So my brothers carry side arms when walking in on a bear after it has been shot. I myself agree this is a good idea. I know someone we will just call bear bait that was attacked by a wounded black bear. What I am curious about is what is the smallest handgun you think a person should carry in such a situation? I am looking at getting a side are for such use and for conceal carry. I have a friend that has a very inexpensive handgun that is known to get great penetration. I just am not sure it is the one I would like to get. Either way I plan on getting the gun as the price is good.

Hey tlo7mm!!! Enjoyin the hotter weather?
Just a guess I'd say a magnum revolver. 357, 41, 44 with a 5.5-7.5inch barrel would be optimum. Second guess would be a Glock 20 in either 10mm or 40 caliber, if you can conceal, this would be a great one. Don't know about how available the 10mm ammo is tho. and I'd say that would be the smallest caliber I would want. (the .40) Take the biggest caliber with the largest bullet that you can stand the recoil with.

You can carry a .22 and shoot your hunting partner in the leg for bear bait, that way you can run faster....just a thought.

Suz

Wounded bear huh?I believe my choice of a handgun would be the same as the professional guide in alaska used when I went brown bear hunting...........................12 guage pump stick-sawed off! Loaded with 12 guage balls,and slugs alternating beween shots!BTW wounded bears can HURT you!

I was originally thinking 40 S&W and still want one, its a great gun for many things and pleasant to shoot. I am also aiming at a .357 Mag and have a lot of stuff to reload for 38 spcl for just plinking and for my wife to shoot. I am looking at getting a 7.62 Tokarev from a friend for a great price. I am also looking into a 45 long colt or more interesting to me would be the 454 casull which will run the 45LC. The 7.62 tokarev is the only one I can afford right now though.

Im with TRBLSHTR 12GA all the way. we dont have handguns over here in kiwiland(well no legal ones anyway )now the .45LC would be good and you could buy that sexy pumpaction rifle for your daughter to use aswell cause you will be buying dies to load for the pistol you could explain to SWMBO the saving you would be making having 2 firearms of the same calibre .

Suz's idea of being able to run faster than your friend is an option...maybe but I would opt for a .44 Magnum...in an auto so you have more than 6 shots available.

The reason I say auto is simple...have you ever done a reload, under life or death pressure, with a speed loader and revolver...fumble fumble fumble... OW OW OW OUCHIES...STOP BITING AND CHEWING ME YOU STUPID BEAR...I"M TRYING TO RELOAD TO PUT YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERY. An auto would be much easier to reload...drop the mag, slam in another 10 or 15 rounds and continue shooting.

A .357 Magnum is a good penetrator, but I am not sure that it would be enough on a wounded bear pumped full of adrenalin (be a bit like trying to take out a druggie pumped full of PCP). I am of the "bigger is better" school of thought, although you must practice and be competent with the gun. No such thing as overkill in my world.

At the end of the day it really comes down to what you are competent with and ease of carriage (including extra ammo) and what you can afford to spend. A cheap arse 12g shottie, cut down to Coach Gun length would be my choice if I couldn't afford a decent auto. It is easy to carry, there is a multitude of ammo types available and I would be very surprised if a bear with two 32 gram slugs, doing maybe 1350 fps, in him, with another two on the way, would be going very far.

Cheers, Vince

So, presumably you've shot your bear with a rifle. Why not just use a rifle?

It's all very romantic to carry a "side arm" and be Quick Draw McGraw but if that's what you want to do, you need to be very good with said side arm. I think something with 5 shots is probably enough since if your bear isn't down by 5 shots, you'll probably be eaten anyway.

If you plan to shoot it in the head, light stuff like a 357 Magnum should work OK. If you plan a frontal body shot on a charging bear, you better say a few Ave Marias for a spine shot or you should probably be carrying something bigger with better penetration.

So, presumably you've shot your bear with a rifle. Why not just use a rifle?

It's all very romantic to carry a "side arm" and be Quick Draw McGraw but if that's what you want to do, you need to be very good with said side arm. I think something with 5 shots is probably enough since if your bear isn't down by 5 shots, you'll probably be eaten anyway.

If you plan to shoot it in the head, light stuff like a 357 Magnum should work OK. If you plan a frontal body shot on a charging bear, you better say a few Ave Marias for a spine shot or you should probably be carrying something bigger with better penetration.

As a trapper I had an open carry license and I used a S&W 686 in 357 Mag,. When I got to a snare with a black bear in it, I merely placed a shot in the vitals (Heart, lungs liver area) and one shot was enough. I ounce tried a head shot and that is a no no. The bullet merely knocked him out cold for a few minutes and he was rather pis**ed off when he came to. Since 2009 our good government refuses to renew my carry permit for trapping purposes. It was much handier than carrying a rifle plus all the trapping equipment and possibly a 50 pound beaver on my back.

There is a big difference between a bear coming after you with the intent of harming you and one caught in a snare.

Grizzly shot in the head with a 460 S&W Magnum. Not that pis**ed off; just dead.

tlo7mm. I carry a .357 magnum, but would NEVER approach a downed bear with nothing less then a .30-30 [preferable a .30-06]. Those that kill a mad bear with a handgun are just plain lucky and GOD loves them.

Drop a bruin, nail it again...and again and again. That said upon approach to recover good luck with a long gun hitting anything when smokey stands up and comes back on ya to rip yer face off. Plus a high-power round missing bone can over-penetrate then it's off to the races with flying lead, plus ya have to cycle the bolt/slide etc. Slug guns are great for hog as a primary, still need a sidearm back up.

Ruger made the Alaskan for a reason. I carry the 44m. in a Simply Rugged pancake. I can get off 2-3 BB, Corbon, Punch heavy rounds faster and on target than one 454 Casull.
Evryone thinks the 454 is the end all of loads. It aint. The 44m heavy +P+ HC or bronze punch are way more controlable and will smash his skull like it aint there. I've practiced on my side, falling back, etc. Once you get the drill down you can put 6 in a pie plate at 30'. Put one behind his ear upon approach anyways. After you shoot one of these laods inspect the others for crimp jump that way you won't get a jamb at just the wrong time.

If you cant stop a woulded bruin with one or two of these loads to the brain a 454 wont help and dont call me, I dont want yer problem!

Vince, I also like Suz's idea about the .22 when my partner doesn't carry a gun himself, but I would never prefer a semi-auto instead of a wheelgun. You can have some more rounds available but what if a case blocks the slide or so + knowing myself with the Browning Auto-5: you shoot 3 times and then you start aiming... when I carry a single shot it will only cost me 1 round to have the same results... as always: when you think you have plenty, you'll come short. When you fear you'll come short, you'll have more than needed...

but we don't have bears (or they should have escaped from a zoo or circus), the only dangerous game around here are wild boar (and maybe some lieing game with small ears, but then I'm going to upset Suz ) and it's very difficult to get a permit to carry a handgun, we don't live in Germany were they seem to know and respect hunters on wild boars more.

That's where the lever gun excels. It cycles faster then a bolt gun.

My Alaskan with the +P+ has more whomp with a giant bronze skull smashing meplat than that 30-30 jack-handle. And why would ya carry two riflers?

Save the lil 7.62 JSP for rabbits and yotes.

Lest yer carryin' a Guide Gun in 45-70, now THAT'S a lever action.