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Nice post Murphy!

Some thoughts:
Is a .44 enough gun?  Absolutely!  Well, not really!  Of course it is!  There are better choices!  It'll work!

I think it depends on where you hit it, how pumped on adrenaline it is, and how far away the bear is, in that order. Placement is EVERYTHING!

I looked at Remington's online ballistics tables and a .22-250 with 55 grain boolits has MORE muzzle energy that a .44 with 270 grainers!!(Naturally, they don't list Buffalo Bore!)

What that means is that ANY rifle is going to do you a bigger favor than a peestola.  Don't take that as advocacy for a .22-250, however!

Brenneke 1-3/8 oz slugs are hardcast and from what I've heard are kick azz rounds.

I must say that there absolutely is a difference between hunting bears and trying to knock down one that wants to steal your lunch money. Bigger is better there. Guides carry larger bore rifles to stop bears their clients have wounded and are escaping into the thick and nasty.  My guess is that more brown and grizzly bears have been killed with the lowly .30-06 than any other caliber.  Black bears can be deterred with well placed swats from a broom!
Your mileage may vary!

--Mike

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