Concealable Revolver for Black Bears?

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kbm6893

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I live in NE Pennsylvania, and had an experience yesterday that makes me ask the question I posted. we've seen a few black bears since we moved here 2 years ago. One crossed my driveway last year and kept going into the woods. yesterday, my wife and son were playing in the driveway while i was coiling up the garden hose. I catch movement to my right, and a full grown black bear is passing through my property, maybe 10 yards away! I grab the wife and my son and run into the house (it had already gone behind the house). Now, I have a 686 4", but I just wonder if I could conceal that when I'm in my backyard trimming the hedges. it would seem the 2.5 in would be a better choice. I'm not looking to get into a shootout with a bear, and i was glad it kept going, but what if it hadn't? What if it decided my son would be a good snack? Is a 2.5" .357 with 158 grain ammo good enough? A local gunshop near me has a bunch of older ruger Speed Six 3" barrel .357's. They're kind of grungy looking (PD trade in's), but they're selling for around $350. I'm not interested in getting a .44 or a .500. We have houses nearby, and would never fire the thing at a bear unless there was imminent danger. I am also going to pick up a cannister of bear spray, and instruct my wife to have it with her while she's outside.
 
I think you could just tuck the 686 in your waistband and be good.
I dont know about bear spray but wouldnt you feel better if she also had a handgun of some kind?
 
azgunz said:
I think you could just tuck the 686 in your waistband and be good.
I dont know about bear spray but wouldnt you feel better if she also had a handgun of some kind?
Click to expand...

She doesn't like to shoot much, and she would never shoot a .357 magnum. She didn't even like .38's. And tucking that 4" 686 into my waistband while I bending and doing yeard work is not going to be comortable.
 
kbm6893 said:
I live in NE Pennsylvania, and had an experience yesterday that makes me ask the question I posted. we've seen a few black bears since we moved here 2 years ago. One crossed my driveway last year and kept going into the woods. yesterday, my wife and son were playing in the driveway while i was coiling up the garden hose. I catch movement to my right, and a full grown black bear is passing through my property, maybe 10 yards away! I grab the wife and my son and run into the house ...
I am also going to pick up a cannister of bear spray, and instruct my wife to have it with her while she's outside.
Click to expand...

Welcome to country living.

Carry Bear Spray if it makes you feel better , but
Please don't shoot at bears unless you have a hunting license, it's Bear season, and you're in the woods.

You did the right thing by avoiding the bear.

Here's a pic my sister took from her front porch. :D

BearinNewMilfordPA.jpg
 
Prey runs, so don't run. Group together to appear larger than the bear, and make plenty of noise. Bear spray works, according to everything I have ever read and several park rangers in north Georgia, where we have a home and many black bears.

However, I would not pass on the opportunity to purchase a new (or used) handgun while the wife is scared, so I suggest you go shopping. When we are picking blackberries in the mountains I usually carry a 4" S&W #629 .44 mag, #657 MG .41 mag, #58 .41 mag, or a recently acquired #1076 10mm.

Dana Safety Supply in Columbia, S.C. has a used S&W #325 .45 a.c.p. revolver for around $700.00 if you want a lighter gun that shoots big bullets.
 
kmb,
Black bears that become habituated over time can be troublesome, but they usually wont attack humans unless they are provoked.
As far as caliber, your 357 should be fine, but more importantly, can you shoot it accurately under pressure? 4" should be fine. A 2.5 inch barrel is going to lose a bit of velocity over a 4 inch.
Bear Spray would work too, especially if the bear is just being curious. Bears are very intelligent animals and they learn from experience. Just empty a can in it's face and it will remember the unpleasant experience and not come back.
If the bear did any damage to your property, I'd call your local game dept and see if they have any other recent reports in the area.

As for a gun, I'd answer a few questions if you plan on carrying for bear.
1. Is the bear just looking around for trash cans/food or are the ears pinned back in an aggressive manner?
2. If you shoot the bear and its not doing anything else other than poking around, could you be arrested and lose your permit?
3. What if you shoot the bear, only wound it, and it turns on you or your family.

Better to be safe than sorry.
 
Yes, familiarize yourself with game laws and regs.
Yes, a .357 from a 2.5" barrel is enough.
 
While not a defence exactly, aversion therapy works with average bears.
Start by carrying one of the small areosol sports horns. You can find them in most any sports store. They scare the hell out of the average black bear, while not scaring the wife. Do what you can to not encourage the bears in thinking your house is a drive thru restaurant. Forget the bird feaders and outside garbage and trash.
Bear spray won't alarm you neighbors as much as a round going off. So if you've got reports etc. of agressive bears in the area, by all means have some handy. You're probably in more danger of a rabid fox or racoon than you are from the normal black bear.
Myself, in bear or pig country I carry a .44 Redhawk with a 5" bbl on a belt holster. The hell with concealment, I want accessibility.
Sorry this wasn't what you asked exactly, but it might be a better way of handling things.
 
I have done a lot of solo back packing in bear country. Black Bears are emotionally unstable. One day they'll be nearly tame and the next, they will try to "take you". I have been on the autopsies of a rather large number of black bears. They are heavily muscled and have large bones for their size. Personally, I would be more happier with a revolver caliber that starts with .4 (.41, .44, .45). However, a .357 magnum will do the job with a cool hand at the handle. A .357 magnum gains its power from velocity. Using a short barreled .357 is giving away the "magnum" in it's name. I would not consider under a four inch gun. I would load a heavy for the caliber (180 gr) cast bullet with a wide meplat and a full load, at that.

Black bears are not to be trifled with. Normally, they'll leave an adult alone but I sure would not let a child alone in the yard in bear country. That is just asking for it.

Think of it this way - would you leave your child alone in the yard with a 300 lb junk yard dog? Of course not - well a bear has a about three times the strength of a dog and is better armed. So, just take proper precautions.

The dirty little secret of several of our National Parks are the maulings from black bears. They get little publicity as the powers that be don't want to run tourists away. A good number of the maulings occur from idiotic moves by people but some of them are unprovoked.

FWIW
Dale53
 
Are we talking about wandering in the woods or working in your yard?
two different scenarios. Any gun store owner is going to try to sell you something based on raising your fear level toward bears.
I'd try the horn and spray. you can always use the revolver as a last resort.
I pretty much second everything Pete has said.
 
Just a thought...how much more concealable do you feel a revolver with a 1 or 1 1/2 inch shorter barrel is going to be. The hard part to conceal is the frame and cylinder, not the 1 extra inch of barrel. BTW, if you are just working in the yard, just buy a comfortable belt holster and wear it on your belt. The bear doesn't care if it is concealed.
 
I'm a strong believer in bear spray! I met a man who was mauled by a grizzly bear. The bear clamped on to his right arm and really tore it up, but he was able to reach and grab his bear spray and unload it straight into the bear's nose and eyes. That made the bear stop the attack and run away. I think some bear spray would be an excellent investment.
 
First, I wouldn't be too concerned about Black Bears to begin with. There are fewer than 10 attacks on humans documented in the past century by Black Bears so it just isn't anything to be concerned about.

Second, whether you can or cannot carry a concealed firearm while on your own property is a matter of state law and nothing else.

Shootout with a Black Bear? This has an absolutely zero probability as it is absolutely certainty you will not come upon an armed bear in any situation. Or did I take your remark too literally? LOL
 
I don't think ou need to buy anything other than spray. But since your wife is letting you get something you should not pass up the opportunity. I jus got a 624 lew hoton with a 3 inch barrel, it would be perfect for what you are doing.
 
Alk8944 said:
There are fewer than 10 attacks on humans documented in the past century by Black Bears so it just isn't anything to be concerned about.LOL
Click to expand...

This is 100% false. Perhaps you are thinking about the oft-cited statistic regarding wolves? There are literally hundreds of documented black bear attacks in the past 50 years. Pick up a copy of "Bears" by Ben East, "Bear Attacks, Their Causes and Avoidance" by Stephen Herrero, or any of the series of books by Larry Kaniut. They all document many, many attacks.

It is true that the probability of attack is remote, but it is not fewer than 10 per century. In fact, there are states that experience more than that in any given year.
 
Matt C. said:
Yes, a .357 from a 2.5" barrel is enough.
Click to expand...

Do You know this from personal experience??



OP...Get some bear spray.....it WORKS.

We live in bear country, 99% of the time black bears, but we have seen Grizzlies.

One of the main ways to keep your contacts down to a minimum is by keeping a clean property; no garbage, pet food out , bird feeders, etc.

FN in MT
 
I would look at Smith's Night Guard series of revolvers. Short (2.5"), lightweight and in all serious cartridges (.357/10mm/.41/.44 SPL&Mag/.45ACP). Also has night sight on it that would contrast against a black bear kill zone and not be washed out if you had a black front post. Never pass an oppurtunity to buy a new revolver if the wife is on board.

CD
 
I don't keep garbage outside. I have no birdfeeders or anything the bear might want. It strolled past up like we weren't even there, but what worries me is that whether or not we were bearfood was up to the bear, not me.

I would not want to fire at it, and I wouldn't shoot unless we were being threatened. Let some local cop come and tell me I wasn't threatened when he wasn't here to see the attack. Is he going to interview the bear? Do i have to worry about the bear or his family suing me? I am a retired police officer, and there is nothing that could be done. I have a concealed permit in PA, but open carry is legal. Just don't want my neighbors (or my neighbors scruffy looking teenager) to see me with it. Don't want to give anyone ideas.

As for the carrying of a 4 inch vs a 2.5 inch, I just know that that 1.5 inches would be the part sticking out from under my shirt.

Thanks for the comments. Always welcome to get different perspectives. Hey, would a 3" be any better than a 2.5 as far as velocity?
 
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