opinion on a 44mag

[Guest pseshooter300]

I'm looking at getting a 44 to carry on some bear hunts and some other hunts that I will be going on out west. I was considering the Taurus tracker but I read some reviews on buds and they had on there the gun would lock up after 2 or 3 shots so that would not be good in a bad situation the next gun that I liked was the Taurus 444 ultra lite. These guns would be in my price range for this buy of $600 and under. Any opinions or suggestions

[Patton]

Honestly in that price range a used Smith 44mag is what I would get. If you could find a 41 mag it is the min for grizzly but would work. I just don't know that I would trust a Taurus with that much PSI.

How about a Glock 20 and have some money left over?

[Patton]

BTW I recommend a handgun on a bear hunt only as a Back Up.

[gregintenn]

I'd recommend a pre lock Smith and Wesson model 29 or 629. Tough to find one for $600, but you won't need to add too much more for a serviceable one. A Ruger Super Blackhawk is a trustworthy gun that can be had for far less than your budget. I would personally avoid the Taurus.

[Patton]

I was getting ready to recommend the Rugers.

[KahrMan]

I'd recommend a pre lock Smith and Wesson model 29 or 629. Tough to find one for $600, but you won't need to add too much more for a serviceable one. A Ruger Super Blackhawk is a trustworthy gun that can be had for far less than your budget. I would personally avoid the Taurus.

This is good advice.

[Guest pseshooter300]

I'm not much of a pistol guy more rifles and shotguns. On the glock 20 in 10mm would that gun be ok to stop a charging mad bear? This gun would only be used for a situation that needed be in a bow hunt? Or if in a situation on a western state hunt.

[Guest pseshooter300]

I just looked at the ruger super blackhawk that is a pretty good looking gun. I hadn't noticed them or the store didn't mention them the other day. Thanks I will look into them.

[Jonnin]

The blackhawk is the SA, redhawk is the double action, and you can't go wrong with either one. Ive shot my blackhawk since about 1990, many hundreds of rounds, and its still just as good as it ever was. Avoid the "bisley" models... you cannot find an alternate grip for those so its original style or nothing; I wish mine were normal so I could slap on a hogue style grip. The 41 mag is good but its one of those "where do I get ammo again" calibers, so if out hunting and you lost your box of ammo, you could be stuck whereas any store has at least something in 44 mag. Nothing at all wrong with a s&w either, but for hunting I would get a long barrel gun and if possible something with a mount in case you decide to scope it one day. I also love my desert eagle, but you would not want to spend that $$ for it and probably not the best hunting pistol. A 10mm may or may not stop a grizzly, its a pretty darn good cartridge if you can find one, but most of them have extremely poor triggers compared to a SA revolver (as do most autos). Im sure 10+ rounds of 10mm would stop any animal found in our country. Im sure that 5+ rounds of 44 will too. If you are worried about fighting a very powerful animal at short range, the SA revolver may not be the best pick, but if you want to pick off a deer at 100 yards with one, its the best choice. From there a quality DA with a couple of speedloaders is the best compromise choice.

[Patton]

I would feel very comfortable with 16 rounds of 10mm fired at a charging Grizzly even if only 5 hit center mass.

[gregintenn]

Here are my 44 mags. My preference of these to take on a bear hunt would be the Marlin! If you need to defend yourself against a bear, I believe a rifle is one's best bet. Do you mean you will be hunting with the 44, or just carrying it along?

[Guest pseshooter300]

Yes this will only be a carry gun while hunting not for hunting only for emergency situation I hunt some areas during bow season that is pretty thick with bears never know when one might not run the other way or back down. Like I said this is not for hunting one just want it with me if I need it. Now with this being cleared up I guess I need to decide on the ruger or the glock 20. Once again don't buy a lot of pistol ammo is 10mm ammo pretty easy to find? Anyone recommend a good place to get either of these pistols at a good price east Tn east of knoxville?

[gregintenn]

I'd watch the guns for sale section here, as well as ###.com. I've seen some good prices lately on used privately owned firearms since it's close to Christmas and money is tight. I can't give you any advice on the Glock.

[Jonnin]

If its a backup only and to save your life, I would get a highcap 357 sig or 10mm and forget the 44 revolver unless you are very confident in your ability. I love my 44s but if I really and truly were trying to stop a bear from killing me, I would want more than a few shots as they have been known to take devestating wounds without stopping, it may die in half an hour but that wont do you a bit of good. 10mm is hard to find. 357 sig is not quite as hard to find. Glock is, I think, one of 2 that still make a 10mm gun and not many of those. The 357 has a good following in police duty and civillian carry, and you can find more guns for sale in the caliber and more ammo for sale in the stores.

Edited December 15, 2011 by Jonnin

[Guest pseshooter300]

Yes I know they can take a hit and keep going I killed one this year with a muzzle loader let me tell you that was a experience. My only concern with the glock 20 and I have no experience with glock is it jamming in the wrong time and place. Anyone had this happen at all?

[SonnyCrockett]

id opt for a used S&W 29,I seem them often and that is the only 44

I would even consider - I saw one just a few weeks ago for 550 at a pawn shop,pinned and recessed

and was like new......

[gregintenn]

Perhaps I'm just ignorant, but if one is attacked by a bear, how many rounds should he expect to get off before being mauled to the point of submission? I'd be surprised if I were able to get a handgun out of my holster and shoot at all. If six won't do it, I'm sure the end would be near.

[Jonnin]

Yes I know they can take a hit and keep going I killed one this year with a muzzle loader let me tell you that was a experience. My only concern with the glock 20 and I have no experience with glock is it jamming in the wrong time and place. Anyone had this happen at all?

I hate glocks***, but I will give them their due. They do not jam if you use quality ammo and you do not limp wrist them. Now, they are very easy to limp wrist if you have very weak hands/wrists/arms, and they have strong springs so weak/cheap ammo can fail, but those are not problems with the GUN. *** Its personal, theres not a darn thing wrong with them, they are simply the exact opposite of what I like best in the most important categories.

[Jonnin]

Perhaps I'm just ignorant, but if one is attacked by a bear, how many rounds should he expect to get off before being mauled to the point of submission? I'd be surprised if I were able to get a handgun out of my holster and shoot at all. If six won't do it, I'm sure the end would be near.

If you can fire a 44 mag snubbie or midsize 6 times, you are a skilled revolver shooter. In the time an *average joe* can fire a revolver 6 times, the same *average joe* can probably shoot 10 or 15 from his auto, assuming that drawing them takes the same amount of time. Which extrapolates.... if you can fire twice with the revolver, you might get 5 off with the auto. It just takes a while to pull those long triggers or thumb the hammer back, while an auto with a good trigger takes very little motion and effort. I can empty my 1911 before I could pull a DA revolver trigger twice, for example. Now, if you had a heavy DAO semi auto, it wouldnt make much difference at all, it depends on the guns in question. I could empty all 8 or 9 or whatever it holds in my desert eagle before I got to shot #3 in my blackhawk, though, of that I am sure.

[Guest pseshooter300]

I guess it is a toss up

[Patton]

If a Glock is going to have a reliability issue you will know it in the first 100rds generally. Limp wristing isn't too common on Glocks in my experience. I have had it happen one time while i was trying to deliberately do it and it was with a sub compact off hand and I almost dropped it I was holding it so loose.

[Patton]

You might need to check laws on carrying High capacity handguns where your going and find out if you can carry FMJ ammo or if it has to be HP, Lead, WC etc...

[Jonnin]

If a Glock is going to have a reliability issue you will know it in the first 100rds generally. Limp wristing isn't too common on Glocks in my experience. I have had it happen one time while i was trying to deliberately do it and it was with a sub compact off hand and I almost dropped it I was holding it so loose.

I couldnt do it either but my wife managed 2-3 times per magazine until we finally gave up & sold it. Its not common, I agree, but a very weak person can certainly manage it. Same gun, same ammo, I could not make it happen.

[Guest dubaholic2]

get a BFR in 45-70:D

[I_Like_Pie]

I would feel very comfortable with 16 rounds of 10mm fired at a charging Grizzly even if only 5 hit center mass.

Whew....I wouldn't even feel comfortable having a Dillion Minigun if a Grizzly Bear was charging me.....much less a 10mm