[mxxpowers]

I am moving to Alaska soon and I want a new handgun suited for the terrain. I am looking at large bore revolvers and I am considering a Glock 10 mm. I believe the revolver is better suited overall but I am former law enforcement and I have extensive Glock training and I am very comfortable with the Glock style.

The pistol will be for defne against large animals and the two legged kind as well.

 

[Tex in Maine]

many outdoorsmen have exspressed there support for the Colt Delta 10mm.

 

[matt g]

I'd advise a large bore wheel gun, probably .44 mag at he very least. Bears and cats don't die as easily in real life as they do on TV. I'd actually recommend the Glock that you favor in addition to a .300 Win Mag or 7mm Mag.

 

[Catfish]

I`ve been to Alsaka 3 time and talked to alot of locals and spent alot of time watching wildlife. I have seen the power of a grizz up close and heard many tails of how hard they are to stop. If I were going into grizz country I would carry nothing but a 500 S&W. There is a guy in Homer that cast some of the best looking gas checked bullets I`ve ever seen and he makes them up to 700 gns. That would be my carry gun when in the bush.

 

[matt g]

I`ve been to Alsaka 3 time and talked to alot of locals and spent alot of time watching wildlife. I have seen the power of a grizz up close and heard many tails of how hard they are to stop. If I were going into grizz country I would carry nothing but a 500 S&W. There is a guy in Homer that cast some of the best looking gas checked bullets I`ve ever seen and he makes them up to 700 gns. That would be my carry gun when in the bush.

When dealing with animals like that though, follow up shots are just as important as a hard hitting round.

 

[keb]

ak iron

I'm also prior LE. Rural Ak for 12yrs. You're on the right track with the 10mm Glock, if you practice with the high power loads, and can get your mitt around the fat grip. You must have thousands of rds of training on the Glocks...Why untrain and retrain your brain on a new system, especially when you "like" the Glocks...I have seen brown bears dropped with .40 cal pistols, don't recommend it, but you use what you have on hand when needed. If you expect to tangle with a bear, take a long gun, preferably the one you are good with. If not, pack the 10mm.

 

[NGIB]

You may also want to look at an EAA Witness in 10mm. You can then get a conversion kit to shoot the much cheaper 9mm for practice. I have 2 Witness pistols, 1 poly and 1 all steel and they're quality handguns priced very reasonably...

 

[chorst294]

If I were you, I'd probably get a Glock 20 10mm, which can be used in a bind against large animals. But I'd probably also find a Marlin 1895G .45/70 lever-action if you plan to venture out. I'd dare to say a moderate to hot .45/70 load would drop most dangerous animals you're likely to encounter.

 

[chorst294]

My opinion

If I were you, I'd probably get a Glock 20 10mm, which can be used in a bind against large animals. But I'd probably also find a Marlin 1895G .45/70 lever-action if you plan to venture out. I'd dare to say a moderate to hot .45/70 load would drop most dangerous animals you're likely to encounter.

 

[robocop10mm]

+1 on the Glock 10mm. I am not a Glock fan but if you are well trained on them and have large enough hands, the G-20 is a good choice. Find a good supersonic 180 - 200 gr FMJ. I would not carry HP's in bear country. You need A LOT of penetration for big bears.

Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70. Great, handy bear medicine. I load a 340 gr cast bullet (Linotype) at 2100 fps through my Guide Gun. Pachmeyer decellerator makes it less punishing.

 

[Dillinger]

This Story makes a great case for something large calibered, and portable like the .454 Casull or the .454 Alaskan. Both of those revolvers will work well in all types of climates and it packs a load that will definitely penetrate. Granted, this story was out of Canada, not Alaska, but the bears don't really care what flag is flying over the hunting ground.

That said, your primary weapon should be something big and hard hitting as Robo indicated above.

That world record Grizzly that was taken down a couple of years ago got hit with several rounds from a 338-caliber Winchester Magnum according to the debunked urban myths about the report.

Better yet, just stay close to the ski lodge and have a few drinks with the ski bunnies in the club house instead.

 

[pioneer461]

Self defense pistol caliber ammo, including 10mm, is not designed to penetrate the thick hide, muscle and bone of a large Alaskan bear. The knowledgeable folks I know who live, or have lived in Alaska, recommend a .44 magnum as the minimum caliber.

 

[Catfish]

Matt G
When dealing with animals like that though, follow up shots are just as important as a hard hitting round.?????????
My S&W holds 5 rounds so I have 4 follow up shots. As far as killing a brown bear with a 10 mm I`m sure it could be done as I`ve killed several beef that weigh more than the brown bear with a .22 rimfire. If I ever have to face off with a mad brown bear I want all the TKO I can get, and the .500 with a 700 gn. bullet at 1,250 fps has a higher TKO than a .458 Wim mag. with a 300 gn. bullet at 2,500 fps.

 

[RL357Mag]

.460 or .500 S&W is what I would want on my hip - and a 12 ga. slug gun over my shoulder! The .460 is very versatile because you can shoot 45 LC or .454 Cas. out of the same gun.

 

[RL357Mag]

It would be interesting to check the statistics and see what the majority of brown bears have been stopped with, in terms of handgun loads. I know afisherman who goes to Alaska every few years and he carries a short barreled .44mag.. The S&W .500 is a big heavy revolver that is best carried in a shoulder harness. Personally if I am going to carry that much weight I would probably use a 12ga.

 

[stalkingbear]

bear gun

Forget the glocks and get a good .454 casull. With hardcast bullets,every living animal on earth up to and including elephant has been taken with this round.

 

[h&k bigdaddydieseldan]

.500 s&w, .460 xvr s&w, ruger .480, taurus raging bull .454 casull

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

I might suggest the Ruger Super Redhawk "Alaskan". It has a 2 1/2'' Bbl available in 44 mag or the mighty 454 Casull.For lighter work shoot the 44 Special in the 44 mag or the 45 Colt in the casull.