Bear Sidearm

[Lrhxr9]

Applied for a non res private land muzzleloader elk hunt in colorado. The outfitter acts like it will be a sure draw. I am completely unfamiliar with colorado as I have only been to montana. We will be close to slater. I see the bear pop is on a steady incline. I have the option of 3 dif pistols. Xds mod 2 in 45. Xd subcompact in 40 and sr1911 commander in 45. I like the mod 2 because of the weight factor. I was wondering what some other opinions were. Almost twice the capacity in the 40 as the two 45s.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

How big are your hands? Have you picked any of them up? Whichever one feels better, you will likely shoot with better. I prefer full size but you might prefer different!

 

[Wildabeest]

 

[Wildabeest]

I also carry a .45, but I’d draw the bear spray before I draw the sidearm. Most guys in serious griz country seem to prefer .44 magnum. They also prefer revolvers to minimize the chance of a jam or malfunction.

 

[Bigjay73]

I love guns, but have to recommended that you read up on bear spray vs firearms. I would also carry both.

 

[Lrhxr9]

I already own all 3. Have shot them plenty and feel comfortable with them. The xds mod 2 is my daily carry. The springfield xd line i personally prefer because of the grip only safety. Less things to have to remember in a stressful situation. And i was under the impression the grizz were further north or have they wandered that far south of yellowstone? And a nice revolver is on the list but lets be honest, the list for toys is never short

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Save the lbs and bring a better camera instead.

 

[802flyfish]

Being that your hunting in Colorado and won't be in Grizzly territory, I'd just stick to a can of bear spray. I carry both in Montana, but I'd leave the gun at home if i was hunting CO.

 

[Lrhxr9]

10-4. Does the spray actually expire like the can says? I figured that was a typical “had to put that on there” for legal reasons. I bought a can of spray when we went to montana but its 5-6 years old by now.

 

[802flyfish]

They say shelf like is 3-4 years. You can get a can on amazon for 32 dollars last time I checked. If you haven't ever used bear spray before, I would use up that old can on a NON windy day as practice.

 

[cowboy]

Get yourself a 460 Rowland conversion for that XDS and you will be very close to 44 Mag performance with 10 rounds in the clip. Carry it in a chest holster and never take it off. Sidearm or bear spray does you no good on your pack that is 2 arm lengths away from you when you are gutting an elk.

I will not deny the merit of bear spray but when you spend as much time as I have in the heart of grizz country you will soon realize that Mother Nature does not supply wind direction aimed towards aggressive G-bears - enough said.

 

[Wildabeest]

It does. Similar to a fire extinguisher, it can loose pressure and thus come out as a stream vs a fog.

I’d suggest you read “Mark of the Grizzly” for a good primer on what you should and should not do in bear country - told thru the eyes of people who’ve been attacked. It’s 100% focused on grizzlies, and your risks with black bears in CO is way less than in griz country, so don’t let it freak you out too much. If you’re ever gonna western MT, western Canada or Alaska, then you should have a healthy fear to keep you safe.

 

[IAhawks84]

I'd agree about the spray. Fretting over which gun to bring for capacity and all is kind of over thinking it if you ask me. If it's a shoot situation, your not going to have time to fire a ton of shots. I was told out in Idaho that spray is way more likely to keep you alive than a gun. If there is no grizzly threat, I'd bring the spray only.
I have a Glock 10 MM, and it basically sits in my safe. I think it is ridiculous to carry a gun everywhere with you, but that is a whole different conversation lol.

 

[LuketheDog]

You're coming from the lowlands and hunting in a gun season in Colorado, your body will thank you if save the extra weight and use the one you're already carrying...

 

[Sytes]

We all like to carry our guns... Without such excuses, we'd limit our wife semi-approved purchase of yet another gun.

Carry what you want. Myself, I've carried each alone and on occasion both though that's NW MT.
However, to each his/her own. A handgun has a feel good factor and that can not be denied. Especially between the sleeping pad and bag or near the pack pillow if one's packed.

I'd put a few holes through a tent if a bear pressed the side wall before unleashing oc spray w/in... Though again, to each his / her own.

My carry gun is the G27 .40. it clips comfortably to my bino chest strap.

 

[runningmt]

5 people attacked by bears in Colorado since 1934.

You’ve got a better chance of being struck by lightning and bitten by a shark in the same day.

Get a can of bear spray, it’ll work on bears, cats, moose, humans, etc. without being lethal.

I love my guns, but I live and hunt in grizzly country, and carry 2 cans of bear spray, one ready for use and one in the pack for back up.

 

[Lrhxr9]

I didnt think too much about spray or a sidearm before we went to montana in the past. But when you walk into a park and see a track in the snow larger than your boot it puts things into perspective. Especially when the guide starts getting nervous.

 

[rwc101]

I've never stumbled upon a black bear that didn't hightail it as soon as it saw me. I wouldn't carry either. Now, if we're looking to make this a "grizz in Colorado" thread...

 

[thusby]

Like a lot of folks said previously, I would not be inclined to carry bear spray or a sidearm on that hunt. The risks of dousing yourself in pepper spray or an accidental discharge outweigh the threat of a bear by about a 1000:1

 

[Straight Arrow]

In the event of a bear attack, unless you are really, really a fast gunslinger and a superb accurate shooter, and you have time before the bear bites, swats, or otherwise incapacitates you, then you will unnecessarily pack the pounds of a big bore.

If you truly hate bears, then you will likely prefer the big bore and the chance to dispatch a bear, but if it's a griz ... then be prepared for the legal and administrative time and hassle, as well as the potential for a fine. If you truly love wildlife, then be bear aware and practice the recommended methods of camping, hiking, and recreating in bear country. Most of us who live and play outdoors in Montana and elsewhere in griz country don't have problems.

Recent incident in NW Montana resulted in the wounding and subsequent euthanization of a sow grizzly, due to a hiker encounter with the sow and her cub. The sow bit the hiker, who then wounded the bear. The hiker survived. The bear was tracked quickly and put down, before some other unsuspecting recreationist encountered the injured, likely cranky bear and was attacked. Last report indicated unknown whereabouts of the cub. Point is that the probability is high that bear spray would have alleviated the danger and allowed the hiker and the bears to go about their business with only a memory of the encounter ... a memory which may have emphasized a bear beware principle.