I'm thinkin' the best 44mag would be S&W 500 
I don't have one, but I have a bunch of 44's so I'm definitely not knockin' 'em...
I don't have one, but I have a bunch of 44's so I'm definitely not knockin' 'em...
Best .44 mag for bear defense
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dwever
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And in other news here in Alaska, a pile of bear scat was found outside Anchorage containing a set of gold teeth and a 10mm Glock missing 3 rounds from the magazine.
Everyone in Alaska who has been charged by a Grizzly says the same thing, the bear was on me almost instantaneously. Thankfully many are false charges either stopping short of you or running past you.
Shot placement and emptying a Glock magazine? I don't think so. Even Buffalo Bore Dangerous Game Heavy in 10mm is 190 Grain at 600 ft. lbs. of energy. Not really for Alaska. As a side-arm I now carry a S&W 460 loaded with 454 Casull Buff Bore Dangerous Game 300 Grain mono-metal with over 1,800 ft. lbs. of energy because at that power one can still be quick in DA. Big .460 XVR Buff Bore making 2,400 ft. lbs. is just a bit too hot; and the 2,800 ft. lbs. lead loads no thanks.
When our company went to Admiralty Island, Alaska, with 1,600 brown bears on one million acres this past May I had a .375 H&H loaded with 300 Grain Federal Premium Sledge Hammer at 4,200 ft. lbs. at the muzzle; and, I wore an oversized 10mm Glock. On the counsel of many, next trip will be the .460 with the 454 Casull Dangerous Game. The last bear shot there was a 900+ lbs. male in a dumpster.
Next to the .460 in the picture are two .460 cartridges next to a 10mm.
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dwever
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This sequence was posted on a display board at the HQ Bass Pro in Springfield, MO not long after it occurred. What the Field & Stream article doesn't say, as I believe it is the same attack, is that it took every round in the .357 Magnum to subdue the bear with the bear remaining active until the sixth shot. With a semi-auto it would have almost certainly jammed in that close contact as happened to a buddy trooper who's semi jammed when his slide hit the patrol car's window during an incident at an intersection while he was in the car. This is why on my hip I wore the state mandated Glock .40; but on my steering wheel was mounted a 7 shot 586L revolver in case someone ever charged my car with me in it.
Mehutch
Member
Well, it happened to me. In the states when I backpack, I always carried my S&W Model 65. Then I had a close encounter with an angry black bear. Long story shortened I almost shot him through the ear, but he backed off after a 30-minute face-off. A close call. Now I carry a S&W 629 5" barrel loaded with 300gr hardcast Fed Hammerhead rounds. We both lived, but I will not go down without a fight. 10mm sounds great, but I don't have one, same with the 500. Don't think I need one either.
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SnidelyWhiplash
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If you can find this anywhere it might be a good choice for .44 Magnum...
murf205
Member
cybersnow, whatever you decide to carry, if I were you I would load it with cast bullets and not jacketed. Most 44 and 10mm ammo is hollow point because it sells well and looks sexy but they don't penetrate anywhere like a good cast bullet and I don't mean super hard cast. Those stand a good chance of fragmenting on bone instead of breaking it. A good flat point will aid in putting shock in the offending critter and make penetration straight. Your ammo does not to be loaded to the max but for reliability if you handload. 460's and 500's are great power tools IF you can handle the recoil and blast. Only solid hits count and an X frame is heavy for all day carry.
Like Paul said, the rubber finger groove grips is what I use on my 629(they came on it) and when I carry it on the Kenai fishing trips, my hands are always wet and slippery. They give a better purchase on the gun by far. Thankfully, I have not had to use my 629 but I have relinquished a few good fishing spots to avoid trouble. I am the same age as you so I know how much we relish our outdoor time now. Keep it up.
Like Paul said, the rubber finger groove grips is what I use on my 629(they came on it) and when I carry it on the Kenai fishing trips, my hands are always wet and slippery. They give a better purchase on the gun by far. Thankfully, I have not had to use my 629 but I have relinquished a few good fishing spots to avoid trouble. I am the same age as you so I know how much we relish our outdoor time now. Keep it up.
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junglefighter
US Veteran
I have already posted that I use PPU 300gr. SJSP in my woods handguns. Has anyone had any real life shootings with this round? I am unable to find any info on actual use. Thanks.
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Autonomous
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Dang. Very unusual black bear behavior.
If you are ever in the mood to share more details, I'd love to listen.
I'll still carry My .475 Linebaugh. Weighs exactly 48 ounces empty and 56 ounces loaded with 430 gr LBT and 28 grs of H110. I can wear it on My belt all day and much prefer belt to chest carry anyday. .430 grs of hardcast at 1300 fps is a handful and one needs to shoot a bunch in prep before use. I shot over a 1000 rnds before carrying this beast, and I hit 3.5 inch groups off hand at 50 yards with all 5 shots. Doesn't matter what You carry as long as You are proficient with it. Buy a big bore, put 50 rounds downrange and bet Your life on it, I don't think so. Practice, practice, practice.
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I’d buy one thats light enough that you’ll carry it consistently and can shoot it accurately. I’d also carry bear spray as my primary defense.
murf205
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Of course you would not want a 9.5" barrel but my Super Redhawk has over a thousand rounds through it and over 1/2 of them have been 300 gr Lee gas check bullets loaded ...uh.. rather stout! Trigger is pretty good right out of the box and she is still tight as new. Super Redhawks have better triggers than std Redhawks, IMHO. I love Smith and Wessons but in harsh environments and a steady diet of heavy loads, these revolvers are as tough AND accurate as it gets.
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SuperMan
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I carry a 657 MG with 250 cast. The Federal CastCore rounds that are no longer available in .41 were a 250 at 1100 fps and very controllable.
MGs have great balance and fast from the holster... If you can keep rapid shots on a paperplate at 5-15 yards I'd say you were good to go...
...and carry it where you can get at it smoothly and rapidly.
Bob
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Another vote for 4.25 inch model 69. I remove the lock on mine as years ago I had 329pd self lock 2 times on me. I doubt it would be a problem with a steel frame however since you do not get the significant frame flex that you get with aluminum frame guns. I did it anyway to make me feel better.
murf205
Member
That's pretty scary. I wonder if anybody has had that happen with a steel frame gun and what the circumstances?
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
I've never been in the position of needing to defend myself against a bear or any animal...but trying to put myself in that position as a thought exercise and confine it to the handguns I own rather than a what would I buy for the job...I have to take into consideration several factors:
Caliber...I would give thought to my Freedom Arms Model 83 .454...but with a 7.5" barrel that would be a tough carry comparatively. The OP has also pretty much restricted this question to .44 Magnum so I'll keep it there.
Action...I'll go with double action for quick follow-up shots plus I'm far more experienced with that.
Barrel length...Since it's pretty much accepted this is a backup piece and to keep size manageable...I would choose a 4" barrel revolver.
Personal choice...considering I'm limiting it to what I already own, I would choose my 4" Colt Anaconda. I would prefer one of my 6" Anacondas but size matters...in this case being more portable is a deciding factor. I have a 2.75" Smith Model 29 but I feel the 4" would be better plus it's stainless steel for weather resistance which is more likely to be a factor than running into an angry, hostile bear.
I also have a Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag...it would likely be what I would carry with a handgun as an emergency backup.
Caliber...I would give thought to my Freedom Arms Model 83 .454...but with a 7.5" barrel that would be a tough carry comparatively. The OP has also pretty much restricted this question to .44 Magnum so I'll keep it there.
Action...I'll go with double action for quick follow-up shots plus I'm far more experienced with that.
Barrel length...Since it's pretty much accepted this is a backup piece and to keep size manageable...I would choose a 4" barrel revolver.
Personal choice...considering I'm limiting it to what I already own, I would choose my 4" Colt Anaconda. I would prefer one of my 6" Anacondas but size matters...in this case being more portable is a deciding factor. I have a 2.75" Smith Model 29 but I feel the 4" would be better plus it's stainless steel for weather resistance which is more likely to be a factor than running into an angry, hostile bear.
I also have a Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag...it would likely be what I would carry with a handgun as an emergency backup.
Doug M.
Member
Remember this profundity about self-defense, which although I was taught it with regard to dealing with violent humans, can easily be applied to other dangerous animals: "A pistol is what you carry when you have no specific reason to expect a problem. If you have reason to expect a problem and can't arrange to be elsewhere, you need to have an appropriately loaded long gun."
As many have stated you can kill a bear with many calibers, with a revolver or Semi auto. In 2009 a friend and I went Black Bear hunting near Libby Mt, we both carried SW 629 4" along with our rifles, I also carried a 44 mag derringer, last chance get off me gun, at the time I did not have any SW 500's. I found grizzly tracks outside the cabin we stayed in. I would suggest a 4" SW 629,and 300 gr hardcast lead bullet at standard velocities. I realize that there are some loads that push the envelope, but a LFN over 1000 fps should be manageable and penetrate. I would practice as much as you can. Start off the bench at 25 yards, SA to confirm the accuracy of that round in your gun and your hands. Then I would move to 10 yards and fire off the bench, then offhand and then from the holster. You want to be fast and accurate. When training my wife, after the basics were done I would be screaming in her ears, He's, he's on you,over and over, as loud as I could to try to induce some stress in the situation, since every bear attack can be different, but I would believe every attack would be very high stress. It would be best if you had a friend with a 44 mag to test with, to see how you can handle the gunbefore investing in gun, ammo, and holster. If you would not feel comfortable with the 44 , I would agree hardcast 357's can do the job. Be Safe,
After the tests I’ve seen plus a guy I know using a handgun in Africa, my choice of bullet would be the Lehigh Bullet either in solid or the penetrator. I’ve seen the results on large hogs and I’m sold. I’m also sold on the Lehigh defense bullets for all my carry guns as well. Bill Wilson liked them so much he bought the company!
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