Which one: 357, 45 acp, 44 mag

[fisherman66]

Wife and I will do some extended walking in the mountains around know tourist sight's -not many people around tho- and maybe a few side excursions.
_______________________________________________

I don't think those are the kind of places where you tote a rifle, but I could be wrong.

I wouldn't be there with a single action. No grizzies. Seems simple enough to me - 357. Of course everybody has bellybuttons.

 

[Taurus 66]

At 25 yds a surprised bear can cover that ground in 2 seconds or so

There's no way it's 2 seconds.

25 yards is 75 feet.

50 mph = 73.3 fps

So the bear would have to be rushing at a shade just over 50 mph.

A bear has a large sloping head. While running at you his head is positioned almost in the center of your target area. His sloping head can and will deflect a bullet as there is a greater chance of the bullet striking at an angle.

Yes, the angle of the bullet striking the skull could cause it to deflect, but it would still be one pretty nasty punch to the head. I'd feel safe enough hiking with my .357.

 

[fisherman66]

Just bring your slightly slower father-in-law.

 

[MachIVshooter]

There's no way it's 2 seconds.

25 yards is 75 feet.

50 mph = 73.3 fps

So the bear would have to be rushing at a shade just over 50 mph

Not exactly a mathematician, are you?

To cover 75 feet in 2 seconds, the bear need only move at 25.563 MPH. Believe me, they can.

 

[Taurus 66]

Oh yeak MarkIV, you're right. I forgot to divide by 2 for 2 sec instead of 1.

I hated math, so yes, I'm not a mathemetician.

 

[PaladinX13]

Is that casual speed or peak sprinting speed? A bear has to be really motivated to move that fast, doesn't he? The wild bears I've seen always seem to be lazy suckers.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I hated math, so yes, I'm not a mathemetician

Me too and me either!

 

[TimboKhan]

I would go with the .357. Chances of running into a "big" bear in this state are about the same as me letting Bill Clinton borrow a box of .22's. Also, make sure you check the statutes, if your in, say, Rocky Mountain National Park, you are not allowed to carry a firearm (federal land, you see). For point of reference, I live in Colorado, and in all my outdoor excurions, a .357 mostly and my .45 once, have been all I ever felt were necessary.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I like to hike the county road near where I live (the house is about a half mile off the road.) Some idiot who spends 3 weeks out of the month gone, has erected a kennel -- very flimsy, just stakes driven into the ground and wrapped with wire. He has two pit bulls in there, and they make the kennel shake whenever someone goes past. When I hike the road, I carry an M1911.

Afield either afoot or on horseback, I usually carry either a .22 pistol of a .45 Colt.

 

[TwoGun]

Guys who hunt black bears often do so with dogs and .357 pistols. Certainly the circiumstances are different. The bear is usually "treed" and a guy can take his time and select his shot. But the fact is that many black bears are dispatched with .357 pistols.

I would not feel underarmed with the .357 if you shoot it well and it would certainy be lighter and easier to carry. Load it with those 180 grain Buffalo Bore rounds that have been mentioned and you should be fine. I personally think your chance of running into two legged preditors would be a lot bigger concern than bears or cats. Carry a walking stick, about five feet in lenght. You'd be amazed what waving one aggressivly at either type of preditor will accomplish.

 

[Dennis Alleshouse]

I think I would carry a 44 mag. You might need the power. But if you cant handle the 44 then I would carry a 357 mag An armed society is a polite society.