Caribou Gear

Sidearm choice

Are you already a proficient and experienced handgun user or not? If you are not you will be toting a paperweight. If you are, take what you're already comfortable using. Caliber is going to be totally irrelevant if you can't make shots that count. Personally I would never fire a handgun at an attacking grizzly. At close range you really feel how huge these bears are and how rapidly they could destroy you.
 
Ben Lamb said:
Good advise on being proficient. If you can't hit a pie plate moving towards you at 30 fps in an erratic matter, then your throwing lead around.

I carry a 4" S&W model 29. I used to keep the 310 grain hardcast bastards that came out of that tiny barrel at 1200 fps. I backed way back down to 240 grain flat noses at 1400 fps. Better control & still going to get the job done if needed.

Primary defense will always be spray. Wider field of fire & better chance of both of us walking away.
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My guess is that all those who carry pistols, also carry bear spray as the primary line of defense, that is what I do.
The gun is a great psychological boost for some, particularly when solo. Moreover, what are your options if you only have bear spray in the very unlikely event that you run into an aggressive gbear during a heavy downpour, or during 50mph winds plus? How about in the even more unlikely event that a gbear decides that you are dinner while you are in your tent? Bear spray would be useless in any of these unlikely events. As for me, I rather have the piece of mind of my pistol and at least think (even if foolishly so) that I would have a fighting chance, which is certainly better than no chance at all.
 
Although I don't hunt in grizzly country a lot, I carry my glock 20 alot everywhere. I milled in a trijicon rmr sight and like with all my glocks I totally re worked the trigger, the pistol is very accurate and its great knowing i have 15+1 in the gun and 15 more rounds next to it
 
I dont really have any experience with lower 48 grizzlies , and have carried a model 57 , 4in 41 mag for alaskan brownies...have never had to use it to stop a bear , one warning shot turned the only one that needed turning. I have since switched to a glock 29 10mm. I think either would suffice if you put rounds on target. Alaskan bears are hunted...they mostly fear man. Protected lower 48 grizzlies are protected and coddled....I wouldnt trust a left wing bear.....
 
stealthy_bowman said:
My guess is that all those who carry pistols, also carry bear spray as the primary line of defense, that is what I do.
The gun is a great psychological boost for some, particularly when solo. Moreover, what are your options if you only have bear spray in the very unlikely event that you run into an aggressive gbear during a heavy downpour, or during 50mph winds plus? How about in the even more unlikely event that a gbear decides that you are dinner while you are in your tent? Bear spray would be useless in any of these unlikely events. As for me, I rather have the piece of mind of my pistol and at least think (even if foolishly so) that I would have a fighting chance, which is certainly better than no chance at all.
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you are correct about spray being useless in those situations. It can be a deterrent in the summer if the weather conditions are perfect but it is not even a possible option in the winter against the Polar because as soon as it gets -20 and colder, it just drips out of the can onto the ground. Those unable to get wilderness permits for a handgun can and do use a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs, bangers, or rubber bullets. For the Polar, marine flares work ( on the ice ) but you can not use them for the Grizzly, because they could start a fire. Usually, a grizzly is a chance or accidental encounter that can be settled one way or another fairly quickly. Polars will stalk, for hours. We also have a dog with us at all times. They provide early warning, and they deter. And then the paperwork. A grizzly, whether protection of life and property or food, is not a problem, but if a Polar goes down after the Inquit quota for the year has been reached---aagghh!!

I was asked about the Polar and what if one can not get a handgun permit ---not trying to hijack the thread at all.
 
This is my favorite bear story, particularly because how it ended. He didn't have to hit a fast moving pie plate. But he did heart shoot it at mere feet away with a 44 and it died before it hit the ground.

https://thegreatwhitehunter.wordpress.com/the-longest-minute-terrifying-bear-attack/



Ben Lamb said:
Good advise on being proficient. If you can't hit a pie plate moving towards you at 30 fps in an erratic matter, then your throwing lead around.

I carry a 4" S&W model 29. I used to keep the 310 grain hardcast bastards that came out of that tiny barrel at 1200 fps. I backed way back down to 240 grain flat noses at 1400 fps. Better control & still going to get the job done if needed.

Primary defense will always be spray. Wider field of fire & better chance of both of us walking away.
Click to expand...
 
Personally, I carry a six gun. .357 with 180 Buffalo Hardcasts. Double action Ruger. It will fire when I pull the trigger. Full of dirt, snow or anything else. I can shoot it well, and like the simplicity. 6 rounds is plenty. If you research bear attacks, your semi with 15 rounds is just peace of mind. Doubt you get that many rounds off anyway. Here's hoping I never have to use it. mtmuley
 
mtmuley said:
Personally, I carry a six gun. .357 with 180 Buffalo Hardcasts. Double action Ruger. It will fire when I pull the trigger. Full of dirt, snow or anything else. I can shoot it well, and like the simplicity. 6 rounds is plenty. If you research bear attacks, your semi with 15 rounds is just peace of mind. Doubt you get that many rounds off anyway. Here's hoping I never have to use it. mtmuley
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I have typically carried a Ruger GP100 .357 revolver with the same Buffalo bulltes, but am now playing with hand loads for a new Sig p220 10mm. Will see which one goes out to play this fall.
 
If you are trained up take a pistol and bear spray. If not just take spray. I run a Glock 20 10mm with a holster that attaches to my bino harness. Whatever holster you run make sure you train with it.
 
After lugging big Smith and Ruger 44's for decades...I switched to the G20 with the afore mentioned hot-hot-hot loads of 180gn'ers. Much lighter and easier to pack than the 629's and the SBH's....And I can leave my red suspenders at home....
Both guns are dishwasher proof. I think the G20 fares better in dusty and inclement conditions that the wheels do. Though Glocks seldom misfire "stovepipe"..if a misfire were to occurred during a bear encounter, you would certainly be in the deep Kim-Chee with an auto..The beauty of the wheel gun is that you can just cycle past the dud round. I won't argue that the 44's are better rounds for killing bears than the 10..because they are. But the 10 comes in as a good second with a few more pills in the magazine if needed and is much lighter to carry than having that big hog-leg slappin' you ass all the way up and down the mountain. What every the decision...make sure you are proficient with clearing leather and delivering at least 2 in the boiler room quickly.
 
I have carried either my G20 in 10mm or G22 in .40S&W. I have also carried my GP-100 in 357, but I am more proficient with my semi-auto pistols. Yes, the 40S&W is kind of on the lite side, however it is still an effective tool and wouldn't hesitate carrying it. Sometimes circumstances can't be avoided, but if you are conscientious about it, and take the necessary steps, a run in with a bruin can be avoided. The one tip i will give you is, when I carry in the field, I have one holster mounted on my pack that is easily accessible, and I also carry a second holster for when the pack comes off. It's just a thin IWB sticky type of holster that I can wear 24/7 and isn't noticeable and as soon as the pack comes off, the first thing I do is place my pistol in my other holster, that way I'm never without it.
 
mtmuley said:
Personally, I carry a six gun. .357 with 180 Buffalo Hardcasts. Double action Ruger. It will fire when I pull the trigger. Full of dirt, snow or anything else. I can shoot it well, and like the simplicity. 6 rounds is plenty. If you research bear attacks, your semi with 15 rounds is just peace of mind. Doubt you get that many rounds off anyway. Here's hoping I never have to use it. mtmuley
Click to expand...
I don't hunt in grizzly country so I can't speak from experience. I have used Underwood Extreme Penetrators on some really big hogs and have no problems getting an exit hole with some pretty good damage on the way through.
 
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