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I love reading these posts.  They are insightful and entertaining.

I have some opinions on this subject which differ from what I have found to be the accepted norm, but I like to throw them out anyway.

I don't believe very many bears have been stopped in a charge with a handgun, and that not the fault of the caliber, but the marksmanship. Few of us have the ability and the gumption to stand and take on a charging grizzly and shoot it and stop it instantly.  That is pretty much a head shot even with the largest of handgun calibers.

I don't believe a shotgun with any load is a better slayer of beasts than even the 44 mag, with the right loads.  I do believe it is much easier to hit the animal at least somewhere with the shot gun than the handgun, and certainly most bears would show signs of a hit in the torso with a 12 ga slug or a 300 grain 44 mag round, not necessarily stopped, and not necessarily a good reaction.  

I don't believe pepper spray is worth much in stopping a charge and I would never carry it.  Muzzle blast from a close shot would be more effective, so a near miss with a rifle would be better than a direct hit with pepper spray.

I do believe the rifle is more effective than either the shotgun or handgun for stopping any bear, assuming the animal is actually hit.
A pump shotgun is the easiest to shoot accurately, repeatedly, during periods of mild stress.

I do beleive the handgun is the handiest device for defense if the beast is upon you, assuming you can get you hand wrapped around your handgun and put the muzzle where you want the bullet to go.  It would still be better to have stopped him a while ago.

I believe that, even in my advanced state of uselessness, I'm still a better shot with a handgun than most who use this forum and I would still very much prefer to have my old push feeder Sako 375 in my sweaty hands, regardless of how tired, or how close the cover, but I never go out anywhere without a good handgun right where it has been, on my hip, for decades and as long as I can still walk I will carry one afield. Is the 44 enough gun, I can say for sure it would be at least twice as good as nothin'.

Good shootin'.

Murphy

Message Thread:

• .44 big enough? AK375HH Jan 18 2006
  • My bear attack Ken R Jan 20 2006
    • reporting twodux Jan 21 2006
    • attack Mr. Pid Jan 20 2006
      • pepper spray Ken R Jan 21 2006
  • Stories Bigmnt Jan 20 2006
    • encounters Mr. Pid Jan 20 2006
  • bear protection walk-in Jan 20 2006
  • .44 and bears Kenaimike Jan 20 2006
  • Better than a knife martyv Jan 19 2006
    • 44 mag 4whlr Jan 19 2006
  • NOPE! Michael Strahan Jan 19 2006
    • Amen Bigmnt Jan 20 2006
    • difference twodux Jan 19 2006
    • handgun for bears groundpounder Jan 19 2006
    • Next to useless? Mr. Pid Jan 19 2006
      • Boy friend Bigmnt Jan 20 2006
      • Pssst vs BOOM Michael Strahan Jan 19 2006
        • in the field Mr. Pid Jan 19 2006
  • bullets buckmark Jan 19 2006
  • Handguns for Bears... Murphy Jan 18 2006
    • what Murphy said... AlbertJohnson Jan 25 2006
    • report on this stuff ursus1 Jan 19 2006
      • New math Bigmnt Jan 20 2006
        • english teacher too? ursus1 Jan 20 2006
    • Murphy & Archives Hutchinator Jan 18 2006
      • .44 Mag Jake_65_65 Jan 19 2006
        • 44 vs. 6ft black bear AlaskaCub Jan 20 2006
  • good info huntingmandan Jan 18 2006
    • handguns BrownBear Jan 18 2006
      • 44 mag Mr. Pid Jan 18 2006
        • BTW Mr. Pid Jan 18 2006
          • Is it enough? Snowwolfe Jan 18 2006
            • To Stop a Charge? Whogoose Jan 18 2006
              • deterrents Mr. Pid Jan 18 2006