You Have a Grizzly 20 Yards Out...

[Bill Lear]

You wake up, peep out your tent flap on a cold early morning only to see a grizzly standing about 20 yards away at the edge of your camp clearing. She hasn't noticed your smiling face yet, because she's watching her cubs rummage through your food stocks that fell from the tree during the night.

WHICH do you grab?
One is stoked with Underwood .357 magnum 180gr. "Black Cherry" hardcast rated for 1,400fps/724fpe (1KJ)

The other is carrying Underwood .500 magnum 440gr. "Black Cherry" hardcast rated to 1,620fps/2,580fpe (3.5KJ) - really more like 1,450fps/2055fpe (2.8KJ) from the 4 inch tube.

You've shot the Python quite a lot, and killed several reams of paper targets over the years, but never with such heavy, hot loads.

The one that looks like it's from a Roger Rabbit movie, the M500 is your girlfriend's gun, but she's never shot it either - she just bought it to Pi$$ you off for always spending money on guns, guns, and more guns!

Now the bear looks directly into your eyes...and she ain't smiling!

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

The xframe and a diaper.

 

[Rpg]

You've never shot the 500: no idea whether you can hit with it.

You'll only get one shot with the 500. The bear wil cover the 20 yards long before you recover from your first shot enough to even begin to point the thing back at the bear.

Looks like the Python is the choice.

 

[Shoebox1.1]

All 6 357's. And pray

 

[Glenn54]

Well, a guy on Facebook gave someone the ingredients to make their own bear spray, so you could try that. I think it's a terrible idea. Kinda made fun of him and he wasn't happy with me.

 

[Rudi]

Well, I'd rather have a Ruger M77, .300 WIN MAG. And hope they moved on.

 

[luvsmiths]

You've never shot the 500: no idea whether you can hit with it.

You'll only get one shot with the 500. The bear wil cover the 20 yards long before you recover from your first shot enough to even begin to point the thing back at the bear.

Looks like the Python is the choice.

Yeah, good luck with 180 GR in that Python and the Bear you come across-

5 rounds in A few seconds- 700GR out of a four inch by a guy in a wheelchair. I'll take that over your Python with lightweights.

Recover from the first shot? Please. And this 720GR is a much heavier bullet, being shot here in a Four Inch gun- by a man in a wheelchair, than the "lightweight" .357 being talked about.
Put this in a longer barrel and it is much more forgiving. And the 400 in a longer barrel and even less. I'll take this coming out of my tent against a bear, thank you.
You're talking about the 500 the way people talked about the 44 Magnum when it first came out. It's not that bad. At all.

S&W 500 full cylinder of 700gr - YouTube

 

[jeffrefrig]

Throw your wife at the griz. NO!! I'M KIDDING. I'd use the 357 every time. Never shot a hand cannon over .44mag.

 

[nate-dogg]

357 single action aim between the eyes and be ready to grab the 500 just in case it charges!

 

[lihpster]

12 GA shotgun. If that doesn't work, see below.

 

[riverrat38]

Grab one of the Cubs and hold it out in front of you.
What could go wrong?

73,
Rick

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

I would remain calm and excited, let them take what they wanted, and try to get as many pictures as possible as they passed on by. Stay in a low stance, silently thanking God to allow such sights, and praying for His protection. If the wife was with me, I'd ask her to stay down and be still.

Try to do anything to avoid a fight. There are two cubs. I'd be quiet and hope for the best.

 

[Narragansett]

Should have stayed home

 

[Imissedagain]

Hope this helps.
Bossman at Tamiami LGS/Range called and asked me to bring my No.1H in 458 WinMag to teach one of his clerks how to shoot it properly.
After showing him what I learned and practiced with 45/7Os, in the late '60s, and my 458, bought new around 80' from Duds LGS, his first shot with a Rem 510gr jacketed soft point at
75' was an X.
His next ten never hit the 12"x12" target and his shoulder was already black and blue.

If one thru the bear's head is possible, you might kill the bear with the M500, or have it rotate and knock you out, and the gal should pick up the 357 and run.
Or two thru the bears eyes with the 357 if you shoot like
LT Faulkner.

 

[Imissedagain]

Yeah, good luck with 180 GR in that Python and the Bear you come across-
S&W 500 full cylinder of 700gr - YouTube

Would like to know if he hit the target?

 

[Tom S.]

My Winchester Defender with the extended magazine full of 12 ga slugs - which was exactly what I carried while in Alaska.

 

[hardluk1]

Ya better make that first shot from the 500 could as you/ she may never have a chance for a second shot . At least a357mag revolver like my DW 15-2 with 6" barrelwith a 180gr or 200gr hc swc or flat nose bullet in the 1200fps range is far more controlable and follow shots would be possible while still being deadly in the right hands . No colt revolvers here and no interest in a s&w x frames !

Bill If your taking your girl into big bear country and she has no shooting skills with the 357mag , shame on you .

I would have a 12ga slug gun next to me filled with Dupleks monolit 32 steel flat nose slug .

There hexolit 32 is one heck of a thin skin game stopper for shotgun only areas .. Midway usa has both

 

[Heinz]

For us old-timers who were taught to shoot a pistol one-handed, pick up both, the X-frame in your strong hand and the 357 in the other. If you have to shoot, and you ain't there yet, the X-frame will probably fly out of your hand on recoil, and you can commence rapid fire drill with the python.
If your girlfriend is in the tent, wake her up before momma bear considers you a threat instead of a possible meal.

 

[steelslaver]

The 500. I have one and the recoil isn't that bad and the bear is only 20 yards away and is going to be a lot closer in short order. They are not a small target and the sights will not be that far off.

 

[Pisgah]

As long as you can outrun the girlfriend, you are golden...

 

[Protocall_Design]

If you have a bear that close, use the 500. You won't notice the trigger pull weight, recoil, or noise. Your mind will be otherwise occupied. You will most likely only get one shot. Better go for the horsepower one.

 

[Pointblank2U]

Nothing, because I wouldn't sleep where grizzly bears live.

 

[scooter123]

I would quietly get my 18.5 inch 870 out of it's backpack slot and flip off the safety. 2 rounds of #1 Buck followed up by 3 slug rounds should discourage even a Mama Bear. Truth is that Arthritis in my wrists rules out shooting a Magnum handgun and years of shooting Skeet has me shooting at expert level with a shotgun.

 

[steelslaver]

Nothing, because I wouldn't sleep where grizzly bears live.

Yet, you live and sleep in Cleveland and there were 346 homicides in NE Ohio last year. Interesting choice in the face of the fact that Grizzlies killed a total of 8 people in Alaska, Canada and the lower 48 in the last 3 years

Do you sleep where there are trees? Reason I ask is because in the entire history of Yellowstone park, where there is by far the greatest incidence of human/ grizzly interaction, exactly 1 more person has died from a grizzly attacks than from falling trees.

I often camp and hunt where there are grizzlies. Not really very high on my worry list. I do check the trees near my camp however.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Lions and tigers and bears, Oh my!

Well Bill, your first two mistakes- 1) not having a couple of cans of bear spray readily available; 2) going somewhere (including bear country) with guns that you haven't trained with and know are dependable. If the bear is 20 yds away and not charging, you have plenty of time to lay down a fog of bear spray that should convince the sow and cubs to go elsewhere. There is no justification for killing a bear sow and orphaning her cubs when you had other options. However, if things go badly, you might be their breakfast! Your third mistake was not taking a rifle or shotgun with you in the tent, just in case. As far as handguns, you may have read in other Threads here on the Forum that the current choice for guides and hunters in bear country is the 10mm pistol with 15+ rounds.

I understand that this is a whimsical Post to generate some funny responses (which it did!). I just threw in some common sense thoughts.

 

[Inusuit]

Keep calm and carry bear spray.

 

[oworthsr]

This chatter reminds me of discussions among a bunch of lawyers...debating how many seconds to wait before pulling the rip cord.

Proper response is, "Ready, fire, aim, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, click, click, click. Next, grab the handy-wipes and clean up body hygiene issues."

 

[Farmer17]

I'm going backpack camping with my fiancé next month in bear country and I'll be carrying a M&P 4 inch 10 mm in an appendix gun pouch on my backpack belt. I'll have the Sig 180 grain flat point ammo in it because it's 100% reliable and I can shoot it fast and accurately and my fiancé shoots it very well also. A long gun is too heavy but we will have a little air horn and of course a bear proof food container that will be 80 feet away when we we're camped. I was within 40 yards of a grizzly and her three cubs once when I was hiking, and I had a no protection of any kind and I was a bit nervous, but she just walked right on by.

 

[Brooks]

Went fishing in Alaska a couple of times. You will be laughed at with the 357. Nothing less than a 44mag. 12 guage slug gun. Bears aren't bad unless they are hungry or horny.

 

[ken158]

At 20 yards you need a precise aim because it is about to get real if griz decides to charge. No thought as to the loaded ammo because you already made that decision when you loaded the guns. No thought to a gun you have never shot before. If you are loaded with rounds you have never fired before, shame on you. Dump the first 6 from the 357 and then grab the 500.