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Thread: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:10 PM #1Senior Member
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357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
I will soon be buying a sidearm to protect me during archery in the woods of NE PA. I know the 44 mag would be recommended by many, but is there a hot load for the 357 mag that will drop a bear?
I'm specifically looking at two guns:
1-Taurus Model 44SS4 which is a 44 mag and holds 6 shots.
OR
2-Taurus 608SS5 which is a 357 Mag but it holds 8 shots.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Isaac
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:30 PM #2Grand Member
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Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
You seem to be asking the same or inter-related questions in different threads. You'll probably get the most useful discussion by keeping it all under one roof.
I am not a lawyer. Nothing I say or write is legal advice.
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:30 PM #3Grand Member
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Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
Just keep this in mind. A hunting partner of mine hit a bear behind the shoulder with a .45-70 this year and we tracked the blood for close to two miles before we lost it due to heavy snowfall. I guess it wouldn't be possible to carry a 12 gauge with slugs while archery hunting....
My point is this. If you do have a legal justification to shoot at a "charging" or "threatening" black bear, which in and of its self is odd, you are going to have to make one hell of a shot with a revolver of any caliber to keep it from mauling you if that is what it was intent to do.
Jules
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:30 PM #4
Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
I would say pick whichever you will shoot the best. .44 mag is generally considered the basement when it comes to hunting bears. With that said, stopping a bear attack with any handgun is kind of a crap shoot. I always recommend carrying bear spray as a first option. It can actually be more effective. I personally carry a .357 for my general woods carry gun and I give bears a wide berth when encountered.
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:34 PM #5
Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
I'd go .41mag or larger.
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:39 PM #6Senior Member
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:42 PM #7Active Member
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:51 PM #8Senior Member
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February 22nd, 2015, 11:58 PM #9
Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
Given a choice between a .357 or .44 mag as a deterrent against a pissed off bear, I 'd choose 12 Gauge slugs.
Bears are fast. One would probably be pretty close before you realized it had bad intentions toward you. Six shots from a handgun, (If you had time to get six shots off), may stop it, or make it want to go do something else. Then again it might not."It's hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
Thomas Sowell
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February 23rd, 2015, 12:45 AM #10
Re: 357 Mag enough to drop a bear?
I have something similar to this. The can looks a little different, but same company. It got pretty good reviews when I researched it.
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/searc...&search=Search
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