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People make a lot of jokes about bears, handguns, and filing off sights.  But there are plenty of documented cases where handguns have saved peoples lives and skill was not required.  There may be but I am not aware of any case where a handgun was used and it resulted in death.

When a bear is at absolute point blank range or on top of you a handgun may be your only defense.  I remember an incident in the news where a native woman fended off a grizzly with a 22 handgun and I'm sure many remember the pictures of the Montana Game Warden saving his life by pumping rounds from his 357 into a grizzly as it chewed on him.

There are also plenty of cases where hunters with long guns were taken down and not a shot was fired.  One I remember was in Sept.2001 where a grizzly took down both a native resident and a pastor.  They were in stalking mode while moose hunting, I think with an 06 and a 338.  The bear knocked down the native from behind and then commenced to tear apart the pastor.  The incident was over in a few seconds and the bear disappeared, the pastor survived but with grave injuries.  Both said that initially they didn't even know what hit them.  Don't know if a handgun would have changed the outcome but carrying 2 rifles didn't.

I think a lot of people visualize a bear nearby acting aggressively and then they get their gun ready.  I am sure there are cases like this, but for me, I am most concerned about the bear that I never see. I carry a 4" 41 mag Taurus Titanium, always on my belt, if I don't have a rifle then it will be in my hand in the alders.

Yes! a rifle is best if you are "anticipating" to stop a bear charge.

Message Thread:

• handgun for bears? av8nak Jun 23 2005
  • More on all sort of weapons and bears Ray Jun 27 2005
    • handgun skill not nessecary????? calndux Jun 29 2005
    • Bear Defense BrownBear Jun 28 2005
    • Ray is bear shooting... Murphy Jun 27 2005
      • Murphy Ray Jun 28 2005
  • Handguns and Bears.... Murphy Jun 24 2005
    • Bears and little guns Ed M Jun 24 2005
      • Here is your answer Ed M, on "bears and little g Ray Jun 27 2005
        • bear in anchorage calndux Jun 29 2005
      • Bearguns and Skill.... Murphy Jun 25 2005
      • More on "little guns" Ray Jun 24 2005
      • Little guns BrownBear Jun 24 2005
    • Handguns BrownBear Jun 24 2005
  • Bear handguns Ed M Jun 24 2005
  • Bear protection Ray Jun 24 2005
  • If you have to ask Paul H Jun 24 2005
    • Bear defense AkHunter45 Jun 27 2005
    • Practice BrownBear Jun 24 2005
    • handguns... av8nak Jun 24 2005
      • handguns grizz106 Jun 24 2005
      • 480 for me Paul H Jun 24 2005
        • Bears Snowwolfe Jun 24 2005
          • bear handguns mauserboy Jun 26 2005