What cartridge for hiking in Grizzly country?

[Sequins]

Hello friends,

I'm considering a hike into Colorado grizzly bear country this summer and I intend to hike with something more substantial than bear spray. I'm debating whether .44 magnum will be sufficient in a heavy loading, or whether I am truly in need of a .454 or greater chambered revolver. Beyond the caliber selection I then must choose my barrel length. I'm going to be hiking some distance with other weight factors to consider so I am drawn to a snub nosed, but on the other hand I am carrying the gun in the first place to stop a bear so I don't know how much barrel I can cut. I tend to have bad luck so I'm definitely carrying something.

Which caliber should I carry?

ED: I messed up the poll a bit, each option is meant to indicate, by caliber, less than or close to 3", indicating the snub option, or greater than or close to 4", indicating the full length option. I didn't get the notation right before submitting so my apologies.

 

[Theron D. Patron]

When I was in Alaska, pistol wise 10mm being the minimum and everyone else I saw had .44 magnums with long barrels and bear spray.

 

[mk70ss]

I prefer a .45 Colt with Buffalo Bore solids. Carried in a Ruger Redhawk or Blackhawk.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=38

 

[Ricklin]

If

If I needed to make that choice.

1. 1st and foremost is bear spray.

2. I too would go with a 10mm high cap, Underwood or BB nuclear loads.

3. Pretty certain the above would be a Glock 20.

 

[Scoits]

The weight to caliber question for me is answered by a 4” 329 PD . And lots of practice. Have one and carried it all the time as the weight is great. Admit it takes getting use to but I for one can tell you it can be done.
I reloaded 300 gr WFNGC cast performance to max. Plus a few Speer gold dot 265/270?. Muzzle jump is something you need to overcome. But with that weight I never left it at home or in the truck.

 

[wild cat mccane]

Yawn.

Hike/backpack in Alaska regularly. Hike/backpack in Colorado regular. Live in Utah.

Bear spray.

 

[Oliver Sudden]

First off there are NO grizzly bear in Colorado! Except maybe in some frighten children's minds. Second use something that won't harm your fellow hiker. And have a good camera to show every one what you saw.

 

[mikejonestkd]

1st choice: Bear spray
2nd choice: Bear spray

 

[briandg]

have you ever fired one of these? do you do it well? and why would you choose not to carry spray, it's probably better for the average guy to carry it. It's effective.

 

[disseminator]

You already have a 44 magnum so that will do nicely.

If you want a new gun, I just bought a Ruger Super Black Hawk in 480 Ruger and it's a beast. I really like it but would probably favor a double action for Bear defense. Other that the Bear spray of course.

 

[BigJimP]

There are no documented sightings of Grizzly in Colorado !

Handguns are not very effective on Grizzly - even the smaller North American Grizzly ( like typical in Montana and Idaho --much further north than Colorado)...vs the much bigger bears in Kodiak, etc.../ ...bear spray is a better option. I have hiked and camped all over northern Idaho and Montana for the last 50 yrs...and have rarely come accross an agressive Grizzly - although it is a risk / its not a big risk.

If you want to carry a handgun - for your own comfort - I would carry a 3" or maybe a 4" in .357 Mag or .44 Mag...depending on what you can shoot the most effectively ( out to 10 Yds probably )..../ personally I'm fine with either caliber..depends on what you have ...but something like the S&W model 629 Trail Boss, 3" in .44 Mag is a good option...if you go .44 Mag.../ or most any K, L or N frame S&W in .357 Mag...-- maybe the model 627 N frame, 8 shot, .357 Mag either in a 2 5/8" or maybe the 5".

If you are comfortable with a single action... .44 Mag / .454 Casull or whatever in something like a 4 3/4" Freedom Arms would be my choice...but only if you can shoot it well ( and by shooting any of these models well, I mean draw and Fire 5 rounds in no bigger than an 8" circle at 10 yds ...in under 5 sec ) in my view.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...NO grizzly bear in Colorado..." Black bears are more trouble anyway. Everybody thinks they actually are Yogi the Bear. Supposedly more black bear attacks than there ever are by Griz. That's more about people moving into Yogi's back yard though. Yogi is not interested in you.
Velocity loss and therefore energy loss with a 3 or 4 inch revolver is far too great to be trusting. Except for the big bang they make that'll scare Yogi.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/44mag.html
Buy yourself a couple jingle bells to hang on yourself. And a can of spray.

 

[jmr40]

A 44 with a 3-4" barrel will be more than enough. The 454, or a long barreled 44 would be better suited for hunting than black bear defense. Unless you are near Yellowstone there are no grizzly anyway. Just black bear. Black bear aren't all black. They can have blonde or brown coats and people often confuse these light colored black bear for grizz. Neither black, nor grizzly are that hard to kill unlike on TV. Hunters do it with ease shooting handguns every year.

I carry bear spray, but like you prefer to have a handgun just in case and I choose a Glock 20 or 29 in 10mm. I've camped in Yellowstone, and other places with grizzly. All over Colorado as well in SMNP which has a very dense bear population. My 44 stays home for several reasons.

As a hiker the weight and bulk you carry is a huge concern. My Glocks are 2" shorter and over a pound lighter than a 4" 44 mag revolver. Yet with the best loads pretty much equal them in power. Double Tap 200 gr hardcast ammo gets 1300 fps from the 4.5" G20 and 1250 fps from the 3 3/4" G29. With 240 gr loads the 3" revolver comes in at around 1100 fps, the 4" gun about 1200 fps. Just not enough advantage to carry the extra weight and bulk.

Even in bear country human predators are the far more likely problem. My 10mm loaded with 15 rounds of ammo, in a gun over a pound lighter and 2" shorter than a 44 mag revolver is a better option for the real threat. And a lot easier to carry at 10,000'.

But if I had a 3-4" 44, or even 357 mag, and didn't want to buy another gun that is what I'd carry.

 

[Paul105]

As mentioned above, never heard of Grizzlies in Colorado.

We do have them here in Montana and every year there are several reports of Human/Bear encounters (both black and grizzly) -- there are as many if not more that are never reported (stories circulate among hunters/others). Some encounters turn out better than others. Lots are in conjunction with hunting (bow hunters are particularly vulnerable). Here's an example of a hiker with both bear spray and a handgun -- neither worked for one reason or another.

http://www.kxlf.com/story/33299201/bozeman-man-attacked-twice-by-bear-saturday

I've been retired for 15 plus years and recreate daily in bear country (griz & black) and for the better part of that time I carried a S&W 329 .44 Mag. I shot over 9,000 rnds thru three guns, so I felt reasonably confident in my ability to use it if necessary). Recently have transitioned to the New S&W 4 1/4" M69 because it is a bit easier to shoot. I have 45 colts, a .454, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh, and 500 JRH (all are 6” or shorter guns on packable frames) – for portability/comfort reasons, when hiking/recreating/bow hunting, the .44 Mag gets the nod

Most of the bow hunters I know of carry a handgun for backup. A lot of recreational hikers/bikers carry bear spray. I’ve only seen one bear in 26 years living in MT. A couple of years ago, my son saw 9 different bears in 7 days while bow hunting here in MT. He had filled his bear tag that spring, so they went on their way. A grizzly, marauding stock pens, was killed by a rancher about 5 miles from my house (wife and I walk the dogs often in that area). Another was mistaken for a black bear and killed and left by a bow hunter in the area we bow hunt elk (about an hour from the house). Just last elk season, there were several Grizzly encounters reported in the news and several others thru the “grapevine”. It’s been that way off and on for years her in MT (and am sure in WY and ID also).

I never understood why people treat others who start "what gun for bear protection" threads with such distain. They have legitimate questions and contrary to internet opinion, bear spray isn't always effective for a number of different reasons. That said, handguns aren't necessarily effective either. Many other reasons outside of “bear” defense for carrying a handgun in the back country.

There are those that have been around bears for decades and never had a problem and they comment “nothing to worry about”. Then there are those with the same decades long experience that had to defend their clients with whatever they had on hand -- https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=388 Scroll down to ALASKAN GUIDE, PHIL SHOEMAKER, USES 9MM OUTDOORSMAN ROUNDS IN An S&W 3954 TO STOP AN ATTACKING GRIZZLY - See story and photos below.

Some had no means of self defense – google Timothy Treadwell.

Bottom Line is that no two circumstances (or bears) are the same. Maybe you’ll have time to defend yourself, maybe not. Maybe bear spray will work and maybe not. Which ever (or both) you choose is a personal decision.

One thing I know for sure, I carry a handgun when I leave the house -- never had to use it, but it sure was a comfort on several occasions. I’d much rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

FWIW,

Paul

 

[Erno86]

I prefer a stout 45 Colt +P solid bullet load in my 454 Super Redhawk, because recoil control is slightly more manageable, than otherwise using full house 454 loads.

 

[boondocker385]

Living on Kodiak, 44 mag and 10mm seem to be popular. In talking with Fish and Game and guides, they suggest 12 gauge shotguns with slugs. Having been close to medium size bears while fishing and hunting, the bigger the better...i carry a 12 gauge.

 

[RAfiringline]

>First off there are NO grizzly bear in Colorado! Except maybe in some frighten children's minds. Second use something that won't harm your fellow hiker. And have a good camera to show every one what you saw. <

Right. If there are any grizs at all in Colo., they're damn rare. There are lots of black bears though, and while they are much less aggressive and dangerous than grizs, there usually are some incidents every year. The Wet Mts. have lots of black bears.

When I hike alone, I never carry anything, but if I had kids along, I think I might opt for a G20.

 

[rodfac]

. In talking with Fish and Game and guides, they suggest 12 gauge shotguns with slugs. Having been close to medium size bears while fishing and hunting, the bigger the better...i carry a 12 gauge.

Excellent advice. Rod

 

[1MoreFord]

I chose .44mag 4" (or greater) in your poll but that's a minimum recommendation. I'd feel much better armed with a 12ga and slugs or something in the .45-70 realm.

 

[Chainsaw.]

I HAVE run into grizzle bear on the trail. And have the stains to prove it. The one thing Im glad I had was.....bear spray. And a dog whos pretty aggressive, but then even he was making streaks of his own. Said bear was so frealed out by me, my wife and my dogs freaking out that it, in favt freaked out and took off running. Eveyone gets hung up on tails of 5000 pound bears with nothing but murder on their mind, and that just isn't the facts. You Miiiiight run into a bear, but the odds of it being a man destroyer is so minimal its not even funny. Keep bear spray and a small pistol for coyotes. You'll be fine.