The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - S&W .500 350 Gr Bullet Vs. Bears And Grizzly Bears?

adn258 · May 10, 2013, 05:30 AM

Right. This is a tired old topic. I was just looking more for handgun suggestions but the .500 is likely out of the questions, and also what grains were considered acceptable in what gun brand. I think I'm highly leaning toward a .44 magnum and that should be fine for the unlikely chance this will ever be a problem anyway.

People here were starting to argue about what would be "best" and we could sit here all night and probably think of rounds that would almost certainly kill even a grizzly a bear deader than a door nail; the .375 H&H, certain .458 loads a .338 etc. etc. etc. but that's not the point for me. The point boils down to something I would want to carry that would probably work and that's also practical gun. The S&W 626 4 inch or the Alaskan Red Hawk .44 magnums seem VERY practical and realistic for this with a hard cast high grain bullet.

ON A SEPARATE SIDE NOTE AND SOMETHING SORT OF ENTERTAINING

I know someone who was almost killed by a bear. My fathers old business partner (a she) had a boy friend/significant other. They liked to go on exotic safari and hunting trips in other countries hunting dangerous and huge game. She owned a ranch here in Montana and there was a bear that can't mutilating and mauling her lamas and otherwise wrecking havoc on their property. (No I'm not kidding).

Finally one night her significant other was there and the animals were getting upset outside indicating there was a bear there. He grabbed the .458 they had and headed outside. All of a sudden while walking around the ranch/home the bear literally jumped out of the bushes about 10 feet in front of him teeth bared and ready to eat him alive.

Sure enough he shot the bear in the head with the .458 and the bear spun around in a circle once and fell over dead. He lived through this and when the bear was examined later this bear had all kinds of problems in including if I remember correctly broken teeth, glass lodged inside of him, and the bear was partially starved.

This bear was unusual but that's why it was killing things etc. there was something wrong with it.

May 10, 2013, 05:30 AM	#55
adn258 Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2010 Location: Montana Posts: 121	Right. This is a tired old topic. I was just looking more for handgun suggestions but the .500 is likely out of the questions, and also what grains were considered acceptable in what gun brand. I think I'm highly leaning toward a .44 magnum and that should be fine for the unlikely chance this will ever be a problem anyway. People here were starting to argue about what would be "best" and we could sit here all night and probably think of rounds that would almost certainly kill even a grizzly a bear deader than a door nail; the .375 H&H, certain .458 loads a .338 etc. etc. etc. but that's not the point for me. The point boils down to something I would want to carry that would probably work and that's also practical gun. The S&W 626 4 inch or the Alaskan Red Hawk .44 magnums seem VERY practical and realistic for this with a hard cast high grain bullet. ON A SEPARATE SIDE NOTE AND SOMETHING SORT OF ENTERTAINING I know someone who was almost killed by a bear. My fathers old business partner (a she) had a boy friend/significant other. They liked to go on exotic safari and hunting trips in other countries hunting dangerous and huge game. She owned a ranch here in Montana and there was a bear that can't mutilating and mauling her lamas and otherwise wrecking havoc on their property. (No I'm not kidding). Finally one night her significant other was there and the animals were getting upset outside indicating there was a bear there. He grabbed the .458 they had and headed outside. All of a sudden while walking around the ranch/home the bear literally jumped out of the bushes about 10 feet in front of him teeth bared and ready to eat him alive. Sure enough he shot the bear in the head with the .458 and the bear spun around in a circle once and fell over dead. He lived through this and when the bear was examined later this bear had all kinds of problems in including if I remember correctly broken teeth, glass lodged inside of him, and the bear was partially starved. This bear was unusual but that's why it was killing things etc. there was something wrong with it. __________________ Living life in, "The Last Best Place": Montana