Sidearm black bear hunting

[bowhunter24]

Yes, I would carry. My choice a 10mm in Black Bear only country. When in Alaska in Grizzly country I kept a 454 Casull within reach all the time even though it was a rifle hunt. I tend to follow Robert Ruarks advice "use enough gun".

How to you carry as to not get in the way on a stalk and make noise or be hassle throughout the day? Chest or belt?

 

[westernaddiction00]

10mm, full mag

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I carry a Glock 40 10mm. I have it in a Dara OWB paddle holster so I can snap it over my hip belt or transfer it to my pants belt quickly and easily.

Brilliant minds think alike. Quick and silent transfer from pack belt to pants. Loaded with Underwood hard cast ammo (Buffalo Bore is overpriced for this application IMHO although I do use BB for other things.)

 

[alaskabound]

I guess I am in the minority here. I find it to be unnecessary weight. If I'm going to pay hundreds of dollars to drop a pound here and there, I'm not off setting it with 3 lbs (I actually don't have any idea what my handgun weighs) of just in case. I already have a rifle.

I'm not knocking anyone who does, it's a personal preference.

Edit: I did carry bear spray when I was with my wife because if she got mauled and lived, I would never hear the end of it.

 

[Clintopher]

Maybe learn to use the force…perhaps the weirding way.

 

[kid44]

Personally for black bear I would carry a .44 magnum. Why carry something that may leave you wondering if you have enough gun? If you start out carrying enough gun you'll never wonder. Better to carry something that is enough, especially if/when the time come to use it.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Personally for black bear I would carry a .44 magnum. Why carry something that may leave you wondering if you have enough gun? If you start out carrying enough gun you'll never wonder. Better to carry something that is enough, especially if/when the time come to use it.

Many of us did that at first but being able to shoot accurately from further distances and having ten more rounds trumps the traditional .44 wheel gun. I carried a S&W 329PD for years but replaced it with the G40 above. The .44 was a biach to shoot accurately cuz it was so light. KE is one part of the equation but you gotta hit the CNS. If you have 6 rounds, that's limiting. If you have 16 rounds and can shoot more accurately, that's the advantage. Regardless which way you go, you are still at a huge disadvantage if being charged by a large bear. More so if you haven't properly trained.

 

[Howell81]

The question you should be asking yourself. Is what gun do you have ammo for? lol Around Illinois it is hard to find and some of us don't have mountains of stock stashed in the closets. Like my Ruger 9mm. I ran out of rounds over the course of the last 2 years and now it sits useless in the closet. I didn't think it would be this hard to find ammo. (disclaimer - Illinois is foid card bullshit state and i can't have ammo shipped to my house)

 

[Trial153]

I wouldnt bother with side arm unless grizzlies were in the area. One less thing to carry and not need on a black bear bow hunt

 

[bowhunter24]

The question you should be asking yourself. Is what gun do you have ammo for? lol Around Illinois it is hard to find and some of us don't have mountains of stock stashed in the closets. Like my Ruger 9mm. I ran out of rounds over the course of the last 2 years and now it sits useless in the closet. I didn't think it would be this hard to find ammo. (disclaimer - Illinois is foid card bullshit state and i can't have ammo shipped to my house)

sounds like california.. we're stuck with having to buy it off a shelf, on top of having to pass/pay for a background check for every purchase

 

[FLATHEAD]

I bought a Glock 30SF and converted to .45 Super just for woods defense. Shooting 255gr. Buffalo Bore Hardcast.

 

[TheGDog]

I carry a Glock 40 10mm. I have it in a Dara OWB paddle holster so I can snap it over my hip belt or transfer it to my pants belt quickly and easily.

I carry a Glock 29 10mm. The SubCompact one. Stays hanging on the Bino Harness all day. If ya look at the Energy numbers, 10mm is generally in vicinity of .357 Mag to .41 Magnum energy numbers. So I figure in Subcompact it's probably still near to .357 numbers out of my 4" .357. But... for the kinds of Lead-Free we need to use in CA. And with no Browns in the picture, there's really not much more benefit to be had in going up to like .44 Mag. for a just a defensive sidearm. Not for the weight you'd add back on anyway. And with LeHigh Xtreme's stagger-stacked between Penetrator and Defense, not much you won't be able to handle.

In my case, for 7oz less weight, I can carry 10rds of 10mm, as opposed to 6 rds of .357 in my ol' Ruger Security Six 4" .

And... Kinda diggin on the weight savings in the Bino harness! Have some night-sights I'm going to install later.

 

[Alarka]

Glock 20 with Underwood pills

 

[bowhunter24]

Do you guys feel a Glock 29 with underwood or Buffalo bore is sufficient for black bears AND grizzlies while archery hunting? Or is a Glock 20 minimum?

 

[Nelsesmp]

Well I can’t wait to hear responses but what do you guys think about 9 mm for bear protection. Yes including grizzly!!


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[TheGDog]

Do you guys feel a Glock 29 with underwood or Buffalo bore is sufficient for black bears AND grizzlies while archery hunting? Or is a Glock 20 minimum?

Well... it's just .83 inches less barrel. typically an inch of barrel contirbutes like 50fps additional velocity right? So not much difference. So if dudes are cool w/ G20's for defense for these critters, I imagine G29 should be fine, just shorter so for some folks they like having longer sight radius, so they opt for G20. Also some just say they like having the full size grip. The shorter barrel shouldn't drop the energy down very much and those bullets work because they penetrate deeply. So I don't think that shorter barrel is going to affect it's useful ness much at all. Just picking an arbitrary size of 140gr bullet... I did calcs for two velocities 1300 and 1250 and the energy only went down 40ft-lbs.

 

[Isthatamullet]

9mm and buffalo bore ammo. 9mm has killed more bears then people expect. It's all about the ammo and placement.