For a different kind of self-defense

[GonHuntin]

I've shot the Taurus 454 and the S&W 500, both ported....the 500 was easier to control and had less violent recoil making recovery for a second shot quicker.....

[NESoDak]

Just a note, there have been some problems associated with the .500 S&W. Not to do with the revolver, wich is plenty hefty enough it seems, but with the cartridges themselves dealing with recoil. I have read that a change will be made to large rifle primers in order to reduce or cure the occurance of punctured primers and frighteningly (also very rarely) doubling. A round firing out of sequence in such a handgun would be a fantastic thing indeed.

Allen is the real authority here and while he is the owner of a .500 Mag, (I hope he isn't still waiting for one) I would opt for controllability as a moderator over true horse power. A flinch at the moment of truth will result in the same outcome as not having a handgun at all. Shoot the largest handgun you are comfortable with and are able to shoot well. Anything larger than that makes a heck of a lousy club. The hardest part of deciding witch handgun on that basis is being honest with one's self as to how much you can handle.

Hamilton Bowen revolvers. Pure, honest to God, works of art. Oh, one of these days.

[1st cav sgt ret]

I agree 110% with NESoDak

[1st cav sgt ret]

Mohawk check this out(I hope I do this right myweb.cableone.net/jlflanagan/lion.wmv ............and these guyes are useing rifles,I broke a sweat and Im sitting behind my puter!!WOW

[Mohawk]

Fellas,
Got an e-mail last night from Dr. David Rice and he said he discussed this matter at length with some handgun ballistics expert and the guy told him that since there is little to no real-world generated data on how large, coastal Alaskan bears react or deal with hits by projectiles from the subject caliber guns, he might as well just shoot one of each of the following: .454 Casull, 50 Action Express, and S&W .500 Magnum, and then order the gun that makes him feel the safest.

Somehow though, I think he's gonna end up getting that luxurious Bowen arm in .454 Casull since he looked at some of the figures I showed him and then said, "I can always have someone (like me) assemble cooler, more manageable loads for it".

Sarge, I tried to pull up that website you recommended but had trouble with it. I'll try again from another PC.

Regards,
Dave

[1st cav sgt ret]

I hope it works it is a stunning piece of video

[Mohawk]

Sarge,
Holy mackeral! That was one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen! I could barely believe my eyes. The chief hunter was so fortunate not to have had his head taken off! Amazing . . . absolutely amazing!!!

And to think that a brown bear is at least as formidable!!! Now I see why it took rangers at the Katmai National Park more than a dozen hits before they put down the bear that killed Tim Treadwell.

I wonder what would happen if a man were faced with the same scenario against a coastal Alaskan bear, but had a .454 Casull or S&W .500 Magnum instead of a .375 H&H or .416 Rigby!

Best,
Dave

[1st cav sgt ret]

Mohawk I saw this and even though it isnt a BEAR I thought this video had particular merrit relevant to this discussion IMO it illustrates perfectly what I meant about "train as you intend to fight"as the army puts it,,now just imagine if this were an 1800lb bear and the charge started from 30yards out of dense forrest with no warning I cant even imagine the outcome

[Bobcat]

if this were an 1800lb bear and the charge started from 30yards out of dense forrest with no warning I cant even imagine the outcome

......people burgers at the bruin buffet!

[Texpppr]

All I could do is TRY to keep my calm and fire those 6 .44 mag loads from my Ruger Super Redhawk. Then I would know if all these years of going to church got my quick prayer heard. Oh Yes If I did make it through, I bet I would ned to change my underwear. lol. By the way, what commercial .44 mag loads are best these kind of situations? I have some 240 grain Remmingtom jacketed soft points. I got the feeling that there must be something better than that out there.

[1st cav sgt ret]

Texpppr on this I have to agree with(refer to ) alleninalaska,for the 44mag Federal has started loading(new this year)the LBT 300gr lead bullet ther specs are 300gr at 1250fps with 1020fpe IMO that would be the better FACTORY ammo to use in the 44MAG as it offers extreme penitration and you have to get in there to the boilerworks and break heavy bone..these can be had through www.midwayusa.com If you notice in the video clip the hunter makes the 1st shot then as the cat is comeing in makes 1more completely missing the PH takes 2 shots and connects once then has to reload his double another in the party takes 2 shots after the contact with only one hit(I think)so for this pratice at stationary targets is the wrong approach IMO

[sportyg]

I saw this same question ask on one of the other sites I visit. A couple of the folks on there are AK. guides. They carry the .44 mag. with 4 or 6" barrel. the .454 or 500 mag. is to much gun to handle well with that short a barrel. You would not beable to recover from the recoil in time to get off a second shot if needed. There are also heavy to lug a round in a full size model. Bears can cover ground very fast.

[CoonDawg]

Forget the factory stuff . Get you some hot and HEAVY loads. First hit needs to break down the animal, 2,3,4 and or 5 or 6 needs to dump as much enegry as possible to stop the attack.

RMEMBER AN ATTACK IS AS LONG AS ITS MOVING YOU ARE IN DANGER.

[Olevern]

Jus my 2 cents worth, but I had a .50 A.E. Desert Eagle fail to stop a much smaller animal two years ago Much to my chagrin I was run up on the bed of a pickup by a 268 lb. (dressed) hog in S. TExas after shooting it in the chest with the 50 at close (about 25 feet) range. Field dressed later it was discovered that the bullet (IMI) failed to penetrate a rib, but actually followed the rib under the skin up and back out. Hog was uphill from me slightly from where I bailed out of the pickup to shoot at him and don't know if the angle had anything to do with it, but it definately failed to do the job. My friends Raging Bull in .454 ended the hogs fight real permanent and quickly. Can't blame my handloads, either, 'cause I was using factory loads.

Anyway, when I went home I sold off the Desert Eagle and bought a hi-polish S.S. Raging Bull (now discontinued) and never looked back.

My vote goes for the Raging Bull in 6 1/2" in .454.
It don't get no better than that.

[Bobcat]

Those ol' south Texas hogs can get your adrenalin
pumping can't they!! Don't let go of that SS Raging Bull!

Bob