Topic: backpacking caliber ?

[Nealio]

Take a look at 357 magnum {silhouette loads} with the 180 and 200 gr bullets
One of my son's shoots silhouette with a 357 at 225 meters iron sights laying on the ground
shooting off his calf to stabilize the pistol the pistol has a 6" barrel

Jeesus, I didn't know you could shoot something that big out of a . 357  !!

[carharttfarmer]

Jeesus, I didn't know you could shoot something that big out of a . 357  !!

yup 180s at 1300fps plus it is a magnum ya know 

[NoviceHunter]

I know there are better calibers for bear and other big game then .357mag and .45acp. But out of the 2 I just mentioned which one would you prefer out in the woods and why?

Unless you're hunting or violating some other bear risk thing, whichever you're more proficient with.  2-legged is a bigger worry than 4-legged if you're taking the usual precautions, IMO.  What gun is the .45?  I don't like a 2" barrel or a single action, really.

Which of your handguns is lightest, fully loaded?  :-)

[Nealio]

yup 180s at 1300fps plus it is a magnum ya know 

Well yeah I didn't know they made anything bigger than a 158 
A 200gr .357 bullet must be like 1" in length..

[NGO]

In Colorado, for handguns your loads have to produce a minimum of 550 ftlbs at 50 yards rated by the manufacture. A 357 barely crosses that depending on how hot you load it and a 45 ACP does not even come close to it.

Having done alot of Colorado hunting I use to carry my .357 with 180 gr loads...loaded hot.

Several hunters thru the years that we would make friends with always said you really do need a.44Mag instead. Unless you hit that brain , your not stopping that bear.
These guys would laugh at the guy with a .45ACP...man stopper not bear stopper, they would say.


Also if you decide to make a brain shot, don't aim between the eyes...you will likely destroy it's sinus cavity and piss the bear off even more...Aim lower shot into the nose...the bear brain is lower in the base of the skull and protected by very hard bone mass.

[NGO]

I tried to use paint to come up with a diagram, since I could find one...




see all that nice hard sloping surface....that's where you don't want to hit.....

[RGinIdaho]

If you are stuck on the .357 load some hard cast lead. The penetration with properly made gas-checked lead is phenominal.

These guys make some great slugs. I kept their 310gr in a .44mag in camp when we hunted AK.

http://www.castperformance.com/Categories.bok?category=Cast+Performance%3A357+Cal.


Truth of the matter is; the bears aren't what you should be worried about. It's the two legged critter laying in wait at your rig. Your EDC will do fine here...

[agunforeachhand]

I tried to use paint to come up with a diagram, since I could find one...




see all that nice hard sloping surface....that's where you don't want to hit.....

NGO I have been told to aim in the bears mouth also, being as a bear usually has his mouth open to tear you a new arsehole. Would that be true? Seems to me like it would be.

[agunforeachhand]

Unless you're hunting or violating some other bear risk thing, whichever you're more proficient with.  2-legged is a bigger worry than 4-legged if you're taking the usual precautions, IMO.  What gun is the .45?  I don't like a 2" barrel or a single action, really.

Which of your handguns is lightest, fully loaded?  :-)

The .45acp is a 5in RIA tactical.
As for my lightest handgun that would be my glock 23

[NGO]

NGO I have been told to aim in the bears mouth also, being as a bear usually has his mouth open to tear you a new arsehole. Would that be true? Seems to me like it would be.

true....I just lok at the drawing and connect aloine to where the brain cavity is......

shooting at the area on top of the "between the eyes" will likely just piss the bear off...

month open shoot in the mouth is a good idea.

[agunforeachhand]

true....I just lok at the drawing and connect aloine to where the brain cavity is......

shooting at the area on top of the "between the eyes" will likely just piss the bear off...

month open shoot in the mouth is a good idea.

Thanks NGO. chances are if a big old bear is standing over me with his mouth open I will end up just crappin my pants

[fj40mojo]

Thanks NGO. chances are if a big old bear is standing over me with his mouth open I will end up just crappin my pants

Just take a fat friend along. As long as you run faster than your buddy you're good. If things happen the way you are predicting here your bud will be at a disadvantage anyways since he'll be trying to run in several inches of shit.

[WTF]

Thanks NGO. chances are if a big old bear is standing over me with his mouth open I will end up just crappin my pants

Then the bear will spit you out cause you taste like shit. sounds survivable to me.

[WTF]

Just take a fat friend along. As long as you run faster than your buddy you're good. If things happen the way you are predicting here your bud will be at a disadvantage anyways since he'll be trying to run in several inches of shit.

our scuba instructors always told us, if we see a great white shark, stab your diving buddy, and swim away.

[agunforeachhand]

Just take a fat friend along. As long as you run faster than your buddy you're good. If things happen the way you are predicting here your bud will be at a disadvantage anyways since he'll be trying to run in several inches of shit.

Chances are I will have at least one of my kids with me.  I know I can out run them

[fj40mojo]

Chances are I will have at least one of my kids with me.  I know I can out run them

Some species eat there young, apparently agunforeachhand's feeds his to bears. Nice. Reeeeal nice.

[NGO]

So the real question is what caliber .357 or 45acp would be more likely to put your buddy down...for the bear....hence giving you a chance to get away.


In that case .45acp

[agunforeachhand]

Some species eat there young, apparently agunforeachhand's feeds his to bears. Nice. Reeeeal nice.

Not just kids fj, whoever the hell is standing next to me when the bear is charging lol


Maybe i should just carry some dynamite in the backpack

[luvmy45]

While I would not forgo a firearm on me, when in Bear country, I have heard that Bear Repellent (industrial pepper spray in large containers) can be quite effective.

Here is a quote I would agree with from some research on Bear Spray,

"To rely on the spray as protection while ignoring other bear country essentials---such as storing food out of reach of bears or in bear-proof containers and making noise in thick brush--is just plain stupid. "This stuff isn't brains in a can," he said.

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF12/1245.html

[agunforeachhand]

While I would not forgo a firearm on me, when in Bear country, I have heard that Bear Repellent (industrial pepper spray in large containers) can be quite effective.

Here is a quote I would agree with from some research on Bear Spray,

"To rely on the spray as protection while ignoring other bear country essentials---such as storing food out of reach of bears or in bear-proof containers and making noise in thick brush--is just plain stupid. "This stuff isn't brains in a can," he said.

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF12/1245.html

Thanks for the info BK but it still isn't one of the calibers I mentioned And I thought I was the only one that didn't read the entire posts

[luvmy45]

For the price of a box of good quality ammo, it's a great addition to have if your backpacking in bear country. Just thought you might like a viable alternative rather that a "change the caliber" post.

Just sayin...

PS - I would carry a .45, cause is the biggest caliber I own, and I know how to shoot it, and I can load 9 rounds and change mags for more if needed.

Just sayin 

[agunforeachhand]

For the price of a box of good quality ammo, it's a great addition to have if your backpacking in bear country. Just thought you might like a viable alternative rather that a "change the caliber" post.

Just sayin...

PS - I would carry a .45, cause is the biggest caliber I own, and I know how to shoot it, and I can load 9 rounds and change mags for more if needed.

Just sayin 

Really thanks for sharing the bear spray BK that really is good info. 

Chances are I would just take my glock 23 along with the .357 because I shoot a glock pretty good and with 13+1 I wouldn't have to reload.

Just sayin

[NoviceHunter]

As for my lightest handgun that would be my glock 23

That'd be my pick (with either corbon 140gr dpx, hornady 180gr XTP's, or some full house 180gr FMJ's.)

[RGinIdaho]

Jeesus, I didn't know you could shoot something that big out of a . 357  !!

I have a great silhouette load for Speer's 200gr TMJ and IMR4227.

[BadtzMaru]

Truth of the matter is; the bears aren't what you should be worried about. It's the two legged critter laying in wait at your rig. Your EDC will do fine here...

I won't discount bears or humans as potential threats but what I'm hearing more of lately is people getting stalked by wolves.  Just a matter of time before someone is dinner for the big bad one.  I have usually gone fishing and on short hikes with no gun at all - seriously starting to rethink that.  I also thought about sitting by a tree in full camo trying to sound like a turkey  .  At least I'm armed then, but .....