Wheelgun Wednesday: Top 3 Griz Guns That Could SAVE Your Life

Wheelgun Wednesday: 3 Grizzly Bear Guns that could SAVE your Life

I recently returned from black bear hunting in the northern woods of Minnesota (sadly, unsuccessfully). A recurring question I get from non-bear hunters who are scared of those fur-balls is, “what do I carry as a sidearm for protection?” It is an Echelon with 9mm +P+ ammo in it (insert your favorite XYZ full-size 9mm handgun of choice). Black bears simply don’t have the same fiery temperament as their brown bear brethren. I am more scared of a pack of timberwolves picking me off in the dark or a moose curb-stomping my butt into the forest floor. If you live in griz country, you have entirely different concerns than I. You need authentic, red-blooded American, STOPPING POW-AH! So, if you are hunting, hiking, camping, or bird-watching where grizzly bears are present, here are 3 wheelguns that could save your life. 

Wheelgun Wednesday @ TFB:

• Wheelgun Wednesday: Suppressed Revolver? M1895 Nagant
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Talo Distributor Exclusive - Ruger LCRx 9mm 3”
• Wheelgun Wednesday: NEW Ruger Blackhawk Bisley
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Charter Arms Coyote & Combo Series

3 Griz Guns that could SAVE your Life

The elements you want in a grizzly bear-stopping revolver are: power, handiness/wieldy, and reliability. If you are whipping out a wheelgun to save your life against a grizzly bear, you’re likely not sniping him from 50 yards away. Instead, you’re probably shooting that bear from a spitting distance; way too close.

So, we need this revolver to simply work. Come hell or high water (or “here comes a grizzly bear”). It has to work. Also, it needs to be chambered in a cartridge that if your aim misses its mark - or flatly sucks - you still have enough Foot-Lbs of energy to slow down and/or stop that furry freight train of death. Finally, it needs to be handy and somewhat easy to wield. Yes, a cannon would be ideal if a grizzly bear is charging you, but none of us are going to burden ourselves with carrying a literal cannon through the woods. Therefore, we need to select an appropriate “hand cannon.”

So, in no particular order - and this is not an end-all, be-all “Top 3” list - here are 3 wheelguns you could use to valiantly defend your life against a grizzly bear, brown bear, kodiak bear, sun bear, or any other bear that is looking to eat you for fun.

Taurus Raging Hunter 460

The Taurus Raging Hunter 460 is chambered in .460 S&W Magnum which allows you to shoot 3 different cartridges in preparation for the potential self-defense scenario of a lifetime: .45 Long Colt, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W Magnum. This gun is an utter tank, but with multiple lock-up points on the cylinder, a hefty grip, and a smorgasbord of ammo options, this is a decent choice coming from our favorite economy brand, Taurus.

• Barrel: 6.75″ Ported Stainless Steel w/ Carbon Steel Finish, Picatinny Rail, and Scope Mount
• Weight: 54.00 Oz.
• MSRP: $1,121.99

Will you go deaf shooting this ported hand cannon? Probably. But, that is the least of your concerns when the Rocky Mountain, high velocity, fuzz wagon is on your heels. Regardless, this is a legitimate choice if you can source an appropriate holster to your preferred carry style.

Smith & Wesson Performance Center 629 Stealth Hunter

The moniker always makes me giggle every time I have come across this revolver because the only “stealth hunter” in our metaphorical, self-defense, nature scenario is the grizzly bear stalking us. Be that as it may, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center 629 Stealth Hunter 44 Magnum is a solid choice if you need to be packin’ in bear country.

• .44 Magnum/.44 S&W Special
• 7.5″ Magna-Ported Stainless Steel Barrel w/ Matte Black Finish
• 55.0 Ounces
• MSRP $1,919

An extremely expensive option, yes, but if you love Smith & Wesson, trust their reputation, and “can’t put a price on your own safety,” then this revolver might be for you. Also, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center 629 Stealth Hunter 44 Magnum is ported like our last option, so be aware that once you send that 1st round, you might be partially blind and deaf (you’ll still have 3 of your other 5 senses to wrestle the grizzly bear though).

Colt Anaconda

The Colt Anaconda is a legendary revolver known for being a fine-tuned hunk of metal. It misses out on some of the extra accouterments that these other revolvers have, like a ported barrel for example, but in regards to grizzly bear defense, “simpler is better.”

• Cartridge: .44 Magnum/.44 Special
• Barrel Length: 4”, 4.25”, 6″ or 8″
• MSRP: $1,299 - $1,499

The Colt Anaconda is plain, but reliable, and hopefully, that is enough. Simply fill that wheel with some heavy-hitting rounds and be ready for war if you’re haphazard enough to cross the path of a grizzly bear out in the wild.

Departing Thoughts

Colt, Taurus, and Smith & Wesson are some of the top brands that I would be eyeing if I was in the market for a grizzly bear revolver. Yes, I am leaving out some notable manufacturers like Ruger, but this is not an all-inclusive list. This is something to get the wheels spinnin’ in your own mind for ideas. The best thing for grizzly bear defense is self-awareness (seeing them before they see you, and avoiding them entirely). Your second best defense is, ironically, bear spray and not a firearm. James Reeves has spoken to this point ad nauseam on TFBTV. Finally, the 3rd line of defense that we all want to discuss is firearms.

The best thing to stop a bear when deploying a firearm is a terminal, brain or spinal hit. Meaning, you need a huge round that is well-placed in their cranial cavity or hit their spinal cord. You need to drop that bear NOW. You can’t do the hunter-thing of double-lung or a heart shot. All bears have 30 - 60 seconds of oxygen circulating in their blood. They can easily F you up and kill you in that amount of time. So, if you need to survive in bear country:

1. Situational Awareness - Avoid them entirely
2. Bear Spray - Statistics prove again and again that bear spray works
3. GIANT GUN - If you decide to deploy a firearm, you need an accurate terminal hit

As always, let us know all of your thoughts about what you might deploy in grizzly bear country if you come across one of those lumbering leviathans! We always appreciate your feedback.