Which "Bear" gun?

[O-gre 7]

S&W 500 4" or Ruger Alaskan? I know you can't shoot many rounds but I have to try them! Anyone have either or fired either?

[AnthonyG 36]

Well I have the taurus raging judge which is the 6" barreled revolver that shoots .454 casull in addition to a bunch of other rounds. I can say with certainty that the ruger Alaskan will make your wrists cry. My revolver weighs about 7lbs and makes casull..... "acceptable" for having to shoot multiple rounds in short period of time.

[RecessedFilter 222]

A friend I know, who is a forum member on here, has a 500. It's got some ridiculously long barrel..I wanna say 8.5inches? It takes a little practice (not much, just a steady hand) and we ring steel fairly easily with it at 100yds. It's easy to shoot one handed. It's not as bad as I thought it would be to be honest. I can't tell you how much fun it is!

 

Edit: For the record, I'd get a 12ga for protection against bears, mountain lions, and large predators.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Couple of questions:

 

1. Are you contemplating bear protection or bear hunting?

2. If so are we talking NJ black bear, Alaskan grizzly, polar bear, or all of them?

3. Or do you just want a big bore blaster? (a perfectly acceptable reason)

[O-gre 7]

Couple of questions:

 

1. Are you contemplating bear protection or bear hunting?

2. If so are we talking NJ black bear, Alaskan grizzly, polar bear, or all of them?

3. Or do you just want a big bore blaster? (a perfectly acceptable reason)

Bingo on #3! Big guy looking for a big gun.

[coldsolderjoint 84]

Why not the 460? Plenty of power and you have 3 cartridge options instead of only 2

[O-gre 7]

Why not the 460? Plenty of power and you have 3 cartridge options instead of only 2

May just do both.

[GRIZ 3,369]

The 500 S&W has it for power but that's where its advantage ends. Factory ammo runs $2-3 a round. Expensive plinking. I realize that only about 5-10% (my guess) of the people that buy them actually have use for them but IMO there are a lot of other guns to look at that can be more versatile.

 

The Ruger Alaskan is one of them. You have the option of using 454 Casull to knock your fillings loose and 45LC for practice or even to press the gun into service as a SD gun for 2 legged vermin. Keep in mind that at about 3 lbs that Alaskan will give you more than twice as much felt recoil as Anthony's 7 lb Taurus. 99% of the targets you shoot with that Alaskan in 454 will swear they got hit with a 500 S&W.

 

Accuracy is usually limited by the shooter not the gun. I used to ring a metal IPSC target 5 out 5 times with a 2" 640 S&W at 100 yds to debunk the myth about such guns being only "belly guns".

 

FWIW I'd follow the suggestions of those who actually deal with bear in Alaska and carry a 12ga pump with slugs if I had to be in bear country. Ballistically a heavy 44 mag bullet will pentrate deeper but a slug gun would be more accurate and about as fast to put into action.

[Jon 264]

If you don't reload I would lean towards the 460, due to the ability to use so many different types of ammo. If you reload, go with the 500.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

If you're just plinking, you might want to look at the .50 AE Desert Eagle????????

[Parker 213]

If you plan to shoot a lot, at least get a heavier gun to dampen the recoil. If you're going to carry it in bear country, go as light as you can tolerate. Anything more than 3 1/2 lbs. tugging at your hip all day is an annoyance, although I suspect a shoulder holster would abate a lot of those issues. As for cartridge choice, I think the .44 Magnum is enough for a handgun. If I want something bigger I'd go to a rifle. JMHO

 

Jeff Quinn claims the Alaskan is "controllable," contrary to this photo.

 

 

 

Gunblast link on the Alaskan: http://www.gunblast....HAlaskan454.htm

[mcbethr 42]

I fired a S&W 500 once... once.

 

It was at an indoor range. One shot and I was done.

 

If you are going to buy it because of the cool factor, go ahead. You'll put 10 rounds through it every year and it *is* something different.

 

I think if you live on internet gun forums, Bear attacks are startlingly common. If you do a little research, they are exceptionally rare. And when they do happen, it seems like it's usually someone who either #1, did something stupid or #2, kept bears as a pet.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America#2010s

 

Of course, I say this from a nice, safe computer screen in Cherry Hill. If I lived in Sussex county, I would be singing a different tune.

[GRIZ 3,369]

As for cartridge choice, I think the .44 Magnum is enough for a handgun. If I want something bigger I'd go to a rifle. JMHO

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I agree. A 5 1/2 Redhawk in 44 mag has satisfied my big bore magnum urges for over 25 years and I've never looked for more.

 

 

[JustJoe 0]

Of course, I say this from a nice, safe computer screen in Cherry Hill. If I lived in Sussex county, I would be singing a different tune.

 

 

No you wouldn't. I've lived in Morris Co. for the past 7 years and I can say without a hint of exaggeration that I've seen more bears in my back yard than deer. Sometimes a little to close for comfort. However the incidents related to roaming bands of bears attacking humans are gross exaggerations. Don't mess with them and you'll be fine.

There's been reports of bears breaking into houses, though. Never happened to me or anybody I know.

[Parker 213]

The .45 ACP, in what would be considered an anomaly, deterred a grizzly in a national park a couple of years ago.

http://www.nationalp...nd-preserve5943

 

The Sirius Patrol of Denmark carries the Glock 10MM for use against polar bear while patrolling Greenland.

http://www.casr.ca/i...viking4sb-1.htm

http://en.wikipedia....atruljen_Sirius

 

 

Sometimes, it comes down to the Indian, not the arrow.

[TOMMY R 24]

I own a Ruger 454 Alaskan awesome gun shoots 45 colt also unless you reload both are expensive rounds to buy and shoot. Very heavy gun lots of fun.

[Sandy 44]

Bears in the woods are surprisingly easy to scare off as long as you don't surprise a mom with cubs. The ones that are use to maurading yards and are use to humans shouting and banging pots..not so much. Still not too dangerous though. Most times when a Grizzly attacks it was a mom with cubs that was surprised or a pushy human who ignored warnings ( like the recent photographer that was killed. Hey , he got the shot though!)

 

Mountain lions , different story. I would have to disagree with the shotgun . Where I have spent time in mountain lion country where attacks had occurred , the preferred deterrent is a decent sized round in a handgun you can get to on the ground while in a struggle. You usually have no idea the cat is even there until you are ambushed and rolling around with it. People who do not want to carry usually have a knife or bear spray carried in the same mannerism.

 

But , since it is a just for fun big gun I say get something ridiculous that you will only shoot once in a while . Because it is fun I would love to try one of those S&W 500s. Would need someone rolling video for that for sure.lol

[O-gre 7]

Just to set the record straight I am NOT looking to shoot a bear. I used it as a term because to many that's what these revolvers are know as. That's said there was a big bear on my property in Manalapan of all places. I would sooner feed them before shooting them. Dog scares them away.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

4" S&W 329PD

[Ray Ray 3,566]

41 Magnum or 44 magnum just isn't good enough any more?

[EchoMirage 137]

you dont 'need' a specific mega caliber for bear defense

 

https://www.buffalobore.com/

 

they make 9mm loads suitable for bear defense, if thats all you have

[ZOMBIE 19]

I have a s&w 500 es if you would like to try it. It is probably the hardest gun I have ever shot but it is fun once in a while and as long as its the end of a range day. I've had it for a little over a year and might have put 20 rounds through it. Gets a lot of looks though.

[leadunderpressure 52]

I like the 5 inch John Ross edition s&w 500. Points nice, no muzzle break annoying your shooting and still heavy enough that the recoil doesn't kill you.

 

Lots of inexpensive cast bullets to shoot if you want to practice with the 500 cartridge and you reload.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Are we trying to kill a rhino or a bear? 44 magnum will do the job

[ZOMBIE 19]

Are we trying to kill a rhino or a bear? 44 magnum will do the job

 

I think we are just killing paper ray ray but if a rhino happened to saunter into my living room i like to know that i might have enough gun to handle that thick hide

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I think we are just killing paper ray ray but if a rhino happened to saunter into my living room i like to know that i might have enough gun to handle that thick hide

 

I got it, it's a reason to buy a gun. And why not go with the biggest, baddest gun out there. But if the OP is really looking for a "bear gun" then the 44 magnum is fine.

 

And post #21 by Echomirage is 100% correct. Buffalo Bore makes some awesome loads.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Looking for a big gun?

 

700 WTF

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/12/01/the-700-wtf-for-hunting-dinosaurs/

[tony357 386]

4" S&W 329PD

 

This ^^^^^^^

[specopsscout 26]

I'd go with a Benelli M2 Tactical loaded with slugs...