Sidearm for Black Bear.

[Romulus1297]

What was Hirshey's sidearm during her last trip into a grizzly bait station?

[JJB11B]

What was Hirshey's sidearm during her last trip into a grizzly bait station?

a polaski? just a guess

[Romulus1297]

Thats it?

[magnumb]

I own and carry a Ruger Redhawk .44 mag. And a 5" XD .45 that I shoot buffalo bore +p flatnose.  The thing is the XD carries so nice right on my waist belt I usually carry it when hunting ( archery ).  I had an experience with a grizzly last year that makes me wish I could carry my .44 as easily.  Ease of carry vs improved firepower...

Funny.......I'll soon own a Glock G30S in .45 ACP that I'm considering very much as a possible field gun in addition to my much trusted 4" 629, .44mag. that I've faithfully and confidentally carried afield for decades (300gr. WFNHCGC Beartooth bullets, which I handload to it's full potential).  But where I 'play', the grizz has yet to firmly establish any #'s or specific territories.  If in grizz country, I'd feel a bit more confident with a Casull on my hip, but I have no doubt this .44 load will make more than a lasting impression on all but the largest grizz.  That said, not even the .500 is reassuring enough. 

My first .44mag was also a 629, but in the 6" offering.  I decided to try to make carrying afield as comfortable and less taxing as possible, so I went with the 4" version and I couldn't be happier.  It obviously carries lighter and less bulky than the original, but also shoots just as well, if not a little bit better.  It's amazing what 2" can amount to over time.  In fact, I took a nice 2X2 blacktail with it a few years back (60 lasered yds., open sights) and was impressed with my handload and this shorter barreled 629.

Given the terminal results, albeit not on a black bear, I have no doubt as to it's potential on any game considered potentially dangerous in parts where I enjoy recreating.

So buglebrush......I certainly understand your dilema as comfort and ease of carrying means much more to me now than it once did....... .  I fully expect that my current 629 will not lose it's coveted spot in the near future, but I also feel quite comfortable that a well placed and constructed .45 pill will handily end any situation that it might be called upon to remedy.

My concern, this year anyway, doesn't really factor in the grizz factor as you evidently must do........and understandably so.  I don't know the barrel length of you RRH, but if 6" or longer, reducing that length to a 4" will likely help you a bunch with your current dilema.

Good luck!

[Romulus1297]

Luckily I am not that paranoid. After 35 years of looking these hills over I know what  I should pass on

[Romulus1297]

What is a boar @10 ft. DEAD.

[nastybynature]

When I am out in the woods deep doing anything, I usually take my S&W model 29-2 4" with 300gr DoubleTap bear loads. Although the few times I have forgotten it when scouting, I felt pretty safe with 15+1 of 9mm in the G19 knowing I can hit what I aim at with it usually as it is my EDC that I practice with often.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Machias]

I think this may change Radsav's mind about carrying.

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[magnumb]

I think this may change Radsav's mind about carrying.

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Pretty amazing!

I can't even bite my foot, much less.........

[tgomez]

P.S. Dwayne Johnson is still the Champ.

I wouldn't know, I quit watching it when Austin and The Rock left.  The product today is TRASH!  Long live the ATTITUDE ERA!

Lol, yeah I have an 8 year old who LOVES WWE so Ill watch with him once in awhile. I agree though not as entertaining today.

[tgomez]

I think this may change Radsav's mind about carrying.

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Lol, watch out for Bruce Lee bear.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Don't feel under armed at all. I'll be carrying a .30-06 and a 9mm, ill be just fine! And like I said, BETTER THAN A ROCK! Seen a man kill a bear with a .243 at 250 yards one shot kill! It is truly ALL about bullet placement. You don't need BIG MAGNUM calibers to get the job done, you just need a well placed shot or two. For you to tell me how I feel about my firearms is just asinine of you my friend!

I like your way of thinking 

[tgomez]

Like to add a couple of thoughts, firstly that list is only bear fatalities.   Does not include attacks that were not fatal and it does not include attacks lethal and non-lethal committed by lions.  Just because I choose to wear a sidearm does not mean I'm freaking out about bears or any other predator.  I have been close to many bears, probably more than a good chunk of folks here.  I have a healthy respect for them, but do not fear them.  I carry in the woods for the same reason I carry when I'm not in the woods.  You never know when you might need it.  I always go into the woods with a fire starter, so far in nearly 40 years I've never needed to start a fire to save my life, but it would be foolish in my opinion not to have it in case I needed it.

This is exactly what I was trying to relay, better to have ANY sidearm than none at all.

[magnumb]

Like to add a couple of thoughts, firstly that list is only bear fatalities.   Does not include attacks that were not fatal and it does not include attacks lethal and non-lethal committed by lions.  Just because I choose to wear a sidearm does not mean I'm freaking out about bears or any other predator.  I have been close to many bears, probably more than a good chunk of folks here.  I have a healthy respect for them, but do not fear them.  I carry in the woods for the same reason I carry when I'm not in the woods.  You never know when you might need it.  I always go into the woods with a fire starter, so far in nearly 40 years I've never needed to start a fire to save my life, but it would be foolish in my opinion not to have it in case I needed it.

This is exactly what I was trying to relay, better to have ANY sidearm than none at all.

Perhaps..........but I guess that I don't read it the same way, not at all.  And to assume that Machias's post was "exactly what you were trying to say" might be taking unwarranted liberties with his posts intentions in suggesting that he is in total agreement with your "....ANY sidearm...." statement.

I guess that I'd have to be 110% sure of such an assumption prior to posting what I'd like to believe as opposed to what actually might be the case. 

Again........in Machias's well presented post which I long ago stated that I agreed with, I truly can't see where you've construed any of his post as a mirror image of your own woods protocol and then further drawing the undisputed conclusion that he is promoting the carrying of ANY SIDEARM while afield, no matter the inherent dangers in that particular area, the cartridge/caliber/gauge chosen, pistol/revolver/single shot, break open/mag fed from .17 to 50 BMG......which you state that are all better than 'a rock'.

Perhaps that's exactly what he meant, but unless I knew for sure, I would not be assuming and then feeling quite justified and comfortable in using another members words to benefit and promote my own position unless I knew for certain that he or she felt the exact same way and then allowed me to say so.

 

[Kmerr98277]

A salesman at ace hardware showed me a revolver that was DAO and had no hammer. I liked it because it had a heavy trigger pull (for safety) and could be drawn very quickly because of the missing hammer.  I believe it was a 38 spec.  I would like to find something similar in a larger caliber.