do people who combat wildlife usually use revolvers or something? or some older style metal guns from the 80s?
If it wasn't abundantly clear by the perpetual bear threads seen on forums such as these, what to carry for wilderness defense is a subject of hot debate in which nobody really agrees entirely on what is a proper firearm/cartridge for large predatory animals.
Some argue that a 10mm Semiautomatic Pistol is ideal, others insist that a .44 Magnum Revolver is the bare minimum, some argue that only a 12 Gauge Shotgun loaded with Brenneke Slugs can reliably stop a charging bear, while others insist upon carrying a high powered Magnum Rifle, then there are the staunch advocates of Bear Spray in the mix, followed by those who argue that the best defense against wildlife is to avoid it altogether by staying out of the deep wilderness, and then the jokers who say you should carry a .25 ACP Pocket Pistol and shoot a companion in the knee to make a clean getaway.
Heck, not even experienced guides can agree, as you'll see them advocate carrying all sorts of firearms/cartridges from 9mm Pistols up to Big Bore Magnum Rifles.
Personally, I hold the opinion based on common sense that just about anything can be used for Wilderness Defense seeing as we've all heard the story of Bella Twin killing a Grizzly with a .22 Rifle, but at the same time I advocate carrying the biggest, more powerful firearm that one possibly can, just to be safe.
10mm Auto has been popular in the role of Wilderness Defense because with full-power loads it is a highly capable round which has proven itself in the field, plus it can be had in lightweight polymer framed pistols and the recoil isn't too intense, thus making it a well-rounded option.
