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Brymoore was right. Statistically, the tent attack is extremely unlikely to happen.

Likely a much better chance that a drunk naked co-ed will stumble into your tent than a bear.

If I'm packing a rifle, I skip the handgun.

Well, he said 'statistically won't happen'. I'll agree it is a statistical rarity, but I would not say it NEVER happens, as clearly it does. Of course, the most dangerous part of the trip is the car ride, followed by threat of heart attack due to exertion or excitement, followed by slip and fall, followed by exposure, followed by insect sting, followed by.....but what fun would it be to talk about all that?

Great feedback and I have to say I am intrigued with the Smith 329. It is 25 ounces empty, and likely around 29 ounces loaded with six. That is approaching the Glock 23 40 cal at 32 ounces with 14 shells. Granted the 44 mag would be more effective.

I think Apparition nailed the issue best, sleeping in a nylon taco shell (tent) trying to point a rifle or spray pepper spray is an unpleasant thought. While unlikely, it is a possibility. We had a grizzly come into camp last year after a kill in the Brooks Range. We ran him off pretty easily but afterward the guide pointed out the best feature of a floor-less tent; if something comes in the front door, you can pull up stakes and go out the back. I now have a floor-less tent.

On every trip I always wish I had carried less junk up the mountain. I would really like to skip the pistol but I know it will be comforting to have in the tent. Whiskey is probably the best solution. Skipping a few meals and carrying the Glock 20 is probably a better one. Dropping from 14 to 10 shells will shed a couple of ounces and it is unlikely you would ever use one shell, much less 14. That is a great suggestion and while a few ounces doesn't normally matter, it all adds up when backpack hunting.

The weights loaded should be as follows:

SW 329 44mag with 6 shells. -- 29 ounces
Glock 29 40 caliber with 10 shells -- 30 ounces
Glock 29 40 caliber with 14 shells -- 32 ounces
Glock 20 10mm with 10 shells. -- 38 ounces
Glock 20 10mm with 14 shells. -- 40 ounces

I don't think I will save much weight going with the 329 based on the above. The only time I can see I would ever use a pistol is in the unlikely event I suddenly found myself in a wresting match with a bear in the dark while wearing a sleeping bag inside a nylon taco shell. In that case, the 44 mag might be a slightly better tool. And, 11 ounces of weight from one extreme to the other is significant. I know, it sounds like justification to buy another gun -- grin.

Think again: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America

�Kammer was in his tent at Soda Butte Campground when a mother bear attacked and dragged him 25 feet (7.6 m) away.�

�Ives was grabbed from a family tent in American Fork Canyon, and mauled.�

�The Huffmans were attacked while in their tent at a campsite along the Hulahula River 12 miles (19 km) upriver from Kaktovik.�

�In the Marten River Campground, Waddel was dragged from a tent during the night and killed.�

�Mahoney was dragged from a tent and killed at Many Glacier campground. Rangers killed two grizzly bears in the area a few hours after the attack.�

�Anderson was grabbed from his tent while camping. His body was found 100 feet (30 m) from the tent.�

�Fredenhagen was dragged from her tent during the night and killed at a backcountry campsite at the southern end of White Lake in Yellowstone National Park.�

�May was dragged from his tent, and eaten at the Rainbow Point campground, northwest of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was captured and killed with an injection of poison.�

Those are just reported fatalities. I recall a tent attack in N. Mex. About 12 years ago where a guy shot a black bear while biting his head and lived, because the bear died from the gunshot wound.

Rifle is more difficult in a tent. Spray is ridiculously stupid protecting against a bear in a tent.

That is correct. But so are vehicle accident fatalities compared to the time in a vehicle. I'm 46, and never had my seat belt or airbag deployed. I've driven hundreds of thousands of miles and never yet "needed" them. Still put the seatbelt on. In the meantime, I've used a handgun in the backwoods of Colorado one time that meant the difference between tragedy and otherwise. It involved a threat from several humans, but if I had not had my 40S&W at the time, it would have meant very bad things for my, then, fianc� and me. I also know several people who have been threatened in remote camps/hikes by mountain lions and bears. Not common. But it does happen. I never put my vehicles in drive without the seatbelt on. I never go out into the wild without a handgun. If I am hunting, I leave the rifle in the tent during intermission, and put a 30oz-52oz (depending) handgun on my hip. Probably okay without it. I do have a couple of small boys though, and I would hate to have them asking, while I'm dead," why didn't he have one of his guns"? If the boys are with me, even more so.

Here's me fishing. Wouldn't want to be carrying my bear rifle. So, a .454 is a good companion likely to be on my person.





Honestly, if I didn't have the revolver, the rifle would have been too far away; probably in that raft about 60 yards away.

Possibly:

"'The man, who was in the lead, drew a .45 [ACP] caliber semi-automatic pistol when they heard a noise coming from the brush. When the [brown] bear emerged from the thicket and ran toward the other hiker, he fired approximately nine rounds in its general direction. The bear stopped, turned, and walked back into the brush, where it quickly disappeared from view,' said the [park's] release. ... The bear was found dead in a willow thicket approximately 100 feet from the pistol casings ..." http://www.nationalparkstraveler.co...rs-denali-national-park-and-preserve5943

After a couple decades of dicking off in the backcountry, here's what I know about handguns. You'll never need one, until you do.

You're going to carry in 16000% more than you're actually going to shoot it...

In todays day and age of badass ninja [bleep], you'd be an idiot to pack a handgun that wasn't wearing tritiums and a weapons mounted light around 200 lumens.

Glock 20's are badass. Buy your ammo from Underwood or Buffalo Bore. DT is bullshit, and far from what it says it chrono's. If there's an animal alive that can take 200 grain Hornady XTPs at a honest to god 1218 FPS, I don't want to meet it in a dark alley.

Packing a handgun in rifle season is [bleep] retarded.

Buy a G20 and rock on... If you break it, wear it out, rust it out, just go buy another one for 550 bucks.

I have a glock 20 and a 329 PD...on the times I got backpacking without a rifle (summer scouting for example)up here in Alaska I take the 329 PD every time with the buffalo bore rounds that are made basically for the 329 PD.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=55

For bear protection in a tent that you are so concerned you won't need 10 shots a mag....you'll be doing good to get one off so the fact that the 44 mag holds 6 is really about 4 too many

But if I am out hunting up here, I never carry a pistol if I have a rifle along. Just more stuff to carry and worry about. I suppose if wasn't a weight restricted backpacking hunt (most of my hunts are backpack hunts) I could bring the pistol, but I usually don't. Guess I don't worry about it like most do or lose and sleep over it.

If it makes you sleep better and gives you a warm fuzzy sure bring the pistol, otherwise just keep your rifle close by and "roll the dice". Though I like my odds so I think I'll stick with just taking the rifle on my rifle hunts

I use a very light electric bear fence when in grizzly country. Or if I want to go very light an electric door alarm rigged up with fishing line to go off f something walks through it.

Way better than waking up with a bear collapsing the tent and sitting on my chest! Here in Canada a handgun is out so I make do with a Rossi Ranch Hand in 44 mag, It's considered a rifle up here.

I ended up putting a full stock on it as it handles so much better and it's still pretty handy

Maybe you should think again:

-You are 12 times more likely to die of a bee sting than a bear attack (120 times more likely compared to a black bear)

-You are 10 times more likely to die from a dog attack than a bear attack (45 times more likely compared to a black bear attack)

-For each person killed by a black bear attack there are 13 people killed by snakes, 17 by spiders, 45 by dogs, 120 by bees, 150 by tornadoes, 374 by lightning, and 60,000 by humans.

http://www.grizzlybay.org/LearnMore/AttackStats.htm

While you are correct, you are missing two things. First many, many more people are exposed to the other risks (dogs, bees, snakes, etc.). You cite number of people hurt, not rates. One reason why number of bear attacks are low is the fact that they have a limited range and there are a limited number of people exposed to the risk, especially in comparison to lightning, spiders, etc. Not many people have the opportunity to get mauled while on the golf course or baseball field, but plenty of them get struck by lightning. You understate his risk exposure when you cite general odds and he is undertaking a specific activity that exposes him to the risk.

While the above point I made is true, it also doesn't matter. The main point is the OP wanted advice on a handgun choice, not advice on why he doesn't need one. Statistically, he never will need it, but he wants it and that is enough. He should get what makes him feel good and sleep well at night. After all, if a G20 in his tent lets him rest easy and get an extra hour or two of sack time, he will probably reduce his risk of heart attack enough to make the cost of carrying the thing worthwhile.

+ On the g 20

The rationalizations for the G20 are interesting but weak. Travis' answer is a lot more sensible.

Tom

This pretty much sums it up.

Yes, all of the professionals I've ever met, who go into harm's way, ALL reccomend weapons they can't handle and shoot poorly.

Yes, but Travis has never jumped out of an airplane.

I always get a kick out of these threads, because it seems like the guys who worry the most about these encounters are not the guys who live, work, and play in bear country.

Another thing I'll mention: Our Canadian neighbors seem to get by just fine without handguns (though some are able to carry) in big bear habitat.

I'm not a professional, I just own and shoot one. I handle it fine and I shoot it fine.

Tom

PS: Do you have anything intelligent to add? Hint: snark and cynicism don't count.

That means you're good to go with every firearm ever built!

Lucky you!


Travis