Here are my options.

[robertbank]

I have finally decided that this fall and next summer is going to be devoted to chasing down a couple of gold creeks in a days vicinity of Terrace. That means a Free Miners License and a Carry Permit for a revolver. I have a Ruger GP-100 & a 686 Smith both are great loaded with 200 gr Hard Cast Lead bullets at the end of a .357 case BUT the cartridge is a bit light for local Brown Bears that wander in our woods. For Blacks and Cats no worries but Mr. Griz is a different matter.

I have narrowed the cartridge down to the 44 Magnum. It is the heaviest cartridge I know I can shoot relatively fast and accurate. I look to those like Al and other who are familiar with cartridge and the 629 Smith. I have ruled out the 47 oz 4.2" Ruger Redhawk at this point as they are a heavier than the Smiths I am looking at.

I have narrowed the gun of choice, subject to comments on this thread to the Model 629 in either 4.2" or 5" configuration. I will likely cast the 250 gr Lyman 429421 bullet hard. The gun must be carried Open Carry and I intend to use a Simply Rugged Chest rig. If I decide to do two day camps a Mossberg 500 12 gauge loaded with slugs will do camop duty.

My question relates the choice between the 4.2" or 5" barreled guns. I have a lead on a slightly used 5" 629 Classic for $600US or a new Canadian Edition 4.2" at $980US. The 4.2" might be a bit faster out of the holster and a wee bit handier at close range We are talking 7 to 10 yard shooting here or less. I do practice point shooting.

Comments on loads, the guns recoil management, choice etc are solicited.

Take Care

Bob
105MM/4.2" barreled guns are the smallest allowed up here.

[Fishman]

For the price difference and the fact that you are using a chest rig, the used 5” sounds like a winner to me, as long as it checks out. I don’t think .8” of barrel will be that much of a plus or minus either way.

Of course, I am in Texas, so my side arms protect me from armadillos and the remote possibility of a mountain lion. But I have an opinion

[knifemaker]

I would grab the 5" 629 and save $380.00. The difference in barrel length is 8 tenths and will not make any noticeable difference in velocity or draw speed. recoil management should be so close you will not feel the difference. Another thing I would look at is changing the grips to a soft rubber Pachmayr grips for better recoil management and non slip grip if your hands are wet from working in a stream bed.
The 250 gr. cast should be fine loaded with a max load of 296 or 2400 powder. Then practice getting off 2-3 shots into a 6 inch diameter target as fast as you can shoot with that accuracy.

I carried am S&W model 57, 4 inch barrel for years as a patrol deputy with hot 210 gr. factory HP ammo. Switching over to the pachmayr grips gave me superb control on fast double action shooting over the S&W factory wood grips.

[TCLouis]

Not to go tofar off topic, . . .
BUT
One can carry a pistol if "mining" in Canada?

Go with the 5" saves a bunch of money to buy practice components!
See how the 300 works for ya too in the 629s cylinder as well as recoil.

[robertbank]

TCLouis carry Wilderness Permits are allowed for occupational protection. Geoligists, miners, trappers, Bush Pilots etc can apply for permits to Open Carry a handgun in specified areas for personal protection. There is a proficiency exam and I am told now you are limited to revolvers.

Take Care

Bob

[GL49]

May I suggest the Hogue finger-groove grips rather than Pachmayr? I put a set of Pachmayr on my 6" model 29, a cylinder full was enough for me. They hurt. I finished shooting that day after I put the factory wood grips back on. But, that was 25 years ago, and maybe Pachmayrs are different now.
I've got Hogues on my 44 mag Mountain gun, my 6" model 29, and my 686, they just fit my hand better. I think my favorite 44 magnum I own is now the 4" barreled mountain gun, it's easy to shoot, even with heavy loads, although it does prefer a 240gr. boolit over the 180gr and 300gr. I usually pack it in the woods with me, it's good for anything around here, and not uncomfortable to shoot when I can't stand to take a box of loaded ammo back home with me. Only sometimes do I wish the barrel was just a bit longer, but given your choice, I'd save the money and get the 5".

If it was me, I'd go with the 5" barrel and consider a 300gr boolit, cast hard and loaded as heavy as the load books allow, and Hogue grips. Even with a heavy 300gr. in my Mountain gun, recoil isn't bothersome. I stayed with 240gr, it's more accurate if I choose to pop a digger squirrel off the top of a stump. No Grizz around here. Now if I was worried about bears, the 300gr I shoot in my SRH would be in the cylinder, and that pesky squirrel may live to see another day.

Do I think your 250's will be fine? Sure. But I'd just feel better with 300's, no real experience to back that up.

[Tom W.]

7 to 10 yards? I do hope you're quick.... bears are.

[nicholst55]

I think I'd carry a revolver that I already owned, and a 12 gauge pump gun loaded with slugs for bears. A 3-point sling on an 18" barrel shotgun would make it reasonably handy, especially if you put a collapsible (telescoping) stock on it.

Professional bear guards are typically armed this way - and frequently omit the handgun. That should tell you something.

[am44mag]

I have finally decided that this fall and next summer is going to be devoted to chasing down a couple of gold creeks in a days vicinity of Terrace. That means a Free Miners License and a Carry Permit for a revolver. I have a Ruger GP-100 & a 686 Smith both are great loaded with 200 gr Hard Cast Lead bullets at the end of a .357 case BUT the cartridge is a bit light for local Brown Bears that wander in our woods. For Blacks and Cats no worries but Mr. Griz is a different matter.

I have narrowed the cartridge down to the 44 Magnum. It is the heaviest cartridge I know I can shoot relatively fast and accurate. I look to those like Al and other who are familiar with cartridge and the 629 Smith. I have ruled out the 47 oz 4.2" Ruger Redhawk at this point as they are a heavier than the Smiths I am looking at.

I have narrowed the gun of choice, subject to comments on this thread to the Model 629 in either 4.2" or 5" configuration. I will likely cast the 250 gr Lyman 429421 bullet hard. The gun must be carried Open Carry and I intend to use a Simply Rugged Chest rig. If I decide to do two day camps a Mossberg 500 12 gauge loaded with slugs will do camop duty.

My question relates the choice between the 4.2" or 5" barreled guns. I have a lead on a slightly used 5" 629 Classic for $600US or a new Canadian Edition 4.2" at $980US. The 4.2" might be a bit faster out of the holster and a wee bit handier at close range We are talking 7 to 10 yard shooting here or less. I do practice point shooting.

Comments on loads, the guns recoil management, choice etc are solicited.

Take Care

Bob
105MM/4.2" barreled guns are the smallest allowed up here.

I'm going to tell you right now that if you pass up on a 629 for $600, you need to go get your head checked out.

0.8" isn't really going to make a huge difference. Your bullet will be slightly faster and your sight radius will be slightly longer, but that's about it. Any speed advantages the 4.2" may have over the 5" will me minimal and is not worth an extra $380.

[Thumbcocker]

I have never shot at a bear or been in a situation where bears would be an issue. I have shot my share of .44 mags in various handguns. 5" barreled Smiths N frames balance very well for me. Grips make a huge difference in shootability in my experience. I usually go with Hogue neoprene grips on kicking guns. I would not be afraid to look at custom grips on a guns that might be called on to save my hide. Grips that when I grab the gun there will be no doubt that it is in my hand exactly where it needs to be and the sights will align without any movement. Also I would want the gun and my hand and arm to move as a unit. No slipping around in the hand. Double action shooting with full snort .44 mags will take a lot of practice especially for follow up shots. Please keep us posted on your progress.

[Bigslug]

I think the primary difference between a motivated griz shot in the cardiovascular system with a .357 and a motivated griz shot in the cardiovascular system with a .44 is that the .44-shot bear will only have time to kill you six times over before it expires, while the .357-shot bear might be able to linger long enough to kill you seven or eight times. Yes, the .44 is technically better in that it might allow you to be buried in a larger casket, but that casket being open for the service is probably out of the question.

Saving your bacon from a short range charge with a handgun is probably going to come down to getting a round through the nose or mouth into the brain housing unit, so I don't think caliber in that circumstance is as important as which gun will allow you to engage accurately in a hurry, and it's pretty hard to beat a duty-sized .357 for that. You also have to ponder whether you're more worried about the predators on two legs than those on four. Both a heavy solid .357 load or a light/medium solid .44 load will penetrate adequately. A heavy .44 in a light gun may require a few more fractions of a second to brace up for, and certainly is less likely to give you time for a second round. While you won't want a watered down .44 Special, I don't think the "cannon" loads are really going to be much of an aid for this

Regardless of caliber, I would choose a Ruger product over a Smith for this particular application for one simple reason - with the exception of the springs and the sights, the Ruger's guts are ENTIRELY stainless steel. A S&W's lockwork, depending on vintage, will be case-hardened carbon steel (with or without hard-chrome plating), or MIM carbon steel. I like S&W's product, but if frequent immersion in rivers or rain exposure is in the offing, I'd be less concerned about the Ruger quitting due to the innards having grown red moss.

[NSB]

Check out the SW model 69 L-frame with 5 shot 4" bbl. A lot lighter to carry all day and all the power of the 44mag at your disposal. Odd no one mentions it.

[Paul105]

The barrel on the M69 is 4.2" making it legal in Canada.

FWIW,

Paul