Archery Side Arm Choice

[JAXNRYLZ]

Heading to central Idaho in September for first backcountry hunt.

I will be carrying a 9mm for personal protection against 2 and 4 legged critters, cause it's what I got....

Im comfortable with my accuracy, but wanted to get some thoughts/opinions on my weapon of choice and ask what others carry?

Thanks in advance, and Happy Hunting!

 

[bhowren]

I carry a 44 mag. I want the knockdown power for Bears! I have seen the aftermath of a black bear attack on a hunter who emptied his 9 on the Bear. It died, but not until after it had torn the guy up pretty bad! They can be very aggressive if you happen to accidentally get between them and their cubs!

 

[Desk Jockey]

First rule of a gun fight is to have a gun.

Second rule is to be able to use it.

Some folks will come along with a lot of experience and opinions on various aspects of caliber and platform and carry method. 44 magnum wheel guns, glock and 1911 pattern 10 mms seem like popular choices.

Carry what you have if buying a purpose specific gun isn’t in the cards. Make sure you practice and are proficient with it. Carry some bear spray too.

 

[brianrossman1]

I carry a Glock 20 with 220gr buffalo bore as my sidearm. Should do the trick in a pinch.


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[String&stick]

a 9mm with proper ammo can get herthe job done just fine. But buck up and buy the buffalo bore or similar hunting style ammo with a heavy bullet at high speed. I'm

Need to be able to get to vitals

 

[Mosby]

I carry a Glock 20 when in grizzly country. I carry a Sig 1911 compact the rest. I like to have a pistol with a safety, if I am sleeping with it in my tent. I use Underwood hard cast and penetrator bullets in my pistols.

 

[mtnkid85]

Have you seen the 9mm thread here on the forum? I think its in the Bear subform. Some good discussion in it.

But basically it boils down to heavy for caliber hard casts. The 147gr outdoorsmen load from BB is probably the most reccomended. Think penetration over expansion.

If your into hand loading the bullet BB uses for that load can be purchased through rimrock bullets. I load it over a max load of power pistol and will occasionally carry 13rds of that in a p365.

 

[JAXNRYLZ]

I have not visited ther bear forum, but will check that out... thx for the insight gents!

 

[Jake Larsen]

What you have is better than nothing! I know a guy who killed a griz with his 9mm last year in the Bozeman area. He had a similar build as mine, but with a glock 9mm. I will say, IMHO he got very very lucky. He shot it twice, as it was turning to charge, and his bullet went between ribs and into its heart. I would prefer to have something a little more capable of breaking that front shoulder/penetrating heavy bone in the event of a charge.

I live/hunt in some of the thickest griz country in the lower 48, and spend in excess of 50 days a year in the field, so it makes sense for me to have a purpose built gun.

Glock 40 (10mm) with KKM compensated barrel. Inforce APL Light, apex trigger, truglo tritium sights, tungsten guide rod. Gunfighters Inc Kenai chest holster. I use the 220 gr buffalo bore hardcasts.

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[Mattt]

I run a hk usp in 460 Rowland. Carried in a kenai. Having a gun is half the battle. Having enough gun with training is the other 100%[ intentional]

 

[isu22andy]

Id take 15 rounds of 10mm over 6 rounds of 44 mag any day.

 

[Mutto]

What ever u are using practice somewhere you can wear what you will be hunting in and practice firing at a target quickly to your off hand and behind you. You might be surprised while you attempt to go as fast as possible, not many hits occur. Happy medium between sending a round home and being uber fast. Cause you will be shaking like a leaf and wishing you had diapers in a real attack. My buddy peed his pants when we had a wounded black bear charge us. I probably would have also peed if the bladder hadn’t been empty. After that event we started practicing. All the pistol self defense stuff applies. Clearing malfunctions etc. Read about the guy in New Mexico and his ordeal with a black bear. Grizz are on another level all together. Once its on, its on like donky kong. I also carry a decent sized full tang knife as back up. In case situation gets like The Revenant.


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[Mutto]

Here is the NM article. The guy who was attacked chimes in the comment section a ways down. Sept 11 2018 is when he comments with more info. There is more he wrote than in the screen shot.

A New Mexico Bear Attack Finally Stopped With a GLOCK 10mm Pistol - The Truth About Guns

On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was out near the Colorado border, working his dogs for the upcoming New Mexico bear season. He had purchased his professional guide service eight years earlier from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would open in less than three weeks...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

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[Dustin the wind]

Here is the NM article. The guy who was attacked chimes in the comment section a ways down. Sept 11 2018 is when he comments with more info. There is more he wrote than in the screen shot.

A New Mexico Bear Attack Finally Stopped With a GLOCK 10mm Pistol - The Truth About Guns

On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was out near the Colorado border, working his dogs for the upcoming New Mexico bear season. He had purchased his professional guide service eight years earlier from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would open in less than three weeks...

www.thetruthaboutguns.com

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That story is nuts, as most of them are. The people arguing in those comments are why I hate the internet. The guy wrestled a bear down a drop off getting chewed on and firing away. Crazy!

 

[LookinforDirt]

I decided on a 10mm Springfield XDM 5.3” barrel with 220gr hard cast flat nose. It was a compromise of power, weight, size, and cost. The extra power of a big heavy 454 Casull revolver would be better. If I could hit anything with it. I just couldn’t see myself enjoying shooting a gun like that often (could be wrong). But the 10mm I love to shoot and easily put 1000+ rounds a year through it.

Underwood makes some great ammo. Something like this for your 9mm

Handgun Ammo

www.underwoodammo.com

 

[idelkoholic]

In grizz country I pack a .44 mag s&w model 69 combat magnum with the 2.75" barrel. I had the 329pd airlite .44 mag. Nice gun and super lite. I don't use it enough to justify the cost of the more expensive pistol so I sold it and bought the next lightest .44 for a few hundred bucks cheaper.

Stomping around the woods archery hunting or shed hunting when not in grizzly country but may see black bear, cougars or wolves, I pack a smith and wesson shield .40 s&w. I like the thin compact and lightweight of the single stack. I feel like it really doesn't even impede my waist belt on the pack much but rides high enough to be accessible to draw.

I guess the common denominator for me is it seems once guns start feeling to big/bulky, I get tempted to leave them behind or just carry them in my pack so I feel better about actually having something on me and ready if needed.

 

[Rich M]

There is a write-up somewhere about the handgun bear kills and the situations are detailed. Basically everyone who hit the bear killed it and 9mm did kill a grizzly. The guy with the 357 mag missed and got mauled I think. If he had hit it things would have been diff.

Make sure your gun will feed the ammo you choose, practice with it a lot, be vigilant and know that the odds are in your favor.

 

[Rutnstrut01]

Heading to central Idaho in September for first backcountry hunt.

I will be carrying a 9mm for personal protection against 2 and 4 legged critters, cause it's what I got....

Im comfortable with my accuracy, but wanted to get some thoughts/opinions on my weapon of choice and ask what others carry?

Thanks in advance, and Happy Hunting!

Glock 29 with buffalo bore hard cast. I haven’t had to use it yet in the field but the gun shoots/handles well on targets. I use a Glock 20 mag with an X Grip to make it easier to handle. This gives you the subcompact weight and maneuverability with a grip for larger hands.

 

[Jason7]

I carry a Ruger LCR in .357. Lightweight, reliable, yet enough power to stop all the 2 legged creatures and 4 legged ones with well placed shots. Carry what you are accurate with.

 

[JohnIrish]

I know this is about handguns... but I am surprised pepper spray is not mentioned. They are lightweight and nice to have along as well.