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1184
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1/19/2021
Location
Grass Valley, CA, USA
Edited Date/Time
3/29/2024 2:53pm
I'm going back to RV'ing for a few months, staying in a spot where a bear once tried to rip the door off the RV. (I wasn't there at the time and spent hundreds of nights there with no issues. I think it was because I was gone for a few weeks).
But there are plenty of bears, a nearby mountain lion (and plenty of rattlesnakes) on this property and I need something for self-defense if anything gets sketchy. There are even some questionable individuals in the area.
I went to rifle camp as a kid but haven't done much with pistols. I knew this would be the right crowd to come to for recommendations. Worst-case scenario a bear tries to enter the RV when my 9-year-old is with me. So that would be a close range, tight quarters kind of situation.
I have a 357 for this purpose personally. I’m sure others will chime in with their go to.
There is so many but The Judge revolver was popular for that situation a few years ago and holds different types of rounds.
Oh wow, a revolver would be cool.
Shotgun!
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I wasn't confident that my .38 would be enough when boondocking so I bought a tactical semi auto 12 gauge. It's got the minimum legal barrel length...20.5" I believe. Short enough to still maneuver around inside.
A combat mix of .00 and slugs. If that don't stop what's trying to get me...a bazooka probably wouldn't either.
I got it on base so it was about $250 bucks...cheaper than any decent pistol by half.
My worry is having to get out a shotgun and blasting close range at a bear! That would be my preference though. It's also hard to store in an RV.
.44 revolver...probably something with Wesson on the label.
Buy a case of 500 to 1,000 rounds and REALLY learn to handle and fire that thing. That's a lot of pop.
Good for home defense too!
I wouldnt feel comfortable with anything less than a .44 magnum. There is many of those to choose from. Some have said 10mm will suffice, but Im not sure. If it was me, buying a bear gun, for inside the camper defence I would get a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in either .44mag or ideally .454 Casull. Its short so its easily maneuverable inside the tight confines of a camper, and it packs one hell of a punch. Its not a long range gun by any means but for what you want I think it would be hard to beat.
There are a handful of lever action rifles on the market with really short overall lengths. Basically a shoulder mounted revolved and packs a ton of punch for its size. I personally wouldn’t want a handheld gun between me and an angry bear.
45/70 Marlin Guide Gun. With 400 Grain Bullets.
A picture tells a thousand words.
Yea. If you want a revolver for a bear gun, a 454 Casull is not a bad choice.
Bears have also gotten in the house on this property but they only do it when nobody is around. They are just after food, but I don't want to take chances with a hungry beast.
I like this idea.
Very rare that you will find a "angry bear" while camping.
Let them be and they will let you be.
You said you were not around when the bear came around?. Thats because they do not want conflict as much as you do.
On the rare occasion you have a bear that wants something within your Tent/RV/home.
Stay calm, Let them roam. They are not there to hurt you.
See if I can load a 800LBS+ Bear in our camp in Ouray, Colorado.
Walked all around because I just caught a bunch of fish.
Went on her/his way after they were done investigating the camp.
BTW, while camping I holster a Magnum research IMI Desert Eagle.
For the Cats, not the bears
I'm a big believer in semi auto pistol with extended mag if you're wanting to use it for anything related to self defense, especially indoors.
Couple of reasons. First is ability to shoot with one hand. You're not doing that with a long gun. You've got a free hand for a light or to open doors or carry a kid or who knows what.
Gives you more chances to make hits than most long guns other than AR. The whole notion of stopping power rarely comes into play. Hits in places that count no matter the size of the hole are the only things turning the lights out instantly, but most shootings take a little time to do the deed, so put hits on them and make them change their mind. Sure, all else being equal, big hole is more damaging than little hole, but in a panic situation I'd rather have more hits than bigger hits.
Unless you've got a good amount of military or tactical training and experience using it, moving around closed spaces under pressure and manipulating a long gun isn't as easy as it looks in the movies.
Give me a glock 9mm with one of these.
https://taylorfreelancestore.com/glock-12-for-9mm-black-anodized-alumin…
Yes, I enjoy guns!
Pit Row
10mm is pretty popular here in Alaska. Much lighter weight and large capacity.
Others are .44 mag, .454 casul, the usual stuff for handguns.
A shotgun is the most effective obviously but nobody is carrying a shotgun while backpacking or hiking. Well, almost nobody.
As always, proper avoidance tactics are BY FAR the most effective way to avoid trouble with bears.
I have a compact 10mm I keep in a chest holster. I really don’t want to ever need it. But when you are doing stuff deep in the sticks it just seems like the best option. I am mainly worried about surprising a brown bear.
my bear spray makes me feel safer than a gun. both are needed imo, but for my wife and grown kids I feel very comfortable knowing they have it and can safely use it.
Marlin 1895 SBL 45/70 loaded with Garrett 540 gr Hammerhead should get the job done against a Grizzly. This is a relatively short barrel lever action that they refer to as a Guide Gun in Alaska, specifically for large Man eating predators. This is mine, but they're now made by Ruger and super nice and fun to shoot, But! it's a handful.
Or a S&W 460 Magnum XVR and what's nice is you have options of either 45 Long Colt, 454 Casull or if you have your Big Boy pants on .460 325 grain Underwood Magnums, but the last time I shot those I felt like my Thumb was broken for about 2 weeks, not a pleasant experience.
I hear ya. I'm mainly afraid for my daughter. I lived in this camper for two years and the bears never bothered me. But I will have some food in the camper so that's an attraction. This is really the worst-case scenario I'm planning for.
One time I got out of my truck in the woods here and was just walking around. I heard a commotion in the bushes nearby and there was a freaking bear tangling with a bird. The thing was 30 feet away and I had no idea (they can be really quiet), so that freaked me out. I felt like the bear was watching me and I had no idea.
And yeah, there is a big cat that lives near the edge of the property, so there's that.
that is a trick as hell rifle
If you miss with the 45/70 there's a good chance the bear will just pick up your shoulder and eat that and give you a chance to get away. LoL
A friend of mine was really into bear hunting with handguns a long time ago and he researched the heck out of choosing the right gun. He chose a Linebaugh. Just so you know, my friend is a big guy with huge hands and he could only shoot it 3 times before it hurt too much (that's why they are called "hand cannons"). Everyone who he let shoot one of his Linebaughs ended up breaking or spraining their hand/wrist. He stopped letting others try the guns after that happened to three friends.
https://www.johnlinebaughcustomsixguns.com/
BTW: He was shooting at a private indoor range with low light and I saw the flash extend almost 10 feet from the barrel...You may want to consider fire dangers if you shoot in an RV.
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