What Type of Firearm Would YOU Carry for Grizzly?

[donaldcc]

 

 I am sure most of you have heard about the grizzly attack in Yellowstone a few days ago.  I am heading there in a few weeks. 

Females range in size from 330 lb up to 770 lb.  This one had two cubs and the couple apparently came into meadow with them about 100 yds away so ample time to remove carried firearm.  Yellowstone allows carry but prohibited from firing.  ??? ???

  What do you that carry a firearm think you would like to be packing in this situation??
 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/08/us-grizzly-yellowstone-idUSTRE7670UN20110708

[RoadKill]

   Hand held CANNON !
http://www.chuckhawks.com/magnum_research_BFR.htm

[Serk]

A back country bear gun, IMHO, the ultimate would be a S&W 500 with the 4" barrel...

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_764948_-1_757771_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Double action, so you don't hafta worry about single action cocking of the BFR in a high adrenalin situation, and not the full length version so you don't have a huge cannon to lug around everywhere (Well, it's STILL a huge cannon, but at least a little smaller then the regular length ones)

special smith & wesson 500 4 inch	powered by Aeva

[RoadKill]

44 mag in a light frame is about all the recoil I can be consistent with...and that's pushing it for me. I have a friend shooting BFR in 45/70 govt and I wont even bother shooting that thing...i'm skeered  

I think Serk has the right Idea. That's the best chance you'd have...

 

[tank_post142]

when i'm traipsing around the great white north, my best friend of choice is my S&W 629 6" BBL, .44 mag in SS steel. big, but i trust it!

[rodeo1]

I LUV MY MARLIN 45-70 GUIDE GUN

[Jess from VA]

If traveling with others, just make sure to take off your riding boots and put on running shoes before you walk around.  A human cannot outrun a bear... but you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your buddy(s).  

A four inch .44 mag with heavy bullets would be minimum.  A big can of bear spray may also be a good idea.

http://www.amazon.com/Guard-Alaska-Bear-Pepper-Spray/dp/B002NWY3LK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1310152516&sr=8-5

[Highbinder]

Several years ago, when I was spending alot of time out in the woods, I asked myself the same question.....after going thru many hunting and gun mag's I came across a survey done with game wardens from Alaska asking the same question...the most popular sidearm was the .45 long colt, reason being...heavy grain bullet, slow moving and great knock down power...they said they not only wanted to kill the bear but wanted to knock it backwards...anytime I'm in the woods since then, I've carried a .45 long colt with a 6" barrel, easy to shoot and not too heavy....300 grain bullet hollow point.

[Hoser]

My carry gun is a 5 shot .357 with a 3 inch barrel.  Now if I was hunting for bear I'd have a 30:06 rifle.  Otherwise my magnum would have to do.    Hoser

[designer]

44 mag desert eagle til I can get to my .35 Remington.  But truthfully I don't think I'll ever have that problem.

[MacDragon]

.50 Cal Desert Eagle.  7 rounds of pure power,... 6" barrel.  designed in the U.S. in, I think, 1983... by Magnum Research... but primarily manufactured in Israel for the Israeli Military.  Manufactured here in the states (Saco, Ma.) for a short time in the 90s by Saco Defense until General Dynamics took it over... A great gun with a ton of power.  As long as you hit it... a bear wouldn't have a chance.

[Sludge]

A pistol is only for fighting your way back to the rifle you shouldn't have left.

As for myself.   Were I in bear country, I would carry a good large caliber rifle with a reflex sight and semiautomatic.  Something like a AR10 with a 20 round mag etc.  Maybe a semi auto shotgun with slugs.

[Serk]

I know we're talking purely academic here, but I really wouldn't use a Desert Eagle... The 500 is FAR more powerful than the 50 AE, but more importantly, the Desert Eagles, while they're incredibly fun, are very finicky guns... I've got one (Albeit only in the lowly .44 Magnum), and have shot several, and all the planets have to be in perfect alignment for it to function properly and reliably...

(And they weren't designed for the Israeli military, no military or police force actually uses them outside of Hollywood...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Desert_Eagle

[designer]

I know we're talking purely academic here, but I really wouldn't use a Desert Eagle... The 500 is FAR more powerful than the 50 AE, but more importantly, the Desert Eagles, while they're incredibly fun, are very finicky guns... I've got one (Albeit only in the lowly .44 Magnum), and have shot several, and all the planets have to be in perfect alignment for it to function properly and reliably...

(And they weren't designed for the Israeli military, no military or police force actually uses them outside of Hollywood...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Desert_Eagle

Wow, mine will chew up any ammo and has never failed to shoot.  The hotter the load the better.  Got my eagle back in '87.  Would bet my life on it.  Not a real practical carry gun...lol.

[Chrisj CMA]

THIS will do the job

S&W 500 with 6.5" barrel and at least a 400grain bullet

[designer]

THIS will do the job

S&W 500 with 6.5" barrel and at least a 400grain bullet

Sweet, you can never have too much firepower!

[X Ring]

THIS will do the job

S&W 500 with 6.5" barrel and at least a 400grain bullet

My choice.  When I was stationed in AK, the Air Force issued S&W 29s to the Para Rescuemen doing SAR.

Marty

[Chrisj CMA]

THIS will do the job

S&W 500 with 6.5" barrel and at least a 400grain bullet

My choice.  When I was stationed in AK, the Air Force issued S&W 29s to the Para Rescuemen doing SAR.

Marty

That was when the 44 was king........the 50 is what I would take now unless they come out with a 60   ( I do remember the PJ's geting them boomers too) I must say, makes me wish I did a tour in AK....riding the hoist down with a 44mag strapped on sounds pretty cool

[doubletee]

 

[donaldcc]

After reading these posts and the excellent suggestions I will rethink taking my first gun with me to Yellowstone.  Might need a bit more firepower and it takes too much time cocking it between shots.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My 14 shot, SS, Para 1911 with stout loads. Probably with every other round a FMJ for good penetration though through the skull.

However, I think "bear spray" has a better record for stopping/preventing attacks than firearms do so I'd carry it as my primary defense and a handgun as secondarily defense.

Although I have to admit, last year when riding through Yellowstone 2 weeks after the fatality at the nearby campground all I was carrying was my .380. Figured if I shoved my hand into his mouth before I pulled the trigger it would work.

Truly, the scary animals there in my opinion are the buffalo. Had a grizzly cross the road within 50 yards of us and it was cool to see. Had a buffalo nearly cross the road over me and... looking back on it, it was cool. At the time, I didn't care for it much.

They don't look like the farm raised buffalo we have here. They look like giant, shaggy pitbulls with horns and a bad attitude.

[Chrisj CMA]

A back country bear gun, IMHO, the ultimate would be a S&W 500 with the 4" barrel...

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_764948_-1_757771_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Double action, so you don't hafta worry about single action cocking of the BFR in a high adrenalin situation, and not the full length version so you don't have a huge cannon to lug around everywhere (Well, it's STILL a huge cannon, but at least a little smaller then the regular length ones)

special smith & wesson 500 4 inch

That wooden handle looks PUNISHING........the recoil absorbing rubber grip that comes with these things is really hard to beat

[RoadKill]

.50 Cal Desert Eagle.  7 rounds of pure power,... 6" barrel.  designed in the U.S. in, I think, 1983... by Magnum Research... but primarily manufactured in Israel for the Israeli Military.  Manufactured here in the states (Saco, Ma.) for a short time in the 90s by Saco Defense until General Dynamics took it over... A great gun with a ton of power.  As long as you hit it... a bear wouldn't have a chance.

.50 AE has better ballistics than a .22 I guess...Dont get me wrong, I have a tiny..Uh...FEET too, but I just drive a big truck to compensate and leave my guns out of it !   

[Bonzo]

Real big can of Bear Pepper Spray with a 12 gauge, 3 inch magnum, Breneke slugs for a back up.

[The Anvil]

Wow, mine will chew up any ammo and has never failed to shoot.  The hotter the load the better.

Because it's gas-op. I've seen them fail to function properly with some loads. And because it's gas-op it's also important to keep em clean.

[bscrive]

Man, you guys are scaring me.  Remind me to talk nice to you all.

[BigAl]

12 gauge with 3" shells and with rifled slugs in them.

And some BBQ Sauce for later if I actually live through it.

AL

[Stanley Steamer]

12 gauge with 3" shells and with rifled slugs in them.

And some BBQ Sauce for later if I actually live through it.

AL

Here you go Comrad Al......

AA-12 Fully Automatic Shotgun!!!	powered by Aeva

[BigAl]

Give me a pump anytime for close work, an auto could jam.

A double barrel is next for me.

But they look interesting.

 The Mil Spec Autos are very good as well.

[The Anvil]

I've got a buddy with a Saiga-12 (12ga semi auto based on the AK action). Cool gun.

[RoadKill]

The AA12 is a little harder to obtain than other Bear Sprays. 

And it is better suited for ZOMBIES than large bear IMHO   

[BigAl]

Bear Spray why did I not think of that first.

How is that used?

I am thinking spraying it on your armpits is not the preferred method.

Bear Spray, it probably works, but who wants to take that chance.

AL

[Stanley Steamer]

Bear Spray why did I not think of that first.

How is that used?

I am thinking spraying it on your armpits is not the preferred method.

Bear Spray, it probably works, but who wants to take that chance.

AL

I would think that "Eau de Al" would be PLENTY strong enough to scare away any wild animal....

[Valker]

I'd take a .22! Just put one round in another hiker's foot and take off.

[Stanley Steamer]

I'd take a .22! Just put one round in another hiker's foot and take off.

 

[The Anvil]

I'd take a .22! Just put one round in another hiker's foot and take off.

THAT is funny. 

To survive a bear attach you don't have to be the fastest person in your group, just the second slowest.

[RoadKill]

Bear Spray why did I not think of that first.

How is that used?

I am thinking spraying it on your armpits is not the preferred method.

Bear Spray, it probably works, but who wants to take that chance.

AL

The best ones are lead based....the type of applicator can vary  

[musclehead]

12 gauge with 3" shells and with rifled slugs in them.

And some BBQ Sauce for later if I actually live through it.

AL

my mossberg maverick, pistol grip, pump action, five rounds 3 slugs 2 00buck.
just have to be disciplined enough to let it get close for effective fire

[Jess from VA]

These are more effective than firearms or spray.  Little heavy to carry, and you have to draw straws to see who gets to be the bait.

[Clark]

BIG CAN A SPRAY, 12 GAUGE W SLUGS.. HOW COME NOBODY MENTIONED A 10MM SEMI AUTO WITH A HIGH CAP MAG??