Best handgun caliber for bear country?

[BimmerboyE46]

Will likely be doing some hiking in grizzly country this summer, and am thinking about picking up a .357 like a 686 or a 10mm like a glock 20. What calibers/guns do you guys prefer for bear country?

 

[RandyG357]

Hard to beat a 357, but you get a lot more 10mm in a semi auto.

 

[cajunuahfan]

I would not feel comfortable with a 357 against a Grizzly. 10mm maybe, 44 magnum yes (with the right ammunition). Anything larger, of course.

 

[RaySendero]

Why a handgun when a short barrel 12ga with sling would be as easy to carry?

 

[scooter]

I carried a 10mm in a chest rig, which ever way you go, you should carry “hard cast” ammo,

 

[Wooddux1]

I carried a 454 and a 44 mag with hard cast on both my Canadian and Alaskan hunts. I personally would not want a auto in a bear situation. It may have never jammed in the entire time I've owned it. But with my luck it would pick then as a 1st time.

 

[Drcrimson]

Some good comments above. 10mm is effective as well as 44mag. I’ve known a few Alaskan guides that went with 45 colt or things like 454, 50AE, etc.

Btw, my experience in Alaska taught me the biggest threat was moose vs bear. The moose are very plentiful much more so than brown bears. Moose are also much less predictable.

 

[BeardedNative]

.460 MAGNUM

 

[mrcabinet2122]

The biggest you can handle. Seriously.

 

[FatDog]

If you've ever been up close with an unhappy grizzly, you understand when I say a Ford F250 would be you're preferred weapon.

 

[Drcrimson]

I can’t say I’ve seen an unhappy one but I got closer than I would have liked near Denali. They are impressive animals. The one that shocked me was the moose as I never really heard that much about them until I got to Alaska. One they are massive and more concerning unpredictable. All of the guides I spoke with were armed due to moose and not bears.

 

[longridge3407]

Some good comments above. 10mm is effective as well as 44mag. I’ve known a few Alaskan guides that went with 45 colt or things like 454, 50AE, etc.

Btw, my experience in Alaska taught me the biggest threat was moose vs bear. The moose are very plentiful much more so than brown bears. Moose are also much less predictable.

Lived in Alaska 27 years, the last several in Southeast Ak where there is an amazing number of brown bears. Killed brown bears and moose while hunting and professionally as a LEO. I agree, I've had more issues with moose than brown bears. All handguns are marginal, but I carried them for convenience and never had an issue putting down moose with a Glock 22. Shot placement is key, go with a reasonable caliber in a frame you shoot well.

 

[Drcrimson]

Wow. I bet you have some stories from your time in Alaska.

It’s a beautiful place in the summer time. Just have to the crazy mosquitos. I thought Alabama had bad mosquitos until I went to Alaska. I’m looking forward to going back and even looked at a few properties near Fairbanks. Don’t think I could make it through a winter though. My southern blood is too thin.

 

[longridge3407]

Here's a pic of a problem boar one of my guys killed. Can't remember if he was shooting a Socom or Bushmaster, but the first round failed and the bear charged him. If you blow up the pic, you can see where his last round hit under the left eye.

 

[Stumpy]

https://laststandonzombieisland.fil...northern-light-in-northeast-greenland-547.jpg. Great link to an article about the Danish Navy Unit that does 2 man, 2000 mile patrols of Greenland. They use the Glock 20 and 30-06 Springfield 1917's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[uechikid]

I carried a 10mm in a chest rig, which ever way you go, you should carry “hard cast” ammo,





View attachment 14328 View attachment 14329 View attachment 14330

This right here’s is what I’d do, in 10mm. This rig looks like the holster is mounted vertically. I would mount it horizontally though. So the draw is to the side rather than up.
But definitely something like this. Glock, S&W, Springfield, which ever feels best in your hand.

 

[gumboman]

I would not feel adequately armed with anything less than a 44 mag. Elmer Keith the well known outdoor writer from the 60's loved the 44 mag for this purpose.

 

[Henry Bowman]

I carried a Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag. While I felt comfortable with it, later trips I went to a .454. As a couple of others have mentioned the moose are the ones to really watch out for.

 

[uechikid]

Will likely be doing some hiking in grizzly country this summer, and am thinking about picking up a .357 like a 686 or a 10mm like a glock 20. What calibers/guns do you guys prefer for bear country?

Bear Gun Shootout: 10mm vs .44 Mag.

We settle the debate over the best bear defense pistol cartridge— 10mm vs 44 Mag. —with this simple, but challenging shooting drill.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[Jpope]

Bear Gun Shootout: 10mm vs .44 Mag.

We settle the debate over the best bear defense pistol cartridge— 10mm vs 44 Mag. —with this simple, but challenging shooting drill.

www.outdoorlife.com

While I lean towards the more rounds the better side of the argument, that article is useless. They literally start off by saying they used the lightest 44 mag revolver known to man and suffered mightily because of it. Then they ended the article by saying the Glock was the best because it was the heaviest. Classic case of comparing apples to oranges. Shame too because I usually like John B. Snow.