I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge on what the safe minimum caliber handgun in grizzly country would be. I am planning a trip to Alaska in late summer and want to have the right gear with me for the trip. I know the fish and game officers carry a S&W .50 cal. I have heard people say a .45 is fine and if so then a .40 is good too because it is actually faster and has the same ftlbs. of energy as a .45. Just curious and want to hear some more opinions on the matter..

Uh-oh - can o' worms...

You don't need to carry a sidearm. If you do, none of the conventional semi-autos are suitable. If you absolutely have to carry a common conventional semi-auto, full house 10mm heavy bullet loads would be less bad than the other choices.

In Alaska I carried extremely heavy 45 Colt loads for many years and heavy bullet 44 mag loads for a few years. I encountered MANY bears at rock-throwning distance, some at face-to-face range. I never had to shoot a bear under those circumstances. Again, you don't need to pack heat for bears. (OK - I would carry, but bears are *almost* an insignificant reason for me to carry a firearm).

A short barreled 12 ga pump with a proper sling, a Marlin Guide Gun, a bolt-action rifle in 308 or larger caliber, even a 30-30 with good bullets would be "better". If you carry a pistol instead, stick to large calibers with heavy bullets. 44 mag, heavy 45 Colt loads, 454, 480, etc.

HTH <bracing for onslaught of posts>,

Tom

I'm passing through Lost Wages next weekend. Which firearm works best on Elvis impersonators? I'll be in Pahrump and Winnemuca later buying horses. Will the same handgun work on Peterbuilts in a hurry to stop at certain gated businesses? Our old Studebaker truck only goes so fast. If every visitor to Alaska subscribed to Outdoor Strife's 'When Bars attack' pink journalism and kept Marlin production lines going poor old Ehpraim would be facing extinction along with his Polar Bear cousin. Even without my extensive field experience around bears, which translates into being savvy about THEIR home and habits AND having carried a .375 H&H I never used - I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING MUGGED BY A JAPANESE ELVIS IMPERSONATOR THAN A BEAR! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Did you read what I wrote? Just checking...

For Elvis impersonators, use a squirt gun filled with cheap wine....just hand it to them.

Seriously, for bears, why not include yourself in a party with someone who knows the area and the potential risks. If you are going it alone, a 12 guage slug.

...and with several folks who run much slower than yourself...

M

One without a front sight, so it will hurt less when the bear shoves it up your...

You may have a better chance of being attacked by a Japanese Elvis impersonator than a bear, but It only has to happen once. . . . Even with lottery odds of 45 million to one, someone still wins. Even if the odds are 1 person killed by a bear in 10 yearsfor the whole country, if I'm the one, then I'm 100% dead.

....You have it! Bring the Elvis impersonator with you! You know it must be hard to run in white loafers.

Minimum .41 caliber. Hardcast Lyman #2 alloy 210 grain or heavier. +1250 fps. At least 6 of them. Far better than any knife ever made. A shotgun is far better though.....