I've got a friend that in the early 2000s worked for the highway department in Alaska. They mandated employees carry a Glock 20 for Bear defense and I believe they used full powered loads that were full metal jacket.

What will work? The State of Alaska has (maybe still does) publish a list of handgun cartridges used to save yourself in a Grizzly/Brown bear attack. Folks use what they have so cartridges like 9mm, 45ACP, etc. account for the majority used. So use what you have. The 454 Casull is maybe 50- 100% more recoil than the 44 mag but either has been used a lot to earn their "Okay". I would go with a revolver over a semi-auto. I know if you are a "good" shooter you don't limp wrist a round and get a stovepipe jam- and all that thing- but a revolver always works and you can use a flat bullet versus what works best in a semi-auto. If the revolver has a 6 1/2" or longer barrel it ought to "point better" etc.
You-tube has some filmed attacks. Pretty darn scary. Both the 44 Mag and 454 Casull suddenly seem sort of "not enough", the last thing you are going to be worried about is recoil.
I would opt for stainless teel, given the wet weather in Alaska..

Ruger Alaskan 454/45

FPS/group size 25yards

HSM 325gr Lead WFN Gas Check Bear Load——————-947fps, 3.7”
Hornady 240gr XTP Mag—————————————–1495fps, 3.4”
Hornady 300gr XTP Mag—————————————–1358fps, 4”
HSM .45 Colt Cowboy 250gr RNFP——————————693fps, 3.5”
SIG SAUER .45 Colt 230gr V CROWN—————————702fps, 2.5”


My Personal Alaskan is a 44mag / with aftermarket tritium big dot night sights . If i were going to Alaska i would just carry it with a heavy cast bullet 44 mag 300grain .
the Alaskan is pretty accurate for a snubby . I had it at the range yesterday - shooting 240grain & head shooting a B2 target @ 25yards pretty easy . For me 44mag would be fine. but the 454/45 takes it to another level .I know i can control the 44mag Alaskan with 300grain SJFP- not sure about 454 & 300plus grain bear loads.

Someone years ago told me a story, and I know it's not true, but funny all the same. He said a guy from the lower 48 went fishing in Alaska and had a 44 mag on his hip. One of the old locals struck up a conversation and mentioned the revolver. He said, "Whatcha got there?" The fisherman replied, "A 44 magnum". Local said, " I guess you've got that for the bears? Can I give you some advice? Shave off the front sight." The fisherman said, "Why? So I can draw it out quicker?" The old Alaskan said, "No, that way it won't hurt so bad when that bear shoves it right back up your ###!"

My bush revolver is a Freedom Arms 454 Casull loaded with Buffalo Bore Bullets in a chest holster.

Good Luck!

We were sitting in the cabin in Alaska after a long day of hunting and i asked the one of the owners of the outfit we were hunting with why he carried a pistol.

He said that if a bear was going to take a horse out as they rode along it would take out the first horse in the group. He said that he rode first in the group as his horse was the lead horse. He said when the horse left, that the horse was going to take his rifle. He said that the pistol was to get the bear off him, not distance shooting.

His pistol then was carried in totally enclosed holster. At one time alder had partially cocked his pistol and the hammer dropped on a live round and shot him in the leg. He said he was happy it was him and not his horse which was shot. He said his Father would have killed him for killing a horse being stupid.

In August 2009, Greg Brush from Soldotna, Alaska, was walking his dog when an Alaskan brown bear charged him. Drawing his .454 Casull Ruger Alaskan while rapidly backpedaling, he fired three shots in quick succession into the bear; followed by a fourth and final shot. The fifth round failed to discharge due to an ammunition failure interfering with the cylinder rotation. The animal was stopped 10 feet (3.0 m) beyond Brush's original starting position.[

When I moved up there, I was told 44 mag was the minimum. I bought a smith and wesson 460 mag. It was like carrying a concrete block around. I sold it and got a customized Ruger in 454 that I carried for 2 years. It was a great gun. I wish I would have kept it, but someone offered me more than I had in it and I sold it. Last two years I carried a Glock 20 with 200 grain hardcast.

No doubt in my mind, if I was going back up today it would be a semi auto 10mm. Most likely a Glock or Springfield. 200 grain hardcast lead in a chest rig. Some say a 9mm is good enough. Hardcast lead is a must. Simply Rugged, Diamond D, Gunfighter's Inc. chest rig.

This is a thread where Phil Shoemaker discusses downing one with a 9mm. Hard Cast lead it the key.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11241792/all/Bear_protection:_9mm,_40_S&

Okay, I don't get really good groups with my Ruger 454 Casull. Maybe 3-4" at 25 yards. Well it kicks hard so at the target range I load 3 live and 2 duds and rotate the cylinder- to make sure I am not flinching. Some years agao I had my S&W M-29, 44 Mag at 100 yards and shot a 4" group off sand bags- only time I did that but it made me a big fan.
In any event, is the 44Mag a more accurate round than the 454 Casull? I thought it was just my shooting.

I was 19 and went to Juneau, while there I bought a book called, "Alaskan Bear Tales". It was divided into 3 sections. #1. Stories that were factual. #2. Stories that may have had some truth, but could have been embellished. #3. Stories that were more than likely just made up stories. I need to find that book. I have it around here somewhere. But it is a very good read.

On the 454 casull, mine is very accurate. The friend that I bought it from was shooting 390 grain hard cast bullets traveling over 1400 fps. When he shot it, the gun would recoil up and twist at the same time. He gave me one round and I told him that was a lifetime supply of that load for me. I still have it also.

I wish I still had my model 29, paid 350 for it out the door at walmart the day i turned 21, I sold it to buy diapers when times were hard.

A Practice Drill to Drop a Charging Grizzly
No matter what gun you decide to carry in the backcountry for bear protection, practice taking down a charging animal in a do-or-die situation.


Setup the Bear Drill
Set up four to six targets in a staggered pattern, placing the farthest 50 feet downrange and the closest at 5 feet. Also, alter the height at which you position the targets, placing them between 2 ½ to 4 ½ feet above the ground.

You can use IPSC targets or cut out 8-inch circles of cardboard. In either case, put a 2 ½-inch black spot in the center of the target. (This is the bear’s nose, a useful aiming point.)

How to Shoot The Drill
Move your eyes ahead of your gun and learn to time your shot so the trigger breaks the moment your front sight settles on the black dot. Don’t start and stop the gun in a jerking motion— keep it moving smoothly.

Use a shot timer (you can download one for free to your smartphone) and start with your firearm at the low ready. Set the timer for 3 seconds. At the sound of the buzzer, bring the gun up to the farthest target and take a sight picture. Whether you pull the trigger is up to you, but either way, quickly transition to the next target and then the next. Keep the gun moving in a smooth back-and-forth motion. Before the 3 seconds are up, you should have taken a sight picture on each target, finishing on the closest one.

One clean hit is better than a bunch of misses, but if you’re using a handgun, you want to try to get at least three good hits in that time frame—though the more, the merrier.


******** I was thinking after running the targets a few times - Start with back to targets - handgun in whatever holster you carry- have friend with timer to call "BEAR" at what ever time he decides & see what kind of time & hits you get -assuming timer is started as soon as "Bear is heard" ********** Just a thought Hetman

Hope I never get charged but, I've wondered if you should crouch down so your line of fire is the same as the bear. If you are standing and aim for the nose- might end up father back on the bear.

Dont know - under duress I think i would just be hammering away & wishing i had NOT let my IDIOT friends talk me into hunting Kodiak Bears !!!


Just Think how pissed off that BEAR is going to be after shooting his nose off!!

This looks like a great drill!!! Will try to set this up and run it when I have some time--- seems like a fair and accurate drill.

As previously mentioned draw times are probably VERY important and I'd love to see what folks are getting for those with the various set ups (semi auto in kydex on belt or chest vs the big wheel guns in whatever type of holster they've got).

Again- the scenario dictates the reaction right? But I think training for the worst case scenario (backpack on, rifle slung and pistol holstered) this drill would be very telling of overall engagement capability.

Where exactly do you aim on a charging grizzly?

If someone goes to Alaska to hunt bear, they are going to have to have a guide. Would seem best to ask the guide.

On barrel, a longer barrel helps the shooter. I'd always go with a 6" barrel if you are going to be walking around, etc. The only time the 6" is a problem is if you are continually driving, getting into and out of a car. Stainless steel, I would never use anything else even though I have guns in both blued and stainless.
GRIPS. There is a middle size called magna (I think) Most folks think it makes recoil feel worse but the width is about equal to the magnum (oversize) grips and in my opinion a grip that fits your hand is what helps reduce felt recoil. Finally, sights. I like an orange insert in the front blade- shows up well under all light conditions.

Serious pucker factor if that bear gets to 15' and has not been stopped yet.

When I first moved here (Alaska) 30 years ago I immediately bought a 7.5" Super Redhawk in 44 mag. Like some others have mentioned, I eventually found it too heavy and moved to a 3" 629 Trail Boss I load with 320 grain hardcast at ~ 1,100 fps. That said, I've since done a lot of research on bear defense encounters with handguns and as as often as not, now carry a full size 9mm with 147 +p hardcast also at ~ 1,100 fps. All else being equal, round for round, my 44 is easily more effective than the 9mm, but as others have mentioned, the two platforms aren't really round for round comparable; a lot of other variables come into play. Also, if you read a lot of documented bear defense encounters where handguns were used, it isn't always killing the bear that ends the encounter. Pretty often it's putting shots on target that change the equation, though obviously killing the bear is preferable. From the cases I've read, everything from 9mm up has been pretty much 100% effective on grizzlies and blacks when the shooter could make hits. The 44 has the most successes, but it's also used the most. Here's a link to a lot of documented cases:

https://www.ammoland.com/2021/06/ha...ks-104-cases-97-effective/#axzz7OqMMNaDn

In the 30 years I've been here, I've spent countless hours hunting and hiking in bear county, have killed better than 50 black bears and grizzlies, including a couple of grizzlies and a black bear right out my front or back door, but have never needed a handgun for bear encounter (yet). All that said, like some others have said, I'd suggest considering weight and how fast and reasonably accurately you can shoot whatever platform you decide on and load it with hardcast bullets.

https://www.ammoland.com/2022/04/update-of-pistol-defenses-against-bears-123-cases-98-effective/

According to this compilation of bear defense shootings, just about any caliber will work.

44mag or bigger has my vote !!

Of these 20 cases, 15 involve a single, known, pistol caliber. Here are the current numbers of cases for those calibers:

9mm – seven documented cases, all successful
.38 Special – four documented cases, three successful, one failure
.357 magnum – nine documented cases, eight successful, one failure
.40 S&W – five documented cases, all successful
10mm – six documented cases, all successful
.44 magnum – 37 documented cases, all successful
.45 Long Colt – 2 cases, successful, this includes the .45 Colt/.410 revolver.

Thanks for sharing, Steve. Cannot argue the stats, although I'm surprised .45 ACP isn't on the list. However, while I remain in the "bigger bullet lets more air out" camp, I'll stay with the biggest round that I shoot well and have the most chances for success. Until they make a reliable semi-auto in .44 Mag, I'll stay with my 10mm pushing 15+1 rounds of 200gr bear pills if I ever find myself in that country again.

Incidentally, I took my grandfather fishing in Alaska back in the summer of 2001 and we did a couple days trolling for Kings on the Kenai. Every couple of hours, we'd hit the bank for a pee break and I remember one time I was taking a wiz and looked down to my left and found a huge pile of moose scat. I thought that was pretty cool. Then I looked down to my right to find a HUGE pile of bear scat. I finished my business with a quickness and got back to the boat, wishing I had brought my 629.

My question is with the 8 shot Redhawk in 357 mag available, do you carry that with the extra 2 shots or do you stick with the 6 shot 44 mag? I'm in the camp of bigger is better, but you can't argue with the success of the 357 mag. Would 8rds of hard cast from Buffalo Bore work just as good? I didn't read anything about bullet weight in either article.