Elkins45
Member
I have S&W and Glock. Love the S&W, tolerate the Glock.
PLEASE DO explain why.I have S&W and Glock. Love the S&W, tolerate the Glock.
For bruin defense the first rule, have a gun; second rule, be able to hit what you are shooting at. The actual cartridge seems a distant third. There are plenty of examples of successful bear defense with 9mm and similar cartridges.
Personally in bear country assuming a rifle impractical in the situation I would probably do a 44 Mag revolver but I like revolvers and have one to use. That said if push comes to shove I would feel almost as good caring any of my full-size centers fire handguns.
Lots of bad info about putting down a big bear In this thread. You will not put it down with a 22 unless you stick it in his ear while he's chewing on you. LOL The animal is lunging at you and you have 1 to 2 seconds to do something before your toast. Any auto will allow you to put twice as many shots on the target in a given amount of time. The best you can hope for is to discourage the bear, because if he wants to get to you he will whether the bullet went through his heart or not. If the bear is on you then advantage goes to the revolver because the slide can get gunked up with hair and meat with an auto.
I agree that the Smith is very heavy, but it fits my hand better than the Glock. I have found the Glock to be just about at the upper limit of what I can wrap my hand around. My opinion is also colored by the fact that I just don’t like striker fired guns with the safety on the trigger.PLEASE DO explain why.
The S&W in 10MM is a bit too large for my hand,and FAR too heavy.
In the lifetime I have left [ I am 71 ] I do not expect to put more than 500 rounds through this gun,after practice it will only be yearly that I sight her in for bear & hog.
And that is as a BUG as far as I can see.
When you're talking about a firearm that will be carried in the woods as a back-up firearm for defense against critters and possibly people, that will be subjected to abuse, mud, debris, moisture, and God knows what else then forget anything in the 1911.
Seriously. The fact that so many people are recommending 10mm 1911s proves my theory that most posters here don't actually venture more than 50yds off the gravel roads from their King Ranch pickups.
I live on the edge of the wilderness. I am in the woods at least once a month where there are wolves, bears, ill-tempered elk, cougars, and the occasional tweaker.
There is no cell service where I go. If I get lost, there is no walking in any direction for a couple of miles and hitting a road. I grew up exploring the woods and hunting and fishing where choosing the wrong equipment could be fatal.
The 1911 is the wrong equipment.
I took this pic last month from where I consider to be my backyard. I am 10 miles from the nearest paved road, no cell service, 15 miles from a town, yet I don't consider it to be true wilderness...
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This is on a moose hunt a year or so ago. Nearest town was 20 miles to the West, it was grizzly country, wolves everywhere, and if you start walking East, you won't hit a town for 100 miles.
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What <<are the most common>> sidearms in Alaska and Montana and Idaho? Either a large bore stainless revolver or single-action or a Glock in 10mm. Period. You will rarely see anything else being carried where actual lives depend on firearm choice rather than internet chest-puffing and gun shop bragging.
This is what I carry when in grizzly country with my own reloads that use 300gr hard cast bullets that I actually cast myself. It's a Ruger Blackhawk Bisley in .45 Colt with a 5.5" barrel.
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This is what I carry when in most places in Idaho where there is a nearly zero chance of coming across a grizzly, a Glock Gen 4 G29 in 10mm.
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The Glock G29 is reasonably compact, holds ten rounds, or you can use the G40 15-round magazines and a $12 X-Grip adapter if you desire. It is reliable, stupid accurate, and eminently customizable to meet any of your needs. It is in the top three list of any serious outdoorsman who knows anything about real world conditions and doesn't get a case of Tourette Syndrome whenever someone mentions Glocks.
And I think most people that get involved in these bear and woods carry firearm discussions have never been to the actual woods and think hiking on a path in a national park is "woods carry".I think you are exaggerating the issues.
For once I think we are both right.And I think most people that get involved in these bear and woods carry firearm discussions have never been to the actual woods and think hiking on a path in a national park is "woods carry".
Hence the recommendation for 1911s... LOL
Agree. It's not even 41 mag equivalent unless shooting the worst 41 ammo ever and hot 10mm.10mm is comparable to 357 Mag from similar barrel length handguns. Both top out at about 750 ft-lbs with heavy for caliber bullets. 10mm Auto is far from 44 Mag performance. A 4-inch 44 Mag will easily push a 240 gr to over 1400 fps. That's over 1000 ft-lbs.
I love 10mm Auto but it is not 44 Mag in any way shape or form.
Agree. It's not even 41 mag equivalent unless shooting the worst 41 ammo ever and hot 10mm.
Purchased an SA XDM 10 after comparing and shooting side by side with Glock 20. The XDM was more comfortable to shoot and with the extra mags promo they had I was sold. I've put about 600 rounds through the XDM so far and no complaints from full power to reduced loads. But I find it best to compare them in person when you can to get the best 10mm handgun for YOU.