Simp

Watch this video and then ask yourself, "Would a pistol be any good in this situation?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZnsL7-UdGc

bigbulls

Uhm....... Yeah.

Whether they shot it with a 454 casull or what ever long gun he used that bear was intent on killing those hunters.

Schultzy

That would make a guys hair stand up!!

Simp

My point was...In this situation, I don't know of anyone that has big enough "oblongs" to stand there, take aim and put a round in this bear that's charging with the obvious intent of killing you. I'll hazard a guess that it's easier to shoot a long-arm in this situation (shaky hands) than it would be to shoot a pistol.

bigbulls

Maybe, but I would venture a guess that if you don't have the stones to stand your ground with a revolver than you probably don't have the stones to stand your ground with a rifle. In that situationa personis likely going to be eithervery calm and collective and do what needs to be done when it needs to be doneregardless of what firearm they have in their handsand then shake like a leaf afterwards when you are still alive or............. shake like a leaf during the entire event, put a bunch of lead downrange and not hit anything unless you get lucky,and have a very real possibility of become that bears lunch.

I know one thing......I would much ratherhave a 44, 454, 480, 475, etc...in my hands than nothing at all.





Or a .22 derringer and shoot my "buddy" in the knee. A good buddy will give their life to save yours you know.

Simp

All good points!

stuckinthereeds

This past fall while I was bow hunting I spooked up 4 black bears. They did end up running away but it wa a mamma and three cubs. If she charged, I didn't have a sidearm and would have been ripped apart. Pretty spooky but awsome to watch.

game4lunch

At 8 yards . . . damn right! 6 rounds of double actiopn .454 Cassul would be preferable over 3 or 4 rounds in a bolt action.
BUT! Hope I never have to find out.

salukipv1

Looked like he had a tad more time to wait, on some of those african hunts I've seen elephants charge way closer than I'd of liked, but the guide sometiems fire a warning shot, but I guess elephants mock charge more perhaps? But I've seen elephants that come so close I'd of shot them, but then they stop and turn around, so I guess it's the guides discretion, also why not a warning shot? hate to waste ammo, but who knows, but good outcome, so I'd have to say they did things right.

Also have to agreee with what was said above, if you don't have the stones to be out there, you shouldn't be there at all. And ya, shake after the bears dead, prior to that, do what you have to. In some ways I think these moments may actually be easier shots than most would think or than people even believe, in the sense that the human body is so amazing, personally I would bet that the body takes over, you become way more focused etc....and you get the job done, kinda like those moments you've had before a crash etc....and everythign slows down...like slow motion, that happens for a reason, because youre hyper sensitive, its like amovie camera, slow motion is a camera filming at twice the speed then played back and normal speed, to give you slow mo, your body speeds up and everything else slows down. From all i've read/seen/know, the body doesn't surprise me, its certainly amazing though what it can do. I try not to worry about things I can't prevent either, a bear charges, a bear charges, you either kill it, or it kills you either way, no worries.

MinnFinn

The alternative? Bear pepper spray may be fine under the "right conditions" (little or no wind). However, I've been on the tops of some of the tall ridgelines in the western mountain of Wyoming hunting Elk when it was blowing 35+ mph and snow bursts. I got to thinking up there after I had dropped an Elk and was field dressing it that if a Grizzly came up toward me with that wind, bear spray would be pretty worthless, as it would just as likely blow back in my face or to the side and disipateas it would to reach the bear and do any good.
Now, I carry a Ruger Redhawk .44 mag along with my rifle hunting out there. It's no guarantee that you'd get out of an encounter with dangerous predator, but at least it gives another option in a type situation where a rifle and scope are of little use to defend youself up close.