My trip to Alaska ...What would you carry
I am planning a trip to kodiak island in the heart of the Monster brown bears.
Would you guys recommend a revolver or a semi automatic?
Would you guys recommend a revolver or a semi automatic?
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...12 gauge...as in short barreled w/pistol grip..[;)] 
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454 casull revolver, at the least a 44 mag, and a good long gun. 0 -
A Browning Buckmark Camper... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Bloviator
...12 gauge...as in short barreled w/pistol grip..[;)]
[:0] really....? [8)]i'd take at least a .357 hog leg. only takes one arm to operate after the bear rips the first arm off after you pepper him w/ the 12ga [;)]0 -
+1 with 3" brenneke slugsquote:Originally posted by Bloviator
...12 gauge...as in short barreled w/pistol grip..[;)]0 -
Remember to grind the front sight off your handgun in bear country. VERY important... The end of the barrel MUST be smooth or it WILL hurt like the dickens when that bear shoves that puny little handgun up your azz...................
I love that one!! I read it right here on Gunbroker so it must be GREAT advice!!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
ada, yeah, a 12 gauge. WITH would you want to just pizz him off with a .357? And "pepper" implies maybe birdshot/small shot...Brenneke's don't pepper, they just make big nasty holes...a good thing for a bear that is eyeing one as a snack...[;)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by gearheaddad
Remember to grind the front sight off your handgun in bear country. VERY important... The end of the barrel MUST be smooth or it WILL hurt like the dickens when that bear shoves that puny little handgun up your azz...................
I love that one!! I read it right here on Gunbroker so it must be GREAT advice!!!!!!!!!!!!
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quote:Originally posted by Bloviator
ada, yeah, a 12 gauge. WITH would you want to just pizz him off with a .357? And "pepper" implies maybe birdshot/small shot...Brenneke's don't pepper, they just make big nasty holes...a good thing for a bear that is eyeing one as a snack...[;)]
No disrespect...First thing i think of when someone says shot gun is just that a shotgun.0 -
I think I'd choose either a true battle rifle with premium ammo - FAL, HK91/G3/Cetme, M14, M1A, Garand - Don't think a bear would like a mag full of barnes x bullets, nosler partitions, etc.. Or a 12 gauge shotgun - slugs. Might look like hunting instead of self defense. For a pistol, biggest caliber you can handle - 44 mag maybe? 0 -
I lived in Alaska 5yr.s and carried a 12ga. pump with both slugs and 00 buck! Handguns are popular because they are easy to carry, but there has been NO reports of anybody successfully defending themselves against a bear attack with a handgun! This was/is true during my time up there (78-83). Now there may be a reason for this, any bear attack has to be reported to the state and a whole bunch of things HAD to occur. You have to sit down and write up an "official report" to justify you shooting the bear and the state has to agree with you or you are fined! And you have to skin this thing and turn it and the skull for inspection. ...i.e. IF your out in the bush fishing, hunting, or prospecting you DON'T want to have to play these games ...so it maybe that a successful "elimination" may have happened but wasn't reported.
Having said that, you have to ask your self how effective would you be using a handgun with a bear charging you inside of 25 yd.s? Could you place a couple round inside a 12" moving target? ...with your life on the line? That's why I carried a short barreled 12ga. has natural pointing ability and stopping power. Good Luck!0 -
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I would take a pump 12gauge slug gun, a 44 mag, along with a beefy rifle.
As far as revolver or semi. Semi, it shoots quicker0 -
quote:Originally posted by 11echo
I lived in Alaska 5yr.s and carried a 12ga. pump with both slugs and 00 buck! Handguns are popular because they are easy to carry, but there has been NO reports of anybody successfully defending themselves against a bear attack with a handgun! This was/is true during my time up there (78-83). Now there may be a reason for this, any bear attack has to be reported to the state and a whole bunch of things HAD to occur. You have to sit down and write up an "official report" to justify you shooting the bear and the state has to agree with you or you are fined! And you have to skin this thing and turn it and the skull for inspection. ...i.e. IF your out in the bush fishing, hunting, or prospecting you DON'T want to have to play these games ...so it maybe that a successful "elimination" may have happened but wasn't reported.
Having said that, you have to ask your self how effective would you be using a handgun with a bear charging you inside of 25 yd.s? Could you place a couple round inside a 12" moving target? ...with your life on the line? That's why I carried a short barreled 12ga. has natural pointing ability and stopping power. Good Luck!
when you lay it out like that. a shotgun w/ Bloviator's Brenneke slugs would be ideal. to legally own a shotgun in the state where I live a shotgun has to have a barrel at least 18" inches long and a full length stock (any thing shorter w/ a pistol grip is restricted to law inforcement only)ie.. NOT ME. So thats some 32 inches of gun to have to
1. Pack it, and if im not hunting bears thats alot of gun to pack
2. should I have to use it. I'd possibly have to swing it through the brush and around trees. I can only imagine how that might end.[V]
I was thinking something a Little easier to pack. there have been plenty of bears kill in yellowstone and else where with a pistol.
I very well may be comparing apples w/ oranges when I compare alaskan bears and bears else where?
I honestly don't know what I would do in that situation but i'm 80% sure i'd have a pistol 357 or bigger. With slugs not "Birdshot"[;)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by scrollwork
I am planning a trip to kodiak island in the heart of the Monster brown bears.
Would you guys recommend a revolver or a semi automatic?
Do you really expect to stop a 1,000 pound grizzly with a handgun? Yeah, maybe if you have enough time to aim for its eye. You need a .338 Win Mag rifle... Then as a last resort backup, a S&W 500 revolver with at least a 6.5" barrel.0 -
As Last resort, stick it in his eye and pull the trigger
like to see him shake that one off.
Im not a monster of a guy (6'5,235) but i'd would think i'd be able, with both hands be able to stuff a 357/44/500 pistol in a bears Eye/mouth/up his nose, where ever! and pull the trig.
Hey, What do I know, im just another chest pounding, nuckle draggin gorrila. who gave his 2..[}:)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by Odawgp
As Last resort, stick it in his eye and pull the trigger
like to see him shake that one off.
Im not a monster of a guy (6'5,235) but i'd would think i'd be able, with both hands be able to stuff a 357/44/500 pistol in a bears Eye/mouth/up his nose, where ever! and pull the trig.
Hey, What do I know, im just another chest pounding, nuckle draggin gorrila. who gave his 2..[}:)]
That will work fine...........Remember to grind off the front sight. You'll thank me for it!0 -
...I'd bring my gimpy, one legged buddy...[:D]
...Anyone know how fast a bear can cover 50 yards? I really don't think you're going to have that pistola out of the leather before she's on you. Maybe a shotgun slung muzzle down. That's a bit faster into action than muzzle up. Unless of course you're going to carry it at port arms all day. (not likely)0 -
Marlin 1895, regular or guide gun. With buffalo Bore ammo of your choice.
Same easy handling/pointing as mentioned above with more power/penetration than the shotgun.
Ben0 -
I would probably carry a 458 Win Mag,just because.I know I'm not short on power,while the rest of you are. 0 -
quote: there has been NO reports of anybody successfully defending themselves against a bear attack with a handgun!
Maybe while you were up there, but I've ran across quite a few stories of people defending themselves with handguns.
When I lived in Alaska I would carry a 12 gauge with slugs and a 357 as a back up side arm. Some other folks swear by high calibered rifles with a back up side arm.
I've been false charged a few times while I lived up there. Most charges are false charges just trying to scare you off. I personally would always get behind a big tree and take aim just in case.0 -
I always carried a 45-70 lever, but If I had to go back. I would want one of these.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=652592320 -
personally i would carry my nikon camera and no gun. i have spent years in bear country in alaska and although i am no timothy treadwell i do NOT believe that bears are as dangerous as many people think. if you use sound and reasonable tactics around bears you have nothing to worry about. if you are an idiot city slicker who knows nothing about bear behavior then take the largest gun you can find. 0 -
Your question was "semi-auto or revolver?" I would opt for a revolver. No problems with safeties, etc. Simplier in the type of situation that you hope does not happen. Next question should then be "what revolver and what caliber?" IMHO the answer should be the biggest caliber and the style with which you are most comfortable and most competent (within reason). Obviously, a 22 would be of little help, but a 454 is not much better if you are not used to it and cannot use it. I shoot a 454, along with others and will tell you that a short barrelled 454 is a handful. If I were going there tomorrow, I would likely choose to carry my FA 45 Colt loaded with full house handloads of at least 300 gr. I would hope that I would only carry it. But if I had to use it, I expect that the bruin would leak some.
Have fun on your trip.0 -
quote:Originally posted by RunForest
personally i would carry my nikon camera and no gun. i have spent years in bear country in alaska and although i am no timothy treadwell i do NOT believe that bears are as dangerous as many people think. if you use sound and reasonable tactics around bears you have nothing to worry about. if you are an idiot city slicker who knows nothing about bear behavior then take the largest gun you can find.
Dont get me wrong, I only shoot what I plan on eating, but for survival, if this me or it, I plan on taking it with me. dont want to end up like grizzly man do you?
I was fishing on a nice river, had caught two nice fish, my buddy got my attention, there was a mom and her young not a city block from us, talk about walking on water.[:D] I will get my photo album out, I got some nice photo's that day, the bear got our fish.0 -
I would carry the heaviest caliber I could shoot the best- and it would NOT be a handgun. 12 g w/ slugs. As far as stuffing handgun in his mouth- when an adult grizzly/ kodiak stands up, you can't REACH his mouth. Spent military time in the back country of Alaska (not Kodiak). We used to keep grenade simulators to discourage bears in our camps. For the ones that come after you- yes, you may experience false charges- their way of saying "Keep away from me and mine". A real charge is FAST- swear to God you would not believe anything THAT big moves THAT fast. Can you kill a bear with a handgun? Maybe. What was it that Dirty Harry asked? [:p] 0 -
I have serious concerns about the penetration capability of slugs and buckshot on large grizzlies. I wouldn't advise going that route. If you must, make sure you get copper or nickle coated slugs or pellets. And find the hottest load available (which will undoubtedly tear up your shoulder or wrist). Even then, firing from an 18" barrel you're not going to get very good velocity.
Better going with the 338 Win Mag. You could even go with a hot 30-06 or 308... your goal is to have at least a 30 caliber bullet, producing no less than 2800 foot pounds at point of impact.0 -
RunForest's OTHER name - lunch.
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A colostomy bag. 0 -
When I went to Alaska a few years ago, a local told me that most bears are more afraid of you than you of them. The exception is the Grizzly.
For most bears, you just need to keep from surpising them. His advice was to wear bells to tell the bears of your presence. Again I was told that this only worked on Black bears, not Grizzlies.
I asked how to tell if your are in Black bear or grizzly country.
He replied to examine the droppings.
A black bears dropping are smaller and have berries and vegitation in them.
The grizzly's dropping have pieces of clothing and little bells in them.[:D][:D]0
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