Handgun for protection from a grizzly?

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Yeah...sure....
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You guys realize there are like a million hand gun for bear threads?

Look for thread posts by a user named Keith Rogan, he survived a bear attack and lives on Kodiak.
 
A handgun to a grizzly is rediculous. Yeah, you may hit the bear and cause him harm but you will still die.
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And if you don't have a gun you are dead. But at least with a handgun I have a chance. Internet experts, there are millions of them.
 
There is no way I would face any bear let alone a Grizzly with a handgun. We have managed to invent neat little things that are called shotguns and they work really nicely against bears. Sure you could try to take down a charging grizz with a .454 or .500 but that would make you either really brave or just stupid. Not saying that it could not be done (in theory) but it looks a bit different when you are in the woods with a bear coming at you. From what I have experienced any handgun that could deliver enough stopping power (read energy) into its target would be impractical to carry or shoot. If a bear can take 5 well placed .30-06 rounds before going down then.... I think you can see what I am getting at.
 
+1!
I couldn't have said it better!

And if you don't have a gun you are dead
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Unless you have what has proven MORE effective than any weapon, and that's PEPPER SPRAY!

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service --
Based on their investigations of human-bear encounters since 1992, persons encountering grizzlies and defending themselves with firearms suffer injury about 50% of the time. During the same period, persons defending themselves with pepper spray escaped injury most of the time, and those that were injured experienced shorter duration attacks and less severe injuries. A person’s chance of incurring serious injury from a charging grizzly doubles when bullets are fired versus when bear spray is used. Proper use of bear spray has proven to be the best method for fending off threatening and attacking bears, and for preventing injury to the person and animal involved.

Me personally, I'm ALWAYS carrying Pepper spray AND the 12ga. (pistol grip/folding stock?) into the "bush" with me. It's Better for 2 legged varmits also.

IF I'm ever Bear hunting (again) I'll be carrying .338 minimum!
And with ANY GUN be prepared for a 40yd "Death Charge".
 
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There is no way I would face any bear let alone a Grizzly with a handgun. We have managed to invent neat little things that are called shotguns and they work really nicely against bears. Sure you could try to take down a charging grizz with a .454 or .500 but that would make you either really brave or just stupid. Not saying that it could not be done (in theory) but it looks a bit different when you are in the woods with a bear coming at you. From what I have experienced any handgun that could deliver enough stopping power (read energy) into its target would be impractical to carry or shoot. If a bear can take 5 well placed .30-06 rounds before going down then.... I think you can see what I am getting at.
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Do some research my friend, the 500 Mag is very packable, and has over 3000 fps of energy.

Maybe you should come to the United States where we can own handgun, and actually use them for hunting, including for bear as I have, and see how well they work.

In the right hands, a big enough handgun, they are very capable of taking any game on the planet.
 
I vote we chip in and get Redman a grizzly bear in a 10x10 cage, handgun of choice and sell tickets to the event....my money goes on the bear.
 
IMTHDUKE, now how stupid does that sound. :scrutiny:

How in the heck does that prove anything, we are talking in the wild not in a cage. :banghead:

I guess you got a package of dumb dumbs for Christmas yesterday...:evil:

It's Redhawk not Redman. Redman is what you chew. :barf:
 
IMTHDUKE have you ever even seen a Grizzly? Not in a zoo or on TV. If not what qualifies you as the next big expert?
 
Read my posts....I asked how many have acutually killed a grizzly with a handgun? I said....I am no expert...saves a lot of time if you will read.

If fact, I have only seen the ones you have killed with a handgun on this board.
 
Maybe you should come to the United States where we can own handgun
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First off, you do some research, in Canada we can own handguns. But that is not the main point.

I can only say again. Based on my experiences with bears, including grizzly, I would say that NO handgun gives you both the energy AND the ability for a quick follow-up shot that you get from a shotgun or rifle.

I think that most people could also agree that hunting a bear is fundamentally different from defending oneself or others from bears. While I would not hunt bear with a handgun even if I could I think it can be done with minimal risk to the hunter, however, it is by far not the same as expecting to face down a charging grizz with one and come out without a scratch.
Therefore I would say that NO handgun would be sufficient to DEFEND against a Grizzly attack SAFELY.
 
The bottom line is when facing a 750-1000lb bear (typical Grizzly) with any gun, expect a 40yd Death Charge.
If you are lucky it will be a Death Run in the other direction.

If you are NOT lucky it will be AT YOU!
That's with ANY gun when talking about 1000lb bears...

For bear defense:
"persons defending themselves with pepper spray escaped injury most of the time"
-US Fish and Wildlife
 
First off, you do some research, in Canada we can own handguns. But that is not the main point.

I can only say again. Based on my experiences with bears, including grizzly, I would say that NO handgun gives you both the energy AND the ability for a quick follow-up shot that you get from a shotgun or rifle.
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Oh I know few can own handguns in Canada, but nothing like in the States...
Do you own any handguns for hunting?

Now it is you that needs to do some research, Energy does not kill, getting to the vitals is what kills. Most handgun in the 454 Casull, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Linebaugh and 500 Mag, have just as much energy as a slug from a shot gun, but the handgun ammo will out penetrate the slug.

Some of us know what a handgun of proper size can do, and others only think they know.

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/myths.html
 
Just a thought here. I stand in awe at the number of people who know how to deal with big Grizz. If you had to have seen a Grizz in the wild to post on this thread i bet it would be a very short thread. I have seen them in the wild many times and so far so go not one problem. I carry a .454 and 360grn Buffalo Bore ammo. Its some mean stuff but so is a bear. Pepper spray is good but i like a gun. thats my choice. to each his own. The best way to get out of trouble is to not get in trouble in the first place. Common sense goes a long long way.
 
Oh I know few can own handguns in Canada, but nothing like in the States...
Do you own any handguns for hunting?
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Few??? Anyone in who has a Possession Acquisition License and is a member of a gun club or firing range can own as many handguns as they wish. To answer your question, no I do not own handguns for hunting as that is illegal in Canada and yes I do own handguns.

As for the number of Internet experts that are around I agree 100% with you kgpcr. Living on a farm in Northern B.C. I have had too deal with my fair share of both blacks and grizz who thanks to other human actions have grown too accustomed to humans. I am very happy for you that you have seen many bears in the wild that have never done anything aggressive towards you, the fact of the matter is that there are some bears that for one reason or another have gotten used to associating humans with food. These bears become a threat and have to be dealt with accordingly. And no, it's not with pepper spray and angry words.

Don't get me wrong, as I said in my original post I’m by no means saying that you can't use a handgun to drop a bear but if I were offered a choice of either a 12Ga. or my choice of any high powered handgun I would not hesitate. The 12Ga. has my vote any day of the week. That will naturally affect the advice that I will give.

But then what do I know, apparently I've never even seen a bear before, probably never even fired a gun before right?:rolleyes:
 
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