# Recommend a revolver?



## Grokking (May 23, 2009)

I have started doing some prospecting and it is working out. I am in bear territory and since I stay put for days I have set up a ring of fishing line that had hundreds of small bells on it to surround me. This alerts me to any larger animals approaching. It has been recommended that I have bear bangers and pepper spray handy. A few days ago I was busy doing what I do and I heard the bells jingling, it was a fairly large black bear. I reached for the bear bangers and shot several off.... Know one told me that they could act like a duck call and attract the bear even closer, perhaps the bear hadn't read that this was suppose to frighten him off. Have you ever seen how attracted deer and cattle are to salt blocks? Well the bear spray had about the same effect on the bear. I swear it looked like he thought I had just smeared myself with A-1 steak sauce. He kept coming. The old fellow who has been showing me the rope pulled out an air horn that makes a 150 decibel blast. The bear turned and ran. it was so loud that my ears are still ringing and it actually hurt. He told me that he bought it years ago and they have been banned. So I think I would like to have a revolver with me for the next encounter I have, just in case. However I know nothing about revolvers, like what caliber would you use to stop a bear, and what about single or double action. I also sometimes enter into grizzly territory as well mountain lions have been seen in the area.So can anyone make a


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## Woodsman1 (May 24, 2009)

Grokking, Im not an expert but i have owned many guns in my lifetime. Form what you stated i would suggest a 44 magnum, Any quality manufacturer such as colt - smith wesson - ruger and there are a few others would do just fine. The reason the 44 mag. is when your talking large bears, you need something a little bigger than a 357 mag. There are bigger caliber handguns out there, But they can be a beast in themselves too shoot. Barrel length i would suggest 4 to 6 inch, again you can get shorter barrel or a longer one, but for what youve stated i think a 4 inch might just be the ticket. Hope i helped a little, but lets us know what youve decided on and good luck. Oh yes, if it were me id opt for a doulble action.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I answered on the Open Forum but I'll repeat myself here. If stuff like grizzly is a possible threat, you are far, far, better off with a short barreled 12 guage with slugs/buck or a stopper like a Guide Gun in 45-70 nwith modern loads, than any handgun made.

Thats not an idle opinion, either. I've carried a bellygun professionally for getting onto 30 years, and I know their strengths & weaknesses. The only time I trust my life to a bellygun is if there's absolutely no way I can carry or use a rifle or shotgun.

If you *HAVE *to carry a bellygun, the answer starts with a S&W or Ruger 4-6 inch barrelled 44 magnum and goes up from there. Better yet a 480 or 500, but you better be able to shoot it accurately under the stress of being eaten alive, and thats a darn sight easier said than done...


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## Hardsell (Jan 29, 2007)

Smith & Wesson Model 629 with the 5" barrel should be what the doctor ordered. 
I just saw a National Geographic report about this wildlife photographer who lived in Alaska. His friends went looking for him because they couldn't find him at his cabin. They followed his foot prints in the snow out into the forest. Then they saw bear tracks cut his tracks and follow him. There was a burst of orange spray in the snow. He'd fired his pepper spray in one continuous burst in one direction.
He was laying in the snow, apparently struck once in the chest and once in the head. The head wound was described as literally taking his face off. 
I'm not a big fan of pepper spray. I've seen it used on dogs and it wasn't nearly as effective as I thought it was. Now imagine it on an animal much bigger. It's not that hard to do the math.


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## aka.kevin (Sep 16, 2010)

Hardsell said:


> Smith & Wesson Model 629 with the 5" barrel should be what the doctor ordered.
> I just saw a National Geographic report about this wildlife photographer who lived in Alaska. His friends went looking for him because they couldn't find him at his cabin. They followed his foot prints in the snow out into the forest. Then they saw bear tracks cut his tracks and follow him. There was a burst of orange spray in the snow. He'd fired his pepper spray in one continuous burst in one direction.
> He was laying in the snow, apparently struck once in the chest and once in the head. The head wound was described as literally taking his face off.
> I'm not a big fan of pepper spray. I've seen it used on dogs and it wasn't nearly as effective as I thought it was. Now imagine it on an animal much bigger. It's not that hard to do the math.


i disagree with you because pepper spray is a very friendly weapon for animals.i like using it because it's easy to use and carry.and it's not too harmful for animals or anybody. it's a good weapon for self defense

________________________________
_pepper spray_ easy to use, safe and effective


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

mmm, pepper spray....nothing like bringing your own seasoning for the bear...

41 mag, 44 mag or bigger.

44 mag for better availability of ammo.

Otherwise, 12 ga with slugs or guide gun of sufficient caliber. 444 marlin, 45-70 ect....


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## Grokking (May 23, 2009)

aka.kevin said:


> Hardsell said:
> 
> 
> > Smith & Wesson Model 629 with the 5" barrel should be what the doctor ordered.
> ...


Well I really don't want to hurt any animals unless necessary. You suggest pepper spray, I am going to guess that you have never seen a grizzly in the wild. I have seen three over the last year but none were a threat. The closest one came within 40 feet, close enough. I did have two black bears that was too curious, I have bear poppers and pepper spray. One bear ran when I shot a popper in his direction the other didn't. He was a full grown male and he was determined to get right up on me. as he got about 15 feet he was tentative but was still coming, the poppers seemed to amuse him. I gave him a blast from my Bear pepper spray, the more I shot the pepper spry the madder he be came. He reared up, my Marlin 45/70 was back at the Argo about 30 feet away. Unfortunately the bear hadn't read the book on how he was to be deterred by pepper spray. So I had to go to my little back up revolver, the one I finally decided had enough force to end any encounter I had, I went with a S&W 500. I hit him in the chest, he didn't suffer, but the episode ended immediately. 
From where he was when I shot him to were he ended up was 14 feet, he was about 500lbs so I guess the S&W worked as planned. As I hit him and as he was going back I could see daylight through the large hole in his chest. 
I can tell you that if I do ever have an encounter with a grizzly the pepper spry will not be attempted. I will save the pepper spray for any out of control squirrels or curious coyotes. 
I really didn't want to have to kill the bear and perhaps if I hadn't used the pepper spray it may not have come to that. So in short pepper spay may have applications in certain conditions but it's best to have a powerful backup. 
One other thing. when I was using the pepper spray the wind blew a lot of the side spray off to the side, if the wind had been blowing at me I would have taken a good dose to the face, this really would have left me in a fix. So the idea of having to determine the wind direction at the moment a animal is attacking. All in all not a good choice.


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