Home› Main Category› General Firearms
bfunk
MemberPosts: 113 Member
I need heavy duty magnum handgun suggestions.
bfunk
MemberPosts: 113 Member
I live in Yellowstone country, and my wife and I are avid hikers and campers. I case you didn't hear, another hiker was killed by a bear in Yellowstone last week. I've been lucky, and all the bear encounters I've had in the mountains around Yellowstone have been just fine. Both my wife and I carry bear spray, and we know how to use it. However, with all the encounters lately going pretty bad my wife is kind of freaking out, she's on the verge of not wanting to get out to the places we usually go let alone any new places that have been know to be home to bears.
She is starting to really get on board with me getting a large mountain type handgun to supplement the bear spray. My largest handgun currently is a 9mm. It seems that the prescribed bear medicine around here is either shotguns with slugs, larger centerfire rifles or a handgun .44 magnum and up. Now backpacking with a shotgun or a rifle are out of the question for me, so I'm into this for a big handgun.
The .44 magnum seems to be the popular choice in the handgun option. Now I'm not one to spend my money poorly, I don't want to throw it away on a handgun that is poorly built, shoots poorly, and could be unreliable. That said, I also don't want to spend a bunch more on features and finishes that are unnecessary.
I'm thinking a 4 inch blued or stainless workhorse type revolver with either wood or rubber grips, but probably rubber. I think I would still like adjustable sights, but this isn't a deal breaker. I want a gun that can be shot regularly, not something that could wear out with frequent practice.
I don't know much about these types of guns, can anyone suggest some models that I should look at? I'm not totally opposed to looking at used guns, I'd lean towards new, but I would buy used for the right gun.
Thanks so much,
Brian
She is starting to really get on board with me getting a large mountain type handgun to supplement the bear spray. My largest handgun currently is a 9mm. It seems that the prescribed bear medicine around here is either shotguns with slugs, larger centerfire rifles or a handgun .44 magnum and up. Now backpacking with a shotgun or a rifle are out of the question for me, so I'm into this for a big handgun.
The .44 magnum seems to be the popular choice in the handgun option. Now I'm not one to spend my money poorly, I don't want to throw it away on a handgun that is poorly built, shoots poorly, and could be unreliable. That said, I also don't want to spend a bunch more on features and finishes that are unnecessary.
I'm thinking a 4 inch blued or stainless workhorse type revolver with either wood or rubber grips, but probably rubber. I think I would still like adjustable sights, but this isn't a deal breaker. I want a gun that can be shot regularly, not something that could wear out with frequent practice.
I don't know much about these types of guns, can anyone suggest some models that I should look at? I'm not totally opposed to looking at used guns, I'd lean towards new, but I would buy used for the right gun.
Thanks so much,
Brian
Replies
and the Glock 20 in 10mm is another outstanding choice too.
If you consider the amount of accurate firepower you can lay down with a Glock 20 and several magazines.
There are accounts of Park Rangers killing bears with a 9mm after all, Dan Johnson told of one such case.
Example
http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=114
If it was Black bears then I would be content with smaller cartridges-Well not really, but you know what I mean.
Next when you buy this you need to be able to practice with it under duress and learn how to shooting intentionally, even while moving or at moving targets.
I don't know what your handgun experience/skill level is, but whatever it is, I would want to increase even more.
The big bore revolvers are known for helping shooter's develop bad shooting habits.
Do you reload?
"The Un-Tactical"
Start at 44 Mag and go UP from there, not down. If you are really worried about weight, S&W does offer some Airweight series in 44 mag and 45 Colt. Be warned, those are PACKING guns, NOT plinking guns. No one wants to put any more rounds then absolutely necessary down a 20 some odd ounce 44 magnum. Practice and become familiar with 44spl, get used to the gun as much as you can but don't shoot one of these excessively, but almost forget you are carrying it they're so light
Ruger Alaskan is a great choice, and its available in several calibers.
If it were me, and it was the only protection I was carrying, and I'm protecting the lives of me and my wife.....I'm packing a the S&W 460 X-Frame short barrel. You can fire 45 Colt, 454 Casull or 460 S&W through it, making it easier on the wallet (kind of) to shoot. It'll also be much more comfortable to work up to the super magnum level of recoil and blast. Start out with 45 Colt and then go from there.
Obviously, one cannot mention the ultimate bear medicine in a hiking gun without mentioning the king of the hill, also in the X-Frame....the 500 S&W Magnum. Its one of the most powerful handgun cartridges in the world. You can launch anywhere from a 250-800gr bullets, in hard cast, FMJ, hollow points, hunting tips, any bullet you want. Its pricey to shoot, but just like those airweights, its for carrying and hoping never to use it, then popping soda cans all day. Some 500gr Garret hard casts would make SHORT work of a grizzly bears attitude adjustment when properly applied. And if all 5 shots don't do it, well, you can beat the crap out of the bear with the like 5lbs steel gun lol
There are 4'' Redhawks on Gunbroker in .45Colt.... They can be loaded as hot as the .44 mag, but I don't know about factory loads..... Redhawks aren't as strong as the Super, but you don't need to feed it a steady diet of the hot stuff and you'll save a little weight....
Nice heft and balance to it too.
My mistake, 7 inch barrel
http://www.gunsamerica.com/971551807/Guns/Pistols/Ruger-Double-Action-Revolver/Redhawk-Type/RUGER_REDHAWK_44MAG_7_BARREL.htm
Here is another one listed as a 7 1/2 inch barrel
http://www.gunsamerica.com/961545107/Guns/Pistols/Ruger-Double-Action-Revolver/Redhawk-Type/RUGER_NEW_MODEL_REDHAWK_44MAG_7_5_STAINLESS_NEW_KRH_4.htm
It's not a plinker, or even a moderate-range hunting arm, it's only got one purpose - - - - -it's a "get off me" gun for something very large that bites! Beyond 15 yards or so, it won't be accurate enough to do much good, but it will make enough big holes in a bear that will, hopefully, slow it down enough to let you do a quick reload and make some more holes. It's available in .44 Mag. or .454 Casull, and I think I'd go for the Casull. You can practice with .45 Colt and run just enough of the .454's through it to get accustomed to the kick and the muzzle blast- - - -which will be considerable.
Jerry
You would think at least a 6'', but 9.5''???
The only short barrel is the Alaskan and at 2.5'' it's too short.... I want all the velocity out of my ammo, and I get lucky enough to see the bear charging from 50 yards away, that's when I'm gonna start shooting!
I remember ready as a kid about African big game hunts, that if you are getting charged head on ( I think the story was about a lion) you need to aim a little low... Don't know how you would practice that...
I found out My reflexes were not too shabby when a Co-worker's Snapon impact driver was making its way to the concrete floor and I snatched it out of midair..... From a fair distance away too...
It has enough barrel to take advantage of a .44's powder charge, but is not as awkward as the 7.5" version.
The cylinder is a little longer than that of a S&W, giving you room for heavier bullets.
In general, it's a very robust handgun - you'll break before it does.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Here lies the rub. All the hand cannons people are recommending are good choices but present a sizable chunk of weight to carry around. The S&W mountain gun is a solution except they are rare and pricey. (about twice the price of a used redhawk) If you decide on .44mag, I would opt for a used redhawk and if you want to go bigger the 460 is hard to argue. The SRH in 454 casull might be a little cheaper to aquire and there are always lots of used SRH's in 454casull on Gunbroker. A guy on another forum that I read did a writeup on buying a SRH in 454 and getting the barrel cut down to the length of an Alaskan. It was cheaper than buying an Alaskan.
This may not work for you, but it is the direction I would head.
Yes, it is a single action, but it is reliable, accurate, and you can run it hard.
With this in mind I would also consider going up in caliber, if I could maintain accuracy/form.
Costly? Yes
Would I be willing to buy used? Most definitely.
"The Un-Tactical"
Not bad at all if in a decent holster. Which ever you decide on, 44mag
or something in the x-frame calibers
"Practice", is the key to using a large caliber handgun effectively. A second thought is a compensator. For hunting I wouldn't recommend it because of the excessive noise but would recommend it for bear self defense. I would prefer control and manageable recoil, than worrying about extra noise, when my life is on the line.
“When guns are outlawed, only patriots will have guns.”
Interestingly, the standard S&W 629, with 4" barrel lists at the identical MSRP as the standard (non-Super) Redhawks. And if you pay MSRP, I'll have to tell you you've been taken, and badly, by your dealer. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_764949_-1_757767_757751_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y
If you're going to practice a bit, and not simply rely on it as "bear medicine" only to be unholstered in the event of a charging b'ar, a Super Blackhawk single action might be the ticket - 4 3/4" barrel for decent .44 Mag velocity as opposed to the 2 1/2" Ruger Alaskan, stainless steel, and a couple of Benjamins cheaper than the Redhawk/M29. In fact, the MSRP (the best reference from the makers on-line) is only slightly more for S/S than blued, so for your purposes I'd definitely get the stainless. http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkStandard/specSheets/0814.html
Upside is a slightly lighter hand cannon, rugged mechanism, adjustable sights; downside is the need to cock between shots which may or may not be an issue for you, but I would seriously have to weigh this if I were in your shoes, there's something to be said for a simple trigger pull with a bit of weight under stress, instead of having to thumb the hammer, even with the support hand, between each shot. If Br'er Bear decides to get up-close and personal, he's getting repeat shots from me, and Murphy being the constanct companion he is I'd rather not run the risk of dropping my defense equipment in the middle of a hasty hammer cock.
And as far as MSPR goes, like cars - DON'T assume you'll be paying this at the dealer - prices vary by region but I have NEVER seen a gun tag in the store with MSRP as anything but reference. Your price should be noticably less, and don't be afraid to by used, especially Ruger. If anything crops up as a problem with a Ruger, send it to 'em and let them work their magic. No warranty as such, but a fantastic factory policy of making sure their guns and customers are taken care of.
The G20 recoil spring can be beefed up to handle heavy grain 200 gr. (plus) loads, and an after-market barrel with conventional rifling can be purchased for a little over a hundred dollars, allowing you to buy the heavily charged 200+ grain hardcasts from Doubletap.
This modification will get you fairly close to .44 magnum power, plus you have 15+1 rounds. I have not fired these hot rounds through my own 10mm, but the 180 grain ammo is fairly pleasant to shoot, and a little practice makes the possibilty of accurate and rapid fire a more reasonable expectation. Personally, I think I would be happier with this setup than a big heavy six-shooter. I have toted the 10mm around in the woods quite a bit, and it was not that burdensome.
The G20 was designed specifically to shoot the 10mm round - not modified from a smaller chambering - so I'm thinking it would handle those loads pretty well. Bigslug could better advise you on that.
http://www.ruger.com/products/redhawk/specSheets/5026.html
Keep it loaded with heavy hardcast loads, pack a few speedloaders of .44Spl ammo for small game/ plinking, and have a few snake shot loads handy. Who gives a rats behind if it's heavy. We all need more exercise anyway.
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
Glock G20:
Arredondo 6 round magazine extension:
Lone Wolf barrel extended / threaded, 6.61 inches:
Buffalo Bore hardcast 220 grain 10mm at 1300 ft per second = 825 FPE:
Wolff Gun Springs combo guide rod and spring 22 or 24 lbs:
REMOVE SKU QTY DESCRIPTION UNIT ($) TOTAL ($)
[ X ] 50122 GLOCK 20,21 RECOIL GUIDE ROD & SPRING COMB 22Lb 29.95 29.95
And I forgot, for fun you can add a ported screw on compensator:
And a Serpa OWB Holster:
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Just sayin.....
IMHO the problem with that is your only likely to get the one or two shots
Any hand launched projectile isn't going to get enough penetration for my liking. You are going to have to go thru that skull to hit anything that will slow him down..
:fan::fan::fan:
Jerry
Before I would make that choice I guess I would want to see actual experiences of those who have killed a grizzly with a 10mm.
Were they hunting or were they stopping a bear that wanted to kill them?
"The Un-Tactical"
Your OK to carry in the Parks. I was carrying while in Yellowstone, Jun 2010, and I talked to 3 Rangers and I was never botherd because of it.
- Richard Henry Lee
- George Orwell