Side Arm?

B

basco

New member
Jan 4, 2013
22
Do you carry a side arm in the elk woods. What do you  preffer carry in grizzly country?
 
I have heard that bear spray is much more effective at stopping an attack. and you can just spray a liberal amount and the bear will run through it. with a pistol if you don't get that first or second shot right it may not stop it.  and the minimum for a grizzly is one of those wrist breaker revolvers like ghost mentioned.  I'll probly go spray if I'm in grizz country, my pistol is for the two legged critters
 
When I am scouting, I carry a Glock model 22, in 40 S & W. loaded with 155 grain JHP.
I know some people prefer bear spray, but what if the bear is up wind from you ?. then you get a face full of the spray, that is why I prefer a gun, and I hope that I never need either one.

Kevin
 
buckykm1 said:
When I am scouting, I carry a Glock model 22, in 40 S & W. loaded with 155 grain JHP.
I know some people prefer bear spray, but what if the bear is up wind from you ?. then you get a face full of the spray, that is why I prefer a gun, and I hope that I never need either one.

Kevin
Click to expand...


I don't think a 40 s&w is going to do much to a grizzly unless you hit it directly in the eye.  ive heard their skull is like a steel plate.
 
Here is my only deal with pepper spray. We hunt with the wind in our face. Hence why a lot of times we as hunters surprise bears that have not smelled us. If you were to spray in front of you as the bear charged, there is the risk that if the bear was doing a bluff charge as they often do, you will now have a face full of pepper spray yourself that the wind blew in your direction. Now your eyes are swollen shut, your nose is running and you can't breath, yet you still have a threat in front of you that you can no longer see.


Like I said, I often carry both, gun and pepper spray, but I'll be honest with you, I will probably reach for my gun 9 out of 10 times in the same scenario
 
Mountain Bowhunter said:
buckykm1 said:
When I am scouting, I carry a Glock model 22, in 40 S & W. loaded with 155 grain JHP.
I know some people prefer bear spray, but what if the bear is up wind from you ?. then you get a face full of the spray, that is why I prefer a gun, and I hope that I never need either one.

Kevin
Click to expand...


I don't think a 40 s&w is going to do much to a grizzly unless you hit it directly in the eye.  ive heard their skull is like a steel plate.
Click to expand...


I don't know, but a lot of people really under rate the 40 S & W, ballistics wise, it is real close to a 45, and with 15 rounds, I think that I could put a serious hurting on one, but as I said, I hope I never have to find out.

Kevin
 
I haven't carried but I haven't been anywhere where I would be afraid of a bear.  I'm glad to hear some think a .40 s&w would be large enough because that is what i would carry.  ONly 12 rounds though.  and 10 if I had to go to california.
This is of course until the government wants all the guns.  :mad:
 
While hunting no sidearm and while shed hunting I carry a glock .45 with two clips. Hopefully never have to use, but if I do I will get the lead out!   
 
dplumlee12 said:
I haven't carried but I haven't been anywhere where I would be afraid of a bear.  I'm glad to hear some think a .40 s&w would be large enough because that is what i would carry.  ONly 12 rounds though.  and 10 if I had to go to california.
This is of course until the government wants all the guns.  :mad:
Click to expand...


most people say .44 mag minimum
 
I have hunted archery for 15 years and didnt use to carry when i first started but had many close encounters with bears.  I started to carry a .44 mag for 10 years and switched to a XDM .45. I do hunt in Grizzly and Wolf country here in Idaho so I will not go in the mountains without a gun.
 
I carry an xdm .45 with jhp if i need to use it but chances are if a cat wants you, you wont have a chance to use it before your on the ground.My father in law carries a 500 in montana for grizzlies.
 
I carried one day at the first of archery season, then just decided it wasn't worth the extra weight.  I have killed a cat at 20 yds during elk season though.
 
I carry my HK USP .45 in a Blackhawk Serpa holster. Keeps the trigger protected from getting snagged up on anything and is still comfortable to carry all day long.


I carry it in case I run into a bear or to signal 3 SOS shots if I ever need help.
 
After my encounter a few years back with a mountain lion, i have packed a sidearm on almost all my hunts.  If I don't have the sidearm I carry bear spray.
 
I'm from SW Montana and I don't carry either, I'm faster than my hunting partner so I don't need to worry about it haha. But I'm thinking about getting some pepper spray it seems like it will do the job more often than not.
 
Don't carry a sidearm and deal with the grizzly issue by avoiding their home territory for now. If they move far enough, I don't know if I will go with the pepper spray or sidearm as the deterrent of choice..... :eek:
 
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