Which N frame should I take on this Alaska trip?

[Sportsterguy]

originally posted by Sportsterguy

+1
And to that I might have added, " , and if you bumping your gums, it might just be your last frontier!

We think alike!! Good comeback. Love your avatar BTW. Thought about using it for mine bit I'll stick with the 657 for now.

Have a beaut of a Browning HP I bought for myself as a graduation present when I went to work in the Jensie coal mine back in 77 in SE Ohio for a whopping $175.00 IMS. It's 99.99 % and I had a bud (retired Chief Gunners Mate extrodinaire who works for beer, my kinda guy) make a few mods to it as I actually was going to use it as a CCW, but couldn't bring myself to ruining the finish. Great shooting semi! Was going to use it as my avatar but this is THE S&W Forum.

Take care and stay safe!

Roger

For any BHP fans out there. My ALL TIME favorite non S&W.

 

[medic15al]

Bears? Heck with them! What about them booger monkeys?!?!

 

[akjaeger]

Right on about the booger monkeys...
Twice I had the beejezus scared out of me by people when I was in really remote places in Alaska.
Once a friend and I were scouting for goats, I was glassing a mountainside and I'd heard a little rustling but thought it was my partner.
When I lowered my binocs there stood two guys straight out of "Deliverance" about 5 feet away.
It was obvious by their dress and gear that they hadn't been to town for some time.
The older gent was probably 60 and the other was probably his son about 40.
Talking to them didn't make me feel any more comfortable. They lived out there somewhere and didn't want anybody around.

The other time I walked up to some people's camp and my dog surprised them. There were about six of them and they all took off running.
Kinda creepy to see a bunch of armed people diving for cover. I left.

Both time I was glad to have a gun.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

We think alike!! Good comeback. Love your avatar BTW. Thought about using it for mine bit I'll stick with the 657 for now.

Have a beaut of a Browning HP I bought for myself as a graduation present when I went to work in the Jensie coal mine back in 77 in SE Ohio for a whopping $175.00 IMS. It's 99.99 % and I had a bud (retired Chief Gunners Mate extrodinaire who works for beer, my kinda guy) make a few mods to it as I actually was going to use it as a CCW, but couldn't bring myself to ruining the finish. Great shooting semi! Was going to use it as my avatar but this is THE S&W Forum.

Take care and stay safe!

Roger

For any BHP fans out there. My ALL TIME favorite non S&W.

That is a very fine looking old HP Sportsterguy!

 

[kennyb]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies!
I get a kick out of the different opinions. I really enjoy discussing guns and hunting.
I'm not really worried about the bears, just a little superstitious. I've been in on killing 22 of them, grizzlies and browns, and I don't want them to get even.
In all that time I only had one unprovoked charge, a young 8' boar who followed our scent trail for about 1/2 mile at a run. Luckily we heard him coming, he burst into the clearing we were in that later measured 11 yards wide and we got him stopped at 5 yards. We had a .416 Weatherby, a .450 Alaskan and a bow and arrow on our side. He did get back into the brush and we had to root him out.
I'm not sure that I could have stopped that boar if I'd been alone, even with my .450 Alaskan. I got two shots off before he turned, I'm pretty sure they hit him. He had a lot of holes in him when we were done.
A handgun probably wouldn't have done much. Even my .454 loaded with 380 gr WFN's.
It would have taken the perfect shot.
So, I've come to prefer S&W N frames as my sidearm of choice while tromping around AK.
They are powerful, yet controllable. I'm pretty sure I could hang onto one with one muddy or bloody hand while the other hand was in the bear's mouth!

that being said....consider a 500 mag.!

 

[NE450No2]

45 Colt, good for indians and cowboy bank robbers....

The 44 Mag, good for Bears.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

45 Colt, good for indians and cowboy bank robbers....

The 44 Mag, good for Bears.

You obviously haven't had much, if any, experience with the .45 Colt. I own both, load them both for performance, and know what each will do in that regard. The .45 Colt will do anything the .44 will do, with less blast and pressure.

I wouldn't want to be without either, but if forced to choose, it would be no contest! .45 Colt.

Again-
Gunnotes...Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5

 

[skeete]

I would order a box from Garrett Cartridges Online ( I believe that is the correct spelling). They make a high silver content hard cast keith type round that will give you the best chance against a large bear.
I would take the 629.
Also, doesn't your 329 have a small metal plate that is supposed to protect the top strap from flame cutting? Mine does.
Any thoughts to a break-down shotgun with Brenneke slugs like a pistol grip 870 with 18" barrel- small package to travel with and then put it together for wife to carry. I always put my extra ammo into the wife's back pack and think that is fair cause i carry the gun.

 

[akjaeger]

skeete,
yeah the 329 has the little metal blast shield directly over the cylinder gap, but it's been cut almost through. The newer 329's that they have at the local shop have bigger shields.
I'm going to ship it back to S&W.

 

[NE450No2]

You obviously haven't had much, if any, experience with the .45 Colt. I own both, load them both for performance, and know what each will do in that regard. The .45 Colt will do anything the .44 will do, with less blast and pressure.

I wouldn't want to be without either, but if forced to choose, it would be no contest! .45 Colt.

Again-
Gunnotes...Smith & Wesson Mod 25-5

Yes I know all about the 45 Colt.

I have a good buddy that uses one all the time, I just like to tease him a little.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

Yes I know all about the 45 Colt.

I have a good buddy that uses one all the time, I just like to tease him a little.

Sorry if I sounded a little sensitive. I hear many say things about it without ever having fired or handloaded for it. They are simply going by what some gun writer has typed, without getting their hands wet. It is a darn good round, that simply came out ahead of it's time, and in guns that weren't capable of handling it at full throttle.

Think about it. If the .45 Colt had originally been made available in a gun that could handle it at full potential, we would never have gotten the .44 Mag.

 

[mod34]

Just tossing this out for discussion, but what about the 10mm? Maybe the 610? Hadn't seen that batted around yet, so thought I'd see what the forum had to say.

 

[akviper]

I may get kicked off the forum but the Glock 20 with it's 16 or so 10mm rounds is gaining popularity. Light, rust free (pretty much) and 16 rounds of decently penetrating rounds makes a lot of sense. Some of the custom and semi-custom ammo companies make bear loads for the Glock 20.

I still pack my 329 but wouldn't feel undergunned with the Glock.