Let's Talk About Bear Defense for an 82-Year Old.

[joppaj]

Pedestal mount or skate ring? Crew served weapon might be a bridge too far for Pops…

Mom can't drive while dad shoots?

(Sorry OP)

 

[CosmosJames]

I want to buy my dad a pistol for self defense against bears. He keeps encountering them on his property in Western Penna. The only pistols my dad owns are a .22 Mag, a .380 ACP, and a .357 Mag. So far, I've been told to buy my dad either a .44 Mag with a short barrel or one of those Judge revolvers with .410 00 buck. I'm leaning toward the .44. Any thoughts from you handgun experts?

I just recently bought a Ruger 5028 - it's a TALO edition Redhawk, .44 magnum with a 2.75 inch barrel. I really like it quite a bit. It's pretty accurate given the barrel length. There's a person who did some ballistic data on the 5028, and you can find it here: https://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-RedhawkTALO.htm

Another option might be to find a pre-2005 Blackhawk in .45 long Colt - you can load those with +P ammo. There are a heck of a lot of other options for you to explore.

 

[Ilexopaca]

Bear spray.

Pros:
- Light
- Deployable
- Low-recoil
- High Rate of Fire

Cons:
- Could end up being mutually assured destruction if the wind is blowing the wrong way.

 

[Doug Hile]

If it was mee,,,, I would have a couple of cans of bear spray, and a Desert Eagle 50 cal.

 

[cornstalk]

Why not have him use his 357 with heavy cast bullets?

Exactly. Alaskan guides have been moving to 10 mm with hard cast lead bullets for grizzly bears. So a well-placed .357 should easily do the trick on black bears, and a poorly placed .44 magnum (which was 3+ pounds) will not. Which is why I don't go with the "bigger is better" argument.

 

[Hero_Quartermasters]

I want to buy my dad a pistol for self defense against bears. He keeps encountering them on his property in Western Penna. The only pistols my dad owns are a .22 Mag, a .380 ACP, and a .357 Mag. So far, I've been told to buy my dad either a .44 Mag with a short barrel or one of those Judge revolvers with .410 00 buck. I'm leaning toward the .44. Any thoughts from you handgun experts?

Never buy a Taurus first off, my opinion comes from being a former Taurus dealer and seeing their guns literally fall apart when we tried to use the as rentals for our range counter, this wasn't just one or two guns, this was every one we ever tried with. To be totally honest with you a 10mm in a 1911 frame, Glock 20, M&P10 2.0, Sig P220 in 10mm or the 610 S&W revolver would be a good place to start, that 610 can also use 40 S&W for practice and rounds are much cheaper that .44 mags and recoil isn't nearly as bad, also remember to look at the.460 rowland in a 1911, its .44 mag stopping power in a 1911 frame.

 

[Hero_Quartermasters]

Buy him a dog

wow you must not like dogs.

 

[AssMan]

This question gets posted several times per year. The best answer is to bear proof the property. The second best answer posted was to have him simply use the .357 he already has (with an appropriate load).


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[Glaron]

Awesome thread. No surprises.

ounce of prevention v pound of cure

dont put out food sources

do encourage bear hunters

which gun/caliber? EIGHTY TWO. HAND STRENGTH AND REFLEXES UNKNOWN. reconsider gun as primary option

boat air horn a must. Bear spray a second must.

I‘d suggest for your consideration to convince Norton the bear has transgressed and get that bastard sent to banned camp. Hell, name it…Black Bart or Black Bartaromo. Problem solved.

There are a couple reliable 44 carbines. I’d consider them seriously if you’re determined to arm your Pop. A good (easily accessed) gun rack is key to bringing the weapon to bear…. Already mentioned but the bear can and will close distance faster than any Teuller Drill you can imagine. Plenty bears here in our mountains. Their ability to accelerate from zero to sixty is just plain hard to believe. Had I not seen it in person, I’d call BS.

No mention of possible night ops by Pop. I’d suggest lighting as another possible deterrent. Light and noise can do a lot to convince a Bruin to move on. I’m a fan of very bright strobes. Add Metallica at extreme volume as may be needed (to accompany said boat air horn.)

back on task here. Prevention trumps cure. Cure should be easily and reliably employable by Pop.

ps…don’t forget to ensure his will is in order

This is the most correct answer. Why is the Bear there? The answer is probably food. Need to "bear proof" the area. The Bear will become somebody else's problem.

I have friends in the Tahoe area they see bears all the time. Those fries on the floorboard? The trash in the back of your car? Yes, the bear will total the car at the scent of food.

Keep trash inside a solid structure. Kill the scent. Etc.

Im not 82 yet. I carry a 50 cal.

 

[Dovk0802]

It's not the tool but the man or woman using it:
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/06/be...-world-record-grizzly-and-more/#axzz6JhEfizau

If it were me, I'd go for pepper spray and keep a shotgun in the golf cart.

 

[SkiPatrolDude]

Hiking for 5 days in Glacier in August. Just picked up a S&W 629 Classic with 6.5' barrel for Grizzly defense. My hiking buddy is planning to carry his 45LC with some hot cast loads.

 

[Bohemian]

I want to buy my dad a pistol for self defense against bears. He keeps encountering them on his property in Western Penna. The only pistols my dad owns are a .22 Mag, a .380 ACP, and a .357 Mag. So far, I've been told to buy my dad either a .44 Mag with a short barrel or one of those Judge revolvers with .410 00 buck. I'm leaning toward the .44. Any thoughts from you handgun experts?

The sound of a shotgun or judge type pistol might scare a bear off and it might make em mad and charge, many accounts of both scenairos. Always carry enough gun - S&W 500 Magnum will take down anything in North America. And carry bear spray. You can take down bears with .357 Magnums & .44 Magnums and some have been taken with much much smaller rounds including from the plastic fantastic's that're all the rage; whatever you carry shot placement matters most and most who've lived to survive a bear charge have stated your first shot better be your best shot as you're unlikely to get a second shot. Revolvers are preferred for bear protection because they never have a falure to feed issue like can happen with any weapon using a magazine. I carry bear spray on my hip & my 8-3/8" S&W 500 Magnum in a chest holster for when i'm fishing and when i'm out hunting in general in case i'm unable to get a shot off with a rifle. Bears are predators and often stalk their prey and can outrun a horse in the 40, so they're capable of great bursts of speed and they can climb like a house cat and push trees down. Black Bears in North America are reported to be the top bear species for unprovoked attacks on humans.

 

[SkiPatrolDude]

The sound of a shotgun or judge type pistol might scare a bear off and it might make em mad and charge, many accounts of both scenairos. Always carry enough gun - S&W 500 Magnum will take down anything in North America.

Including the person holding the damn thing. I'd argue a 44mag is fairly adequate and a decent compromise of size and shootability.

The Judge is not designed for hot 45LC, so you're limited to pretty anemic loadings at standard SAAMI specs. I'd rather take a 10mm at that point.

 

[bigD]

Including the person holding the damn thing. I'd argue a 44mag is fairly adequate and a decent compromise of size and shootability.

The Judge is not designed for hot 45LC, so you're limited to pretty anemic loadings at standard SAAMI specs. I'd rather take a 10mm at that point.

 

[bigD]

Having read all the replies, I feel obligated to convey a bear spray tale (although a true story). While in Cody, Wyoming, I wished to upgrade my Maryland Concealed carry - bear spray. (For my castle have 10mm & or 44 Mag, also) Went to a local shop to ask for latest equivalent spray to my old standby. Asking for it, the proprietor said, "this one saved an easterner's life! Although may not be the best but it worked." Seems this fella encountered a Grizz and had gotten too near cubs. Pulled his trusty spray and blasted away. Then screamed in blood curdling fashion and fell to ground in fetal position. Momma bear walked over and sniffed then walked away with cubs in tow. Seems, according to his buddy from behind a tree, our Grizzly Adams had pointed it toward himself and sprayed. He was lead out of woods and could see sunrise 3 days later.

I bought a 60feet capable unit and proper cartridges for my 44 mag and also 10mm, and chuckled for days!!

 

[Michigander08]

Having read all the replies, I feel obligated to convey a bear spray tale (although a true story). While in Cody, Wyoming, I wished to upgrade my Maryland Concealed carry - bear spray. (For my castle have 10mm & or 44 Mag, also) Went to a local shop to ask for latest equivalent spray to my old standby. Asking for it, the proprietor said, "this one saved an easterner's life! Although may not be the best but it worked." Seems this fella encountered a Grizz and had gotten too near cubs. Pulled his trusty spray and blasted away. Then screamed in blood curdling fashion and fell to ground in fetal position. Momma bear walked over and sniffed then walked away with cubs in tow. Seems, according to his buddy from behind a tree, our Grizzly Adams had pointed it toward himself and sprayed. He was lead out of woods and could see sunrise 3 days later.

I bought a 60feet capable unit and proper cartridges for my 44 mag and also 10mm, and chuckled for days!!

So I wonder if Skunk spray (smelling like a skunk) will work. What if the bear gives a smack with the big claws while saying to itself: frigging skunk! The guy will still have holes in his body and bleed to death?

 

[rick4675]

I don’t think the 410 buckshot would do much for a bear but a combination of the buckshot and the 45 LC might get his attention. I carry a 44mag when hunting. Either a S&W 629 or Desert Eagle. The S&W is easier to carry but due to its size the Desert Eagle has less perceived recoil

I KNOW that 410 buckshot wouldn't do anything against a bear except piss it off more! A Taurus judge is a horrible gun to give to someone for bear defense!

 

[308Scout]

Is it true that bears cannot run sideways on a slope?

Pretty sure that's a myth, unless you mean run sideways like a crab. That I would pay to see.

 

[sxs]

Having read all the replies, I feel obligated to convey a bear spray tale (although a true story). While in Cody, Wyoming, I wished to upgrade my Maryland Concealed carry - bear spray. (For my castle have 10mm & or 44 Mag, also) Went to a local shop to ask for latest equivalent spray to my old standby. Asking for it, the proprietor said, "this one saved an easterner's life! Although may not be the best but it worked." Seems this fella encountered a Grizz and had gotten too near cubs. Pulled his trusty spray and blasted away. Then screamed in blood curdling fashion and fell to ground in fetal position. Momma bear walked over and sniffed then walked away with cubs in tow. Seems, according to his buddy from behind a tree, our Grizzly Adams had pointed it toward himself and sprayed. He was lead out of woods and could see sunrise 3 days later.

I bought a 60feet capable unit and proper cartridges for my 44 mag and also 10mm, and chuckled for days!!

I chuckled at that one. FYI, I keep Bear Spray in my camper when camping in Western Md and WV....just in case.

 

[ezracer]

I think an M2 on the golf cart would work nicely!