Affordable, Accurate, Reliable, & 45ACP?

[brianluck]

tarus makes a pretty sweet revolver, called the ragging bull, you can get it in .44mag and .454

 

[BigDuphis]

FWIW, I've read a lot saying that .44 mag really is the bare minimum for penetration to stop a bear, anything else'll just piss it off. Ruger super blackhawk is a nice .44 for a pretty reasonable price. Good weight gun to help keep recoil manageable for someone new to the caliber. I've loved the couple I've fired.

 

[joppaj]

Ruger super blackhawk is a nice .44 for a pretty reasonable price.

There's a trick to the SBH though, it's a Single Action revolver. For a lot of people that's an unnatural motion until you've spent a good bit of time with it. Then again a .44 magnum of any style is a lot of work until you've spent some time with it. I love my SBH, but I'd probably rather have the DA/SA Super Redhawk if I was planning to carry the weapon, but that's just me.

 

[Crxflippr]

So what did he end up getting?

Btw, I'm (although a year late) with Huckleberry on this one. You don't need a bear gun. If you've somehow pissed off the docile black bear enough for it to attack you and you are carrying handgun... KYAG. If he's really worried about the wildlife, educate him. Convince him he has little to nothing to worry about. If that doesn't work, show him this.

http://www.udap.com/ Bear Spray

With out it's senses a bear can't do much but run.

 

[BigDuphis]

There's a trick to the SBH though, it's a Single Action revolver. For a lot of people that's an unnatural motion until you've spent a good bit of time with it. Then again a .44 magnum of any style is a lot of work until you've spent some time with it. I love my SBH, but I'd probably rather have the DA/SA Super Redhawk if I was planning to carry the weapon, but that's just me.

That's a good point, and with a bear charging at 30mph, you've barely got time to draw and level a shot, let along having to worry about the single action

 

[joppaj]

You know, my thoughts on most "bear guns" are that unless you're spending regular time deep in bear country, brown bears especially, this is another version of "zombie guns". We think about them, plan for them, buy and carry them. Will any of us ever need them, probably not. Do we want to be caught short on that one, fateful day? No, we don't. It's a combination of justifying a new gun for some of us and others just see it as good preperation, and we're the kind of people that like to be prepared.

 

[Redneck]

So what did he end up getting?

He still never made up his mind about what he likes, but every time I go up there he always says "I need to get me a handgun". The problem is I think it will be for show and tell. We always offer for him to shoot our handguns when we are there, but never does. Ive pretty much given up on helping him out with this one.

 

[Numidian]

Get him a Glock in 10mm..

 

[disston]

I get to spend a little bit of time in WV most years. my brother and his wife have a small place that is part of her families farm. The farm has not been used much since the '30's but they are not selling. We shoot our guns in the back yard. Big mountain back stop. They do worry about bears. If it hasn't happened anytime latly it's no reason to not be prepared. He carries a 44 mag and can shoot it. Your prospective gun owner should try some guns out. No telling how he will react to the recoil and noise. Completely useless if he gets something he has never shoot and then drops it the first time he needs it. I forget what guns you mentioned that you have but this situation prolly calls for starting out small. Is there room to fire a few rounds out back. only need tarkets 10' away but need a good backstop, of course. Or does he live in a deveeloped area? After some small caliper firing then try the bigger guns. After that it should be easier to descide on whet to get. Bigger is better but too big is of little use.

 

[Pushrod]

Funny that this thread is resurected. I had to shoot near a black bear at my house in WV mid summer of this year. The sow was getting to close to the back porch where I was setting with my wife for our comfort and she wasn't making an effort to change direction when I yelled at her. I fired a shot into the ground next to her and it put some boogie in her butt and she took off down the side of the mountain into the woods.

I also had a coyote run up on me this summer. He was way too quick and was about on me before I could think of drawing my handgun. I was working on my tractor and I don't think he saw me until we were nose to snout. He took off down the field with a fast heavy gallop and disapeared. I was happy I was armed even though I didn't need to draw.

So as far as four legged and two legged wildlife, I prefer to be safe than sorry and always carry when I can.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

 

[ThawMyTongue]

tarus makes a pretty sweet revolver, called the ragging bull

Isn't this what SWMBO turns into once a month???

 

[august1410]

Isn't this what SWMBO turns into once a month???

The term you are looking for is "Raging B*tch."

 

[ThawMyTongue]

The term you are looking for is "Raging B*tch."

I have to be careful...this morning she asked how to join "that Maryland Shooters Website"