Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Your carry Handgun in AK 44 Mag, 10mm, .454 Casull?

I'm not much of a handgun person, but I reckon it is time to pick a woods handgun up. I always been a long gun type of person. All three of the above are all great calibers. You folks big on the bear spray.

At one time or another I have carried all of the above in Southeast AK. Including the spray. Have never had to use any of them thank god.

So I am sure some will chime in here saying you should carry a rifle, or shotgun before a handgun. I am not saying that is a wrong thing to recommend.However there are times when you want piece of mind without the bulk and weight. In my opinion all would give me that piece of mind.

I carried a 44 Mag in the form of a Ruger Super Blackhawk 5.5" barrel cut down from 7.5". I mostly carried Buffalo Bore 305 grain hard casts. Never had to shoot anything but I had it in my hand several times over the years when I was very close to bears, and once when we had a cow moose charge our group while riding ATV's. I think bear spray is probably a legitimate defense for grizzly's or Brown bears. I'm not so confident with black bears.

That is why I started the 45-70 thread pretty much, I am a rifle guy more than handgun. Time to get a woods handgun, don't need no 460 or 500 s&w,

I didn't say anything about a 460 or 500.

I would pick the one that comes in the package that feels best to you.

owned the 3 at one time or the other.........carry my fathers pre-29 4" when I have the wife or grandaughter around on a hunt. the .454 was abit heavy after a few days of hunting. My G20 stays with me most times when I use my boat.

Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum or the wife's Colt Anaconda in .44 Magnum. Sometimes I carry a Blackhawk or GP-100 in .357 Mangum instead.

I didn`t say you said anything about the 460 or 500. I was saying I didn`t need or want one. You see on the web many folks think you need a handcannon for bear, I rather have a rifle. But would like to get a handgun for the woods too.

Personally, if I"m going the weight route of some of the big guns, I'll carry a short long gun...

But if handgun only, 329PD has gone along on all trips. Its small and light enough you will never have the urge to not strap it on.

For several years I packed a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag with a 4 5/8" barrel and ran 300gr Alaskan Backpackers through it but it got to be to heavy so I sold it. When I'm hunting with a rifle I never carry a pistol but do when bow hunting.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you and am seriously considering a 10mm. The big wheelguns are cool and all but their weight is a huge downer IMO.

I carry a four inch Redhawk 45 Colt with 300 grain cast bullets going around 1100-1200 fps. Very shootable but it is a bit on the heavy side. Bear spray is a good option. I haven't done it yet but am considering carrying my Ruger Deerstalker 44 mag with Hornady 265 grain flat points the next time I head to the river. Light, handy and a tack driver to 50 yards with that bullet.

7.5 Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum ....270 gr

Hornady 265 ...shoot a 55 gal drum ...the jacket always comes off and lands in front of the barrel ...even with the new /updated ones ("new ones" where they put a second crimp on the bullet to help it stay together )

I carry a 4" S&w 45 long Colt with a hard cast 300gr bullet @ 900fps.. I've not had to use it in self defense but in general plinking I've found it penetrates pretty darn good!

More important than what you pack is gaining the skills to use a handgun effectively. Having observed many shooters at the handgun range over several decades I've concluded few of them have any hope of using a handgun to effectively protect themselves from danger. Being skilled with a handgun takes a fair amount of time to develop, and takes continual practice to keep those skills sharp. I can not have fired a rifle in a year and still be fairly competent with it. With a handgun if I'm not practicing weekly my skills deteriorate. So if you choose to carry a handgun for self protection, plan on developing the skills to use it effectively or else it will be a false sense of security.

As far as what I carry, a Ruger SRH in 480 with a 400 gr cast bullet @ 1200 fps. It's the most powerful handgun I can accurately shoot.

I share 458 Lott observations!

Stick with your rifle if going into the woods. Handguns are fine for casual neighborhood walks.

A young friend had a bad experience two weeks ago at my bear bait. His 44 mag turned the bear but that's about all. He new better than to be in that area without a rifle.

It always amazes me how many would carry a 44 mag pistol for bear protection but would never think of carrying a 44 mag rifle for bear hunting.

On my fairly frequent visits to AK to hunt/fish, etc., a Ruger SBH 44mag 3.5" bbl, and a Ruger Alaskan 44 mag all with Garrett Hammerheads (310g to 330g). Last trip I wore a Ruger Bisley BH 45 Colt with 330g hard cast hand loads at 1,100 fps, and my son wore a custom Ruger 475 Linebaugh 7.5" bbl with 400g Hornady XTP's at 1,250 fps.

MY son shot an honest 7', 2" black bear (hunting not SD) square in the chest with that 475 Linebaugh at about 20 feet and the bullet made it all the way to his hind quarter about 3" from his A-hole� and a hollow point no less� bear was DRT, but still managed to turn and make it about 20 yds into the brush before piling up� a blind man could have tracked that bear. It looked like a scene from a Freddy Krueger movie!

Does that sting at all?

I have personally seen him shoot it more accurately from the bench than many can do with a rifle at 100 yards...

Actually the 480 feels like a big 44 mag and with the Hogue grips the srh is fairly comfortable to shoot.

With a bullet designed to fit to the length of the SRH cylinder you have effectively the same powder capacity as a 475 linebaugh and can push 400 gr 1350 fps, that gets your attention. Also during my load work many moons ago I had a 460 gr bullet that I managed to push 1150 fps, that really got my attention and extraction of the brass was a bit sticky.

IMHO the 480 is at it's best with a 390-420 gr cast bullet right around 1200 fps. The gun is more accurate than most people would believe (MOA) and as previously mentioned quite shootable. When my skills were sharp I could put up a set of 8" steel plates at 50 yds and offhand be six for six shooting double action.

So mild a kid can shoot it



And before anyone lets a 10 y/o fire a full patch load, he was shooting 300 gr @ 1000 fps.