Blanckmeister
Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2010
- Messages
- 2
.44 Flat Top
I will admit that I have no bear defense experience. I find some of the responses on this thread to be idiotic to downright insulting. For someone to say that all you have to do is avoid the bear is an ass. You already know from experience that if you walk in the wilderness, you are bound to encounter the wild. For someone to say all you need is a 10mm glock, .357 or 1911 is an ass. You might as well take a .22 and hope to shoot the bears eyes out. For someone to say all you need is a gun large enough for yourself is an ass. That person probably packs a .22 in bear country. I have the first revolver ment for bear defense, the 50th annivesary of it at least. The .44 mag Ruger Backhawk. Oh no, now we are going to hear about how a 6.5 in. barrel is too long, single action is too slow to shoot, and it is impossible to reload. Well, I will swear by it. I am unaware of any cowboys complaing about how long their Peacemakers were. As for it being slow, ever heard of Bob Munden? And if you have to reload after 6 shots of .44 mag, you are not defending against a bear. I will impart on you some words of wisdom: The first number of your chosen caliber should be NO LESS than 4. You usually shoot the fastest with what you learned to shoot with. And, if you need more than a .44 mag, you should probabaly be using a rifle. O.K. I'll get to the point. You already know you want a .44 mag and you are right. You are interested in the Blackhawk, well you are right, they are inexpensive AND everlasting beauties. I am also interested in the .460 XVR, but for carry and bear defense, it maybe too heavy. Especially if I owned one because I would have to scope it. But, now I'm daydreaming. Everybody has their own preferences and therefor, their own opinions. Both of yours are correct in my opinion. The .44 mag can also shoot .44 Russian/.44 Special for practice and competition. I would like to cite a story I read a year or so ago: A man was hiking through bear country when he had the 6th sense to turn around. A huge, yet scrawny brown bear was hurling towards him on the trail. The man drew his Ruger Alaskan in .454and shot the bear with 10 feet to spare. The bears momentum carried it past the man about 5 feet where it dropped dead. The man ascertained that the bear was starved and was intent on eating him. True story, with a little Googling, you should find it. The point is that in the moment of truth, the test of man and gun prevailed.
P.S. I agree that a Colt/S&W/Kimber 1911 with a .460 Rowland conversion would be sweet. As far as the 10mm, I am not familiar with the ballistics, but Elmer Kieth said that you want at least a 200 grain projectile going over 1100 fps. However, if 30 nazis were storming my house, I would gladly choose a G20 with 6 extra mags over my .44 flat top. The point to bear defense is a one shot stop, for you only may get one shot off in time(see story above). Ammo for the .44 is easy to find and easy to reload your own(this is where it really shines). All things considered, for bear defense and hunting out to 100 yards, in brush or open field, loaded properly, a .44 mag is never a bad choice.
I will admit that I have no bear defense experience. I find some of the responses on this thread to be idiotic to downright insulting. For someone to say that all you have to do is avoid the bear is an ass. You already know from experience that if you walk in the wilderness, you are bound to encounter the wild. For someone to say all you need is a 10mm glock, .357 or 1911 is an ass. You might as well take a .22 and hope to shoot the bears eyes out. For someone to say all you need is a gun large enough for yourself is an ass. That person probably packs a .22 in bear country. I have the first revolver ment for bear defense, the 50th annivesary of it at least. The .44 mag Ruger Backhawk. Oh no, now we are going to hear about how a 6.5 in. barrel is too long, single action is too slow to shoot, and it is impossible to reload. Well, I will swear by it. I am unaware of any cowboys complaing about how long their Peacemakers were. As for it being slow, ever heard of Bob Munden? And if you have to reload after 6 shots of .44 mag, you are not defending against a bear. I will impart on you some words of wisdom: The first number of your chosen caliber should be NO LESS than 4. You usually shoot the fastest with what you learned to shoot with. And, if you need more than a .44 mag, you should probabaly be using a rifle. O.K. I'll get to the point. You already know you want a .44 mag and you are right. You are interested in the Blackhawk, well you are right, they are inexpensive AND everlasting beauties. I am also interested in the .460 XVR, but for carry and bear defense, it maybe too heavy. Especially if I owned one because I would have to scope it. But, now I'm daydreaming. Everybody has their own preferences and therefor, their own opinions. Both of yours are correct in my opinion. The .44 mag can also shoot .44 Russian/.44 Special for practice and competition. I would like to cite a story I read a year or so ago: A man was hiking through bear country when he had the 6th sense to turn around. A huge, yet scrawny brown bear was hurling towards him on the trail. The man drew his Ruger Alaskan in .454and shot the bear with 10 feet to spare. The bears momentum carried it past the man about 5 feet where it dropped dead. The man ascertained that the bear was starved and was intent on eating him. True story, with a little Googling, you should find it. The point is that in the moment of truth, the test of man and gun prevailed.
P.S. I agree that a Colt/S&W/Kimber 1911 with a .460 Rowland conversion would be sweet. As far as the 10mm, I am not familiar with the ballistics, but Elmer Kieth said that you want at least a 200 grain projectile going over 1100 fps. However, if 30 nazis were storming my house, I would gladly choose a G20 with 6 extra mags over my .44 flat top. The point to bear defense is a one shot stop, for you only may get one shot off in time(see story above). Ammo for the .44 is easy to find and easy to reload your own(this is where it really shines). All things considered, for bear defense and hunting out to 100 yards, in brush or open field, loaded properly, a .44 mag is never a bad choice.