.357 Magnum for bear defense

[Mike Van Horn]

Riiightt... how much time do you think you have to decide whether or not it is a false charge?

you don’t, so l leave the the bear spray on the shelf in the store

 

[JimP]

A major problem with the spray is that people fail to read the instructions on the can.

You should give it a good shake once in a while or it will settle onto the bottom of the can, and while you will get something out of the nozzle it won't be the full effect.

I also agree on being able to hit the brain. It is a lot like trying to hit a tennis ball that is bouncing down the road while you are messing your pants.

 

[Opposite Pole]

I just got back from the range, so far I’m loving my 460

 

[C.W. Richter]

View attachment 190947
6 shot Ruger Alaskan 454 Casull. Shoots well, plenty of stopping power, very controllable and heavy enough to double as a boat anchor if needed.
I pack a S&W 329pd 44 magnum about 80% of the time. It is a great revolver and so light you forget you are wearing it. Diamond D leather in Alaska makes what may be the most useful holster I have ever used. Regardless of what you are doing, the gun is never in the way yet always quickly accessible.
View attachment 190834
Good luck on your search,
Cody

My son has one highly recommended thanks for making my post simpler!

 

[freefall]

I take a .475 Linebaugh on the salmon streams.
But it's fun to hear why I'm wrong.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I'm just a guy, but I don't want to carry anything that's going to cause my ears to meet in the middle of my head.

I'm at work right now and the other day a fellow said he needed a hammer. So out came my hammer. He remarked that it was a small hammer and that he preferred a bigger one. I invited him to walk and go get one. He found my hammer sufficient for the task in an instant.

Obviously I prefer a bigger hammer too, but I can't carry it around endlessly waiting to use it. I take a similar approach to most things.

 

[freefall]

Good luck impressing a brown bear with your little hammer.

 

[colorado]

Certainly better then nothing, but bear spray (as previously stated) is very good, but couple that with a new revolver in 44 magnum. It's a good excuse for another gun.

Not a fan of bear spray for a bunch of reasons

1. I don't train with it.
2. Wind direction is an issue
3. I've heard it's not always effective.

When I'm out in the national forest I carry my Springfield V16 in 45 Super. Buffalo Bored 255g hardcast at 1100 fps (chrono'd) out of it's six inch barrel. It's lighter and thinner than a big revolver and hits about as hard as a 41 Mag revolver with facotry ammo. I shoot it well and have killed more than few bears up close and personal with my 270 and 375 Weatherby. I'd rather not shoot one if I didn't have to though.

 

[mgstucson]

I am no expert, and live in southern AZ where our predators are usually 2 legged not 4 legged. It is legal to carry a handgun while bow hunting on the Mexican border here for that reason. We do have mountain lions and black bears. I have encountered bears and lions as close as 10 yards in the wild here within less that 50 miles of my home. All these require different firearms and rounds than the truly big bears.

There is a man named JJ Hack who has shot hundreds of bears with handguns and has guided dozens of others hunting bears with handguns. He reports that using heavy soft points or hollow points from powerful cartridges of 40 caliber or bigger are the best for bears up to 500 pounds. He most often carried a 7.5" Ruger Redhawk in 44 mag to back up his hunters for black bears up to 500 pounds. He reports bears will show a stunned, shock effect from heavy, fast expanding loads, which will allow follow-up shots and quick kills. He reports the big hardcast rounds will whistle right through with little visible reaction of the bear from being shot, and the bears can run off like a shot maybe hundreds of yards, or more on ill-placed shots. The big problem is they can still kill you just as easily in the same amount of time. They might run away or they might run at you. In personal correspondence with him, he does not recommend handguns for protection on the really big bears, although he does recommend using the heavy hardcast bullets if hunting big bears at distance with a hangun as long as there is proper back-up from a guide with a rifle.

 

[krish]

500 SW. IT IS MADE FOR THAT. BEAR SPRAY ALONG WITH IT.
SAFER THE BETTER.
KRISH

 

[colorado]

500 SW. IT IS MADE FOR THAT. BEAR SPRAY ALONG WITH IT.
SAFER THE BETTER.
KRISH

Too heavy most people won't carry it. A 357 on you is better than a 500 SW at home.

 

[Manwe]

I normally carry a 44 mag but this year carried my XD in 45 ACP when bow hunting bears. As the bear came at me, I was glad I had something but wished I had more. When he got within 10 feet I stopped my yelling at the bear and I let the XD do the talking. Three quick shots into his front torso persuaded him to look elsewhere, but he still made it about 40 yards before he piled up. My buddy witnessed the whole thing and it was nuts. Anyway, glad the bear went away instead of at me as he would have had time to do lots of damage. Will a .357 work, sure, the .45 ACP did, but will any of them stop on in his tracks, doubtful.

 

[mark-hunter]

There is an anecdote, how they trained post war village teenager kids (shepherds) in rural Bosnia when they take village sheep to summer grazing in high mountains, about bear protection (with a taste of truth).

If the bear comes out from the woods, to attack sheep or you, take hand granade (Yugo m-75) out of the ruck, trough hand grenade at bear, then take out Tokarev (Yugo M57 pistol), from the ruck, fire entire magazine at bear, and run away.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi guys, 2 days ago while trekking through mountains in SE Poland (Bieszczady) I had a surprise meeting with a large (at least by local standards) boar Brown Bear. I reckon approximately 300kg-660lbs. It was in the middle of national park so I was unarmed as the whole park area is under complete protection though there is fantastic hunting outside of it. I had my wallet on me so all I could do was bribe the brute. Anyways, after some rather distressing displays of grumpiness - standing on its hind legs and roaring loudly the bear turned around and walked away. When standing on it's hind legs the bear absolutely towered over me and I'm 181cm tall. After we got over the shock, my wife and I all of the sudden were no longer tired despite having walked in the mountains for the last 8 hrs and quickly got out of there and got back to the lodge. After putting fresh underpants on I had a beer (appropriately name Ursa) and a think and decided to never ever under any circumstances find myself in such situation again. Now, I do these trips few times a year and unfortunately carrying a rifle is positively not an option, my question is - would a 357 Magnum revolver be a reasonable defence weapon against a bear? What ammunition would you use? I've no idea what the legal implications of me shooting a protected species in national park would be but I'd much rather face them than the claws. I have a 7 shot 2.5" 357 S&W which would be quite easy to carry. If any of you gentlemen have practical experience or reliable knowledge I will much appreciate your help.

I prefer my 44 magnum as my protection HG