Hunting Pistol for a friend who's a rookie handgunner

[Mr. T]

Hey everyone,

I am wondering what everyone's opinion is on what handgun caliber a buddy of mine should get; he's using it primarily for hunting and protection on backpacking trips. My first thoughts would be a trusty revolver in .44 Mag. I'm just wondering what opinions you all might have?

Mr. T

 

[hirundo82]

Where's he going to be backpacking, and what is he going to be hunting? .44 mag is not a caliber I'd recommend for a first gun.

In most of the lower 48 states (except regions of the Northwest where one may encounter brown bears), .357 mag is all the gun one is likely to need for protection on the trail and can ethically be used to take up to deer-sized game (within the shooter's accurate range of course). It can also be loaded with .38 special for small game hunting if so desired.

 

[dieselmech]

ruger 6" gp 100 .357 may be worth a look. good all around. A little on the long side for edc but for hunting and hiking should be good.

 

[Mr. T]

He's going to be backpacking out west in Grizzly Bear Country and he will be hunting Whitetails in Wisconsin. He has shot pistols before, but he doesn't own one at the moment. He's shot .44 mag before and I don't think it was bothersome for him. I happen to own the Ruger GP-100 in .357 mag and I love mine, but I think he's wanting something that can easily deal with Grizzlies when he goes out west backpacking.

 

[Mr. T]

I was thinking that because of the Grizzly Bear issue out west, that the Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag might be what he would want.

 

[Sam1911]

A .44 Mag is one of the easiest things to shoot if you start with .44 Spc. loads and work your way up as your confidence and experience develop.

I taught my daughter to shoot my 4" 629 with .44 Specials when she was seven. The weight of the gun makes the recoil just about non-existent. At 3' tall and 50 lbs. she could shoot a box of them without wanting to stop.

A .44 Mag is a respectable hunting gun, and with higher power loads, may be about all the average shooter wants to deal with recoil-wise.

However, I'd never -- ever -- say that a .44 Mag "can easily deal with Grizzlies." That's just silly talk. It may be the best compromise that you can stand to carry and stand to practice with, but defending yourself with one against a grizzly that's charging and set on doing you harm is going to be equal parts skill with the gun (which means LOTS of practice) and LUCK. Even the really big handgun rounds (the .454/.460s, the .475s/.480s, and the various .500s) are not any guarantee of stopping a charging large bear. Skill and the time to draw and engage are going to be the limiting factors, no matter what gun you're carrying.

If your pal is concerned about bears he needs to take the other precautions that experienced back-country travelers suggest (bells, bear pepper-spray, care with food storage, avoidance of colognes and other strong scents, awareness of bear signs, etc.) and consider the handgun as an extreme last-ditch "maybe" fail-safe.

 

[MCgunner]

Nothing wrong with .44 mag, great choice for the non-handloader, too. I don't have one, though. I have several .357s, but the reason I don't have a .44 is that I have a 4 5/8" Blackhawk in .45 Colt that will do anything a .44 can do and it's light enough to carry hiking. Redhawks are heavy guns, a bit much to carry on a back pack trip, but great hunting handguns. The N frames are lighter and less robust. I just like single actions, strong, reliable, accurate, simple, and light for their caliber. I don't really feel DA triggers are worth much in the field. I can cock and fire a single action quite fast and place my shots better at field ranges.

You can buy the hot stuff for the .45 Colt from Buffalo Bore, of course, but handloading sure makes it more affordable.

 

[Red Tornado]

If he wants something that can 'easily deal with Grizzlies' he may be limited to a BFR in 45/70 or 450 Marlin and prayer. BFR site.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I agree with earlier posts, I would avoid pistols and stick with revolvers. Maybe the Ruger Redhawk, or better yet a Smith 29 or 629. The ol' 44 mag should do a fine job.

 

[ATBackPackin]

I shot a Super Redhawk .44mag at thirteen so a grown man should have no problems with it as long as he can hit what he is aiming at.

 

[Wolfeye]

Having grown up in Alaska and still hiking regularly in the northern Cascades, I can say that most people who carry a big gun for bear protection while backpacking usually carry a 12-ga shotgun with slugs or a hunting rifle in at least .30-06. However, some people do carry a .44 magnum revolver as backup, or if their hands are busy fishing or something. Ruger's Redhawk is the only .44 magnum that's really appealed to me.

Honestly, I think you can take any handgun you want if you erase any ideas of using it on a violent bear. I carry a CCW and bear spray and feel that my bases are covered.

If I convinced myself that I had to visit brownbear country armed with only a handgun & no spray, it would have to be in .454 casull, .460 S&W, or .500 S&W. I honestly don't think a .44 would cut it, not even with a crazy long barrel. You can practice with a .454 or .460 revolver using .45 colt, which is fairly common. In this case I'd suggest either the Ruger Super Redhawk or S&W's model 460.