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I am going up to Alaska this summer for a hunting trip. I am thinking about what to get in case of bear. I don't know if I am a Dirty Harry type so am wondering how a sig 357 or 45 acp would do. I have been thinking about a 1911 or could get a barrel for my p229 40. What do you guys/gals think?
 
Better off getting a .45LC or .44Magnum. I've been a guide in Alaska for five seasons, those are the two most popular. Load it with the heaviest load you can comfortably shoot two round into a paper plate at ten yards within five seconds.
 
.44 Mag, 454 Casull, .480 Ruger and .500 S&W etc etc You really need something with some power behind it for bears. Allot of times you dont have times for multiple shots.. If you want to stick with semi auto Desert Eagle in 44 mag or 50AE..
 
Click This Sign
bear-sign.jpg

bear-sign.jpg
 
If your looking for a sidearm, go with a handgun that starts with a 4 or a 5. IE 44 mag to a 500 mag. Other then that, your going to need to carry another long arm, ie shotgun or a 45-70 or something.
 
What ever caliber you get make sure the barrel is longer then the distance from the back of the bears throat to the front teeth. You want the gun to stop before your hand gets inside the working parts while your trying to pull the trigger.
 
I have to agree with the4thshake, your primary weapon should suffice as long as your using something large enough in the 1st place. A person worried about Brown bear would do well to carry a good pump 12 gauge loaded with alternating loads of buck/pumpkin ball loads.
 
Bear designed pepper spray is what I bought for a trip to central Canada. it was a week long kayak trip to Bowron Lakes and never had to use it. Now if I was going to Alaska where you can have guns. I would get at least a 44 magnum. But preferably 454 ca, or 500 magnum. Smith and wesson makes the 329pd which is a scandium frame and titanium cylinder that is 44 magnum and extreamly light. The smith and wesson backpacker series look really good. As does the Ruger Alaskan series. Just depends on what part of Alaska and what you will be doing. If hiking around, weight is definitly a factor. Let us know what you decide.

73 chase
 
Lived in Alaska for over 25 years and have fished and Hunted on all coasts and seas as well as the through out the interior..
Handgun only because that is ALL you have. There was grizz taken down on the Russian river years ago with a 9mm glock.. fired something like 26 rounds!! But yea, eventually it worked.
Personally form from I have seen and from my own experience. I would not carry a hand gun smaller then .44 ( and I would feel small with that)
A charging Grizz coming after me after I found his food stash made my .338 winmag feel VERY small!!
While fishing I usually carried a 12ga
I did often carry a .44 Anaconda.

Where are you going and what will be your long gun? Id be more inclined to worry about what the long gun will handle then a pistol just for the bear.
 
I have fought wildfire in AK when it was bad enough they needed help from OR.....the AK state forestry issues 12ga Mossbergs with slugs for camp security






IMO the mother moose and black bears were much more trouble than Griz
 
If your going with a friend all you need is a 22lr. Shoot your buddy and run like heck!

But seriously check out this forum: Alaska Handgun
This thread comes up about every three days. There will be lots of good info for the guns and loads used in AK.

Enjoy your trip!
 
I have to agree with the4thshake, your primary weapon should suffice as long as your using something large enough in the 1st place. A person worried about Brown bear would do well to carry a good pump 12 gauge loaded with alternating loads of buck/pumpkin ball loads.

Exactly...A 12-gauge pump shotgun, loaded with 7 rounds of 3" slugs is what I'd carry. As far as a handgun goes, a .44 magnum, or a heavy-loaded 10mm.

My Remington 870 12-gauge, loaded for bear:
 
Exactly...A 12-gauge pump shotgun, loaded with 7 rounds of 3" slugs is what I'd carry. As far as a handgun goes, a .44 magnum, or a heavy-loaded 10mm.

My Remington 870 12-gauge, loaded for bear:

I have done a bit of reading about bear defense weapons and most of not all sources say that a 10mm is almost useless against a grizz or coastal brown. Now, that being said, I think Norway issues a 10mm glock to some of its officers as polar bear defense so I really don't know. Id guess with a glock in 10mm you could shoot it 14 times and if its not dead, use the last round on yourself.
 

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