bears and other attacking critters when in the wilderness when bear spray doesn't work. Otherwise, it will sit in my gun safe. Since I fly fish and wear waders, I will carry it on my chest with a chest holster. I will practice with 44 special rounds but carry 44 mag rounds when fishing and hiking.

Question: Since its primary use will be for last-second survival, within 15 to 20 yards, what would be my best choice. The 2.75 in or 4.25 in barrel. I guess what I'm asking is which has the least amount of recoil to recover for a second shot.

Thank You for your insight
Charles
I agree with the others who say rather to get a 10mm semiauto for the use you state. Whether it's a high capacity G20 or something in a 1911, you get more than 6 rounds before a reload, and they will be lighter. The Glock would present less maintenance from the wet, and have the larger capacity, but the 1911 will pack flatter. You'd get 8 rounds from a 1911 in 10mm. Both would be less expensive than a M69 or M629.

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Old 02-22-2021, 02:07 PM
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My suggestion is the 69 2 3/4". I have one and love it: Easy carry and good balance. While reading your question, I took my 69 and just laid it on my chest as with a chest holster. Good fit. I think a 4" might be too long unless in a shoulder holster, or the old Navy style aircrew/pilot holster. If I wanted to use a shoulder holster, I'd carry my 6 1/2" 626, ignoring the weight issue just for the example.

Also, as a suggestion, given your application, is to use Bianchi speed strips which will carry more compactly than a speed loader.

Experimenting with holsters, that 69 fits me IWB comfortably, even more comfortable than my M&P 9.
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Old 02-22-2021, 04:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Black View Post
Yep.

Veterans of excursions into bear country are ditching the low capacity 'boat-anchor' wheelguns for 10mm Gen4 G20s, or more recently Glock's long-slide 10mm G40. Both are seen being carried in chest holsters by guides, fishermen, and hunters (the latter as a backup to their rifle).

All that said, the OP's better choice here is the 4.25" model. Not for sight radius, which is irrelevant at the close distances within which bears charge humans, but in order to retain the velocity & energy behind the magnum's bullet.

Velocity, and thus down-range 'impact' energy, drops off very sharply in sub-4" barrel, especially in the mega-magnum-type wheelgun calibers (.454). They need longer barrels (4"-6") to allow the powder capacity of the magnum case to work the bullet to magnum velocities. Going short (2.5" or 3") defeats the point of carrying a magnum revolver, which is to stop an enraged 4-legged critter before it can claw, bite, or (with Moose) stomp you to death.

I'd rather carry the 4.6" Gen4 G20 loaded 15+1 with a hot and heavy 220gn hardcast load (@ 1250fps), such as Buffalo Bore, Underwood, or Double Tap offer. With that load, the 6.2" G40 is just 'mo' better.'
Any concerns with jams on the semi-auto G10????
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Old 02-22-2021, 04:49 PM
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You should consider the Glock. With a Glock, you won't feel so bad if you drop it in the water and loose it while you're fishing!
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Old 02-22-2021, 04:52 PM
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I have a Glock 20sf and it is picky with ammo. It is also a large frame Glock and feels like the grip is modeled after a 2x4. I also have a sig p220 in 10mm that gobbles it all up. Im partial to my M69.
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Old 02-22-2021, 04:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmj8591 View Post
You should hire me to go fishing with you and I will carry the 12ga shotgun and make sure no bears eat you! If the salary is right, I will also make suggestions as to fly selection. I like the 3".


I have in the past carried a Mossberg 590 Shockwave Pump 20 Gauge with 00/000 shells. With an over-the-shoulder strap just clumsy to be effective.
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Old 02-22-2021, 05:47 PM
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Quote:
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Any concerns of possible jams with a semi auto????
Not in my experience with the poly-coated 200gn/220gn HC boolits.

The poly-coating makes these HC slugs 'slick' to feed up the ramp, and imparts the additional benefit of not leading up the Glock's polygonal barrel.

Shop around, but I believe Underwood offers coated HC ammo in 10mm.

Plus, his velocities are real 10mm velocities, not watered-down .40-level junk loads.

Last edited by Frank Black; 02-22-2021 at 06:01 PM.
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Old 02-22-2021, 05:48 PM
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I have both bbl lengths, a d both wear Hogue x frame Smith grjps to tame the recoil. For your stated purpose, I suggest the shorter bbl.
Easier to get out of any holster.
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Old 02-22-2021, 05:50 PM
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Have both, would be happy with either, prefer the 2 3/4".

Not a glock hater, have a couple including the G20 -- not my first choice for several reasons -- not the least of which, is that I've had function problems with heavy, hard cast lead bullets in the G20. If going that route, the Cutting Edge 190gr WFN solid handloaded would be my choice.

2018 Grizzly Incident

"Investigators found the Glock and its magazine in different locations, Hovinga told WyoFile. The evidence raised speculation that Chubon might have pushed the magazine release button below the trigger guard thinking it was a safety switch.

“In the process of trying to manipulate [it], we think he dropped the magazine, or it wasn’t engaged and it fell out when he picked [the pistol] up,” Hovinga said."

10mm Glock 'fully functional' in fatal grizzly attack | WyoFile

FWIW,

Paul

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Old 02-22-2021, 05:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ejr10mm View Post
I have a Glock 20sf and it is picky with ammo. It is also a large frame Glock and feels like the grip is modeled after a 2x4. I also have a sig p220 in 10mm that gobbles it all up. Im partial to my M69.
I have the Sig 10mm Match Elite, the DA/SA 5" model with the SigLite night sights. Great gun, great trigger, and very accurate.

That said, being an 8+1 single-stack and heavy, it's just another low-capacity boat anchor that happens to be a semi-auto. To me, the Sig is limited to use as a range toy and a 10mm 'reload tester.'

For the OP's use, I'd carry my 15+1 Gen4 Glock 20 over the Sig all day, any day.

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Old 02-22-2021, 06:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Schwab View Post
Any concerns with jams on the semi-auto G10????
I have a G29. 10 shots of hardcast doesn't really cause much leading in the stock barrel. I have a cut rifled barrel for cast if I want to shoot a lot of rounds.

Glock 20 Gen 4 10mm - YouTube
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Old 02-22-2021, 06:59 PM
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Quote:
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Have both, would be happy with either, prefer the 2 3/4".

Not a glock hater, have a couple including the G20 -- not my first choice for several reasons -- not the least of which, is that I've had function problems with heavy, hard cast lead bullets in the G20. If going that route, the Cutting Edge 190gr WFN solid handloaded would be my choice.

2018 Grizzly Incident

"Investigators found the Glock and its magazine in different locations, Hovinga told WyoFile. The evidence raised speculation that Chubon might have pushed the magazine release button below the trigger guard thinking it was a safety switch.

“In the process of trying to manipulate [it], we think he dropped the magazine, or it wasn’t engaged and it fell out when he picked [the pistol] up,” Hovinga said."

10mm Glock 'fully functional' in fatal grizzly attack | WyoFile

FWIW,

Paul
I have both the M69 and a G20(only because Smith doesn’t make a semi 10). I reload Keith 250gr for the 44 and 200gr Wnfp for the 10. I feel comfortable with either load BUT whatever you carry PRACTICE! Looks like this person didn’t.

Be it a 17HMR or 500 Smith if you don’t have it as second nature as what to do it maybe game over.
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Old 02-22-2021, 08:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Schwab View Post
Hi,

Question: Since its primary use will be for last-second survival, within 15 to 20 yards, what would be my best choice. The 2.75 in or 4.25 in barrel. I guess what I'm asking is which has the least amount of recoil to recover for a second shot.

Thank You for your insight
Charles
Personally, I'd carry the 2-3/4" for bear protection. Faster to draw and when the adrenaline is pumping...you'd be amazed at how fast you can get 5 to 6 rounds off with minimal muzzle flapping.

However....if you missed all those shots...having a 4 to 4-1/2" barrel would be nice for ramming down the bear's throat when he goes to tear your arm off. You might get lucky and choke him out.
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Old 02-22-2021, 09:59 PM
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Quote:
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Any concerns of possible jams with a semi auto????
Yes.

At least when fed the super hot ammo from Underwood or Buffalo Bore. If you look through the comments on the Underwood site you will see that a lot of people had to switch to a heavier recoil spring before their gun works with the hot ammo. And sometimes they then need to use stronger magazine springs because the slide velocity is too high to reliably pick up the next round with that heavy recoil spring. Some guns work fine stock but a lot don't. You don't know for sure how yours will work until you try it. The less powerful, but still potent, 10mm ammo from big manufacturers usually works fine in a stock Glock 20 or other good pistols.

With a revolver I would feel comfortable carrying ammo that I fired a cylinder or two through my gun to make sure it ejected OK and I could shoot it well. With a 10mm loaded with hot ammo I would not feel comfortable with less than 100 trouble free rounds.

If you want a powerful handgun you can trust without a lot of testing with full power ammo a revolver is a better choice.

I have the 4.25 inch version of the 69 and really like it. But one or two cylinders of full power magnums is enough for me in a single session. I normally shoot a mix of low power cowboy ammo, 44 Specials and a load from Georgia Arms rated at 1000 fps with a 240 grain bullet.

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Old 02-22-2021, 10:13 PM
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The OP did not ask about any dern glock! He asked about a smith & wesson model 69. I have one and it is the 2-3/4" model; I bought it with the very thought of a bear encounter. Either barrel length would work well, the shorter barrel clears the holster faster.
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Old 02-23-2021, 02:50 AM
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Quote:
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The website still shows both barrel lengths.
Lol, they only picture the 2-3/4" but once you click on it they show the 4-1/4" option.

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Old 02-23-2021, 02:55 AM
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Personally, I'd carry the 2-3/4" for bear protection.
This is the 2-3/4" I'd carry if I was fishing in bear country.

Otherwise I'd just go to Long John Silvers & ask for extra tarter sauce.

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Old 02-23-2021, 05:23 AM
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This is the 2-3/4" I'd carry if I was fishing in bear country.

Otherwise I'd just go to Long John Silvers & ask for extra tarter sauce.

.



.
If I were in bear county, I would probably feel the most comfortable carrying that one, and maybe a 44 mag for a left handed backup.
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Old 02-23-2021, 02:51 PM
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329pd lighter and six rounds
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Old 02-23-2021, 05:50 PM
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Nothing to do with your choice of guns, but the OP stated “for use when bear spray doesn’t work.”
Just like to point out that after you discover the spray didn’t work drawing your new 69 is going to be a moot point.
Decide which you are trusting your life to before you go. Chances of exercising option B are slim to really bad.
I will go with the handgun
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Old 02-23-2021, 06:07 PM
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I have little or nothing to add. I have the 69 with the 4.25 barrel. like another poster said a couple of full power cylinders is about my limit. I wanted the 2.75 barrel at first but got the longer barrel instead.
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Old 02-23-2021, 07:44 PM
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I have them both but carry the 4.25. Have the 2.75 because I always wanted a "Bulldog". The 4.25 carries just as easy, has a little more velocity, points easier. and handles recoil better.
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Old 02-23-2021, 08:11 PM
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Quote:
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The OP did not ask about any dern glock! He asked about a smith & wesson model 69. * * *
Ah, dude, focus.

The OP's main interest is to stay alive and UNmauled when he's out and about fishing in bear country.

Therefore, the OP needs to be appraised of all the options out there, where posters feel he may have a better choice in a handgun than the M69 he's considering.
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Old 02-23-2021, 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Chukar60 View Post
Nothing to do with your choice of guns, but the OP stated “for use when bear spray doesn’t work.”
Just like to point out that after you discover the spray didn’t work drawing your new 69 is going to be a moot point.
Correct.

The OP only gets ONE chance to be wrong. There won't be a second chance to get it right.

Bear 'perfume' is iffy at best.

There's no time for Plan B when a bear charges you.

Last edited by Frank Black; 02-24-2021 at 10:16 AM.
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Old 02-24-2021, 12:03 PM
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You mean "No Second Place Winner" (with a nod to Bill Jordan)
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Old 02-24-2021, 12:13 PM
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I guess we all have different perspectives. To me, the OP statement ". . . for use when bear spray doesn't work." means when it is very windy. (Though I'm not sure why he'd be fly fishing then.)

Clearly it would be difficult to change defense plans in the midst of a bear attack. Things happen fast. A friend of mine surprised a sow griz with cubs and before he could react she had his leg in her mouth. Bear spray in the eyes made her let go and run off with the cubs. Having a gun-shot and dying bear clamped on his leg would likely have resulted in much worse injury for him. He was alone and hiked out several miles after stopping the bleeding - no broken bones. Obviously, some luck was involved, too!
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Old 02-24-2021, 12:56 PM
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Not sure if I am fickle or just justifying my sickness, but I have a few I carry when engaging nature.

4” 500
3” 629-1
44 or 45 Colt Mountain Gun
296Ti (recent addition to my woods rotation)
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Old 02-24-2021, 01:07 PM
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The main purpose of bear spray is to not hurt the bear. That's all well and good but I'll take the gun every time. If you spray the bear and he doesn't stop, you're all done. It's not like the continuum of force where you escalate to your firearm after the spray fails. At least with the gun, I have 6 chances at some type of central nervous system hit to make things right.
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Old 02-24-2021, 07:41 PM
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If you want a safe queen that you carry only for last ditch defense - the 329pd is a far better choice. Lighter and 6 shots. The weight matters IMHO.
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Old 02-24-2021, 08:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dla View Post
If you want a safe queen that you carry only for last ditch defense - the 329pd is a far better choice. Lighter and 6 shots. The weight matters IMHO.
Weight DOES matter ... heavier shoots better.
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Old 02-24-2021, 09:05 PM
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Bear spray- maybe on California Brown Bear but for Grizzly? Just carry Mrs Dash instead. Sprinkle it on yourself when you see the bear. Makes the whole process easier.
Not sure if weight matters too much but the 4” gives better velocity for oenetration
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Old 02-24-2021, 09:57 PM
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For the life of me, I still cannot fathom the rationality behind carrying a 10mm Auto over a .44 Magnum when the average bear charges much too fast to reliably even get off a second shot, much less more than 5 shots, ergo the additional capacity of a Glock 20 is effectively worthless for the role of bear defense.

If I only have enough time to get off one shot, maybe two if I'm lucky, then I'd rather carry a .44 Magnum and not have to shop for overpriced boutique loads to feel confident in the cartridge's ability to get the job done.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that 10mm works just fine for bear defense, but the ammo capacity of 10mm Pistols over .44 Magnum Revolvers is a moot point, and if the TC wanted to carry a 10mm Pistol then he wouldn't be here asking about a .44 Magnum.
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Old 02-25-2021, 08:44 AM
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In Grizz country, AK residents favor 10mm Glocks, particularly the G20.

Alaskans Stop Grizzly Bear Charge with Glock 10mm On Elmendorf-Richardson

Much better control on the initial shot, with follow-up shots as needed.

Excerpted from the above link (Jimmy, with the G20, stops the Grizz charge with 2 shots):
Quote:
Jimmy is in the lead, about five feet ahead of Tony. He has time for a startled “F*ck Bear!” as he draws the Glock from the Serpa. He has trained and practiced. The draw is smooth and fast from a retention holster. As the bear bounds over the downed spruce, Jimmy double taps, two shots, one to the chest, one to the head. The bear crashes down, 10 feet from Jimmy, dead right there (DRT). It is over in a couple of seconds.

The bear is a big grizzly bear. The friends call Fish and Game on base to report the self-defense killing. Mark, with Fish and Game, shows up. He has no issues with the shooting. He estimates the bear at 800-850 lbs. It squares at 7 1/2 feet.
With all that adrenaline pumping, any light weight Mega-Magnum wheelgun is more likely to impale the hammer spur into your forehead from first-shot recoil than to put a slug into the bear's vitals. LOL!

But don't take my word for it ...

10mm has taken over the Alaskan outdoors:

Last edited by Frank Black; 02-25-2021 at 08:55 PM.
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Old 02-25-2021, 12:17 PM
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Personally, I've never been one for the whole follow-the-leader mentality in which one should drop whatever has been proven tried and true in favor of chasing the latest trend, so the fact that more folks are carrying 10mm Auto these days means nothing to me. Good for them for finding what works for them, but I would rather carry a .44 Magnum.

Furthermore, that quote from the report you posted reads an awful lot like a publicity blurb, a little too much for my taste to be honest. It just comes off as the sort of slanted report that one would expect from an avid fan of the the 10mm cartridge. I would be more convinced by something a bit more impartial, preferably from someone who has carried both a .44 Magnum and a 10mm Auto.

If you aren't confident in you ability to handle the recoil of .44 Magnum under pressure, then that's fine, everyone is built differently, but don't go making silly remarks asserting that everyone is more likely to smack themselves in the forehead under the intermediate recoil of .44 Magnum. As difficult as it may be for you to accept, there are folks who can easily handle the recoil of .44 Magnum under pressure and have been doing it for decades. Heck, there are even folks who can handle the recoil of the mighty .500 S&W Magnum quite well, such as Kentucky Ballistics on YouTube, and you do yourself no credit by making such demonstrably false proclamations.
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Old 02-25-2021, 01:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Forte Smitten Wesson View Post
For the life of me, I still cannot fathom the rationality behind carrying a 10mm Auto over a .44 Magnum when the average bear charges much too fast to reliably even get off a second shot, much less more than 5 shots, ergo the additional capacity of a Glock 20 is effectively worthless for the role of bear defense.

If I only have enough time to get off one shot, maybe two if I'm lucky, then I'd rather carry a .44 Magnum and not have to shop for overpriced boutique loads to feel confident in the cartridge's ability to get the job done.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that 10mm works just fine for bear defense, but the ammo capacity of 10mm Pistols over .44 Magnum Revolvers is a moot point, and if the TC wanted to carry a 10mm Pistol then he wouldn't be here asking about a .44 Magnum.
The assumption is that you would not stop shooting just because a bear is chewing on you. The current line of "Experts" is that a striker fired auto is going to be quicker to continue engaging than a hammer fired revolver. The likelihood that a gun may not go into battery because the slide is contacting tissue or that something will obstruct hammer or hand isn't considered heavily.
My take is just be really good with what you carry. That is all you can control.
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Old 02-25-2021, 05:02 PM
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[QUOTE=Frank Black;141072297]Yep.

Veterans of excursions into bear country are ditching the low capacity 'boat-anchor' wheelguns for 10mm Gen4 G20s, or more recently Glock's long-slide 10mm G40. Both are seen being carried in chest holsters by guides, fishermen, and hunters (the latter as a backup to their rifle).

Guys, I see the same thing in regards to revolvers being replaced by auto stuffers. We all have an opinion on these things and now you are going to hear mine. I would much rather have 6 (pretty much) guaranteed shots, than a pistol stoppage created by close and personal hand to hand combat with a giant bruin. Clearing a malfunction with one hand because the other is down the throat of a bear might be a problem. There was real live incident in Montana not too long ago, where a guide and his bowhunting client were assaulted by a very determined grizzly. The guide drew his G20 10mm only to have it knocked out of his hand by his assailant. The bear then proceeded to maul the guide. The client picked up the pistol, pulled the trigger only to have it go click! Apparently there was no round in the chamber(yeah, I know, I'd have a talk with the guide too---if he was still alive) The client/hunter, not knowing how to operate said pistol decided he needed to push a button to make the gun work, so he hit the only button on a Glock which happened to be the mag catch. We can pretty much figure out what happened next. He got mauled as well but survived. Nary a shot was fired. I realize this is less than a perfect example, but we all know that a self induced malfunction is not that uncommon and that slide, barrel, mag catch contact with a furry body could easily induce a stoppage and it would be a "bear" to clear. Ha, ha. Even muzzle contact with a wheel gun doesn't get in the way of a revolvers cycle of operation.
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Old 02-25-2021, 05:06 PM
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I'm a bit of a "snub guy" based on your stated needs...grab a 460 or 500 magnum.
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Old 02-25-2021, 05:23 PM
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Another point to make. Boy you guys are getting my nickels worth today. I'm a firm believer in bullet weight for close encounters of the bear kind. A well designed,constructed, heavy for caliber bullet seems to be the best medicine to cure a grizzly headache.
Many of the old timers are probably familiar with Randy Garrett, founder of Garrett Ammo. Randy is a true gentleman and probably the most knowledgeable guy on the planet when it comes to terminal ballistics on big and dangerous critters. Mr. Garret brought calibers like the .45-70 into the 20th century with his load development. He is also a friend and I trust what the man has to say. He is a firm believer in a heavy for caliber, hard cast bullet at a moderate velocity, and has demonstrated that velocity is not always your friend when it comes to penetration. It can, in fact be counter productive based on science I won't get into here. I have witnessed demonstrations where a given bullet gives less penetration at higher velocities than it does at lower. There have been many a bear, cape buffalo and even larger game harvested with his ammo and he has shown that a 310-320 grain .44 mag bullet at 1000 fps will shoot completely through any bear alive. I load either Laser Cast 310, or LBT 320s at 995 fps second and am comfortable (as I can be) in big bear country. That being said, when I go to Alaska fishing, I usually have a 12 gauge with Brenneke Slugs, slung over my shoulder as well as my 5" model 29 in a Denali chest rig.
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Old 02-25-2021, 05:26 PM
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Lots of good advice but from my perspective the shorter barrel is a bear to shoot. No pun intended. When Lew Horton brought out a special run in 1985 I bought two of them. My buddy loved his but that is because he never fired it. Mine was sold within a few months and has never been missed. I now have SS Mountain Guns in most calibers and the 4 inch 44 is among my favorites. My carry arrangement is the Alaskan chest rig advertised in many of the gun magazines. I have the leather version and all of my 4 inch N frames ride well in it. They have recently come out with a synthetic which I think would be more appropriate around water and also probably less expensive.
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Old 02-25-2021, 05:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3rdgeargrndrr View Post
Bear spray- maybe on California Brown Bear but for Grizzly? Just carry Mrs Dash instead. Sprinkle it on yourself when you see the bear. Makes the whole process easier.
Not sure if weight matters too much but the 4” gives better velocity for oenetration
I'm glad that you're concerned about the bear's sodium intake by suggesting using Mrs. Dash and not Everything bagel seasoning.
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Old 02-25-2021, 06:04 PM
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I have a first year M69 that I love. It was my first 44 Magnum & I’ll never sell it. A few years ago I had the factory do an action job on it. Let me know if you want more details as I also have a chest holster setup for it.

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