First Post:
Grizzly Bear Sidearm Question
My (20 something) son who loves hunting is considering an Alaska Moose trip. He will need a backup revolver or pistol for potential dangerous Grizzly encounters (yes a rifle or shotgun would come first but I am specifically asking about a backup sidearm here) and he will and has asked advice from Dad (me). He is experienced with a rifle, a bow a pistol and revolver.
I was thinking a 10mm pistol would be OK for Black Bear but too small in Grizzly country. The .44 magnum is also a little smaller than we’d like for Griz. Basically I was thinking along the lines of a DA revolver chambered in .454 Casull, a .480 Ruger, maybe a .460 S&W, or even a 500 S&W Magnum.
We like the idea of the .460 being capable of taking .454 Casulls for lower 48 hunting back up in Black Bear country (he’s already taken a Blackie with a bow in the past) and the .460 taking .45 LC ammo for plinking (and even .45 LC + P is pretty close ballistics to a .44 magnum if the area/situation called for that). We like the versatility that the .460 offers (and the relatively cheap practice ammo in .45 LC).
But we also like the idea of bigger and weightier bullets in the .500. If the NEED ever arises I suppose you’d want as big of a gun as you can shoot. If the need NEVER arises I suppose you’d want something substantially smaller. But of course you never know.
We like the .454 in a Super Redhawk as it looks like it will last forever, take 6 rounds, etc.
Kinda wish Ruger would make the 480 Ruger to be able to take .475 Linebaugh (a sort of “.480 long” from what I have been told) and would also have a smaller plinking ammo available (perhaps someday they will come up with a “.480 special” for less expensive and less explosive practice rounds).
I suppose we could consider a pistol such as LAR Grizzly in .45 Win. if they were still making them but we would probably not go that route at this time due to availability issues.
We would probably be less inclined to get a shorter barrel. More likely utilize a 6-7.5 inch barrel.
So many choices and fine firearms available these days. These are the thoughts we have been considering.
Anyway I thought you’d have good ideas here. Perhaps some reasons against some of the ideas we thought of above, or some thoughts to affirm what we’ve come up with too. Some altogether different ideas would be welcome as well. We may start another thread on Ammo for this later (Garrett Ammo Cartridge looks great, but selection of caliber sizes available is quite limited).
I am sure there are searches I could have done here but am not too savvy with this. Besides the .500/.460 rounds are relatively new and may not even be mentioned on an older post.
Somebody’s going to say get one of each. How bout 2 of each? We certainly wish we could.
Your input please?
Grizzly Bear Sidearm Question
My (20 something) son who loves hunting is considering an Alaska Moose trip. He will need a backup revolver or pistol for potential dangerous Grizzly encounters (yes a rifle or shotgun would come first but I am specifically asking about a backup sidearm here) and he will and has asked advice from Dad (me). He is experienced with a rifle, a bow a pistol and revolver.
I was thinking a 10mm pistol would be OK for Black Bear but too small in Grizzly country. The .44 magnum is also a little smaller than we’d like for Griz. Basically I was thinking along the lines of a DA revolver chambered in .454 Casull, a .480 Ruger, maybe a .460 S&W, or even a 500 S&W Magnum.
We like the idea of the .460 being capable of taking .454 Casulls for lower 48 hunting back up in Black Bear country (he’s already taken a Blackie with a bow in the past) and the .460 taking .45 LC ammo for plinking (and even .45 LC + P is pretty close ballistics to a .44 magnum if the area/situation called for that). We like the versatility that the .460 offers (and the relatively cheap practice ammo in .45 LC).
But we also like the idea of bigger and weightier bullets in the .500. If the NEED ever arises I suppose you’d want as big of a gun as you can shoot. If the need NEVER arises I suppose you’d want something substantially smaller. But of course you never know.
We like the .454 in a Super Redhawk as it looks like it will last forever, take 6 rounds, etc.
Kinda wish Ruger would make the 480 Ruger to be able to take .475 Linebaugh (a sort of “.480 long” from what I have been told) and would also have a smaller plinking ammo available (perhaps someday they will come up with a “.480 special” for less expensive and less explosive practice rounds).
I suppose we could consider a pistol such as LAR Grizzly in .45 Win. if they were still making them but we would probably not go that route at this time due to availability issues.
We would probably be less inclined to get a shorter barrel. More likely utilize a 6-7.5 inch barrel.
So many choices and fine firearms available these days. These are the thoughts we have been considering.
Anyway I thought you’d have good ideas here. Perhaps some reasons against some of the ideas we thought of above, or some thoughts to affirm what we’ve come up with too. Some altogether different ideas would be welcome as well. We may start another thread on Ammo for this later (Garrett Ammo Cartridge looks great, but selection of caliber sizes available is quite limited).
I am sure there are searches I could have done here but am not too savvy with this. Besides the .500/.460 rounds are relatively new and may not even be mentioned on an older post.
Somebody’s going to say get one of each. How bout 2 of each? We certainly wish we could.
Your input please?
! Hope this helps, and I wish your son a safe trip 
On the range is okay but in a critical incident, I'd say; "oh %&*#!!!
