JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.


My question is do I carry the S&W 58 in 41, or the 6" GP100 in 44. Both are quite heavy.
If the guns were equal in barrel length and it was 6 rounds of .41 mag vs 6 rounds of 44 mag, I'd say the two are sufficiently similar so that you can just carry either based upon which you enjoy carrying more. .41 mag is well known to over perform in self defense against bears or handgun hunting in the real world compared to theoretical predictions. A whole lot of very sophisticated old timers prefer .41 to .44 mag, claiming it can do anything the .44 mag can do with less recoil. I'm inclined to believe them.

However, the SW 58 is a 4", isn't it? And the GP 100, while a 6", is a 5-shot .44sp, not a .44 mag, isn't it?

For general woods for SD or handgun hunting deer or bears out to 40 yards I'd carry the GP 10O .44sp. I'd load it with the Grizzly Cast Performance 260 grain wide flat nose gas check hard cast that run at 950 fps. A review I saw of this ammo said it penetrated just over 8 inches of pine boards when shot from a 6" SW 29. The 260gr bullet at 950 fps calculates out to 521 ft. lbs. That's a .357 mg power level but with a much fatter heavier bullet. The medium sized GP 100 would be a comfortable size for me to carry. And I like under lugged barrels and their muzzle heavy balance.

If I wanted to hunt black bear or deer at distances beyond 40 yards at this point I'd be plum outta luck without a scoped handgun. Assuming younger eyes than my current editions or a scoped handgun, I'd prefer to have something in .41 mag or .44 mag to .44sp so there would be enough energy left to do the job after the bullet has traveled the distance. So my choice would be the SW 58. With a heavy hard cast flatnosed or Keith style bullet and a fast powder so as to get the most fps possible from the relatively short barrel. (I'm assuming you reload, as .41 mag guys usually do and must.)
 
Sounds good. Except everyone advises against running from bears. This triggers their prey drive. Happen, BTW, to read recently that a black bear can cover 100 yards in 3 seconds. Googling a bit more: Either black or grizzly bears can reach 35 mph. Top human speed is just under 29. Most humans are unable to do more than 15 mph for short distances.
I'm not worried about out running the bear. I only have to out run you (or maybe Sobo) ;)
 
If the guns were equal in barrel length and it was 6 rounds of .41 mag vs 6 rounds of 44 mag, I'd say the two are sufficiently similar so that you can just carry either based upon which you enjoy carrying more. .41 mag is well known to over perform in self defense against bears or handgun hunting in the real world compared to theoretical predictions. A whole lot of very sophisticated old timers prefer .41 to .44 mag, claiming it can do anything the .44 mag can do with less recoil. I'm inclined to believe them.

However, the SW 58 is a 4", isn't it? And the GP 100, while a 6", is a 5-shot .44sp, not a .44 mag, isn't it?

For general woods for SD or handgun hunting deer or bears out to 40 yards I'd carry the GP 10O .44sp. I'd load it with the Grizzly Cast Performance 260 grain wide flat nose gas check hard cast that run at 950 fps. A review I saw of this ammo said it penetrated just over 8 inches of pine boards when shot from a 6" SW 29. The 260gr bullet at 950 fps calculates out to 521 ft. lbs. That's a .357 mg power level but with a much fatter heavier bullet. The medium sized GP 100 would be a comfortable size for me to carry. And I like under lugged barrels and their muzzle heavy balance.

If I wanted to hunt black bear or deer at distances beyond 40 yards at this point I'd be plum outta luck without a scoped handgun. Assuming younger eyes than my current editions or a scoped handgun, I'd prefer to have something in .41 mag or .44 mag to .44sp so there would be enough energy left to do the job after the bullet has traveled the distance. So my choice would be the SW 58. With a heavy hard cast flatnosed or Keith style bullet and a fast powder so as to get the most fps possible from the relatively short barrel. (I'm assuming you reload, as .41 mag guys usually do and must.)
Federal used to make a .44 mag load that pushed a hard cast 300 gr. swc to a MV of 1160.
That's just shy of 900 ft.lbs. ME.
If you ever run across any older .44 mag Fed's look for model # P44E.
 
I'm not worried about out running the bear. I only have to out run you (or maybe Sobo) ;)
Lotsa luck with that after I "accidentally" trip ya with my solid hickory Tahoe Cane Masters cane, which is a great walking cane...among other things. Hee he he. And I suspect Sobo is more devious than he looks, too.
 
Alternate approach to bear self defense. Carry a small ceramic pot of honey. Pot designed so lid pops off and ceramic pot breaks if pot is tossed or dropped on the path between you and the bear. A book I read suggests this might work with at least one bear, which was easily distracted by honey. (Winnie the Pooh.)
 
Last Edited:
I can't outrun or outwalk a slug, much less other people, and certainly not a bear.
Riiiiight. And I'm actually a helpless old lady who is not hiding a 686 under her shirt. And my cane is just for walking. And the One Ring was just a pretty bauble.
 
OK so 3 people on a hike with canes come across an aggressive Bear...How will you divy up the Bear?
One back or front quarter for each of us plus a front quarter, the pelt and head for whomever we call to haul it out of there for us, with us three tottering along behind.
 
...and viciously beating the porters with our canes to hurry the < bleep! > up...
Naw. I'm too gentle and polite for that. And we three would be setting a leisurely pace anyway and would need plenty of breaks what with our heroic toddling efforts. I'm envisioning our "porter" being some one with a horse and a couple of pack horses or mules to transport the bear. And we'll need frequent breaks. I'll cheer us along by playing Ode to Joy and other inspiring tunes on my harmonica during breaks.
 
Riiiiight. And I'm actually a helpless old lady who is not hiding a 686 under her shirt. And my cane is just for walking. And the One Ring was just a pretty bauble.
Seriously, I was out of breath when I walked out to the garbage bin to take the trash out - granted, it was a slight incline, and 200 yards, but I was not running, and the trash was on grocery sack that weighed maybe two pounds.

I may look healthy, and walk normally on flat terrain most of the time, but if I try to run I would not make it 100 feet, and that is if my back doesn't go out - which is a 50/50 chance. It isn't so much the age, as it is the mileage and neither has been kind to my body.
 
Seriously, I was out of breath when I walked out to the garbage bin to take the trash out - granted, it was a slight incline, and 200 yards, but I was not running, and the trash was on grocery sack that weighed maybe two pounds.

I may look healthy, and walk normally on flat terrain most of the time, but if I try to run I would not make it 100 feet, and that is if my back doesn't go out - which is a 50/50 chance. It isn't so much the age, as it is the mileage and neither has been kind to my body.
I hear ya. Actually, I suspect none of us could tottle very far with our formerly aggressive bear, even if someone else carried it for us. Well, we'll just hafta fall back on the traditional strategy of decrepit people everywhere. Shoot it near a road.
 
And then fetch the frying pan, salt and pepper?
Already thinking of that. I'll fix dinner. We'll have Sweet and Sour Bear Backstrap Over Rice. The slab bacon is a staple I carried during cool weather camping. So is apricot jam. I always carried salt, pepper, various seasonings, olive oil, and fancy vinegar. Slab bacon keeps better because you cut off the exposed edge as you use it. I've never cooked or eaten bear meat. But have done this recipe with beef or lamb. Should work with bear. Other staples I carried for cool weather camping included cheese in big blocks, lentils, black eyed peas, and dry onion soup mix, but they aren't in this meal.

Start water boiling in a pot. Add a dollop of bacon grease to keep it from boiling over. Add rice. I like long grained organic brown rice from Lundberg farm. It takes 45 minutes to cook.. Take it off heat when simmering water is just above level of rice and let it finish cooking in the covered pot off the heat. This helps avoid burning rice with erratic heat from fire. If you start rice before putting up tent or shelter, it will be ready when you want it.

Bear backstrap cut in bite size pieces, season with pepper and a little powdered sage. Cut off a strip of slab bacon. Cut strip into chunks, fry, remove bacon chunks. Fry bear back strap in bacon grease. Remove when done. Now make sweet and sour sauce in frying pan. Add a little water to pan and deglaze. Now add apricot jam to grease/water. Add a fancy white vinegar such as white balsamic to taste to balance the sweet and sour flavors. If necessary add more water to get the right consistency. Add the bear back strap and bacon pieces back to the frying pan and mix with sauce.

Put a layer of rice on each plate. Cover with generous layer of bear with sweet and sour sauce.

(Lentils and black eyed peas also take 45 minutes to cook so can be cooked instead of or along with the Lundberg rice if you didn't happen to harvest fresh meat. Lentils and black eyed peas don't require soaking before cooking. The difference between Lundberg and even other organic rice is huge. Different varieties, grown to full maturity and dried naturally. You can buy it from First Alternative co-op in Corvallis from bulk bins or they will order it for you by the 50 pound bag. Probably available throughout the NW plus California wherever there is a good selection of organic grains. A batch of lentils or black eyed peas wirh rice with cheddar cheese added generously during end of cooking works nicely.)
 
Last Edited:

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top