Black bear gun

[freekforge]

This year the family and I are planning on going on a few trips around the country all of the places have bears of some sort. In a few weeks we will be headed into back country in the smokies. I know the bears are more afraid of us yada yada but the wife if worried about our bear bait I mean kids. So I ordered some bear spray and will carry a gun while out there. So here's what I got, I consolidated my personal guns down to 9mm and 38/357. I'd prefer to carry my own gun and not my dad's .45acp or .44mag. so I have Glocks and a 9mm 1911 then a couple Taurus 38s and uberti cattleman 2s in .357 that I'd be ok carrying and beating up. Given that info what gun and load would you carry? Again I get that we're more likely to get struck by lightning but if I can make my wife feel better I will.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't have any experience with bear hunting, but personally I certainly wouldn't carry anything less than the 357 magnum. I'd feel a lot more comfortable with a 45 Colt (not 45 acp) with hard cast bullets or the 44 magnum. 9mm wouldn't even be a consideration. But I'm sure there are folks here with more experience than me with hiking in bear country.

 

[gregr]

I`ve never hunted bears, nor, even been in bear country. But, I`ve always read and heard that guides in bear country carry a short barreled 12 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs, and/or, a minimum of a .44 magnum sidearm. If you could handle the recoil and stay accurate, I would imagine a .454 Casull, or even a .50 caliber magnum sidearm would be better.

 

[hammerd13]

Whatever firearm you settle on, I'd recommend using a hard-cast bullet. Buffalo Bore and Underwood Ammo are two potential sources for "factory" hard-cast loads. Based on what you have to choose from, I'd lean towards the .357.

Underwood .357 hard cast

The objective, when shooting a bear, is to get deep penetration. They are big animals (compared to a human in cross-section) with thick hide and lots of tissue/hard bone, so a hollow point is typically not very effective. Also, when it comes time to potentially shoot one they will likely be facing you (not quartering), which necessitates deep penetration to get to the vitals.

The final point I'll make is, give serious consideration on where you'll carry the firearm. You need it to be immediately accessible. When I hike/camp in bear territory, I carry in a chest rig so that my backpack belt doesn't get in the way. I use either a Kenai Chest Holster for open carry or a Hill People Gear pouch for concealed.

p.s. Be aware of mountain cats. Small kids/pets are more likely to be pursued by a cat than a bear. Keep your camp tidy and store food/smelly items away from where you sleep. Also, don't cook near your tent.

 

[Jaybird1980]

This year the family and I are planning on going on a few trips around the country all of the places have bears of some sort. In a few weeks we will be headed into back country in the smokies. I know the bears are more afraid of us yada yada but the wife if worried about our bear bait I mean kids. So I ordered some bear spray and will carry a gun while out there. So here's what I got, I consolidated my personal guns down to 9mm and 38/357. I'd prefer to carry my own gun and not my dad's .45acp or .44mag. so I have Glocks and a 9mm 1911 then a couple Taurus 38s and uberti cattleman 2s in .357 that I'd be ok carrying and beating up. Given that info what gun and load would you carry? Again I get that we're more likely to get struck by lightning but if I can make my wife feel better I will.

Carry whichever one of those that you feel most confident with.

 

[rooster]

Buffalo bore hard cast in either caliber is capable of taking down a bear.

that said if you think a bear around the best bet is to get loud and throw out some “HEY BEAR”’s Black bears are skittish and don’t really attack people as a rule. Of course there is a chance to get near some Cubs but that’s the exception not the rule

 

[freekforge]

I've been through some areas out west with bear and mountain lions and if I remember right a .44 vaquero was carried. I was thinking 357 with the buffalo bore but was told to shy away from the bear killer loads in the ubertis. I wear my pack high and my waist belt is at or above my belly button so my beater belt fits good with it. The only reason I even considered the 9s is I have a buddy at work that carries buffalo bore 9mm in a g17 while goat hunting but he's an idiot so I'm not sure if it was actually recommended.

 

[freekforge]

I think I might pick up some under wood for the 357. It's not going to be a steady diet of bear loads probably only a cylinder full at the range then the unlikely event I'm mauled by a critter so I'd imagine it will be ok.

Side note anyone know how open carry is viewed in gsm park? If I remember right I can oc with my Indiana ltch in TN and NC. I have chest holster and belts for my beater guns I wouldn't be opposed to the chest carrying a gun through the park as long as I'm not getting called on non stop.

 

[phatgemi]

10MM with the right loads.........

 

[BigRed]

This year the family and I are planning on going on a few trips around the country all of the places have bears of some sort. In a few weeks we will be headed into back country in the smokies. I know the bears are more afraid of us yada yada but the wife if worried about our bear bait I mean kids. So I ordered some bear spray and will carry a gun while out there. So here's what I got, I consolidated my personal guns down to 9mm and 38/357. I'd prefer to carry my own gun and not my dad's .45acp or .44mag. so I have Glocks and a 9mm 1911 then a couple Taurus 38s and uberti cattleman 2s in .357 that I'd be ok carrying and beating up. Given that info what gun and load would you carry? Again I get that we're more likely to get struck by lightning but if I can make my wife feel better I will.

Given your self imposed restrictions, it looks like the Cattleman will see some daylight!


Enjoy the time there.....some beautiful country when you can get away from the packs of tourists.


Grab some Buffalo Bore if you can find it.

 

[freekforge]

I ordered some buffalo bore for the cattleman and also some plus p 9mm outdoorsman loads. The cattleman will be the main gun but when I'm carrying my boy on my back I don't want it on my chest or in an non retention belt holster so I'll probably carry a Glock in a safariland with the buffalo bore loads. When we go anywhere with brown bear I'm definitely carrying my dad's .44mag. and hopefully have some brenneke slugs in the 870.

Honestly I'm not all that worried but like I said my wife is convinced a bear will snatch the kids. Besides who doesn't like carrying cowboy guns in the woods?

 

[rooster]

I should add too that on my Colorado elk trip this last year the only times I was genuinely concerned about bears was two times.

once when I ended up walking up a draw that was sheer rock faces on both sides only 60 yards wide with bear scat everywhere. It was very clear that bears very nearby.

the other time when I was sitting for awhile and the woods went totally quite. Squirrels disappeared, birds stopped chirping it was dead silent. I should add that the woods seemed to not care about my presence and didn’t view me as a predator from how close the pine squirrels would get. I took that as a very clear sign that a real predator was in the area and moved out very loudly.

other than those two instances I wasnt concerned at about predators all walking close to a hundred miles off trail in a week. Keep your wits about you and enjoy the trails. The west is a beautiful place.

 

[ashby koss]

44mag>41mag/10mm>357mag>357sig>45acp

in that order. Regardless of platform or caliber go hot and heavy with special hard cast.

44and 357 in levers is nasty stuff. Which is a different tier discussion.

 

[Route 45]

Leave the cowboy gun at home. Six single action shots (maybe 5, can you carry 6 safely in an Uberti?) with crude sights vs 16+ rounds of hard cast 147 +P 9mm outdoorsman loads in a quick firing platform with your choice of high visibility sights? No contest. Buffalo Bore hard cast outdoorsman gives you plenty of penetration, and you'll be making the same size holes as that cowboy gun. Black bears aren't the Sherman tanks that some people think that they are.

Here's somebody who's been there and done that...only with a hell of a lot greater threat than your typical skittish black bear:

Age Verification - NRA

www.americanhunter.org

 

[Trevelayan]

This year the family and I are planning on going on a few trips around the country all of the places have bears of some sort. In a few weeks we will be headed into back country in the smokies. I know the bears are more afraid of us yada yada but the wife if worried about our bear bait I mean kids. So I ordered some bear spray and will carry a gun while out there. So here's what I got, I consolidated my personal guns down to 9mm and 38/357. I'd prefer to carry my own gun and not my dad's .45acp or .44mag. so I have Glocks and a 9mm 1911 then a couple Taurus 38s and uberti cattleman 2s in .357 that I'd be ok carrying and beating up. Given that info what gun and load would you carry? Again I get that we're more likely to get struck by lightning but if I can make my wife feel better I will.

For black bear any .45 with a 4-5" barrel and hard cast Underwood or Buffalo bore would be fine. A GP100 in 357 wouldn't be terrible either but most .45s beat it on capacity. In this situation ammo selection and capacity are probably most important rather than the caliber itself.

My woods gun is an M&P 45 with the 15 round mags and I dont feel undergunned with that anywhere east of the Mississippi

 

[freekforge]

Both guns will go with me even if the single action is only my go take a leak in the middle of the night gun since I can sling the holster and go. I ordered enough buffalo bore to equip a third world army and have no problem carrying a Glock with a full mag or two of the buffalo bores. I have some .44s coming for later trips.

 

[Thor]

All my bear hunting was done with .30-06 180 grain bullets which worked. Today I'd go with .45-70 all day. Pistols against bruin are last ditch efforts IMHO.

 

[teddy12b]

Whatever firearm you settle on, I'd recommend using a hard-cast bullet. Buffalo Bore and Underwood Ammo are two potential sources for "factory" hard-cast loads. Based on what you have to choose from, I'd lean towards the .357.

Underwood .357 hard cast

The objective, when shooting a bear, is to get deep penetration. They are big animals (compared to a human in cross-section) with thick hide and lots of tissue/hard bone, so a hollow point is typically not very effective. Also, when it comes time to potentially shoot one they will likely be facing you (not quartering), which necessitates deep penetration to get to the vitals.

The final point I'll make is, give serious consideration on where you'll carry the firearm. You need it to be immediately accessible. When I hike/camp in bear territory, I carry in a chest rig so that my backpack belt doesn't get in the way. I use either a Kenai Chest Holster for open carry or a Hill People Gear pouch for concealed.

p.s. Be aware of mountain cats. Small kids/pets are more likely to be pursued by a cat than a bear. Keep your camp tidy and store food/smelly items away from where you sleep. Also, don't cook near your tent.

This comment is the best advice you've gotten so far and I was about to type something very similar.

Personally, I've been on several black bear hunts in Ontario, and one in Maine. I've seen several grizzly's while backpacking in Alaska. All of them were skittish, and all of them could have torn me to shreds if they'd have wanted to, and I'm thankful they didn't.

I have a hill people gear chest pouch because it looks like some type of backpacking gear, not some tactical weapon carrier. If you're trying to stay grey man that's the ticket, but you'd better practice ripping that thing open and drawing from it because it won't be as quick as the Kenai gunfighter chest holster type under any condition. You'll likely also want a kydex trigger guard that you secure in the pouch that's specific to your gun to help keep it from bouncing around. Also, go on a few mile hike with it so you get used to the feeling of a couple pounds on your chest, it'll effect your breathing for sure.

While at a gun store in Anchorage killing some time with my buddy we asked the guy behind the counter what locals are using. From what the guy behind the counter said just about everyone up there is turning in their 44mag wheel guns for glock 10mm's. This is where you turn your dilemma into an opportunity. Talk with your wife about this specific need and how it's easier to handle, holds more rounds, for the family, to protect the kids, and she could use it too. Might as well try to get a new gun out of making her happy right? (you did ask this on a gun forum)

If you don't want to drop coin on a new gun, definitely go with the hard cast rounds in whatever you've already got and paid for. Just make sure you actually shoot a few first so you know it cycles and you know what to expect out of them. You're in for a ride, those rounds are meant to break bear bones.

 

[Pepi]

Smith & Wesson Model 500​

 

[freekforge]

All my bear hunting was done with .30-06 180 grain bullets which worked. Today I'd go with .45-70 all day. Pistols against bruin are last ditch efforts IMHO.

This isn't a hunt just having the family out in the woods so the handguns are last ditch. If the critters aren't scared off by our super hyper kids and us talking and making ourselves look big and the bear spray and all the other right things to do then the hand gun is the last option. I'm doing the same thing with the car I'll be taking, checked the fluids and belts and chains, new tires at recommended psi have my mechanic dad double check,then I still have a breakdown kit and trauma kit in case all that goes wrong and I break down or run off the road. I have alot of money and thought wrapped up in the emergency kits but they are just a last ditch.