Let's talk bear guns for a moment

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D.B. Cooper

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So let's talk about bear guns for moment. I've had my heart set on a Ruger Redhawk for a long time, but today was the first time I actually held one. That. Grip. Sucks. (4" model w/ rubber grip) Trigger pull was smooth but heavy, even in SA. Then I handled a S&W 629, complete with Hillary Hole. The grip fit better and more comfortable. The trigger was lighter, smoother, and crisper, and the gun was lighter overall. Then I handled a Blackhawk. I liked that grip the best, and the trigger was the best, too, but I can't imagine trying to reload that thing in a hurry. What to do? What to do?

I was set on the Ruger for its reputation of longevity and reliability. (I plan to shoot either hot handloads w/ 312 grn WFN or HSM Bear Loads w/ 310 grn lead WFN-same ammo I shoot in my rifle.) After actually holding one, it doesn't seem a good fit. I'm afraid it would be pretty difficult to control.
 
There are tons of aftermarket grips for that red hawk,so I wouldnt let the factory grip be what makes or breaks it for you. My gp100 came with finger grooved hogues. They didnt fit my hand to great,ordered the same grip minus finger grooves and what a difference it made. And for the heavy pull im sure you could have some springs swapped in to help out. But I dont have any experience on that, so maybe someother members could shed some light on that subject.
 
I have a 629 Mountain Gun and it's loaded with cast 300 grain WFN handloads. It's probably just a psychological crutch, but it makes me feel better in bear country.

I used to own a Redhawk. They are tough and accurate guns, but they are ergonomically far in second place to an N-frame Smith. If I were shooting a steady diet of heavy silhouette loads I would learn to live with it, but for woods carry and quick deployment a 4" 629 is a better choice IMO.
 
The 375 H&H", 35 Whelen, 30-06, and 12 ga hard slugs are all cartridges for "bear guns".

You seem to be talking about "oh sh*t" guns. Among those, the one that makes the biggest hole and that you can reliably and accurately fire is the best. Mr. Bear is never, ever, going to let you reload, so don't let that be a consideration. Choose the one you are most comfortable and consistent with.
 
I doubt Mr. Bear is going to let you thumb a hammer back either, so a single action wouldn't be my first choice.
Yeah I like double action revolvers for the same reason I like semi autos without safeties. Draw and fire.

I have a Ruger Redhawk 44 magnum. I love it. I know what you mean about the grip, I didn't like the hogue bantam grip that came on mine at first. There's plenty of aftermarket grips, and honestly I haven't replaced mine because the bantams have grown on me.

It's a beast of a gun. I'm going to get a simply rugged holster to tote it around in.
 
There is a concurrent thread about the Mossberg Shockwave, and I agreed with another's statement that it would be the ideal bear gun to carry fishing. There's your "Oh S%*(!" gun.....
5 rounds of Brenneke Green Mags will make Gentle Ben respect you.
 
Purely a function of practice and familiarity. Once one is used to a single action, it really isn't an issue.

I am not a physicist but one action (pulling the trigger) will usually always be faster than two actions (cocking hammer and firing). Not to mention the potential of having to shoot single handed thus slowing the process further.
 
Many Alaskans who live with bears right in their back yards do use such guns as Ruger Blackhawk .44s, Redhawks, S&W 629s, etc... The very well known guide, Phil Shoemaker, uses a 629 Mountain Revolver (but the last bear he killed he used a 9mm!)

http://grizzlyskinsofalaska.com/

Now these people actually use them and have killed Grizzly and Brown Bears with them. Sure they prefer a rifle or shotgun, but they pack handguns very often.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...ed-this-year-in-alaska-in-defensive-shootings
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/26/two-brown-bear-attacks-reported-in-alaska-on-same-day.html
http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Al...und-brown-bear-on-his-property-426364311.html

As for being able to cock a single action revolver fast enough to fire more than one shot, with practice, two handed, oh yea it can be fired quite fast, even with very stout loads.

Deaf
 
I am not a physicist but one action (pulling the trigger) will usually always be faster than two actions (cocking hammer and firing). Not to mention the potential of having to shoot single handed thus slowing the process further.

One cocks the piece while it comes out of recoil. If you are talking about ACCURATE FIRE, there is no real difference. But if just talking about spraying lead as fast as one can, yea the DA or semi-automatic fires faster.

Deaf
 
D.B , I agree with you on the Redhawk grip , I have the 4.2 model . I bought mine used , so I don't know if it has had trigger work done on it or not , but it has a very good trigger and was surprised because all I have read is how bad the Ruger DA trigger is . I bought the old style wood grips for it , but I have not installed ithem because they say the rubber grips that are on it now really soak up the recoil and I have not figured out hot to remove the rubber grips yet , I don't see any screw holes .

I really don't think you need to worry about the reload speed because you will probably never have time to reload even a Redhawk in a bear attack . So if you like the Blachawk better than I would consider it .

Now that I carry mine in a Diamond D chest rig , I wish that I would have got the 5.5" model .
 
Many Alaskans who live with bears right in their back yards do use such guns as Ruger Blackhawk .44s, Redhawks, S&W 629s, etc... The very well known guide, Phil Shoemaker, uses a 629 Mountain Revolver (but the last bear he killed he used a 9mm!)

http://grizzlyskinsofalaska.com/

Now these people actually use them and have killed Grizzly and Brown Bears with them. Sure they prefer a rifle or shotgun, but they pack handguns very often.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...ed-this-year-in-alaska-in-defensive-shootings
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/26/two-brown-bear-attacks-reported-in-alaska-on-same-day.html
http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Al...und-brown-bear-on-his-property-426364311.html

As for being able to cock a single action revolver fast enough to fire more than one shot, with practice, two handed, oh yea it can be fired quite fast, even with very stout loads.

Deaf
What if a bear has your other hand in his mouth? That's bound to slow you down a bit. Since we're playing worst case scenario...

I'm thinking gun in one hand and bear spray in the other. They aren't mutually exclusive tools.
 
What if a bear has your other hand in his mouth? That's bound to slow you down a bit. Since we're playing worst case scenario...

I'm thinking gun in one hand and bear spray in the other. They aren't mutually exclusive tools.

You do know you have to pull a pin out of the bear spray can before you can fire it, right? That takes two hands.

Deaf
 
You do know you have to pull a pin out of the bear spray can before you can fire it, right? That takes two hands.

Deaf
That's not correct. There is no pin; it's not a fire extinguisher. There is a plastic clip that guards the lever that releases the spray, but that clip can be easily flipped of with the thumb of the hand that is holding the container.
 
D.B , I agree with you on the Redhawk grip , I have the 4.2 model . I bought mine used , so I don't know if it has had trigger work done on it or not , but it has a very good trigger and was surprised because all I have read is how bad the Ruger DA trigger is . I bought the old style wood grips for it , but I have not installed ithem because they say the rubber grips that are on it now really soak up the recoil and I have not figured out hot to remove the rubber grips yet , I don't see any screw holes .

I really don't think you need to worry about the reload speed because you will probably never have time to reload even a Redhawk in a bear attack . So if you like the Blachawk better than I would consider it .

Now that I carry mine in a Diamond D chest rig , I wish that I would have got the 5.5" model .

II love their products. I live about an hour away from them. But I'm partial to their hip holsters, mostly because I think I'm too overweight to wear a chest holster. I feel like it would be in the way with pack straps, rifle sling, etc.
 
No autoloaders.

Why not? Let's be real here. Virtually all bear attacks involve 150-250 lb black bear. Black bear do get bigger, 400-600 lbs are not unheard of, but they don't get that big by hanging around humans. The problem bears are almost always juvenile bear that have recently been run off by mom and are struggling to find food on their own. Any handgun that you'd use to stop an adult male human would be sufficient for most bear defense.

A G29 is my preferred handgun. It is almost 2" shorter and a pound lighter than my 4" 629 and holds either 11 or 16 rounds.

The 44 LOOKS a lot better on paper. But those ballistics are from an 8" test barrel. In the real world from a 4" barrel 240 gr bullets struggle to get 1100 fps, not the advertised 1500 fps they get from an 8" barrel. I get 1250-1300 fps with 200 gr hardcast from the 10mm. There would be virtually no difference in penetration on a really big bear and my money is on the 10mm for the win.

If you don't want a semi-auto that is fine. But a semi with good ammo is more than adequate power wise and a lot easier to carry. Between the Ruger and Smith 44's I'd take the Smith and forget the nuclear loads.

Photo of my G29 alongside my Smith 629 stuff 009.jpg
 
Just curious why no autoloaders I guess.
If you don't want a semi-auto that is fine. But a semi with good ammo is more than adequate power wise and a lot easier to carry.

Because the OP asked about revolvers in the Revolver forum. Lets not derail this into yet another pointless and off-topic revolver/semiauto thread. There are too many of those already.
 
Because the OP asked about revolvers in the Revolver forum. Lets not derail this into yet another pointless and off-topic revolver/semiauto thread. There are too many of those already.
Don't you know the OP's request means nothing, the forum it's in means nothing, rules mean nothing, only what they think means something and is important or creditable. :uhoh:
 
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