Posted: 5/7/2007 7:40:10 PM EDT
| about 2 hours ago my girlfriend and i decided to go on a hike in the back woods behind our house. im aware that a G17 isnt the best choice for a trail gun but i took it anyways cuz something is better than nothing. anyway about 2 miles into our hike my girlfriend spots something moving down our trail about 200m away in a valley... to my suprise it was a black bear.... i all of a sudden got a rather unpleasent feeling knowing that i only have a 9mm. at this time my girlfriend got spooked and we decide to head back to avoid anything. so this little event has got me thinking that im gonna need a bigger trail gun. which is when you guys come into the picture. would you guys rather have a G20 or a revolver in something like 44mag? |
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The 500 mag has impressive ballistics but is about as portable as a boat anchor. I would vote for either a nice 8 shot slug gun or a short Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull with a G20 as a backup gun for either. I've done a fair amount of hiking/hunting with a very large pistol and found myself often wishing for either a slung long gun or a smaller pistol. Come to think of it, the 45-70 sounds good too! There is also no reason your companion couldn't carry one of the guns, I've started making my wife carry too when we visit questionable places, the initial attack could put me out of order and she would be a sitting duck. |
| I carry a Glock 30 when hiking and I carry 230-gr FMJs if I am woried about bears, rabid animals, etc. I also have a Glock 21 but I find that too big for hiking... Now, a 10mm would be better then a 45acp BUT the odds that I run into a bear are rather slight and most black bears are not that big that I worry that I need anything larger. |
ya it would have to be something some what concealable. or else i would carry a long gun(or a AT4 ). im thinking about getting a G21sf and converting it to a 10mm so i still could shooting 45acp and 10mm. the reason being is that we are not going far from my house and i dont want to be alerting the neighbors when they see me walking around with a rifle slung across my shoulders. as for the .500 mag.. i would like to be able to shoot it without breaking my wallet (or hand). what does the recoil of a 10mm feel like? is it comparible to a .45acp?
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Feels like a 45+p with enough noise and blast to let you know you are unleashing some really serious shit! Much easier on the hand than a 5 shot 357 snubbie. Most I've shot were tack drivers. IMO the best unappreciated handgun round in existence. |
Get some bear spray and carry your 9mm. I can not remember the last time I heard anything about a Black Bear attack in Washington. I usually go into the woods loaded for people, not bear, unless I am hunting a bear. Unfortunently there are for more tweakers and crazies in the woods than there are bears. |
+1 carry the glock for two legged predators, and pepper spray for four legged. the bear is minding his own business at home. |
ya i suppose that would be a good idea... i am still pretty shocked that i did see one. we were hiking near the spokane valey area toward mica. i heard that there were some cougar back there too.. |
Pistol, or carbine? If carbine, I'd go whole hawg and bring a 12 gauge shottie. 8 rounds of 12 gauge goodness will disappoint most ANY critter North America has to throw at me. If hiking/backpacking, remember that a .44 Magnum is the MINIMUM you should carry for ursine encounters of the 3rd kind. The more powerful, the better, meaning a longer barrel. |
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Black bears are not a big problem unless you're dumb enough to get between a mom and her cub. Fishing up in Alaska Black bears would walk 6' past me as I was cleaning fish and ignore me as there was some much food (Salmon & Berries) they were not hungry. I've been within 20' of a black bear in the wild way over 50 times and if there was a reaction it was to run away. My choice for carry in Black bear country was a .45acp. That was pre 21 if I go back it will be a 21 or 30 for Black Bear country and a 12GA for Grizzly country. Now if your talking brown Grizzly bears a .44 is marginal. Last time I check which was a long time ago there had not been a succesful defense against a griz with a .44 magnum. which has not been the most powerful cartridge for a very long time. |
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I used to carry the shotty. I just find the 94 carbine just....i dunno....handier I guess. It really is a very small carbine both in length, width, girth and weight. Plus it hold 11 rounds. I stagger them between hard cast and hollow points to attend to 4 legged and 2 legged predators. Black bear attacks in CO are really not that uncommon. I'm seeing a lot of Mtn Lions lately too. I always have either a kimber or a glock 30 w/me as well.
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For just a bear? Damn Jethro, you always go nuclear as a first line of defense? I'd opt for a Glock 20 (Power, control-ability & capacity) or a 5 shot ~4" revolver in .41 mag. (Power, compact & control-ability) I own a S&W 29-2 w/ a 4" bbl that does me no good for bear cause I don't carry it as it's bulky & clumsy to me. (Nor do I practice enough w/ the .44 to be confident in my abilities w/ it) I had a Taurus Ti Tracker in .41 mag that I should never have let go of.  Sly |
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Black bears are generally very docile creatures. I've come across them in the Smoky Mountains and it didn't even make me uncomfortable. Just don't doing anything stupid like trying to play with a cub and you'll be fine. You'll be much more likely to need the pistol when you stumble across a couple of cookers who didn't want you to find their lab. |
I don't think his gf is going to go on any more hikes with him if she finds out. (BTW, If someone were to really try that, the bear would most likely pursue the runner... 'Cause the other guy ain't going anywhere!) |
There are bears and lion on Mica, lots of moose and elk too. |
Here in bear country SE Alaska, (both types - black & brownies) I'm either packing my 4 inch 500 S&W Mag or the 10mm Glock 29. No if's and's or but's about it. One is with me. PS.....Blackies are not noted to handle lead very well - Everything from well placed shot from a .357 mag, .223 to 30-30 have been documented kills for black bear by our native brother'n here in Alaska. PSS............I've clocked (chronograph) my 4 inch 500 S&W Mag with 440 gr. loads out to 1350 FPS = 437 gr. is one ounce slug that is a half inch bore = A world of hurt on the receiving end, no matter what it is - The 500 S&W Magnum is serious horse power, and is the BS stopper in the handgun world. |
Sure, if you compare DT ammo to weak ass 240gr factory .44 loads, there is not too much of a difference, but that isn't a really fair comparison. It is kinda like comparing a hopped up honda to a stock camaro. The usual bearloads for .44 are more along the lines of 320gr HCFP running aboots 1200-1300 FPS. CK, don't forget about that blackie that was popped breaking into that guy's house up on Stuckagain last year with a Glock 22. PS, CK, there is a guy in Homer whupping up 700-750 hard cast lead bullets for the .500 is you really dislike your wrists..
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Yes, Ranger Ricks Tyrannosaurus Thumpers out of Homer - Great Stuff! Hurt me again! Got to love it!
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I have seen quite a few black bears up in the mountains of WV, saw more dead ones shot by .44 wheel guns then I saw live ones. The few live ones I saw all ran at the sight of me, I didnt even have time to be scared, I was more in shock, like "is that a bear" . With all that said, I stay out of the woods, if I were in the woods though, I would take my 12 gauge if I could or my .45 or .40 . Dont know how good my G 22 would do against a black bear though! |
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I hate to say this on a firearms based website, BUT....... You don't need to worry much about black bears. They very very rarely injure people. They are very curious bears and will approach you from time to time, but will usually haul ass when they sense your presence. Just act tough. They eat things that don't fight back, so if you are accosted by a blackie, most "experts??" advise hitting him with something, they don't like pain and won't take up the fight. OC spray will deal with one nicely. The black bears also don't follow the rule of a bear attacking you if you get close to their young. The browns are the ones that do that. Blackies will try to bluff you into leaving their baby alone but 99.9% of the time will not attack. Notice I said "99.9% of the time" and "usually". They are wild animals and can do things unusual. When I hike in black bear country, I carry a Glock 23, not for bears, but for mountain lions and the more dangerous 2 legged predators. I have walked up on several black bears in NM and CO and didn't even have time to get a photo of most of them before they realized I was there and bailed. In BROWN bear country, different story, carry the biggest damn gun you can pack and a can of bear spray. The spray is more effective by the way. If you get a couple of slugs in him the bear can still kill you before he eventually dies of his wounds. The spray seems to make them want to leave you alone. But, browns can get dangerous in a hurry, and they will eat people. Just ask that blond headed guy, Timothy whats-his-name, that tried to do a documentary about Alaskan grizzlies. Oh wait,....you can't ask him......because his dumb ass got ate. oops. Basicaly carry a gun for your own sense of security, and a can of bear spray for the bears. |
| Relying on a bat for primary bear defense? Bring a change of underwear along. If you live, you'll need them. In theory a couple of good whacks should deter a blackie; but I think the "hit them with something" plan is meant for when you don't have any other options, not as a first line plan of action. |
