the Perfect Bear Gun...

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I was talking with a friend who likes to fly fish in the back country with his brother-in-law. He is concerned about bears and asked me for my opinion.

I told him to buy a Ruger 32acp autoloader.

He thought that was a bit light, so I explained. You and your B-i-L are out fishing, and a big bear comes after you. Probably a sow with cubs. I tell him to just kneecap the B-i-L he never liked anyway, and run like hell...

Is the 32 acp enough to do the job?

Rich

[JayinAZ]

I think it would perform adequately for that, but I don't think Ruger makes a .32, so he might have to overgun himself a bit and get the .380.

The other option is any large short barreled revolver with the front sight removed. That way when the bear takes it away from you and shoves it up your a--, it won't hurt so much. :)

[S.R.Custom]

Here in Idaho that goes to the long standing and time honored practice of selecting an overweight hunting/fishing buddy-- the heavier the better...

The subject of survival, evasion and escape from bears will come up in conversation, at which point you can say your plan is simply to run. "But you can't outrun a bear." To which you can reply, "No, but I don't have to. I just have to outrun you."

In other words, you DO NOT want to be the fattest man in deer camp.

[MT Gianni]

A lot might depend on whether he had on 3mm waders or 5mm neoprenes.

[Keyston44]

I can run faster in the "breathable" waders. Neoprenes slow me down.

Key

[DanWalker]

If money is an issue, similar results can be acheived with much less cash outlay.
Just fill a water balloon with fish oil and honey, and keep it handy.
When Yogi shows up, just hurl your stink grenade at your BIL and run.....

[Mk42gunner]

Okay, so here are six guys I don't want to go fishing with in bear country.......

Robert

[x101airborne]

I used to carry a 22 buckmark for the same reason. Never had to shoot my buddy, but did take a real nice bobcat at 20 yards with cci stingers.

[1Shirt]

Ah, am always amazed at the quality advice on this forum!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[Hickory]

All kidding aside;
The perfect bear gun is one
that kills the bear, every time!

[redneckdan]

All kidding aside;
The perfect bear gun is one
that kills the bear, every time!


In that case I would look for something with wheels and a pull cord.


I do a fair bit of back country fly fishing here in the UP. It's not the same as alaska but people who have lived in both places say there are a lot of similarities. Worst thing I have to contend with would be a blackie followed by wolves. I usually carry a 4" 629, mainly because it is stainless steel. Never had to fire a shot in self defense but it has come out of the holster a couple times.

I have read that shorty 12 gauge shotguns are pretty popular among fisherman in alaska. Tempo Jujitsu stated that they made several SBRs in .458 SOCOM for a guiding service in alaska. I guess ya pays yer money and takes yer pick.

Me, if If I knew for sure I had to deal with something large and toothy, I think one of those McCann Industries .458 win mag tanker garands would be rather handy.

[OnHoPr]

Tell the B-i-L that you forgot your creel and have him carry the fish. Then give him a pat on the back with a "Bite Me" sticker. That way you could keep fishin.

[376Steyr]

True story: We got a young guy in at work who embraced the outdoor lifestyle. One day he announced he was going fishing in Alaska, and asked me what handgun he should carry in case he was attacked by a bear. After a brief pause to evaluate what I knew of his handgunning abilities, I told him he should take a 4" barrelled 357 Magnum. He looked confused at this, and asked if that wouldn't be a little light for shooting a bear with. I laughed and told him "It isn't for the bear, it's for you when he get tired of the bear chewing on you." He got mad and stomped off. Later he did go fishing, and was not eaten by bears.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

you guys :twisted: just use a 22LR in the leg

[DanWalker]

We hunt and camp in bear country. Our hunting camp is located right by where they relocate the problem bears from Yellowstone. Interactions of some type with Grizzlies are almost a certainty, not just a possibility. G&F have no real idea how many bears are in this area. Their survey methods are flawed, to say the least.
That being said, we don't have many problems with bears. We give them a wide berth when we can. We keep a clean camp and keep all the food and other temptations locked away in bear proof containers. My friends literally grew up in the backcountry and have been here for 4 generations. When they talk about bears, it is wise to listen. They carry 44 mag blackhawks, loaded warm with SWC's. We also have a couple 870's in camp, loaded with alternating buckshot and slugs. At the ranges you would be justified in killing a bear in self defense, I can't think of anything that matches a 12 gauge for lethality, firepower and rapidity of shots.
It is sad to see how bad the bear situation has gotten. The IDIOTS that make these regs have no damned clue what they are doing. All it would take is the issuance of a handful of Grizzly tags and wolf tags each year, to get this problem under control. Maybe when someone famous or "important" gets mauled, we'll see some meaningful action on this problem. Until then, I guess we'll just keep our rugers under our pillows, 870's next to the cots, and a guide gun in the saddle scabbard.

[Frank V]

I agree about the 870. Up close they are pure poison.
Mine has a 20"bbl & rifle sights.
Frank