Recommendation for a bear gun.

[solv3nt]

My bad, I didnt follow all 11 pages of prior discussion and got caught up in a comparison of the two calibers. What Im reading for you is your dad is needing to drop power from his trusty 44mag and prefers revolvers as thats what hes most comfortable with.
My suggesting for a 357 revolver is for that reason, its got plenty of power but way less recoil than a 44 mag.

But @OldBroad44 likes 44 mag, and the old man is surgical with the 44 mag.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

You don't actually read the whole post, do you....

Do you have a factual opinion on the .357MAG v 10mm?

 

[solv3nt]

Do you have a factual opinion on the .357MAG v 10mm?

Nope, I carry 45 super.

 

[Koda]

Hey team,

I am looking for a good bear gun for my dad who lives in Prescott, AZ. A guy was just mauled and partially eaten by a black bear (very rare) about ten minutes from their place. Dad knows his way around firearms, but at 81 I'm a little reluctanct for him to use his trusty .44MAG as that sucker kicks like a scalded mule and last time he had it at the range, I could tell he was having trouble controlling the recoil. I like a revolver for this task and am thinking 10mm. I've never shot a 10mm revolver, but I already know it's more manageable than the .44. I know the ten is a lower energy round but I think it will penetrate enough to give the bear second thoughts if not turn him into a nice rug.

Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Again, forgive me if this has already been mentioned in 11 pages ...
but a 10mm revolver requires moon clips to adapt to a revolvers cylinders. This seems to add to the reloading complexity IMO when a 357 Magnum caliber is just drop in reloading and is a direct equal in stopping power to a 10mm. Also your dad is 81 and he could also practice with 38special in the 357 for even more range time to get used to a new revolver.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

My bad, I didnt follow all 11 pages of prior discussion and got caught up in a comparison of the two calibers. What Im reading for you is your dad is needing to drop power from his trusty 44mag and prefers revolvers as thats what hes most comfortable with.
My suggesting for a 357 revolver is for that reason, its got plenty of power but way less recoil than a 44 mag.

I'm interested in a vigorous on-topic discussion so no prob. The need is for a revolver with enough knockdown power for a black bear (with an assumed skull shot) but with more manageable recoil than the .44MAG, primarily so a follow-up shot is available if needed. Admittedly my experience is limited w 10s (and none w revolver), but I do understand they have higher muzzle energy than a .357MAG, all things being equal.

I think the thing to do now is get Dad to one a them fancy indoor ranges w A/C and rental guns available so he can fire them side-by-side. Thanks for your input.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Nope, I carry 45 super.

Hmh. Curious you'd be posting in this thread in that case.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Don't ask him to switch to a semi auto when he made a different choice and has practiced his choice for decades. The solution that will work best is not to ask him to change guns at all. Just to drop the power level and recoil down a bit by switching to 44sp bear loads in the same gun. As I said and provided a link to earlier in this thread. Not wimpy over the counter .44 sp.

Yeah, I'm not interested in changing his technique - as I noted in my OP I am looking for a revolver. The bear loads are a great suggestion that I'll be looking into. Thanks for the insight.

 

[solv3nt]

Hmh. Curious you'd be posting in this thread in that case.

Actually, what makes me kind of curious is that you asked the question, made a few comments on page one. Disappeared for six pages. Thread got resurrected six months later and then you show up around page 7 of 12 at this point.

Then you argue with people AFTER you asked their opinion.

 

[Koda]

Admittedly my experience is limited w 10s (and none w revolver), but I do understand they have higher muzzle energy than a .357MAG, all things being equal.

The 10mm and the 357magnum are virtually identical to each other in velocity and energy. You might find one box slightly more powerful than the other and vise versa, but on the average, Ballistically and terminally they would be the same result.
I know and agree you want to recommend he stay with a revolver so all Im saying is the 357 was made for a cylinder the 10mm needs modification moon clips to load in a revolver. Id keep it simple.

Side note: You will hear of 10mm comparisons to the 41 magnum and even 44 magnum stopping power but I have never seen any 10mm ammo advertised that comes close and would question the safety if they did.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Hahaha. It has borne repeating as some responses (not yours) have assumed otherwise. I'm really just looking for real world reports from people who've actually fired a 10mm revolver and a .44MAG who can share their insights.

Yea, I didn't go back and look but believe this thread has very valuable information in it if it's the thread I'm thinking of. There are many like threads. Meaning it's not that complicated and your query has been addressed in great detail and at great length by many very experienced shooters.
You'll figure it out.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Actually, what makes me kind of curious is that you asked the question, made a few comments on page one. Disappeared for six pages. Thread got resurrected six months later and then you show up around page 7 of 12 at this point.

Then you argue with people AFTER you asked their opinion.

I didn't ask your opinion on how much of a post I read, however, which was the unsolicited feedback you provided. I asked an opinion on specific loads for a specified purpose about which I was crystal clear. And other than you - now - who did I "argue" with????

So if you're not here to offer an opinion based on your experience with the loads I'm exploring, what are you here for? hmmm...

 

[solv3nt]

I didn't ask your opinion on how much of a post I read, however, which was the unsolicited feedback you provided. I asked an opinion on specific loads for a specified purpose about which I was crystal clear. And other than you - now - who did I "argue" with????

So if you're not here to offer an opinion based on your experience with the loads I'm exploring, what are you here for? hmmm...

A good laugh at this point. There's more than enough information in the twelve pages if you read it.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

The 10mm and the 357magnum are virtually identical to each other in velocity and energy. You might find one box slightly more powerful than the other and vise versa, but on the average, Ballistically and terminally they would be the same result.
I know and agree you want to recommend he stay with a revolver so all Im saying is the 357 was made for a cylinder the 10mm needs modification moon clips to load in a revolver. Id keep it simple.

Side note: You will hear of 10mm comparisons to the 41 magnum and even 44 magnum stopping power but I have never seen any 10mm ammo advertised that comes close and would question the safety if they did.

Good stuff. Thank you for the insight.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

A good laugh at this point. There's more than enough information in the twelve pages if you read it.

Noted.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

Yea, I didn't go back and look but believe this thread has very valuable information in it if it's the thread I'm thinking of. There are many like threads. Meaning it's not that complicated and your query has been addressed in great detail and at great length by many very experienced shooters.
You'll figure it out.

Agreed that at least two participants in this thread have offered very valuable information that is relevant to my enquiry. Could be a new NWFA record!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Agreed that at least two participants in this thread have offered very valuable information that is relevant to my enquiry. Could be a new NWFA record!

I'm not going to go check but on the face of it I find that tremendously insulting.

 

[DirectDrive]

The best answer I've seen so far is OldBroad's 44 Special recommendation.
If Pop already has a 44 Mag revolver, then 44 Special is the logical "step-down" in power.

Be advised, if you go to the range with both 44Mag ammo and 44SPL ammo, shoot the 44Mag ammo first.
The 44SPL will leave a carbon ridge and 44Mag ammo will not insert 100% until the carbon is cleaned out.

 

[oremike]

Hahaha. It has borne repeating as some responses (not yours) have assumed otherwise. I'm really just looking for real world reports from people who've actually fired a 10mm revolver and a .44MAG who can share their insights.

I don't have a 10mm revolver, my 10mm is a Sig 220 with a 5" barrel. My pet load is a 180gr TC bullet at about 1300 fps. One of my customers shot an elk in the head for the coup-de-gra with that load and the bullet traveled down the neck and broke the left shoulder as it exited the elk. I do have a 44 Mag with a 7/12" barrel and my pet load for it is a 300gr TC bullet at the same 1300 fps. A different customer shot a Black Bear in the neck breaking the spine and the right shoulder with that load. My point being either will work with a properly placed shot. As far as recoil, I would say the Sig bucks more due to the slide movement but the Ruger pushes harder if that makes sense. In my previous post I mentioned 41 Mag It's much more than a 10mm or 357 Mag but not quite a 44 Mag. My 357 used to be my walk about gun but now it's my night stand gun and the 41 does the walk about duty. If I know I'm going into Bear country then I carry the 44 Mag and most likely because I'm hunting, my 300 Win Mag.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

But @OldBroad44 likes 44 mag, and the old man is surgical with the 44 mag.

You're speaking about a Vietnam veteran. You do not call him "the old man." Trust me when I tell you you would not say that to his face.

 

[GripItAndRipIt]

I don't have a 10mm revolver, my 10mm is a Sig 220 with a 5" barrel. My pet load is a 180gr TC bullet at about 1300 fps. One of my customers shot an elk in the head for the coup-de-gra with that load and the bullet traveled down the neck and broke the left shoulder as it exited the elk. I do have a 44 Mag with a 7/12" barrel and my pet load for it is a 300gr TC bullet at the same 1300 fps. A different customer shot a Black Bear in the neck breaking the spine and the right shoulder with that load. My point being either will work with a properly placed shot. As far as recoil, I would say the Sig bucks more due to the slide movement but the Ruger pushes harder if that makes sense. In my previous post I mentioned 41 Mag It's much more than a 10mm or 357 Mag but not quite a 44 Mag. My 357 used to be my walk about gun but now it's my night stand gun and the 41 does the walk about duty. If I know I'm going into Bear country then I carry the 44 Mag and most likely because I'm hunting, my 300 Win Mag.

That is some good stuff. Thank you. I've shot your .44MAGs before! Quality merchandise.