44 Mag

[Leanwolf]

JWALKER 497 - "I don't really know what my options are as I am pretty unfamiliar with revolvers or 44mag for that matter. "

What are your skills and experience shooting handguns?

If you are already highly skilled in shooting pistols, but not revolvers, then you know the fundamentals. Therefore, it would be a matter of using the fundamentals to master a heavy recoiling .44 Mag. or like sixgun.

If you are only casually skilled in shooting handguns, then in my very strong opinion, you'd be far better served in buying a good .22 handgun and practice, practice, practice with it until you are very adept at various kinds of handgun shooting. Afterall, in a bad situation (Mama Bruin and kids!) your familiarity with the fundamentals and skill with your handgun will be paramount, as accuracy counts and misses are meaningless. Later, when you can accurately handle a .44 Mag., or like, then buy one and practice, practice, practice.

I think it is sheer folly for a person new to handgun shooting to try and learn real familiarity and accuracy to start on the "big boomers." A good .22 LR handgun, conversely, allows you to learn the fundamentals of accuracy without heavy recoil, noise, and lots and lots of money to become really skilled. (There are those who disagree with me claiming that they started off on full power .44 Mags., and almost instantly could knock out a gnat's eye at 100 yards! They'll also claim that any man who can't master a .44 Mag./.454 Casull just "ain't much uva man!" My experience dictates the opposite for new shooters.)

No matter what handgun you buy/carry, buy a good holster and heavy belt made for that holster. Cheapie holsters and weak belts will not do when you are carrying a handgun!

In what State do you live and bust-the-boonies where you might encounter a bad bear??

Best of luck.

L.W.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I like the standard Blackhawk. I have two, one with a 5 1/2" barrel, the other with a 7 1/2"barrel, both in .45 Colt.

Properly loaded, the .45 Colt will do anything the .44 Magnum will do.

 

[Leadhead]

I'd be comfortable walking around bear country with a glock 29....nice and compact, with decent firepower.
The thing is I walk around in bear country already with no sidearm so obviously the 29 would be a big step up from my pocket knife.
Your chances of being eaten by a bear are small and if you can keep your **** together during an encounter most bears will avoid confrontation.
I'm not going to argue that 10mm is the ultimate bear stopper but I'd take it just for the convinience of a smaller package that is more comfortable to carry and just accept that their are no guarantees in the bush.

 

[Jaws1]

I have a S&W model 329ng for this exact reason, hiking, camping and paddling. It is light weight at 29 ounces, unloaded. It has a Tritium front sight. My reason for this choice is I may never have to use it while out in the woods but I will have to carry it, therefore I chose to go for light weight. While it is a handfull it is definitely managable with a 300 grain Hornady XTP. I'm told in the event I NEED to use it for its intended purpose the adrenaline will kick in and I will never feel the recoil. I am not a "recoil junkie". I have shot as many as 50 rounds a session and can shoot it single handed with either hand as well.

Good luck with your decision,
Jeff

 

[Confederate]

First, your best bet is to use Cold Steel's Inferno, in my view the best pepper spray on the market. It works far better than most revolvers and combines red and black peppers for an instant reaction.

If you carry a revolver, I'd carry a .357 with a 4-inch barrel and a heavy penetrating round aimed squarely at the nose (not the head). The .44 mags have decent power but are heavy to carry. And if you attempt to mitigate that by going light, you'll have to defend yourself with fewer shots.

A .357 Security-Six is about as heavy as I want to walk around with in the wilderness, and it will be loaded hot and light, for dogs, humans and cougars, not bears. Also a pocket cannister of pepper spray which would be my first line of defense.

Just my own views.

 

[rtl]

Cocked and Locked -

Love that 629-5! Wanted one of those since they came out.

 

[Tamlin]

It's amazing what this site (and these posts) do for your collection. I bought a Ruger GP100 (.357) a couple of years ago for woods carry after I decided (from reading numerous posts) that my Ruger P90 (45 ACP) was probably inadequate against black bears. Last year I picked up a S&W 629 (.44 Mag) because -- after reading numerous posts -- I decided it was better to have more and not need it than vice versa, especially if I ever ran into a particularly large bear. I'm not complaining, mind you - I now have three very wonderful guns instead of one! And fwiw, I usually carry the big .44, despite its weight.

Edit: Both the GP100 and the 629 have 4" bbls. I find this barrel length to be ideal between gun balance and packability.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Cocked and Locked -

Love that 629-5! Wanted one of those since they came out.

Than you Sir!


wearing wood

 

[PT1911]

wearing wood

I love guns and gun terminology...with what else can someone write/say this and not get looked at as if they just ripped one in a crowded elevator?

 

[hardluk1]

jwalker check baffalo bore. They have 3 rounds from 125gr to 158gr and on up to 180 gr that pass-by a 10mm and thats with the 4" barrel. And you can still do the 44 or large for company. Now if you happen to own a 10mm ,ok buy some DT or BB ammo and take your chances same if you owned a 357 but with more choice as a hunting protection handgun also with a bit more barrel like a 6" come a bit more energy still. Just don't run out and buy a 10mm think'n its all that.

 

[Virginian]

cheap but solid 44mag

Define cheap. I think that may be the Holy Grail of firearms.