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I would run from the bear

Recently acquired a Taurus Raging Judge Magnum. With the way the 300gr Hornady XTP Mag bullets
manage to penetrate both the paper target and the cardboard backing at the range, I have little fear of a bear.
Should I fail to get a hit with one out of six, the 8"+ barrel and half ton of weight, will make a suitable club.
I tried EDC with it. Even backing up my belt with suspenders I was never able to keep the waistband above
my knees.
As we continue to lay down more asphalt in the area, we are finding the bears coming closer and rifling through
our garbage cans and other food sources.
 
Is that the .454 Cassull one? How hard is the kick on that gun? I've fired .44 Mags, but never a .454. Is it basically a "magnum" .45 Colt?
 
jg7789 said:
Is that the .454 Cassull one? How hard is the kick on that gun? I've fired .44 Mags, but never a .454. Is it basically a "magnum" .45 Colt?
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I have 3 44's. Taurus Raging Bull, Ruger Blackhawk 7.5" and a 10" barrel.
Even with my hand loads wife and granddaughter and I will shoot one handed.
454 weighs twice as much and I have yet to try one hand. Yeah, it's got some
push back. But it's so heavy it doesn't have a recoil that is what I'd call punishing.
Most disappointment I have found shooting my two Judges is using 410 shells.
I thought those would be nasty. Feels like a 22 mag!!
I believe the 454 is referred to at times as the 45LC Mag.
Fella I buy some bullets from told me he fired 22 rounds of 454 and had to quit.
Many times I have fired 50 and wished I had more. Guess some of us enjoy having
our teeth rattled more than others! :D
 
SMSgtRod said:
I have 3 44's. Taurus Raging Bull, Ruger Blackhawk 7.5" and a 10" barrel.
Even with my hand loads wife and granddaughter and I will shoot one handed.
454 weighs twice as much and I have yet to try one hand. Yeah, it's got some
push back. But it's so heavy it doesn't have a recoil that is what I'd call punishing.
Most disappointment I have found shooting my two Judges is using 410 shells.
I thought those would be nasty. Feels like a 22 mag!!
I believe the 454 is referred to at times as the 45LC Mag.
Fella I buy some bullets from told me he fired 22 rounds of 454 and had to quit.
Many times I have fired 50 and wished I had more. Guess some of us enjoy having
our teeth rattled more than others! :D
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I hear ya! I have a friend who got to shoot a S&W 500 and he said it about came out of his hand. I think I'd pass on that one....
 
10mmLife said:
I wouldn't use the theory that someone killed a Brown bear with a 9mm as a good reason to carry a 9mm into bear country but it does show that shot placement matters the most. I say carry the most powerful caliber you have experience and training with to be sure of shot placement.

And avoid smearing yourself in honey before going out for a hike.
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I didn't advocate carrying a 9mm for Alaska bear country defense. I mearly stated that it happened.

I lived & worked in griz country (last 30 yrs) and either carry a 10mm or 44mag (and have for years but couldn't at work) when not carrying a long gun when out & about.

Do you live in grizzly country?

I don't smear honey on myself, but do also carry bear spray.
 
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HotRod said:
there's a tiny pocket down here in the lower 48 where you run into grizz. Other than that it's only black bears. They get big but they don't have the temperament of the real bears up north. I've only ever carried for bear protection around Yellowstone and Alaska. You can a run a black bear off with stern look. :)
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I wouldn't consider the northern half & eastern part of ID, western 1/3 rd of MT and the NW 1/4 of WY a tiny pocket. Way larger area than tiny WI. And the griz populations are increasing in the NCDE & Yellowstone areas, and they're expanding out.

And considering that more folks have been attacked by black bears I wouldn't turn my back on them.
 
Lol... I don't think anyone thought you were advocating 9mm for bear defense. and I didn't mean that to come across as anything negative. I've read about some crazy real events where people have dropped big dangerous game with small calibers. The honey comment was just general tongue in cheek humour. No grizzlies near me just black bear and they don't particularly bother anything except trash cans. I'm in the Northeast.
 
I'm in MT, and lived next door in ID for 18 years with a total of 35 years as a federal WL biologist.

Folks get chewed on by griz each year here in MT during hunting season, as well as encounters with bears as more folks move into bear country. Whether black, griz or brown bears up north it pays to be bear aware & always watch your six. Especially, in hunting season out here since they have learned to seek out downed game in hunting season.
 
But I totally agree with your statement..."I say carry the most powerful caliber you have experience and training with to be sure of shot placement."

One bowhunter this fall that got chewed on couldn't get his pistol out fast enough to do use it (they were in thick timber) but his partner sprayed the bear to end the encounter. Then they went to the hospital. The griz are also learning to go towards elk calling (bugling elk/cow calls) since they hunt too.
 
BTW tests have shown that using bear spray is the most effective deterrent in an encounter. But if a griz is coming in your tent I wouldn't use the spray since you'll get incapacitated. The stuff is nasty.

A charging grizzly is extremely fast and no one will out run one.

For those that don't live in these parts, general info - https://www.backcountrychronicles.com/grizzly-bear-distribution/

BTW - All the described ecosystems with griz have significant portions in MT, except for the Northern Cascades and Selkirk Ecosystems.

BTW2 - I carry a pistol also for cats (aka mtn lions) and black bears since these are plentiful in my walk-about areas.
 
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This thread reminded me of this story:
I know Ive been in some odd incidents where I just did not react when others would have. (Like having a monkey scamper up my arm and try to take a bite) Its hard to really know exactly what you will do when the time comes.
 
Whacha think of the 460 rowland conversions? 50% more energy than a 10mm in an auto.

www.460rowland.com

Ported XDm 4.5 - 460 Rowland

To shoot .45 ACP from your new Conversion, just remove the Set-Screw Secured Compensator and you are ready to go! You’ll really love it in .460 Rowland®!
www.460rowland.com www.460rowland.com
 
HotRod said:
Whacha think of the 460 rowland conversions? 50% more energy than a 10mm in an auto.

www.460rowland.com

Ported XDm 4.5 - 460 Rowland

To shoot .45 ACP from your new Conversion, just remove the Set-Screw Secured Compensator and you are ready to go! You’ll really love it in .460 Rowland®!
www.460rowland.com www.460rowland.com
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That .460 Rowland looks pretty cool. Anyone know more about that round? What's the case based off of?
 
Classified said:
This thread reminded me of this story:
I know Ive been in some odd incidents where I just did not react when others would have. (Like having a monkey scamper up my arm and try to take a bite) Its hard to really know exactly what you will do when the time comes.
Click to expand...

I remember when that happened. Great vid from him. Thanks for posting it.
 
Classified said:
This thread reminded me of this story:
I know Ive been in some odd incidents where I just did not react when others would have. (Like having a monkey scamper up my arm and try to take a bite) Its hard to really know exactly what you will do when the time comes.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that video. I had never heard his story before.
 
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