357 vs grizzly

Well...on that .357 the key is to file down the front sight. That way, it wont hurt as much when the bear takes the gun away and jams it up your rear end...

In all seriousness though. Keep the .357 but get something with more steam when you get here. I think a perfect start to big bore handguns and for bear is a Ruger Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger. I have a friend that loads em up plenty big and hot to do the job if you do yours.

A gp100 loaded with 200gr hardcast bullets might stop a grizzly. For me,
the 44 magnum is the minimum cartridge, to use as a backup for any large bears.

Short answer:
If your shot is in the right place, the .357 will stop a Grizzly in its tracks.
Good luck getting your shot to land there.
Problem is, if your .454 Casull/500 S&W Mag shot lands in the wrong place, it won't do jack.
The plus side to the larger rounds is that the "right place" is a bit bigger due to increased penetration.
The downside is you're less likely to get more than one shot off in the 2 seconds or so you'll have.

Let me make sure I have this down right.

You're worried that if your 45/70 RIFLE doesn't stop the bear, you want to know if your .357 handgun will?

I guess it will work better than speaking sternly to the bear.

Phil Shoemaker, an Alaskan guide, wrote an article in a Wolfe Publications magazine, regarding handguns and bears. I did read this article myself. He uses a .44 mag sixgun in bear country. One of his children uses a .357 K-frame, and the author wrote why he thinks it is adequate. I won't try to put words in his mouth. The articles exists; perhaps someone can quote it, or post a link. To be clear, this author did not promote the .357 as being the best for bear, as some have stated on internet forums.

Based on this real-world advice, I would consider a properly-loaded .357 to be a useful tool, if/when I manage to walk around among big bears, but preferably accompanied by heavier ordnance. It seems the OP plans to have that heavier ordnance.

The only case I know of personally. A friend of mine and his buddy were deer hunting near Juno. The were dressing out their deer when a big hungry griz showed up. Joe had a ruger redhawk in 44 mag with an 8 or 9" bbl, his buddy had a 30/30. They were barely able to stop the bear, with both weapons, working together. So, while a 357 might work, if it's all you have, that choice has been made, but, if you plan to go out, and take a 357 it might not be the best option.
good luck

Grizzly bear-"Ursus horribilis"...

It got its name because it is known to kill and devour humans. It stands about 9 ft tall when on its hind legs and weighs about 1300 lbs. The grizzly bear is too heavy to escape up a tree like its smaller cousins the brown bear and black bear when threatened, hence it will usually stand its ground and fight it out--Usually with a better outcome. Knowing all of this , I would be very reluctant to enter the territory of "Ursus horrilis" with a 357 magnum. Go with at least a 44 magnum or larger handgun and a short powerful rifle such as 375 or 45X70.

Having a 357 as your handgun is suicide. You may get lucky and get the perfect shot off but in most cases that is unlikely. Like others said a minium caliber would be a 44 magnum. And I would rather have a .454 Casull/500 S&W and even then the chances of getting off the right shot under pressure is not good. If you don't you will be his supper. Another option to have is a 12 guage with slugs and of course pepper spray for Bears.

All I can say is good luck. You will need it.

roaddog28

The grizzly bear is too heavy to escape up a tree like its smaller cousins the brown bear and black bear when threatened

Click to expand...

Actually, Alaskan brown bears are easily twice the size of a grizzly, and can stand over 12 feet on their hind legs (the hide can square over 10 feet).

A .357 is not a good choice, but might serve with perfect shot placement - straight through the nose or mouth.

Are we going to be invaded by an army of grizzly bears in the near future?
Soooo many threads about bears recently.......

If all you have is a .357, a good 200gr LBT is your best choice......in that chambering. Forget about anything lighter and faster.

It got its name because it is known to kill and devour humans.

Click to expand...

Not true.

"The word "grizzly" in its name refers to "grizzled" or grey hairs in its fur, but when naturalist George Ord formally named the bear in 1815, he misunderstood the word as "grisly", to produce its biological Latin specific or subspecific name "horribilis"."

I was referring to the smaller brown bears in the lower 48...

However , these large bears are too large and can not pull themselves up a tree. Their leg and shoulder muscles are not strong enough to do it according to my book on North american animals. Since he did not mention the Alaskan brown bear or the great big Russian brown bear I did not consider it as part of the discussion. "nuff said"

A--I don't live in Bear country so I will pass on the .357 side arm debate as I don't feel qualified. That said, most perople with REAL knowledge (I am not one) go with a caliber that starts with 4, as in .44M, 454C or hot .45 Colt.
One other item most experts agree on is a good Bear spray. Again,I am not an expert and I am only passing along info from other similar questions from other forums, take it as you will.

Full size Grizzly + .357 of any type = Grizzly FTW.

An old barber shop buddy of mine lived in the hinterlands of Alaska where grizzlies were a regular occurance. A Marlin 1895GBL in 45/70 was his standard weapon of choice (as a matter of fact, when he moved back here he bequeathed his well used and very customized Marlin to me, citing his hunting days as over due to old age. His rotator cuff couldn't take it anymore ) but he states on the rare instances he was not able to tote his rifle around he wouldn't carry anything less that a .454. Ruger has some very affordable models in that caliber.

The Alaskan Kodiak, Grizzly, and great Russian brown bears..

are all brown bears and all of the same species. They vary in size due to location and the diet in that habitat. This includes the Alaskan brown bear.

CraigC , I was referring to the name "Ursus horribilis"...

its Latin biological name meaning "horrible bear". I am aware of its grizzly coated fur as to its "common name" referring to its appearance.

357 is powerful but not grizz powerful the minimum i would carry is fullhouse 45colt ruger loads with heave hardcast bullets but i still think this is underpowered for grizz better to be safe then sorry

Good Gravy! How many ***^*^&## bear posts are enough? I think questions about bear defense outnumber questions about Glock's reliability.

CraigC , I was referring to the name "Ursus horribilis"...
its Latin biological name meaning "horrible bear". I am aware of its grizzly coated fur as to its "common name" referring to its appearance.

Click to expand...

And I was stating that it was not intentionally named "horrible bear", it was a misunderstanding of the term grizzly vs. grisly.

If it were me ,I wouldnt carry anything less than a 338 Win Mag ! JMO

Revolver Ocelot,

I assume you're describing a situation where your rifle isn't in your hands / has jammed / etc., but your sidearm is still available. If .357 magnum is the largest caliber you shoot well with, and you're really fast at getting a shot off in multiple body positions & terrain, then .357 magnum is what you should carry. I'd want one with at least a 4" barrel.

I don't live in Alaska any more, but most people carried .44 magnum revolvers as their sidearm. As a hiker who still vacations up there once a year, I pack a .38 special pocket gun & bear spray. The handgun isn't for bear. I act a little like I'm hunting while hiking; I figure staying alert, sticking with a group of people, and keeping food out of camp probably protect people more than big guns do.

Avoidance is a good thing with big bears. Bear spray works. Bullets work but may not work fast enough. Let us know how you do after your first encounter with your 357 mag.

To those who said we've had enough bear posts, no one is forcing you to play.

I don't know about the OP but I was wondering about the same question and I felt a bit disappointed by the answers so far, where the prevailing opinion is 357 mag is not enough but fails to make a specific recommendation. The OP already has a 45-70 rifle and is looking for some clear advice on the best handgun should his rifle not be usable for any reason.

What about the Ruger Alaskan ? 454/.45 Colt. ? As much as I like the .357, when Alaska is the state I am thinking bigger is better. The OP is talking a 45/70 rifle so why not a large bore revolver on the hip ? If the OP is set on the .357 should we be making an ammo recommendation ?