Back country carry gun

[colorado]

Since I am used to shooting and carrying Glocks, I’d take a 10mm Glock if I were in Grizzly country.

Much like you I'm used to shooting 45s. My woods gun is a Springfield V16 Longslide shooting Buffalo Bore 255g hard cast at 1100 fps out of a 6 inch barrel. One of the few guns made for the 45 Super cartridge.

 

[Martin77]

I'm considering a Ruger Alaskan vs S&W 69 - both in .44 Magnum. The Ruger is about $200 more - do you guys think it's worth it?

I'm in AZ, but I do find myself hiking in Montana usually once each summer.

This is the exact gun I carry. I’m very happy with it.

 

[JimP]

I have one of the first Ruger Redhawks built and I love it. I had a trigger job done on it and not it is as smooth as silk. The only drawback is the 7 1/2" barrel.

I also have a S&W 629 with a 6" barrel and between the two of them I prefer the Redhawk. I am still trying to talk a friend out of his Redhawk with a 5" barrel.

 

[MikeW]

I'm partial to the Ruger Alaskan for hikes/camping in the mountains of CO. Mine is in 454 Casull but have it typically loaded with heavy 45 Colt 325gr hard cast bullets. It is heavy but a good belt and holster makes it an easy all day carry. The grips on the Alaskan are excellent for the heavy loads and make even the 360gr 454 Casull loads manageable.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

I have a Ruger Super Redhawk 44, which l hunted with and carried for years. Now l backpack hunt more and the Ruger is just to heavy. Purchased a Kimber Pro Carry ll in 45. Gave up a lot in fire power and distance but within 25 yards it is very accurate
My opinion on bear spray is that it looks impressive on a fake charge! When they are bluffing it works, when their not you best have some firepower

 

[edward]

It's never the popular opinion on a gun forum, but bear spray has proven time and time again to be far more effective in saving your life than any handgun. That being said, I'm not sure how they work in the dead of winter; it may very well be the exception to the rule.

Ruger vs Smith?
Between myself and my dad, we have owned 4 ruger handguns and 1 Smith. 3 of the 4 rugers have been to the factory and 2 of the 3 still are not right. Personally I think Rugers make really good clubs. As to really good guns, ehh...

The only problem my Smith 60 had was the front sight screw was loose with no loctite.

My personal experience says Smith & Weson

bear spray better than a 300gr punch bullet where its supposed to go???i dont think so,maybe as a deodorant!!!

Oh my,

Ok! I went shooting that gigantic 500 S&W today off of my sticks and to tell you the truth, I stunk on ice, and if a pilot flew a plane the way I shot there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he couldn get a job flying rubber dog rockets and barf out of Hong Kong in a 40' s transport that was held together with 50 cent a roll duct tape.

At 50 yards I hit a 6" plate 3 out of 5 times and at 100 yards I went 0 for 5. I didn't shoot any more after that.

Is it possible that at this advanced stage in my life that my testosterone doesn't pump like techno music at a disco any more? Have I turned into a girly man? Will I start referring to Bruce Jenner as Kaitlin?

good since of humor.

 

[curtism1234]

bear spray better than a 300gr punch bullet where its supposed to go???i dont think so,maybe as a deodorant!!!

Supposed to go is the key phrase. A 1/2" bullet trying to hit a softball leaping and bounding at 35 miles an hour or one drop from a 6 foot spray.

I think we often get drunk on the idea that a gun solves a life threatening problem better than another method. Folks dream of telling their grandkids about the time their granddaddy killed a charging griz with a 44magnum and dropped him with one shot at 10 paces. That sounds more macho than telling the story about about the time a bear charged, you sprayed him in the face with pepper spray, and he ran away.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

I wonder why they don't have Lion spray or maybe Cape Buffalo spray
Do you really think that a bear protecting her cubs or your to close to the game they are feeding on is just going to stop because of pepper spray??
It works on a false charge

 

[ldmay375]

Ruger Bisley, 45 Colt, 3.75" barrel.
It also has a 45 ACP cyclinder.

 

[ldmay375]

My wife's, S&W 629, 44 Rem Mag, 3" barrel.

 

[ldmay375]

I carry the 3.75" Ruger Bisley, 45 Colt quite frequently outdoors. Though I do carry other revolvers with 5" and shorter barrels.
The 3" S&W 629 is currently my wife's main back country carry revolver.

 

[edward]

guns are fine,your bullets stink,punch bullets will kill any and all,j.m.o.from use.dont waste time with your arguements,im over and out.p.s.im 81,been around awhile,killed awhile,no what im talking about.

 

[1dirthawker]

so,

a back country gun usually means a gun that will deal with the largest bear or aggressive ungulate that you have ever seen. that said, the gun you carry should shoot a very heavy bullet. the caliber should start with a 4.... 44 mag, 45 colt, 41 magnum, etc.

a semi holds more ammo, but. hits are the only things that count and i believe that a revolver holds more than enough ammo to solve a close up and personal issue with a grizzly. it needs to be controllable for you, remember, only hits count!

a bear will cover 15 yards in less than 3 seconds, so having 27 rounds in a 9mm will not help you, because bullets need to reach the vitals. and, how many hits can you deliver in 2.5 seconds under stress?

a 5 or 6 shot 44 mag is most affordable, reasonable in weight and shootable compared to larger handguns. shotguns will work but ALWAYS end up being put down somewhere. a revolver in a "GUIDES CHOICE" holster ( the best holster made for large handguns) is accessible, easy to carry and can solve most issues found in a back country setting AND is on you when rowing, cooking, taking a crap, setting up a tent etc. unlike a rifle or shotgun.......my 2 cents

 

[WAB]

I use a S&W Mountain Gun in.44 mag.

 

[Major Khan]

I should think rather highly of a Colt Single Action Army revolver chambered in .44-40 Winchester calibre . It used to be an extremely popular choice among my " Hand Gun Hunting " clients , especially for dispatching Sun Bears and Asian Sloth Bears .

 

[edward]

Check out Gary Reeder's website; he's been building (back-up and other) handguns for 30+ years, especially for back country "emergencies" including some terrific wildcats....

standards exist that do the job.!!!

 

[Tanks]

I'd just go all out and get this:

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/for-sale-50-b-m-rifle.56436/

 

[edward]

Most definitely no argument here.

The same reasoning goes with professional boxing.

Yes! One of my Mott is " bigger,better, faster, stronger" UNLESS someone just can't hit with it, the he would be well served to get something he is more comfortable with.

A few weeks ago I too a 500 s&w to the range, put a target up at ,50 feet, put 5 rounds in the cylinder, took aim and hit the x in the center of the target. The other 4 bullet went where they wanted to go.....and it wasn't on the paper. This week it was 3 in and two that hopefully stayed in the atmosphere.

Maybe some day I will hold all 5 within 6 inches at 50 like I can with my cz shadow.....then again..maybe not.

this is a beat to death fact,PRACTICE,PRACTICE,ETC.

 

[colorado]

bear spray better than a 300gr punch bullet where its supposed to go???i dont think so,maybe as a deodorant!!!

good since of humor.

Or self seasoning

 

[Luvthunt]

Write ups hypothesis on 44or 45 or 454. But can anyone come up with actual info in print where a handgun of any caliber stopped the bear attack?
Appears to me when you compare energy levels to rifles thr handgun is lacking any serious stopping power..People carrying a rifle get mauled and some of them may have gotten a shot off or wounded the bear earlier but the higher energy rifle fails to do the job.