44 mag vs 10mm for grizzly

Being a 10mm freak and thinking they are they best auto cartridge available. I am not an auto fan for hunting back up. I don't hunt in Grizz land so my choice is a Ruger GP100 in .357. If I were in Grizz territory I would skip the .44 ( because I don't have one) and carry my .454 Casull.

There are some good heavy 10mm loads but I just prefer a wheel gun when I am possibly out in rain/snow and mud and beer.
 
jdf said:
Wheel gun will not jam..
Heavier loads with 44.
We always carry our 44s over 10mm.
Just practice
Click to expand...
I might be miss remembering... but I'm pretty sure Fred Eichler was on either fresh tracks or the meat eater podcast talking about the encounter in the below video. He took a warning shot with his revolver and it jammed with +P handloads. Luckily the bear turned.

 
I went to Alaska this fall, my first time up there. I spoke to people I know who have spent a lot of time up there and ended up buying a 10mm. I practiced with it a LOT before the trip, drawing and firing, since most people can't even get their gun out of the holster when needed. I expected that most of the people we bumped into would be carrying big revolvers or spray but they nearly all had autoloaders, and literally none of them carried bear spray. My hunting partners both had heavy .454s but hate to fire them, I doubt they'd get more than one shot off in an attack situation if they had to draw and fire, if that. Still, seeing the size and quickness of the brown bears on the ground, our rifles even looked like they would have a hard time doing the job if necessary...
 
Last edited:
Straight Arrow said:
Doesn't matter ... you'll never get it out of your holster. 44 mag vs 11mm vs bazooka ... it just doesn't matter.

(Critical factor is the partner behind you with bear spray at the ready, or as in the case of the two wrestling teammates in Wyoming, ready to punch that bear in the snout!)
Click to expand...
This, I got charged by a black bear and I never had a chance to clear leather. Luckily she ran right past me and went after my dogs.
 
Straight Arrow said:
Doesn't matter ... you'll never get it out of your holster. 44 mag vs 11mm vs bazooka ... it just doesn't matter.

(Critical factor is the partner behind you with bear spray at the ready, or as in the case of the two wrestling teammates in Wyoming, ready to punch that bear in the snout!)
Click to expand...
There is more truth to this than people realize. A bear encounter will probably be in close quarters and a grizzly can cover that distance in seconds. Getting a firearm or bear spray deployed for protection would probably be sketchy even if you carried it in your hand…
 
Use whatever looks cooler because it doesn’t matter. Either way you’ll shoot it, it will still kill you, then it might die afterward or might not. They will both kill a bear but no handgun effectively STOPS a bear.
 
Just hunt with someone slower than you.

Personally I carry a 10 with staggered rds of 140 gr xtreme pen and 190 Buffalo bore.

I’ve never had to shoot a grizz. had a couple encounters in SW MT. It’s always interesting the comments on these posts. Especially in the off season. For what it’s worth, both times I pulled the gun from the holster instantly. Both times the bear veered off before reaching us. Both times I could have got rds off. probably more an indicator of the type of country we hunt and the type of response interaction we had (cow calls). Like I said take it for what it’s worth.
 
A 44 mag is great for hunting. But as far as a self defense weapon, it has many shortcomings.

1. You probably don't shoot a 44 mag as well as you shoot a 10mm.
2. 44 mags kick like a mule. Your follow up shots are much slower. In a time of self defense, you should put as many rounds into the animal as possible. 6 rounds isn't very many.
3. 44 mags are heavy as hell.
4. Longer barrels (typically) and weight make them less maneuverable in close quarters.

A 10mm isn't as good as the 44 for a hunting pistol, but for a self defense pistol, it has many advantages.

1. You usually have more than 15 rounds.
2. A 10mm is typically lighter, even with 16-17 rounds loaded up.
3. Manageable recoil with faster and more accurate follow up shots.
4. Everyone I know shoots an auto better than a revolver making them more accurate, especially under duress

There's a reason not many concealed carry a revolver for self defense.
 
spitting hairs.

Alaska guide i knew carried short barrel 12 gauge w/ slugs.
I have had both types of hanguns freeze and jam on me while out in a snow storm.
 
Last edited:
Straight Arrow said:
Not a huge population in my survey, but you are the very first quick draw guy to be able to clear leather in an encounter.
Click to expand...

That’s statistically inaccurate, many folks get rds in to bears before they get got. The widely cited Alaska study simply didn’t include that information because it wasn’t required to be reported.

I have a theory on the subject. Which is unique to every hunters background. Think someone who Grew up waterfowl hunting where you have to identify ducks quickly and make split second decisions to shoot them. Thousands and thousands of split second decisions at objects coming at you at 60 mph. Eventually it’s just muscle memory. Just a theory.

Pretty sure bear encounters aren’t black and white, many shades of grey in terrain, distance and type of bear response. Suggesting someone shouldn’t carry because some statistic says you probably won’t even get a chance to draw seems irresponsible to the person getting ate.
 
Last edited:
rjthehunter said:
There's a reason not many concealed carry a revolver for self defense.
Click to expand...

You make fair points, but lets be real, The average person carrying concealed selected their pistol based on what looked sexiest in marketing and or what some relatively uniformed person behind a counter told them, not any real practical knowledge or experience. I have a snubby 5 shot .357, and I shoot that thing plenty good...

The real issue most people will have in the situation is enough repetitions in realistic training. Pick whatever handgun you want, most people are still going to be relying on luck....
 
Doublecluck said:
I have a theory on the subject. Which is unique to every hunters background. Think someone who Grew up waterfowl hunting where you have to identify ducks quickly and make split second decisions to shoot them. Thousands and thousands of split second decisions at objects coming at you at 60 mph. Eventually it’s just muscle memory. Just a theory.
Click to expand...

I think your theory has merit.
 
I've got both a .41 S&W and a 10 mm XDM. I prefer the auto action, it's lighter, easier to carry and I personally like to have more fire power than more energy. I've always thought if it came down to using a gun over spray I'd probably jack a round into my elk rifle instead of reach for my pistol.
 
I am a recent GYE resident (calm down, not Bozeman!). I think I'm gonna go bear spray and 9mm w/ buffalo bore as backup. Perhaps I will become grizzly poop, but the gun is small and I can shoot it, so I know I'll have it with me.
 
MinnesotaHunter said:
You make fair points, but lets be real, The average person carrying concealed selected their pistol based on what looked sexiest in marketing and or what some relatively uniformed person behind a counter told them, not any real practical knowledge or experience. I have a snubby 5 shot .357, and I shoot that thing plenty good...

The real issue most people will have in the situation is enough repetitions in realistic training. Pick whatever handgun you want, most people are still going to be relying on luck....
Click to expand...
I think carrying what you're most comfortable with is the most important thing. Check this out. 9mm works for grizzlies.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cav1
My new Bear Medicine: a .460 Rowland in a Kimber 6-inch Longslide
Replies
10
Views
4K
BUncommon
B
Big Fin
Assault weapons ban advocated by a conservative
2 3 4
Replies
75
Views
10K
Benfromalbuquerque
Benfromalbuquerque
Hangar18
Another Grizzly survival story in WY
Replies
12
Views
3K
fmnjr
F
J
My First Buck!
Replies
18
Views
2K
hunter cameron
H
J
My First Buck!
Replies
14
Views
3K
kansasdad
kansasdad

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
114,023
Messages
2,041,584
Members
36,433
Latest member
x_ring2000

Share this page

Back
Top