S&W The Governor (.410 Slug) or .44 Mag in Bear country?

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Branned2010

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The Governor, 6-shot Revolver, 29.6oz (lighter), 8-1/2" Length (shorter), $679 MSRP (cheaper), fires .410 Shotgun, .45 Colt, .45 ACP

The S&W 629, 6-shot Revolver, 45oz, 11-5/8" Length, more $$$, fires .44 Mag, .44 Spl

Federal Ammo
.44 Mag = Federal Ammo Castcore 300gr., 1160fps muzzle, 896-ft-lbs


.410 Slug = Federal Ammo 109gr., 1775fps muzzle, 762-ft-lbs

Looks like a close draw?
 
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Not really.

The .44 slug has three times the mass with a higher energy level.

.44 is bigger too.

Keep the .410, I'll go with the .44.
 
I'd go with the .44.......

Honestly, I wouldn't even have the Governor, or Judge, on my long list of choices and I have experience dealing with animals, much smaller than a Bear, using a Judge chambered for the 3" shells.
 
Are your stated slug velocities from a revolver? They appear to be from a 28" shotgun barrel. I would not trust a .410 slug to penetrate enough hair, hide, and tissue to stop a bear.

Best Regards,
ADP3
 
Sorry but I think the bear may fall on you and kill you while he is laughing so hard at having a .410 anything pointed at him. I’m not sure if shooting one in the eye with a .410 anything would kill a bear. Given your two options I would go with the 629 with some of Garrett's 629 safe loads. Given different options I would go with a Ruger Redhawk 4 inch in .45 Colt with one of the 300 grain loadings.
 
The Governor/Judge handguns may be a pretty good (don't know for sure) urban home defense tool, but for the great outdoors, get a real revolver. My opinion, others may vary. Jack
 
If the 4-leggers are that thick..... I'd carry a big bore carbine. I'll accept the inconvience of the long gun if involves the value of my pelt. A sidearm is best used to fight your way to a long gun anyway.
 
Are you serious? Who in their right mind would even use a .410 shotgun for bear protection much less a handgun? The .410 handgun is not even adequate for protection against two legged varmints, I cringe every time I see a dealer pushing them to non gun people who would be much better served by a good .38 special. The Judge and .380 craze are a disservice foisted off on novice gun buyers in a quest for the almighty dollar. Sad day for S&W to be jumping on this bandwagon, the public would be much better served if they would go in the direction of the Ruger LCR and come out with a good really small 9mm. And why are they still putting lock in their revolvers?
 
Mack said:
Are you serious? Who in their right mind would even use a .410 shotgun for bear protection much less a handgun? The .410 handgun is not even adequate for protection against two legged varmints, I cringe every time I see a dealer pushing them to non gun people who would be much better served by a good .38 special. The Judge and .380 craze are a disservice foisted off on novice gun buyers in a quest for the almighty dollar. Sad day for S&W to be jumping on this bandwagon, the public would be much better served if they would go in the direction of the Ruger LCR and come out with a good really small 9mm. And why are they still putting lock in their revolvers?
Click to expand...

Toss into that pool are the novice's that think they will be better protected with a weapon that holds say 16-20 rounds as compared to say 6-7.
 
A .410 slug?? Whats the grain/weight of the slug and the FPS/energy were talking about with the 410 slug??

Not too long ago there was a bear killed by someone that was in the guys shed. He shot it with one shot with a .410 shotgun and dropped it on the spot.

Its also a fact that most don't realize that the 357mag, the 41mag and the 44mag has killed every game in north america thanks to Elmer Keith and the others at the birth of handgun hunting.

I wouldn't be afraid to go into the wilds with any 357mag, 41mag or 44mag. But at the sametime don't under estimate the power of the shotguns using the slugs too. The 12ga slug is over 400gr's in weight. I'm not sure about the 410 slug but at 1800fps and the weight of a 9mm bullet(100grs) isn't too bad. Speed could be a factor with it. One more thought ever think about bird hunting with a 410 revolver (close shots?) It would be great for snakes too. Bill

BTW; I just don't understand it when someone wants to hunt with a 1911 in 45acp with its 450ft lbs @ the muzzle that scares me. Its the accuracy and power at lets say 50yds that worries me. Plus the animal deserves a quick clean kill to not to make it suffer thats what i'm talking about. People get all wrapped up in one caliber when there are many more better ones out there.

Plus when hunters do stupid things without thinking. On one hunting trip we had a group of us go out and look for a wounded bear. The butt-head shot it in the @ss of course it ran off. We never found it. A year later we shot a bear in the same area and while butchering it i found a perfect 30cal bullet in the hind quarter. The 3 shots we made were accounted for when i found a 4th shot that was all healed over. Its a matter of do we shoot or not. If its not a quick clean kill let it go. this bear did lead these guys over two mountains and one valley to my camp in the pouring rain. All i'm trying to say is besafe in a situation were we can back off do it.
 
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BigBill said:
A .410 slug?? Whats the grain/weight of the slug and the FPS/energy were talking about with the 410 slug??

Not too long ago there was a bear killed by someone that was in the guys shed. He shot it with one shot with a .410 shotgun and dropped it on the spot.

But at the same time don't under estimate the power of the shotguns using the slugs too. The 12ga slug is over 400gr's in weight. I'm not sure about the 410 slug yet. One more thought ever think about bird hunting with a 410 revolver (close shots?) It would be great for snakes too. Bill
Click to expand...

A 410 shotgun and a 410 pistol are not the same animal. A 410 shotgun can shoot the same valocity as a 12 ga., all things equal. I have seen deer killed with a 410 shotgun, no problem. My nephew killed a 150 lb pig with a short barreled Cobra derringer 410 pistol. One shot with a slug, up close. lol If you have ever shot a 410 Contender with a short light barrel you know it will put the hurt on your hand. If these new 410 pstols are easy on the hand I wouldn't mind having one for play, snakes and such.
 
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Sully said:
Toss into that pool are the novice's that think they will be better protected with a weapon that holds say 16-20 rounds as compared to say 6-7.
Click to expand...

But these guys better hope that they don't get caught with a larger capacity mag in the gun wether its self protection or hunting some states don't allow more than 5 to 6 shots. They will inforce too by taking your car/truck or even your house in some states. Some states are really serious about how many rounds are in our guns. We also need to check the state and local laws too. Bill
 
Federal Ammo
.44 Mag = Federal Ammo Castcore 300gr., 1160fps muzzle, 896-ft-lbs
6 inch barrel

.410 Slug = Federal Ammo 109gr., 1775fps muzzle, 762-ft-lbs
28 inch shotgun barrel

Since the .410 pistol barrel is only 2 3/4", the data above are insanely biased to the fictitious vel of the .410.

Realistically, the 2 3/4 inch barel .410 pistol only yields about 200ft # of energy in the 109gr slug.
Comparable to shooting the bear with a .32 pistol.
 
There was a thread on here a couple of years ago addressing that chimp in California that attacked a woman and literally ripped her face off. I guess law enforcement shot this 200 lb chimp 7 or 9 times with their 9mm's and then it walked back to its cage and bled to death. I am a huge fan of revolvers and I would use one if my life depended on it, but I carry a 10 shot .44 magnum lever action rifle behind the seat of my truck. Look at the old LEO's that carried big handguns, all of them that wrote about it preferred to carry a rifle into a gunfight. Never read of any of them recommending a .410 shotgun..............
 
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Aren't .410 slugs the 'soft, squishy' foster-type slugs? They will not penetrate much bone/muscle. I once had a foster slug from a 20 gauge flatten on a shoulder of a youg doe without penetrating into the body cavity. Folks and agencies who recommend 12 gauge slugs for big bears also recommend the use of hard-cast slugs from makers like Brenneke. Saboted slugs in larger gauges work great on deer and such (certainly better that Fosters), but they are usually too lightly constructed for the big stuff. I would say a .410 slug might suffice for a coyote (maybe).
 
Mack said:
Are you serious? Who in their right mind would even use a .410 shotgun for bear protection much less a handgun? The .410 handgun is not even adequate for protection against two legged varmints, I cringe every time I see a dealer pushing them to non gun people who would be much better served by a good .38 special. The Judge and .380 craze are a disservice foisted off on novice gun buyers in a quest for the almighty dollar. Sad day for S&W to be jumping on this bandwagon, the public would be much better served if they would go in the direction of the Ruger LCR and come out with a good really small 9mm. And why are they still putting lock in their revolvers?
Click to expand...

A resounding +1...well said, sir.
 
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