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Originally Posted by Zeus
3. One shot one kill potential would be nice, but at the same time I don't want a Desert Eagle or something that would be really hard to get a second shot off due to blow-back.
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No handgun is going to have a high consistent probability of a one shot kill on a bear, especially if you're going into grizzly country.
If you want even the potential for a one shot kill on a bear, you need to carry a rifle. Something like a Marlin 1895 Lever Action chambered in .450 Marlin or a bolt action chambered in a big magnum.
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I read bear sprays work better than guns because of how many shots you need to take one down.
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Bear spray is seasoning for their human snack...
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Originally Posted by jrboyd_1980
The 45 would have the penetration to kill the bear, but not to sure on the 410. I have heard of bears being scared off by rocksalt though from shotgun. Appearntly the salt gets in the there and it's very painful. Maybe try a 410 shell with rocksalt? Let me know how it works out k?
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.45 Colt does NOT have the penetration capability to be an effective bear round. With a 255gr bullet, which is the smallest .45 bullet I would consider for bear, muzzle velocity tops out at about 960fps. Bigger bullet = less velocity..
At that velocity, you have a low probability of penetrating the fat layer on a bear and if you take a head shot, the bullet will bounce (yes bounce, even happens with some rifle rounds) off the skull unless you happen to hit an eye.
I've loaded, shot and chronographed enough .45 Colt to know for a fact carrying it is
asking to be turned into bear poop.
Don't even
consider a Desert Eagle .50AE. Big, heavy, and the gas operated rotating bolt action tends to be unreliable.
If you're gonna go for a handgun Smith and Wesson .500 is the way to go. Still kinda big and heavy, but almost 100% reliable and pretty much purpose designed as a sidearm for bear country.
I've shot one several times before and the recoil characteristics combined with the compensated barrel make it really friendly for follow up shots. Plus the 3 foot flame out the end of the barrel at dusk is just damn cool.
