Bear defense 40 years ago

[Sergei Mosin]

All these "bear gun" threads got me to thinking about my mother's stories from when she and her then-husband lived in Fairbanks (he was in the Army stationed at Fort Wainwright) 40 or so years ago. They did a lot of camping in those days, and of course they carried guns - she favored a .357 Magnum, he had a .45 automatic - she says for the bears. (My older sister was a little girl then and went everywhere her parents did, so my mother quickly became known as "the pistol-packin' momma!") In the event, they never had an up-close encounter with a bear, but I wonder - were those guns the standard outfit in those days?

 

[caribou]

30-06, here in Alaska.

Any highpowerd Rifle or Pistol that pretty much makes you think your safe.

 

[Jubal sackett]

my cousins 20mm anti-tank gun, from the 50s, comes to mind

 

[panhead58ak]

In 79 I bought a super blakhawk in 44 mag first thing I did was cut it off to a 4 and half inch barrel made a nice little package and didnt get in the way when fly fishing. It served me well I killed 5 black bear with it using 325 gr kieth style bullets over h110 at about 1300 fps. In 84 I switched to freedom arms 454 7.5 inch only killed 1 black bear with it but have taken 2 moose 1 caribou and 8.5 foot grizzly with it. bear protection has always been berry picking and fishing equipment for me plus I prefer the challenge of hunting with a handgun

 

[Hopkins]

I met a gal who shot a grizzly back in the late 60's west of Glacier Park with a Glenfield Model 60. The bear came into her log house while she was in the loft. It took more than 20 rounds but she prevailed.

 

[hardluk1]

Wern't nearly as many bears 40 years ago . Also not nearly as many city folks moveing to more rural areas and then feed the bears ether.