Bear protection

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84B20

84B20

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I have a dilemma, I'm planning a trip to Alaska sometime in the next two years and would like to find out if anyone has had any experience using either Buffalo Bore's .340gr or Garrett Cartridge's .330 gr .44 cal hard cast ammo to either hunt for or defend you from black bear or grizzly.

I'm a landscape photographer and carry a 50+ pound backpack (this doesn't include camping gear) and need to carry my handgun rather than a long gun. I have a Ruger Redhawk and practice often even with the pack fully loaded on my back with the afore mentioned ammo. I also will carry bear spray and have done a lot of reading on bears but not much is discussed about handguns or the ammo.

Cosmoline, et al,

Here's my rig. What do you think?

pack1.gif
 
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A friend of mine used to hunt blackbear with a 44 magnum and used a 300 grain hard cast bullet. Unkown manufacturer. He hunts his bear with dogs and recently went to a 45/70 Contender as his primary using his 44 mag as a backup. He said he was losing too many dawgs!

I plan on going to Alaska fishing in the next few years. I have a Vaquero in 45 LC that I plan on taking. Buffalo Bore ammo would be the first place I'd look for appropriate ammo.
Jim
 
I usually get the "penetrator" loads for the .44 Mag. But any of the heavy hardcasts should be sufficient, *IF* you can bring your handgun out and fire it accurately fast enough. Speed is the key. I use the Alaska Sportsman chest holster for ease of carrying and fast draw times

AKsp2.gif
 
Yes, besides this holster, which came with a belt, I have a custom leather holster so I could go cordura or leather, depending on the weather and other conditions.
 
My only suggestion would be to move the firearm more to your left side to allow for easier access in a tight situation where you could not get your right elbow back far enough to draw. That is very much a personal preference though. I like the set up. I want to get similar one for my next trip to Alaska. Do you have a definate plan of what and where for your trip yet? I bought a .44 Super Blackhawk for Alaska but then decided it is too unweildy (not a word?). I want to find a Super redhawk Alaskan. That paired with my .45/70 should be adequate.:)
I am afraid I am not much of an ammunitions guy. My knowledge in that field is limited to being able to know which ones go in which firearm.
 
Isn't that just an Uncle Mikes attached to the chest belt on the backpack? If that works for you, that's great. I'd be worried about the long-term effects of that setup though. Having the big iron flapping around on a thin belt that wasn't designed for it seems like asking for trouble. Remember rule No. 1 about Alaska--everything breaks. If that is just the chest belt, you're talking about a pretty thin piece of nylon and plastic latch neither of which were designed to tolerate long-term lateral pull.
 
A couple of years ago there was an article in Field and Stream. According to the article, the Alaska Fish and Game folks have no verified instances of a succesful defense from a Brown Bear attack with a handgun.

Yes, sometimes the bear died, but the handgunner really didn't care anymore.

I would make room for an 870 with slugs. It isn't that much heavier.

Next choice would be one of the Smith .500's.

Have a good time in Alaska, you dirty )(&()*&. Wish I was going with you.

DM
 
Cosmoline, are you left-handed?
Click to expand...

No, the wall is though. I have the rig set to hang off my left side, at a 45 degree angle. The great thing about these holsters is you can set it anyway you want it.

There have actually been successful shootings of brown bears with handguns in defense--including one with a 9x19.

Here's one example of a brownie shot with a .44:

http://www.adn.com/front/story/5591480p-5522882c.html

Boyd, who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, said he hasn't hunted in about 10 years, but always carries the handgun for protection and has practiced "a quick draw" over the years.
Click to expand...

The key is always SPEED. A handgun will work if you can fire it fast and accurately enough. Speed and accuracy matter far more than raw ft. lbs. A .357 hardcast slug can stop a bruin if you can put the slug in the right place fast enough.

Next choice would be one of the Smith .500's.
Click to expand...

Not unless you can draw and fire it as quickly as a .44
 
I am concerned about the strength of the chest strap so I'll probably have it reinforced before I go. I am driving so I'll have my jeep with me so I can have repair equipment. I plan on day trips but mostly car camping. I have practiced with it and I can draw and fire fairly quickly. I also have an 870 as a backup for camp.

The other thing I have to worry about is getting the handgun through Canada. I have called one of their government ministries and was informed that with enough advanced notice I should be able to get it across the border. Canada has strict rules regarding handguns but that may be changing with the election of the more conservative government.

Cosmoline,

No it is a Bianchi.
 
I wouldn't bet on being able to get a handgun through Canadian customs. Whatever their law says about letting Americans take them through to Alaska, they are notorious about refusing entry to anyone with a handgun. DO NOT TRUST THEM!!

A better bet is to ship it to yourself or if you have address up here just find an FFL who will accept it and transfer it back to you when you get up here. Or just fly and check it, which is the easiest by far.
 
Double Maduro,

I considered a more powerful handgun but after taking to, I think it was Hamilton Bowen (www.bowenclassicarms.com) he suggested that I'd be better off with the Ruger because there is less recoil with it and I'd have a better chance getting off more rounds, accurately than I would with a .454 or .500. I think I can rely on his advice, since he cost himself a sale by giving it and he was aware of that. Now that's trustworthy!
 
Cosmoline,

Flying is not an option, I need my jeep for the trip. It has been specially outfitted for back country travel, it is truly an off road vehicle. I've spent thousands of dollars and many hours modifiying it.

I just finished James Gary Shelton's second book Bear Attacks, in the middle of his third book Bear Attacks II and have ordered his first book Bear Encounter Survival Guide. I actually was able to reach him by phone and he told me the Canadian government, after the recent elections, may be lightening up on some of the gun regulations. Hopefully, by the time I'm ready to travel this won't be as big an issue. If it is, however I'm sure I'll be able to find a way to ship it to Alaska.
 
I know an elk guide in Clark Fork, ID that uses the Buffalo Bore bullets you mentioned in a Ruger 44 for self protection. We were chatting about them the other day, he's shot them thru 14 inches of wood and when he recovered the bullets there was no deformaiton. He hasn't had to use them on a bear yet.
I carry a Ruger Alaskan in .454. Great little gun, carries very easily and I'm pretty sure it's got enough stopping power for anything I'm likely to run into. It's quite a bit smaller than that cannon you're carrying - I carried a 44 Redhawk for about 10 years before getting the Alaskan last year.
 
My very strong advice to you is to forget trying to deal with the kanooks and just pay the $25 transfer fee to pick it up when you get here. Check with the dealer ahead of time though, I'm not sure if being a non-resident will mess that up.
 
I need my jeep for the trip. It has been specially outfitted for back country travel, it is truly an off road vehicle.
Click to expand...
Have you been to Alaska before...?

I lived there for two years a long time ago, and at least at that time there wasn't much "off-roading" to be done ... pretty much as soon as you left the pavement or maintained gravel you were into swamp or thick brush, etc ... impassable for most any wheeled vehicle. (back then they did have airplane tired swamp buggies - I mean big tires like off of an airliner)

Maybe it's different now ...? Cosmoline?

There was one little two track about three miles long up north of Wasilla where we used to drive my 4x4 up to go backpacking from there. And I hauled some wood out of a powerline right-of-way. That was quite an experience just following a cat trail ... I had to pull an old British Landrover (that belonged to another guy getting wood) up out of there.
 
I have serious doubts about a handgun against a bear. It'll work, but how much time before he finally stops after the first bullets are put into him? .50 Beowolf is a little more comfortable.
 
TallPine,

I've only been to an airport in Alaska on my way back from Viet Nam in 1969 but somehow it stuck with me. Maybe because it was my first step back to the "World" from the war.

I'm not planning extensive back country travel. I know that isn't possible with my jeep. I use it mainly to transport gear and as a camera shooting platform. There is the Alaska Highway but I need to do a lot more research into areas I can travel. I don't plan on going for at least another 2 years so I have plenty of time to prepare.
 
Nothing is guaranteed. Whatever you use, speed and shot placement are the vital elements. If you're most familiar with a CZ 550 safari rifle, by all means use that.

As far as "off roading" the valley has more roads than it used to, but you're right the real off road vehicles here aren't big tired pickups, they're tundra buggies or "moose wagons," which are specially outfitted homemade beasts designed to haul guys as far back into the woods as possible and haul out thousands of pounds of meat.

Here's a nice moose wagon outfitted for warm weather:

Alaska-0905-1.jpg

I've also seen ones that incorporate an entire wood shack on the bed, complete with little stove pipe and picture window!
 
Went to Alaska for 10 days fishing summer before last. Carried a 454 SRH. At one point, I fished within 50 feet from really big bruins, but never needed the gun, as you probably won't either. My guides carried shotties. 1st round buckshot into their face to get their attention followed by slugs. Others carried big bore levers. Can a handgun save you in an attack? Possibly, but the odds are not in your favor.
 
Cosmoline,

Good story.
A massive male brown bear erupted from the forest less than 20 feet away, claws tearing up hard-packed earth as it charged toward the 57-year-old .
Click to expand...

20 feet? How fast does a charging Griz move? I don't know how he was able to identify the target as a bear, realize it was charging, draw and fire in a couple of seconds. Unless he had the gun in his hands. Most people would have frozen on the spot and had to resort to throwing mud at the bear. Don't worry, if you get charged by a bear from 20 feet away, there'll be mud, unless you're wearing depends.

"I fired the first shot, and I aimed at its shoulders," Boyd said. "When the first shot didn't faze it, I fired the second time, and it turned into the ditch, and I shot three more times, and it went down."
Click to expand...

If the bear is charging, how did he aim for the shoulders? And given the speed of a charging bear, how did he have time for a second shot when the bear started the attack from 20 feet? If it takes a man 2 seconds to cross 20 feet, I'll bet it takes an enraged, charging bear less than that.

I am glad he is ok, but something doesn't sound right about this. Maybe he misjudged the distance, maybe the bear was making a bluff charge and stopped, I don't know. But it just doesn't sound right. Maybe the warden was glad to have an agressive bear removed from the proximity of the trail and gave him a break.

No, I am not saying the guy lied, I wasn't there and don't know. I'm just saying that things don't sound right as reported.

Even if everything in the article is correct, I would rather have a pump gun with slugs in my hands than my Super Black Hawk in a holster.

DM
 
It probably was within 20 feet when he hit it, but mayber further when it started to charge. Further than that it would have been tough to hit a moving target with a handgun.
 
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