357 or 44 Magnum for Black Bear Protection ??

[6789boat]

I fish and hunt in both California and Oregon. I am considering getting a S&W 686+ 4" 357 (and not a S&W 44 magnum) as the largest creature I might encounter would be a black bear.

Do any of you have strong opinions on what I should get? Many thanks.

 

[6789boat]

S&W 357 or 44 Magnum for Black Bear??

I fish and hunt in both California and Oregon. I am considering getting a S&W 686+ 4" 357 (and not a S&W 44 magnum) as the largest creature I might encounter would be a black bear.

Do any of you have strong opinions on what I should get? Many thanks.

 

[DR505]

Wow, yet ANOTHER bear thread asking the same question! Must be bear season?

A .357 will work if you are accurate.

 

[ken158]

Consider a Glock model 20 in 10MM. On a side note, California would rather a bear eat you then you shoot a bear, or mountain lion, or leave any lead around that a Condor may consider ingesting...

 

[BigBill]

357 is ok

41mag is better

44mag is even better

I carried the 357mag on my land.

 

[Jlduke]

I've read that a 6" .357 loaded with 180gr Buffalo Bore ammo will get velocities over most .44 mag ammo. Super hot and designed by BB specifically for bears.

 

[Mule Packer]

I lived in Northern California (Humboldt County) for 30 years. Yep, no doubt about it, if you get into the back country up there, you're going to run into a black bear. It's not a matter of if...it's a matter of when.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, they want to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them. However, there's always the chance you may meet up with one that "woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

I always carried a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt, loaded usually with 240-grain semi-jacketed hollow cavities that would travel at around 940 fps. Occasionally I'd load it a little hotter, but I never felt under-gunned.

To answer your original question though...a .357 would probably do what you want, but given the choice, I'd probably opt for the .44 magnum. There's just something about a big ol' chunk of lead that seems to command attention and make you stand up and say, "Howdy!"

 

[Culina]

If I was going to carry a .357magnum for bears, I would probably load it with some 180gr solids. Obviously a .44mag would be better but it seems like lately the mountain lion attacks have been more of a problem than bear attacks, for the last 10 years or so here in CA.

 

[Stu1205]

Either one will probably kill it eventually, but not before it
makes you its last meal. JMHO.

Stu

 

[STCM(SW)]

357 is ok

41mag is better

44mag is even better

I carried the 357mag on my land.

Or a 500 S&W Magnum is best......

 

[jag312]

How about a Magnum Research BFR 45/70 revolver? Seriously, if I was concerned about bears, I would be armed with a rifle, and I don't mean a .22.

 

[BigBill]

A 357 magnum is ok, a 41 magnum is better, a 44 magnum is best.

I carry my 357 magnum on my land in the green mountains in Vermont in the heart of black bear country.

When I was younger and logging full time I'd wrestle the bears and unzip there fur coats for my misses. Lol.

Now in grizzly country it's a whole different story. S&w 500?

 

[rolomac]

A number of years ago we had a problem with a Big Black Bear (BBB) in our yard repeatedly. At that time the only handgun I had was a.380 and I put it in one of the kitchen drawers next to the back door. My wife wasn't happy about that. Telling my brother about it - he's the real hunter in our family - he said "that's just going to make him mad ! Don't you have a shotgun? 12ga slug will knock down an elephant."

rolomac

 

[jtcarm]

Not a strong opinion, but if I were buying a gun specifically for bear protection, it'd be a .44, or the Glock 10mm I saw someone mention.
If it's for other purposes as well, a .357 should do the job.

I saw the reference to hunting. I've always been of the opinion if you can't stop a bear with an HP rifle or shotgun, a handgun isn't going to do you much good.

 

[PA Reb]

Without a doubt a 4", shoulder carried, .44 magnum.

 

[tkdguy]

For backpacking.....

this is a tired subject. For backpacking take whatever you like because hostile black bear encounters are very rare. I most ofter hear them bellow or growl in a distance and head for the hills. They seem to so much more afraid of us then we are of them. Taking a SP 101 in 357 would be fine if that is what you have. Just be smart and keep food out of your tent and food strung up a high tree. It seems that here in Oregon 2 footed creatures are more dangerous than BBs.

Camp and travel smart. If you do not know how to do that read, read and read. Bear spray works well too!

If you are hunting for bear take a 41 or 44 or better. If you are hunting in weed infested illegal ranges think about a semi-auto for two footed predators. Or, just carry a 30-30. JMTC.

 

[STCM(SW)]

"They seem to so much more afraid of us then we are of them."

Unless it's a sow with a cub, then all bets are off...
And where I hunt, that's what I have on the camera several times...
Don't want to piss off mama....

 

[Rpg]

OK, I'll play.

I'm happy with a 1911 Colt for the black bear we see here in Colorado.

 

[DR505]

My choice...heavy load in a .45 Colt revolver! Did I win?

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I live in Oregon also. Black bears aren't much of a problem, Cougars either. But carry what you shoot the best be it 357, 41 or 44. Just stay out of the green patches, the planters are worse than the animals.