Can we all agree that a double-action revolver is best for bear defense?

[Idaho45guy]

I'm talking about grizzly bears in Alaska and Montana.
Nearly all of the bear attacks I have read about involve a sudden attack in thick cover and the bear making contact.
Nearly all encounters result in the victims getting off only a couple of shots.
These are sudden and terrifying encounters.
Therefore, a large frame double action revolver with a shorter barrel and maximum power is ideal.
My bear sidearm is a Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt with a 5.5" barrel.
Not ideal. Having to thumb the hammer is a detriment and lying on your back with a bear on you and you trying to shove a gun into it's vitals is no place to try and also get the hammer cocked.

My other woods gun is Glock G29 10mm. Under powered for grizzly and will not fire with the muzzle shoved into the side of a bear's head.

So it seems obvious to me that double action revolver in .454 Casull with a 4" barrel is the ideal SIDEARM for a "typical" grizzly attack.

Why don't I have one? Because I rarely ever go far enough East in the Idaho woods to encounter a grizzly and my Glock loaded with 15 rounds of 200gr hardcast boolits are adequate for the wolves and cougars and smallish black bears that I run across.

But for folks that regularly hike and fish in grizzly country, in lieu of a long gun in .45-70 or 12ga, then the double action revolver makes the most sense.

[Idaho45guy]

And just posted this because it is that time of the year for the bear threads to start, lol.

Now for smaller bears in other parts of the country, there are a number of calibers and actions that can be debated endlessly.

[RED BEAR]

I really wouldn't like to have to deal with a bear with a hand gun. And last year i would have agreed whole heartedly. But in past year i have bought 2 new revolvers that had to be returned because they failed to fire when trigger was pulled. Also bought 3 used that seemed to work perfectly until they were loaded. I used to think you couldn't go wrong with a revolver but this past year taught me different. I bought revolvers because they always go bang or so i thought.

[Idaho45guy]

Attachment 240145

[jmort]

I doubt there is anything we can all agree on.
The .454 Ruger Alaskan has been put to a real life test and did the job.

[Walks]

Nope,

870, Carbine carry. 3" 000 buck, 3" Brenneke slug.

Single Action Revolver is no problem for me. I grew up with one. Had a Casull 7 1/2" for years.
Shot Dualist in Cowboy Action for 15+years.

I KNOW how fast I can shoot a Single Action one handed, even a Casull. A double action, not so well.

[Conditor22]

50 AE is also proven, my friend is alive because of one - stopped a charging griz

[bob208]

I would take a sa . less moving parts less to break.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Single action man here, but there was a video out a while ago that shows a wildlife agent releasing a bear from a cage. That bear came out of that cage and turned around and was on that game agent so fast it was unbelievable. As I recall the video asked the question: Would you rather have a Single Action or a double action.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Google the video “First I Heard a Twig Snap.”

A man with a snub by .460 said he wasn’t out far way from residences. It was a desperate draw and fire, lucky shot that saved his life. He said the adrenaline dump was such that he couldn’t sleep that night.

[Petrol & Powder]

IF you are going to relegate yourself to a handgun, then YES, a big bore DA revolver is likely the best tool.

I think a short barreled pump action 12 ga. shotgun with slugs would be a better tool but you would need to carry that thing with a round in the chamber and rely on the safety, which I wouldn't like. An empty chamber would be a safer mode but you then need both hands to deploy it.

I don't think trying cock the hammer on a SA under extreme stress, possibly one-handed, is the best solution but it would be better than nothing. As for the reliability of a DA revolver, it just doesn't get much better than a DA revolver.

[RJM52]

Although I like a DA for outdoor carry there are a growing number of Alaskans who have been going to the Glock 20 in 10mm with heavy HC bullets...had one, and a 29, hated both of them and they went down the road.

To me what ever someone shoots best is what is best for them...


Bob

[gwpercle]

I'm taking a 12 gauge pump .

[onelight]

Did you really think we could all agree on anything....

[smkummer]

I think a 1911 in 45 or 10mm pumping up to 8-10 slugs into any bear would take the fight out of the meanest bear. Not to take anything away from a slick DA revolver but easy to keep pulling a trigger on a semi.

[Drm50]

I'm going with big bore DA but just like CCW if I was in area of high probability of contact it would be a pump 12g carried in hand. I've never had experience with big bears but the people that do carry pumps with slugs.
I would have thought big bore rifle but those guys deal with them all the time and pick shotgun. I once had a bull moose stand up 15' from me in thick brush while black bear hunting in Ontario. I was moving very slow and as big as it was I didn't see it till it stood up. I've herd of guys walking up on bear this way. Besides the short distance being in thick stuff don't help. I was carrying a rifle but if moose had been ornery I'm not sure what the outcome would have been.

[M-Tecs]

Some actual stats here:

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/def...#axzz5lg8n7VNb

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/03/out...#axzz5lgY3m2vJ

Based the actual cases above a 10MM Mag with a 15 round plus mag capacity would be near the top of the list if not at the top.

[DougGuy]

I think a 1911 in 45 or 10mm pumping up to 8-10 slugs into any bear would take the fight out of the meanest bear. Not to take anything away from a slick DA revolver but easy to keep pulling a trigger on a semi.

1911 = not enough terminal energy in warm loads. Good enough for medium sized bear, but not nearly enough gun for a really big bear. 10mm = fairly decent penetration with heavy for caliber hard cast. 460 Rowland in the 1911 much more energy and penetration.

When it comes to kinetic energy and penetration, the big bore revolver will always deliver a LOT more than an autoloader will. 450 BM or the 50 Beowulf in an AR would be pretty devastating, but slugs in a 12ga is likely the most practical choice you could make, very high energy dumped into the bear and you can get slugs anywhere, 460R, 450BM, 50Beo not so plentiful.

[Winger Ed.]

Years ago, somebody- (I want to say Smith & Wesson but that may not be right,)
used the bear threat as part of the advertising for their .44Mag.

[rfd]

roaming around in bear country, why take chances? shotgun Shotgun SHOTGUN ... and a ruger alaskan for serious close quarters mayhem.