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I have had lots of close encounters with brown and black bears, but have never had a bear charge me.  I have talked to quite a few people who have.

As Murphy said, a good handgun is probably the best thing you could have once the bear is actually chewing on you.  For  that reason I am thinking of getting a lightweight 44.

To keep him from chewing on you, it is not the best thing but is better than nothing.  

I just recently talked to a friend who works as a bear guard.  They use pump action shotguns loaded with heavy slugs.  This is after lots of experience and lots of research. They are obviously the best thing to stop a charging bear.

If I were to be in heavy bear country where there is a good possibility of running into mean bears I would like to have a pump shotgun.  But it seems that a lot of the bad bear encounters are not where you would expect a bear.  If you are already hunting you have your rifle.  If not hunting and not in known bear country, you have to make a decision on how paranoid you are going to be...and then carry enough gun to make you feel comfortable.  

Right now, I usually don't carry anything when fishing.  But these posts are starting to make me paranoid enough to buy a 44!

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