What Hand Cannon?

[fightingquaker13]

Thanks for the advice guys. Frankly, the consensus confirms what I had already planned, a Ruger in .454. I will look at the snubby, but will feel better with the 4" than a 2.5", assuming it IS a stream situation and I might get the first shot off at ten yards. If its a trail situation, the snubbie would excell. Dad and I went to Admiralty Island many years ago. The brush has to be seen to be beileved, alders, fallen timbers etc Then there's my favorite, Devils Paw. Picture a thin, ten foot tall thistle with palm sized flat leaves with down hanging 1" thorns. You or I would take two steps. A bear wouldn't feel it. If it happened, it would be close and very quick. I bought a 590 for that trip. Great if I could unlimber it, but doubtful if I wasn't already holding it. This time, he's looking at more open country, around Lake Iiliama. The upsides, more open country so more warning, though the alder breaks are still there, and the bears are smaller, 650 pounds vs a thousand. Down side, they are more carnivorous and more prone to attack. (The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away). Ideally, I would buy a beat to hell .338 win mag or .458 win mag and sell it at the end of the trip. The first trip taught me that there is no way you can fish and deploy a long gun. Same with pushing through brush with gear unless some one is on point. The old man ain't too keen on guides, prefering one day of instruction, then a "drop in and pick you up" kind of deal, so realistically, the handgun it is. And yes Path, I probably WILL be selling it afterwords. I've yet to encounter anything here in So. Fl. that I need or want a .454 casull for...though those pythons can get mighty big.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

Wow, you got around to some strange places Gunga Din  

[Rob10ring]

Unless you get the Alaskan, I think Ruger only sell the 454 in  a 7 1/2 inch. My dad has that one and it's even a handful with that longer tube. It's a sweet pussycat with 45LC though.

If you get a charge, you want the gun in your hand already anyway - like this guy. That bear looks pretty fierce when it's coming straight at camera like a bullet train(embedding disabled):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbnmLLnsfw&feature=related

[fightingquaker13]

Unless you get the Alaskan, I think Ruger only sell the 454 in  a 7 1/2 inch. My dad has that one and it's even a handful with that longer tube. It's a sweet pussycat with 45LC though.

If you get a charge, you want the gun in your hand already anyway - like this guy. That bear looks pretty fierce when it's coming straight at camera like a bullet train(embedding disabled):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbnmLLnsfw&feature=related

Ok. Add clean undies to packing list. Seriously, here's the thing, a .375 H@H and up would be mo' better, but it might as well have been at home in the safe. Revolver it is. Honestly, I think the gun is more to make you feel better than anything, but point taken about the Alaskan. So, .50 vs .454? Any druthers? Forget versatility and ammo cost and the like. This is a one trip gun. I will sell it afterwards, take the $100-150 hit and get something I'll actually use. I don't have the luxury right now of keeping an odd ball I'll rarely fire and never hunt with/carry when there are more practical guns I still want. So, if you had to fire the second shot, .50 or .454?
FQ13 who is leaning more towards selling the Old Man on the virtue of Costa Rican Sail Fish, where the biggest hazard is overdoing it on the rum and forgetting to apply sunscreen.

[tombogan03884]

    No Fear !  

[Sponsor]

[Rob10ring]

Ok. Add clean undies to packing list. Seriously, here's the thing, a .375 H@H and up would be mo' better, but it might as well have been at home in the safe. Revolver it is. Honestly, I think the gun is more to make you feel better than anything, but point taken about the Alaskan. So, .50 vs .454? Any druthers? Forget versatility and ammo cost and the like. This is a one trip gun. I will sell it afterwards, take the $100-150 hit and get something I'll actually use. I don't have the luxury right now of keeping an odd ball I'll rarely fire and never hunt with/carry when there are more practical guns I still want. So, if you had to fire the second shot, .50 or .454?
FQ13 who is leaning more towards selling the Old Man on the virtue of Costa Rican Sail Fish, where the biggest hazard is overdoing it on the rum and forgetting to apply sunscreen.

What .50 are you talking about? 50 AE Desert Eagle, or S&W 500 Magnum? A Desert Eagle is pretty big, and you can pick just about any of the revolvers and bee in a similar carry situation to it. They do make a shorter .500 Magnum with a 4" tube and similar guns in the .460VR. The .460 can also load down to 454 and again to 45LC, making it a gun that can be used in more real world situations. Likewise, the 454 Ruger can be loaded with the 45's. The 7 1/2 incher isn't really overly huge. Any handgun will be last ditch against a big angry bear, but once you have any gun out, you'll really appreciate a little more barrel. I have a 3 inch .44 Mag and if I don't have to conceal it, will take carrying a little more weight in the 6 inch Anaconda in bear country.

These guys don't seem to be experts, but one of the makes a valuable observation about 12 bullets being better than 6. Probably the best thing you can take is a buddy, or 2 with additional firearms.

[Big Frank]

Get one iof the .454 Rugers and keep it for hog hunting when you get home.

[GUNS-R-US]

Money aside, this is my first pick for trip through Bear country!
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=44954&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

[Bob G]

Living in in Oregon where I do a lot fishing. My wood gun is a Glock G-20SF. 10mm with 15+1 capacity. Loaded with 230 hard cast DT ammo. The Glocks reliability and capacity make it a good choice in my opinion.