Bears and the .454 Casull

[TNBulldog]

How comfortable/confident would you all be with a heavy grain hard cast bullet in .454 for bear hunting or bear defense?

 

[Chief 101]

So, what sort of bear are you planning on tangling with? A 150# black bear taking a nap or maybe a 1ton+ Kodiak hungry for your salmon? Makes a dif. Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[Sundles]

+1 Chief 101

Also, hunting bear and bear defense are two very different matters that may or may not require different loads/guns. Hunting allows you to pick your shot at a distance, defense gives you no such luxuries.

 

[Fumbler]

I have no experience, but perhaps a bullet that is fatter than a 45 would be a better choice for the big bears...
ohh, maybe something like a 480
Just as good penetration (or maybe better) with a fatter bullet and less recoil.
Sounds like a better big bear gun to me.

 

[trueblue1776]

Shorten a .45/70 BFR, buy some Buffalo Bore loads and a high carbon steel wrist bone. All jackassery aside I'd rather have a nice levergun.

 

[Gator]

What Trueublue1776 said

I wouldn't feel "comfortable" at all with any handgun against a big brown or grizzly. I know people hunt and kill bears with handguns, but most of them have someone standing behind them with a rifle when they do it.

 

[Shawn Michael]

True but

True but .500mag ballistics are not that far off. Winchester Platinum tips 440 grain are 2900ish ft/lbs with a .50 cal hole. A lot of the popular hunting rounds and corbon 45/70s are about the same energy wise so these pistols are no joke.

 

[oscarswanson]

I have not shot a bear with it but I feel the power when I pull the trigger.
It's going to destroy what it hits.

 

[RancidSumo]

I would bet that a .454 Cassul would make even a bear think twice about having you for a snack. But if that doesn't work, why not try the S&W .500?

 

[Geister]

The S&W .500 has to be the stupidest gun concept ever. Personally, if you need something more powerful than a .454 Casull revolver, it's best to go to a rifle.

 

[telomerase]

The S&W .500 has to be the stupidest gun concept ever.

Now, now, deaf weightlifters need guns too... and if you're a deaf weightlifter, why not use a S&W .500 for bears or velociraptors?

 

[obxned]

Yeah, the .500 is a really stupid gun - unless a really big bear wants to stomp you and the wind blew your pepper spray all the way to Kansas.

 

[Sundles]

The S&W X frame is too big/heavy to do what handguns are supposed to do, which is to be packable in a holster all day long. The X frame will pull your pants down or your back out.

If I'm going to carry something that heavy, it'll be a Marlin 45-70 with some real power.

 

[Geister]

unless a really big bear wants to stomp you and the wind blew your pepper spray all the way to Kansas.

I don't know of anyone would would carry a .500 S&W into bear country; it's too big.

 

[PrimaryB]

I don't think there is a "comfortable" handgun to hunt/defend yourself against bear. Ouch! Most important thing is you hit the target. Never hunted nor defended myself against bear. Never even shot at a bear silhouette. Get the biggest caliber handgun you can shoot and practice, practice, practice.

You are defending yourself because you didn't see the bear at a distance. He's in your face. Lord help you if he is a she w/cubs.

PB