Smallest humane protection caliber?

[wolfe28]

My wife and I like to go hiking and camping a lot, and occasionally you run into something that just won't be scared off by a lot of noise (hungry bears come to mind). So, what do you all think is the smallest caliber that is reasonable to carry for protection out in the woods? This won't be used as a hunting weapon (I have a 308 and a few other things for that), but I'm looking for something that will stop just about any "four leg and furry" that I would run into in the lower 48 states, provided there is accurate shot placement. I realize that just about everything has fallen to a 22lr, and there is nothing I cannot stop with a 458 Win Mag, but I'm thinking more along the lines of a very rugged revolver that can take a beating and still stop a bear, hog or other vermin.
Thanks,

D

p.s. I'm not too worried about the two legged vermin, most of the time, they couldn't find us if they wanted to.

 

[Hanzo581]

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15702&isFirearm=Y

Done

 

[22-rimfire]

41 or 44 mag revolver would be my choice unless you already have a 357. In griz country you want something perhaps larger.

 

[OK-gobbler]

perhaps a ruger blackhawk or redhawk

 

[Art Eatman]

I found that for my hand and style, a Ruger GP 100 with heavy loads makes for easy hits to ten or fifteen yards at maximum rate of fire. I'm talking IPSC style of "Hit, quick!" double-action.

Or, if you like the 1911, a Delta Elite should work well.

The .41s and .44s are all obviously good; it's a personal thing as to revolver choice.

Art

 

[s&w 24]

minimum would be 357 mag with LBT bullets I would prefer 44 spec/mag with 240 to 300 grain HP ammo. Any cartrige more powerful than 357 would do if you have the right kind of bullets. HP's with a good sectional density and proper jacket thickness or LBT type bullets ar good choices.

If your big on SLP's then its either 10 mm or 9X23 if you can find one and want to handload.9/40/357 sig will not give you enough penitration.

Don't get a single action revolver. If a bear charges you don't want to be messing around with a hammer to cock you need to shoot right now.

If I were buying a new handgun for bear/moose defence I'd get a nickeled 44 special S&W TRS and load it with 240 gr swift A-frames loaded stoutly.

 

[Jet22]

Hard to beat a 4" Smith 44 Mag and will probably be harder still to argue with the 4" 44 Mag Redhawk Ruger is about to bring out!!

 

[sgist]

Has anyone here actually shot a big bear with a pistol? And if so, what happened?

 

[kbheiner7]

I think a Ruger Blackhawk in .41, .44 or .45LC is the perfect gun for this purpose.

 

[hso]

Would a hot 10mm out of something like a 13 round capacity CZ be nearly ideal?

Rapid fire possible, accurate out to reasonable protection range, twice the capacity of revolvers, high velocity and good bullet mass.

 

[Essex County]

If we toss out grizzleys

A .357 will sufice.....Essex

 

[mikewalker]

Better a big gun on smaller critters than a small gun on bigger critters.

I'd stick with a 41 or 44mag. I've owned both a S&W 629 Classic 5in. bbl and a Redhawk 5.5in bbl. Both in 44mag. My 629 was for more comfortable to hold and shoot with the same loads. I've had trouble getting good groups with every Ruger I've had, not so with the 629. Have you thought about the S&W Mountain Gun?

A 44mag with Garrett or Buffalo Bore should be able to stop anything on 4 legs, at least in North America. And having seen Bear Spray stop a Griz in mid-maul I'd strongly recomend that too. Although it's effectiveness on Black Bears or Hogs is still a ??

 

[wolfe28]

Thanks, one and all.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this one. I have gotten a lot of good information out of it, as I'm sure others have as well.

D

 

[gbran]

Don't confuse stopping an aggressive bear with hunting. I know of many hunters who've killed bears with 357's. I've hunted many with a 454 Super Redhawk. If you have to stop one, I'd say bigger is better.

 

[mbt2001]

Take a can of WD-40, some PVC pipe and a BIC lighter...