Best handgun for protection against grizzlies

[j_h_nimrod]

If you carry a pistol into brown bear country make sure and saw the barrel off so it won't hurt so bad when the bear shoves it down your throat!

You need to file off just the front sight so it does not hurt so bad to extract from your fundament when the bear takes it from you and inserts it there.

The best handgun? hahaha 

You want a 12 gauge short barreled semi auto.  That's what the pros from Alaska Dept of Fish and Game use for protection when doing stream surveys in bear country.

Last I knew ADF&G used 870s. Never saw a semi auto used by any state, tribal, or federal agency in bear country. Forest Service used Winchester M70s in .375 H&H. NOAA/NMFS had the best collection of pre-'64 Winchesters ever!!!, and a few 870s. Fair number of Mossberg Marines scattered around as well.

My recollections of the story of the dude with the gnawed leg n hairy balls was a black bear killed n partially ate him in N. California about 10-12 years ago.  Could have been a bogus story making the rounds though.

A grizzly is highly unlikely to eat you. Of all the griz attacks I have read or heard of the vast majority were not hunger/food driven. If they do kill you to eat they will likely bury you to ripen up a bit before they come back anyway. In my survival classes I was taught to play dead for a griz but fight for my life with a blackie.

I lived 11 years cheek n jowl with coastal browns on Baranof Is. so have more first hand experience than most. Over the years I carried many pistols, rifles, and shotguns.  I am not a fan of bear spray, I have seen it have absolutely no deterrent effect and actually aggravate the situation. I would rather have the boom factor. Most spray scenarios are a bearanoid person and a curious but non aggressive bear.  My last carry gun was a .500 S&W with the 2-3/8" barrel set up for a hip level cross draw that was ambidextrous if needed. I could shoot it well enough with full power rounds that I was not worried if I were to need it and with the adrenaline coursing you shouldn't have to stop and think if it was gonna hurt when you shoot, if you do then generations of survival instinct has been bred out of you and you are not fit to survive and propagate the species anyway. I never cared for a chest holster, they always seemed awkward, though I now have a Gunfighters Inc. that is the best I have ever used. In the split second a real attack occurs you would be lucky to get 1-2 aimed shots off with any weapon so I would prefer to have my first shot big and powerful. My preferred weapon would be a good pump shotgun if the conditions permitted, or a heavy revolver if a shotgun was out. If you have time to pump a full G20 magazine (great gun, nothing against it)  into a bear then it was probably not a real attack to begin with.  Having lived in WA for 5 years now I got rid of the .500 and have a S&W 329 NG .44 Mag that fills the role nicely.

I'm more worried about the urban animals down here than the bears anyway.

[Bean Counter]

great write up, Nimrod, thanks. 

[mountainman]

If you carry a pistol into brown bear country make sure and saw the barrel off so it won't hurt so bad when the bear shoves it down your throat!

You need to file off just the front sight so it does not hurt so bad to extract from your fundament when the bear takes it from you and inserts it there.

The best handgun? hahaha 

You want a 12 gauge short barreled semi auto.  That's what the pros from Alaska Dept of Fish and Game use for protection when doing stream surveys in bear country.

Last I knew ADF&G used 870s. Never saw a semi auto used by any state, tribal, or federal agency in bear country. Forest Service used Winchester M70s in .375 H&H. NOAA/NMFS had the best collection of pre-'64 Winchesters ever!!!, and a few 870s. Fair number of Mossberg Marines scattered around as well.

My recollections of the story of the dude with the gnawed leg n hairy balls was a black bear killed n partially ate him in N. California about 10-12 years ago.  Could have been a bogus story making the rounds though.

A grizzly is highly unlikely to eat you. Of all the griz attacks I have read or heard of the vast majority were not hunger/food driven. If they do kill you to eat they will likely bury you to ripen up a bit before they come back anyway. In my survival classes I was taught to play dead for a griz but fight for my life with a blackie.

I lived 11 years cheek n jowl with coastal browns on Baranof Is. so have more first hand experience than most. Over the years I carried many pistols, rifles, and shotguns.  I am not a fan of bear spray, I have seen it have absolutely no deterrent effect and actually aggravate the situation. I would rather have the boom factor. Most spray scenarios are a bearanoid person and a curious but non aggressive bear.  My last carry gun was a .500 S&W with the 2-3/8" barrel set up for a hip level cross draw that was ambidextrous if needed. I could shoot it well enough with full power rounds that I was not worried if I were to need it and with the adrenaline coursing you shouldn't have to stop and think if it was gonna hurt when you shoot, if you do then generations of survival instinct has been bred out of you and you are not fit to survive and propagate the species anyway. I never cared for a chest holster, they always seemed awkward, though I now have a Gunfighters Inc. that is the best I have ever used. In the split second a real attack occurs you would be lucky to get 1-2 aimed shots off with any weapon so I would prefer to have my first shot big and powerful. My preferred weapon would be a good pump shotgun if the conditions permitted, or a heavy revolver if a shotgun was out. If you have time to pump a full G20 magazine (great gun, nothing against it)  into a bear then it was probably not a real attack to begin with.  Having lived in WA for 5 years now I got rid of the .500 and have a S&W 329 NG .44 Mag that fills the role nicely.

I'm more worried about the urban animals down here than the bears anyway.

spent some time at Allan Point on Halleck Island. Beautiful country👍

[Night goat]

 I mean, not everybody needs a bear gun...

[Boss .300 winmag]

 I mean, not everybody needs a bear gun...

That guy has more bat than brains.

[tjthebest]

bears can run 33ft per second... from a dead stop.

i would pack bear spray unless of course you can hit a bobbing bowling ball size target coming at you at 33ft per second.

[Jonathan_S]

For a pistol setup for Grizz defense, I'd consider that you'd want something in a cross draw setup which is probably easier to get to in a situation in which you're being chewed.

I'd still take a double action revolver with a shorter barrel and I'd count on shots 2-6 being fired from my back at point blank.

[b23]

My biggest issue with semi autos are the relatively weak chamberings. Even a hot 10mm is pretty lame compared to a moderate 44 mag. Or, you can have the best of both worlds and get a bottom feeder in a man's caliber like the 45 Win Mag!

I haven't run the numbers but I wonder how this would compare to the 460 Rowland.

[Thumper81]

Personally I use a 1911 in 10mm loaded up with some hot solids mostly because id rather have moderate recoil and a couple quick follow-up shots if necessary than heavy recoil and no possibility of a follow up. The biggest thing to remember is whatever you carry familiarize yourself and be comfortable with shooting it.