This is for backpacking... I'm leaning towards a 629/29.
What barrel length should I be considering?
For ease of carry, I was thinking of trying to find one with a 3" barrel. Is this a bad idea?

Also, Corbon makes a 200 gr. hardcast load for .357 mag. I'm wondering if this would
be good enough to effectively stop a bear out of a 2.5" or 4" revolver.

I'm not sure I would care to face a bear with a handgun, however I think that bigger is better when it comes to bear repellent. I would certainly practice as much as possible. Encounters can be from ambush & over before you can react. You're considering a M29 or a 629. How about a M329?
To lighten the mood; I found this advisory.

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"DE OPPRESSO LIBER"

This is a common internet issue. If you're talking about grizzlies/coastal browns (actually the same specie, just that the coastals are better fed, therefore larger), I think a .44 Mag is the absolute minimum, save the .357 for black bears.

I'd go with a longer barrel, most people shoot a gun with a longer sight radius considerably better than with a short radius.

Other than that, I think the best advice is to be diligent and go out of your way to avoid possible encounters. Don

Bells and Pepper~~~~ HAH Good one!
I carry this 629 when I am hiking and camping in Black Bear country,,, It is a bit heavy to hike with on the 4+ hour hikes,,, But at the end of the day I sleep well with this under my pillow in my tent or Pop Up Camper...
There are lighter weight offerings, But I dont remember the model #s.
629-2~44 mag.


OR, You can just bring someone with you that you can run faster than< You will be safe then!
PB

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Need 1/2 moon Chiefs special

You're gonna get a lot of replies with this one.

Carry what you can hit well with while tucking your head between your legs to kiss your butt good bye.

Seriously, most "experts" have never had to face down an enraged charging bear. I haven't either, but I have lived around both blacks and brownies/grizzlies. If you are fortunate enough to see it coming your way and can get ready, when all else has failed, a heavy hardcast bullet at 1,000-1,300 fps will penetrate very well. The biggest problem is hitting the brain, which is the only way you are going to absoluetly stop a determined charge from one of the big boys. A good shoulder hit that takes out the joint will turn or roll one long enough to get in another shot, again, that is as long as you can keep your composure and hit what needs hitting. If you don't get the chance to have your gun in your hand, it won't matter what you have. Few if any, can be jumped at close range by an angry bear, and be able to pull their pistol, let alone hit the brain. The gun might be handy while you're on the ground, but only if you can get to it.

Others will have different opinions, but mine is based on living around them, and hunting them. By the way, there's a world of difference in what it takes to successfully hunt them, and what it takes to stop them cold.

329 +1

Leave the wheelgun at home...
Be gracious, and just carry some desert...

giz

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Non gratum anus rodentum

Common lore is to advise you to file down the front sight so when the bear sticks your 44 Mag or what not, up your you know what, it doesn't hurt as much.
Seriously, if you have ever shot even a black bear and looked a the muscalature after skinning you would never even consider a handgun for protection from bear. Pump shotgun with slugs is better.-Dick

Hi:
RPG

This guy was lucky. This happened Sunday 7/19/2009 near where I live (Marine that fought off a mountain lion with the chainsaw incident was 27 miles from me also).

Cody Enterprise: News about Cody, Wyoming, and Yellowstone Country


wyo-man

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Live free or die

Another bear thread!

-Jim

Product: Model 329PD - HIVIZ®

Have you considered hiking with someone that is slower, and more meaty than you?

Another one, but a different class of weapon.

Cody Enterprise: News about Cody, Wyoming, and Yellowstone Country

wyo-man

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Live free or die

I want to thank you so much for that, I haven't laughed that hard in a while! Anyway to the question at hand, 44 is a bare minimum for bears. I love the 357 but I wouldn't want to fend off a po'ed bear with it. Another idea, get yourself a 12 ga, coach gun, they break down small enough to go into a pack. Once you're in your area put it together and load it with slugs, but always remember the most dangerous thing in the woods walks on 2 legs...

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Sie vis pacem parabellum

How about a bowl of "just right" porridge?

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G.P. Charlie

S&W 44 Magnum with Garrett. Otherwise a S&W 500 with about any load...

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NRA Life Member

Buy a 12 gauge pump loaded with 00 buck followed by a slug and continue in that order for bear protection. Have the .44 or larger caliber handgun loaded with a deep penetrating hard cast bullet if the 12 gauge and you do not do the job and the bear is mauling you.

Try hitting a 700 lb.+ animal capable of running 30 MPH charging you with a revolver! Better chance of winning the lotto than shooting a kill shot IMO unless your Dirty Harry.

Lived on Kodiak and Sitka Islands for 7 years and hunted, camped and hiked year round. Never had a single problem. In them 7 years there were no attacks on any humans. Make lots of noise and you have a 99.999% chance of not being bothered. If I was hunting I always had my .338 Win. Mag. with me loaded with Nosler 210 gr. Partitions. Would prefer the 12 gauge over it if I was attacked.

Not being rude but it's the truth. Read "Alaska Bear Tales" before your trip. It'll definately change your choice of a bear protection weapon.

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V/R
Roger / SG

Pepper spray. 1,000,000 times more effective and 10,000 times easier to use in a true attack situation than any handgun made.

Amazing story...this was my friend's family...it taught me never to leave my sidearm at camp!!!

Brenneke USA makes some 600gr 12-gauge slugs that go by the name Black Magic...at around 1500 fps, these give good penetration with some serious smackdown.

'That said, most backpackers will stick to revolvers/pistols, and I'd go with the biggest, baddest thing that you can shoot accurately. It's the John Ross 500 for me.

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grit

Ruger "Alaskan" 2.5" 45/454 Casull

There are some good pepper sprays out there, and there are some REALLY GOOD pepper sprays that are used by forest rangers and professional guides. It would make good sense to use those, but I also carry my .500 Linebaugh when I'm in bear woods.
Sonny

500. Better safe than sorry.

.357 Mag BEAR minimum (heh heh....) for black bear... And that's hoping it will hurt it enough to scare it.

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- The Federalist #46 -

+1
I've had that book in my collection for 24 years, and it's a great read, as well as being documented material.

You make a good point - garbage pepper spray should not be considered. We are talking about the protection of our lives and the lives of those we love. This would not be a place to skimp on a few dollars.

My point is that most people can't hit a 25+ mph moving target with the head lurching up and down when it's a target coming at them that is intent on eating them and weighs 400-1200 pounds. The only places on a bear that will be effective hits are the brainpan, spinal column, shoulder bones and hip bones and the last two are iffy. The last three are also very small or impossible targets in a straight on situation which generally leaves only the brain.

I have dodged bullets on three continents on behalf of my country, can consistantly hit a 2" circle at 50+ yards with any handgun I intend to carry other than beach guns (salt, sand, etc - it's usually a ****** old jennings or a hideously ugly kel-tec) and I can't honestly say I can hit a bear's brain if he was running at me with the true intent to eat me. Thankfully, I could probably tell if he/she/it was sincere in the attack. Very thankfully, I will have a hugongous canister of UDAP Pepper Power.

There are very few sprays registered by the EPA to use for bears. Those (and a ton of good info written by a man in the know) can be found here Brown Bear Projects at the Alaska Science Center.

Carry what you want. I'm a freedom kind of guy. I would educate myself thoroughly before I went out with just a pistol in any caliber though.

Edit: I would carry a firearm (preferably a 12 gauge loaded with alternating 00 buck at the magnum level and magnum slugs by brenneke) as well as pepper spray. The spray would be in my right hand with the shotty (or .44 mag or better pistol) in my left if I had the time and option to pull both. If no time - the spray would be my first "go to".

I've given this quite a bit of thought over the years. I've been wandering around Alaska since 1987 and guiding hunters since 1991.

When I'm on the trail alone in big bear country I usually carry a rifle and a revolver.

When I'm guiding hunters or with other people sometimes I only pack a rifle.

If I feel there is little chance of a bear encounter I'll just pack the revolver.

The handgun should only come into play if you can't get to the rifle. The handgun will have to be powerful enough to penetrate to the vitals, yet controllable with one hand.

I personally carry a DA .44 magnum or a heavily loaded .45 Colt in a crossdraw holster. There is a good chance that if you need to shoot a bear you've been surprised and may very well be using one hand to fend the bear off. Maybe you won't get that hand back or get it back in working condition.

In my mind, its imperitave that the gun be accessible to either hand and controllable with either hand. Count on that hand being sweaty, muddy or bloody.
I've got a really nice Freedom Arms .454 Casull that hasn't made many trips since I've come to that conclusion.

Just last week my wife and I were walking down to Ruth Glacier from Kennecott when we came across another couple. The lady almost snarled at me " What do you think you're going to shoot?"
I tried to be friendly and just replied "nothing, I hope"

I see you're in AL so I'd say a .357 with ether a 158 to 180gr SP or JHP will do fine.

Out here on the east coast you can find 400+ pound black bears but from what I've read the trouble makers are the young ones,and they may noy not be more then 180 to 200lbs,a good .357 should make them think twice about eating you.

Of course when berry season rolls in,about mid July,I just say "frig it" and bring my AR and a couple hundred rounds of ammo or several other rifles I have

I agree with Sportsguy, I spent 8 years in Alaska and the Native Americans in the region carry a 12ga shotgun with an 18" barrel with slugs for bear protection. The Book "Bear Tales" is required reading in bear country, a pistol is a weapon of "last resort". I carried a Ruger Redhawk with A 5" bARREL loaded with 300gr Barns bronze bulltes hot loaded during my wilderness adventures. It was to make the bear turn me loose if I got attacked. Bears travel at LIGHT SPEED!!, once saw a big grizz kill a full grown bull caribu and shake him like a raggdoll. Avoidance is the rule, but you can not do that in Alder brush thats 10' tall. Saw lots of grizz but never had to go for the Ruger.

In my four year assignment with the USAF in the Anchorage area I came to the same conclusions as akjaeger. I'm no expert, but here is what I did while in Alaska.

As an avid hunter, camper, and fisherman I took full advantage to escape civilization and be as far into the woods as often as I could. Doing so, I was always thinking through a possible bear attack and how best to prepare. Some will say to carry one of the heavy, extremely large caliber pistols for bear defense. These larger calibers might be effective enough for bears, but if the gun is overly heavy I will likely not want to carry it all day and the recoil might be uncontrollable for just one hand. In my opinion a long arm should be your primary weapon if bear encounters are likely.

If hunting moose, I carried a 300 Win Mag rifle with me. For fishing I carried a short barreled 12 gauge pump loaded with slugs. Other times I carried a short .45-70 lever action rifle. However, I always had a 4" 629 in .44 mag in a crossdraw rig on my side when in the woods.

I thought of my long arm as my primary defense and the pistol was the last ditch, "knife fighting close" weapon. The crossdraw was, like the previous poster said, to allow either hand to have access to the pistol in case my strong side arm was disabled. I deemed .44 mag to be the biggest caliber I could shoot reliably with one hand, yet with solids at close range it would be able to penetrate enough to hopefully end the attack. I choose a 629 Mountain Gun because of the slimmer profile and reduced weight, yet the 4" barrel affords a better sight radius than a snubbie.

Remember large caliber pistols generate a lot of recoil and blast. My friend calls my 629 the "Flinch-master 2000". The recoil can make them harder to accurately employ against an attack and the blast will give you the impression you are truly carrying a hand cannon. However, when you look up the energy levels of a .44 mag and compare it to some of the rifle calibers deemed as "minimum caliber" for the big bears, you will start to feel slightly under gunned. That is why a long gun was my primary.

My last jab... Just like looking both ways before crossing the street will likely keep you from being hit by a car, smart wilderness skills will keep you safe in bear country. If you don't startle, crowd, or provoke a bear you could safely venture into the woods with no protection. The best weapon you have is between your ears. OBTW, I talked over coffee with one of the survivors from Alaska Bear Tales Part I. His was a harrowing story and made me even more aware of bears and what they can do to you. My conclusion was: If a bear wants you, it sucks to be you!

On edit: Sarcastically, the best bear defense pistol is one chambered in .22 LR. When a bear approaches, you draw the pistol and shoot your buddy in the leg. Your buddy will then make a lot of noise and flopping motions which will keep the bear occupied while you make your escape!

Edmo

12 Gauge Pepper rounds.

Would it work?
Supposed to according to the Pepper round maker.
But only single shot.
Peter

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Need 1/2 moon Chiefs special

Inconvenient as Hell, but I'd still go with nothing smaller than a 12 gauge 000 in a 3", or preferably the heavy slugs. The only Brown I ever took was not in a charge mode. And that was with a .338.

I would pick the 105 mm howitzer. It should be plenty of gun for a bear.


snakeman

I don't want to be in the situation of dealing with a large, angry brown bear but the reality is that a .500 S&W mag with hard cast slugs will seriously out penetrate any shotgun slug and if you hit what you need to, is a superior weapon.

Having said that, most people can hit far better with an accurate slug shooting shotgun. Don

Having seen people not on drugs or alcohol take a huge hosing down of police grade spray and be fully functional, I think a big bear that wants you will take any spray you use on it and keep on coming. Don

Well..... here we go again with the bear issues...

I've hunted these critters for over forty years and I've come to some conclusions from my own experiences. I've harvested quite a few black bear over the years and I've seen many more taken while with hunting with others.

The first thing I would suggest to any person speculating on what firearm and caliber to use on bear is to visit your local taxidermy shop and view a mature specimen after it has been skinned. The first thing you will notice is the amazing muscle mass and heavy bone structure of a mature animal. You quickly realize how powerful and tough these animals are.

The first question you might ask the taxidermist is how many animals they have seen with prior wounds from earlier encounters with humans.... the answer is sometimes enlightening. This issue can be significant because a wounded black bear that can no longer climb a tree because of its injury can be among the most paranoid animals on earth. Its instinctive "escape plan" is to run or climb the nearest tall tree. It feels totally vulnerable if it can't and it can become unusually aggressive without provocation.. We can all imagine surprising a disabled sow black bear with young cubs whose "fight or flight" instinct is now simply "fight."

I often see comments by people assuming a well place head shot on a charging bear will always stop one. Head shots frequently have little impact on a bear because of the shape of its head and the thickness of the bone. If the shooter is lucky he'll hit either an eye socket or the nose cavity which will dispatch the animal. If not he will likely be lunch. See some skull pictures below....





A charging bear has absolutely awesome speed and can cover a hundred yards in mere seconds if truly enraged. To draw a handgun and be lucky enough to get off one or two rounds would be about all the time we would be allowed. Most people have little or no experience or training firing any gun under the stress of life threatening conditions and that just compounds the problem.

We all know black bear and even the great bears -- the Grizzles, Browns and Kodiak's -- have been killed with .22's and the like. That just proves shot placement is the most important consideration and that can take lots of practice -- and practice under stress. Unless using any small caliber is the only available option I believe to assume these tiny calibers would be even marginally effective could be your death sentence.

All of my bear have been taken with one of three calibers, a .41 mag, a .44 mag, and a .500 mag. All calibers have been effective with good shot placement. I have only been charged once and that was when I inadvertently jumped a large boar black bear out of his hibernation den. I was in his only escape path and it will always be a mystery to me if he meant to simply run over me or probably do some chewing first. My one lone shot was with a .44 Mag and it shattered his back bone. He was fattened up for winter and was the largest I've ever shot weighing in at 496 lbs. A picture below....



I've seen bears shot with a 357 Mag. When the bear is up in a tree and the shot can be made under his jaw and pass into his brain they are just as dead as with any other caliber. My main concern with 357 and smaller calibers is their ability to penetrate heavy muscle and bone mass deeply enough to be effective. If actually being in bear country with the likelihood of a potential bear confrontation the 357 and smaller calibers wouldn't be my choice. And people who believe many shots are the alternative to single larger caliber shots truly don't know or understand the speed, agility, power, tenacity and aggressiveness of an enraged adrenaline motivated lowly black bear....

JMHO

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Terry

Gun 4 Fun...

What do YOU think about the sprays for bear????

I wonder IF they might be a good idea. I used to laugh about the idea b4 I thought about how sensitive their noses are and what tear gas has made me want to do if I have a face of it.

I mean as first choice if possible, not leaving the pistol at home of course.

Considering that grizzlies and big brown bears can charge at speeds of plus/minus thirty miles per hour, I'm not sure it matters what you're carrying.

Chances are, if you let one get up a head of steam, you're gonna get mauled, possibly killed, unless your shot(s) just simply scare the bear off. You will not outrun one, unless there's a tree handy for you to climb.

With black bears, forget the tree...they're better at climbing than you'll ever be. If your hands aren't shaking too bad, you might get a couple of shots off, but you better make 'em count. I sure wouldn't want a 300- or 400-pound sow mad at me.

Bear guns? Keep this in mind: It's one thing to hunt bears with a large-caliber handgun. You may have the element of surprise there. But stopping an angry bear of any kind is a whole different story.

heavy loaded pistols in .357 mag, .41mag, .44 spec, .44mag, .45Long Colt will all do for bears in a pinch...... with the .460 S&W, .454Casul & the .500 S&W being more than enough............

But as advised by several of the guys above, carry the heaviest/largest caliber pistol in those listed above that you can shoot expertly & fast in snap shooting..........If you can only expertly handle a heavy loaded .357 magnum handgun, then that is what I'd advise you to carry........... but I'd borrow & try all the larger caliber handguns until you find your limits..........

Carrying/using a pistol whose recoil & muzzle blast exceeds your limits is silly & becomes out right stupid when it will be used against dangerous game.

A good friend was a dead shot with his nice lil scope sighted .308 Win rifle & he had taken several eastern Canadian moose, each with a 1 shot kill........... when one of the guys in their hunting party convinced him that it wasn't enough rifle &he purchased a dandy Rem 700 in .338mag.......Kevin soon developed a horrible flinch with his new rifle, that took months & months first to diagnose, he was practicing alone, then one of the guys finally shot with him & then correct..............

From what I understand, it is nearly impossible for US citizens/hunters to take a handgun into Canada now, even if you are willing to post a substantial bond to insure that you'll take it back to the USA after the hunt.........if this is true, it would mean that I'd only hunt in Alaska & the lower 48.

In the past, in black bear country, I have carried my 4" 629 with 240gr LSWC (magnum) bullets. That gun is a tank to carry all day, along with other gear. Most recently (again, for black bear), I carried my G22 w/16 rds of 180FMJFP and a 3" j frame 357 w/158gr LSWC's as a back up.
Maybe not as good as the 44, but a lot more rounds to send at him if needed.

I have never seen a bear in the wild, where I go. So, so far, so good.

Either of these will do the job!

Not a Handgun!

Spent 2 summers in Alaska in the 70s........ 18 inch Mossberg 500s were considered the minimum in the bush.

The other classic answer to this question is:

"A hiking partner that is fat and you can out run !!!!!!!!"

Agree.
Friend of mine spent many years in Alaska backcountry as a bush pilot.
His constant companion was his Mossberg 500 loaded with Brenneke slugs.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

i was attacked by a black bear in adorondix park - ny. ....i was sleeping in the car after hunting bear earlier in the day.

...never carry or have "open" food in bear country.... trust me, it is a bad idea...

As a big fan of Peter Chapstick and his tales of truly dangerous game. I will stick with his preference for big heavy bullets. Either have to get the brain, spinal column or do enough structural damage to major joints to stop big mad animals. If I had to shoot on with a pistol I would want a .500S&W with heavy bullets. As I don't have one I will have to hope for the best with my 4" 45 Colt and hard cast 255 grain slugs setting on top of 19 grains of 2400. But, I worry much more about driving to a mountain camp than getting mauled once I get there. More apt to have a rock or tree fall over and crush me than get killed by a bear. Got any advice for a tree gun?

How can you be attacked if you are in a car?

Have you tried a Stihl?

That's just going to start the 18" vs. 24" chain bar argument all over again.

Several months ago, I inadvertently walked right up on a big mama black bear and her two 2nd-year cubs (near Boulder, Colorado). I was carrying my 10mm 1911, as always, but it just didn't feel as big as it usually does. Fortunately, she let me back slowly away, but never took her eyes off me. I went right out and bought a S&W69 (5-shot, 4-1/4" stainless L-Frame .44mag), and I've been carrying it ever since much more than the 1911 ... even when not hiking.

I'll take a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs because of projectile weight and energy.