[beemergary]

Have talked to people who have been to Yellowstone lots of times and never saw a Grizzly. I saw 4 when I was there. Went on a all day hike in Glacier and was starting to get dark before we got back. Wifie was getting nervous and was glad to get back to the parking lot only to find a Mamma grizzly and two cubs waiting for us. Have a video of a grizzly in Alaska running at me at 30 yds. When there hungry LOOK OUT They way to take out a grizzly is to take out a shoulder so they can't get ya and then go for the vitals. Most people laugh at a pistol in grizzly country unless its in his mouth.

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by T A 70

Looks like a Ruger.
Get one of those if you can in Casull 454 or 44 mag.
That with spray and you're as protected as can be under your circumstances IMO

Yes - small and powerful - you don't want to react Quick with a Dirty Harry model - according to the guy he heard a twig snap and the Griz was almost on him

[Jim Scites]

My son just bought a S&W 629 Performance Center 44 mag with a 2" barrel. The thing is a beast and brutal to your hands. I shot a few cylinders through it and it hurt the knuckle on my thumb, made it so tender I had to stop shooting it. Notice the ring of fire in the picture. My son did a video and found it in the frame by frame. Really cool gun but painful to shoot. I'm not sure I would ever want to shoot a lightweight 44 mag.

[Alvin]

"In human society we scent everything; including food, soap, candles, lotions, toothpaste, etc. Now, this is great for humans who love this stuff, but in reality these scents make it very easy for animals to detect us from far distances. This is one of the reasons when your bear hunting, or hunting any animal that it can be difficult to sometimes even sight one. Luckily we're going to review below how you can help prevent issues with your scent..."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6442010

"bears breaking into cars for food" video http://youtu.be/fBnGe9HDGBI

Check this out http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bears.htm

[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by Jim Scites

My son just bought a S&W 629 Performance Center 44 mag with a 2" barrel...

I've got the 629 stainless 44 Mag with the 6-1/2" barrel, and it is one of the smoothest and easiest shooting handguns I own. The longer barrel length makes all the difference. To me, it has less "snap" recoil than my .357's with 4" barrels.

Protection is sort of like the tale about the old sheriff showing up at a function wearing his side arm, and is asked by a woman if he was expecting trouble. His answer was "no mam, if I was expecting trouble I'd a brought my rifle". Same thing here, if I really thought I was going to need a handgun, it would be the a long barrel 44 Mag.

Still think I'd prefer to have a cloud of pepper spray between me and a charging bear than relying on stopping it in time with bullets. Even if I screwed up and held the can backwards, he probably wouldn't want anything to do with me.

[Jim Scites]

I have 2 Super Redhawks, a 7 1/2" barrel in 44 mag, pleasant to shoot and very accurate, and a 7 1/2" barrel in 454 casull, not so pleasant to shoot but also very accurate. I think if I was going to travel in grizzly country I would have a 4" barrel 500 Smith and Wesson or a 460 Smith and Wesson, but no less than that. Good luck and I hope you come back with no grizzly encounters, save maybe watching one fish off in the distance.

[getmygoat]

I'm not as experienced as a couple previous posters but have hiked in grizzly country somewhat. Have never had an encounter. Saw a grizzly once, all I could get was a pic of his rear as he ran away from me.

Generally, if you wear bear bells, refrain from carrying unsealed food with you, and carry bear spray - the risks are reduced very substantially that anything is going to happen. The one problem with bear spray is you cannot (legally) fly with it - not even in checked baggage. So you need to buy it on-site and then donate it when you leave. Don't buy it at your local REI and expect to take it with you to Yellowstone.

There are numerous stories of bear spray stopping a charging bear dead in its tracks - as previously mentioned, its important to hike in at least pairs with two people having spray. Spray is arguably as or more effective than a gun at deterring an attack in typical bear encounter scenarios, which typically involve close range where the bear is surprised by your presence and there is little time to react before the bear is close. (this scenario is entirely preventable with bear bells).

This is an awesome real bear encounter video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iinv_5e_QGg

Also, make sure to pay attention to what the locals/rangers say about particular trails on particular days, etc. Generally, they know where the bears are and will close trails if necessary, etc.

[KS circutguy]

1 word Corbin...
http://www.corbins.com/index.htm

[71SportRagtop]

I think that the debate about weapons, calibers, rounds, ect can go on forever. However I have another topic that should be considered as more important than weapon selection.

The topic of your post was SHOULD I carry a gun in Grizzly country. The real question here is not whether you should carry a weapon but can you handle that weapon effectively in the situation. Let's review: You are walking along a trail and suddenly come up on a 7-800lb bear, if that bear decides to charge you might only have a matter of seconds before he's on you. Are you skilled enough with your weapon to pull it from it's holster, sight in and deliver a mortal wound to a 7-800lb charging animal in say 7-10 seconds?? Just remember if you don't deliver a mortal wound quickly you're probably only going to piss off the bear, then you're dead. I think coming to terms with your skill and comfort level with a weapon is WAY more important than whether you should carry or not.

I have absolutely NO problem with gun owners as I am one myself. However what I do take issue with is the gun owner who has never fired a weapon anywhere other than a controlled gun range bragging about his weapons prowess. I will use my own personal experiences so I don't get accused of attacking anyone....while in the Marine Corps, I fired expert with every weapon in their arsenal. I shot expert with the M-16, the M-249 SAW, the M-1911, and the 9MM Beretta. Then I was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. When the war began, my unit engaged the Iraqi Republican Guard in a pretty intense battle. I found out that the "fog of war" made my weapons prowess a mute point. I never experienced the explosions, the sounds, the rounds whipping by while on the rifle range at Parris Island or Camp Pendleton. My deployment to Somalia was a totally different experience than Desert Storm. Somalia was in urban terrain and EVERYTHING was in close quarters. The intense training I received daily as an active duty infantry Marine was the difference between winning and losing those battles.

Just make sure you can handle that weapon effectively before you go whipping it out and letting rounds fly downrange.

[beemergary]

Guys can be a marksman on the rifle or pistol range but can't make decent shot out in the field at an animal. BUCK FEVER If you haven't been around bears how do you know you can keep your cool. If having a pistol makes you more comfortable, go for it. No fun having worries on vacation. Been in Alaska when they come out in the spring. A hungry grizzly is a bad ass.

[carcrazy]

I would say that regardless of ones ability as a marksman, reaction under pressure, is an unknown unless you've actually experienced it! I can say that when my neighbor had the experience of being knocked down, it was a very close range encounter and the Grizzly was on him within 3 seconds or so! Under that scenario it would be hard to get off a decent shot with either a gun or bear spray. There has been a lot of good information in the thread and I appreciate it. Thanks!

[bird72]

in my first post I mentioned how quick an attack will happen.... and close... even as a feel safe with a gun type, I must kind of wonder if spray is actually the better option in a quick, close encounter... (?) you don't need a vital organ or head shot to stop it, a cloud will deter the bear, they don't like it.....

[JLHarper]

Spray has been studied and results in less injuries in a bear attack.

Might have been better results for some if carried on their belt instead of pack and practiced pulling and aiming.

Majority of people, even handgun owners that think they can shoot /know firearms cant come close to hitting a softball size target running full bore at them at 30 mph, while bobbing side to side...all this while under pressure (and soiling their BVDs).

Animals that get riled to levels humans don't often see put people in a second or two of disbelief (or shock) since its all new to them, and its those seconds that get you hurt.

I've seen it first hand on two different (large) black bears, which are not nearly as mean as grizzlys, but will still rile and go into kill mode for whatever reason.

There are "plenty" of off the shelf rounds specifically for bear these days....even a 9mm bear round for those that don't want to buy a larger cal.

[JLHarper]

Originally Posted by hobbygto65

I'd go with a 500 S&W, this guy got this with his last shot of a 7MM Mag.

.338 Win mag and bear didn't even know he was there...its been discussed for a while on hunting/firearm sites sites.

[tom s]

Talked to a guide a couple days ago.He said a 5 shot shot barrel shotgun with a sling.Alt 12 ga slug and 3in OO buck.Tom

[tom s]

SHORT!

[JLHarper]

A slug from a 3.5 mag in the chest at 50 yards "might" kill him, but it wouldn't be fast and he would be mauling the shooters head and shoulders in five seconds while he died.

They have such a small kill zone and cold climate bears have a lot of fat...shotgun loads, even 3.5 mags, are not the weapon of choice, in NC anyway.

Shooting one in the shoulder is a bad idea too....and they can manage just fine on three, maybe hitting 26 mph instead of 35 as it runs to where you are standing.

This vid went around last fall, sow with cub had lost front leg and amazing how it adapted ....have to see this to believe;.....good part starts at 37 sec mark;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3_tch2HTEY

[beemergary]

Just remember shooting a Grizzly is like shooting a burglar. That burglar better be in your house. Even in Alaska you can have a lot of explaining too do and be in big trouble.

[69goatboy]

According to this, a .25 Jetfire is all you need.