I am looking for a good handgun to buy...

Question

i don't want to spend an arm and a leg, and i probably won't ever use it to go hunting. i do a lot of back country camping and want something bigger than a .22...so i wouldn't just p**s off a bear if i needed to use it, but also don't think i need something as big as a .44...any suggestions of what guns to look at?

Answer 1

Look at a taurus model 85 revolver in .38 special.  They are small and lightweight enough to fit in a pocket.  And a new one is only about $350.

Answer 2

if you plan on taking out a bear in any type of emergency, you will want the MOST power you can get out of a handgun. this means that MAGNUMS should be the only thing we talk about here. anything less, can put you in a more dangerous situation than you are trying to get out of to begin with.

you may not want to spend an "arm and a leg", but if you don't want Mr. Bear to end up with your arms and legs in his paws/jaws, you need to not listen to people who are talking about 9mm's .38's, and such.  what you needs to give serious consideration to is a .44 Magnum or higher caliber/magnum such as the new .500 S&W Magnum . note that a .45 sound big, and it is a large caliber, great for stopping humans, but it is NOT a magnum!  With defense against bear, you need large caliber AND loads of power/energy to boot.  this eliminates all those rounds that send bullets out of the barrel at less than 1100 feet per second.

do yourself a favor, ands look into getting the right equipment fsor the task at hand.  Here are the reqirements:

1.) large caliber (no less than .40, but more is even better!)

2.) at least 200 grain bullet

3.) velocity of at least 1400 feet per second

you can do less than this if you want to, but it is il-advised if you are serious about stopping a bear in an emergency with a handgun!  Ideally, you should have a high powered rifle or a shotgun, but if a handgun is all you can pack, make it one that will actually get it done with minimal risk to you.

      

Answer 3

bet a revolver in .357 magnum. this will be good enough to stock black bear and you can load one of the slots in the cylinder with rat shot for snakes. a Ruger GP100 would be a very good choice.

Answer 4

If you're worried about bears then go with something big! A .45 long colt or .44 magnum would be the best option but if you want something smaller you should go with a .45 ACP. Although expensive  an H&K USP .45 loaded with double tap  bullets is the ultimate woods gun. Or for cheaper a glock .45 would also be lighter. Good luck and you might consider asking at a sporting goods store and see what they have.

Answer 5

A 4 or 6 inch barreled 357 Magnum revolver made by Smith & Wesson will provide you with the necessary protection.* Load it with Winchester 180 grain Partition Gold ammo.* It is extremely accurate, Deep penetrating, dramatic bullet expansion, maximum weight retention..*

Answer 6

smith & wesson model 629 comped hunter is a six shor .44 magnum revolver with a full length tapered barrel lug its great i hunt with it cant get any better

Answer 7

Remember, in a self defense situation you are the hunted.  This means you will probably be reacting and not have the initiative, i.e. little time to act, surprised, and maybe a little shaky.  That's why you want something powerful.  I would go with 44 Mag at minimum.

Answer 8

Anything less than a .44 Magnum revolver is marginal for a black adult male bear. If you are in grizzly country, even a .44 is marginal. Yesterday, a man asked a question related to bad advice on here that can cause people to be killed. This question is one about which he should be concerned. I see some self-styled experts whose alleged credentials are greater than their demonstrated logic. I hope several people pitch in to prevent your being mauled or killed by a bear.

Answer 9

Your best bet is a .357 Magnum or .38 Special revolver.

A .357 will also fire .38 ammo which, besides being the least expensive centerfire round is also available almost anywhere in a wide variety of loadings from the light target loads to the heavy defensive loads.

I like Smith & Wesson (the older ones without that asinine key lock) but Colt and Ruger are good also.

I'd go for a Smith & Wesson K frame (medium size frame, models 10, 13, 15, 19, 64, 65, 66, 67) with a 4" barrel. You can get a real good used one with adjustable sights in the $350-$400 range. Fixed sight models are about $75 less. The 3" barrels are also pretty good but they are not as common as the 4" models and cost quite a bit more.

If you want protection from bears the .38 isn't going to be enough unless you get a real lucky shot in a vital area. Even the .357 will be marginal but its a good compromise considering how rarely people actually run into bears. Go with a +P or magnum load with 158 or 180 grain soft or solid point bullets. Anything lighter will not penetrate enough. Hollow points will break up too quickly and will not penetrate enought either.

A .44 Magnum may be better but the gun will cost a lot more, the ammo will cost more than 3 times as much and you won't be able to get as much practice with it. Also, the recoil is several times that of a .357. I'd rather have the lower powered gun and know that I'd be able to make a quick second shot if it was needed.

Bear spray has been shown to be more effective than firearms but I would advise you to carry both. Nobody should ever be in the woods without a gun.

Answer 10

Look for a Ruger, Taurus, or S&W revolver in .357 mag. with a 3" or 4" barrel. Revolvers are the most simple gun you can buy, and they're extremely reliable. The barrel length is up to you, longer = more accurate, but harder to pack and much heavier. A 3" or 4" barrel should easily be accurate out to 75+ yards... with practice. I say look for a .357 mag., because it's readily available at almost all outdoor stores, reasonably priced (for their size and versitility), and hard hitting (legal to bear hunt with). A .357 revolver also gives you the option to shoot .38 special ammo, which is cheaper and makes for good practice/plinking rounds.

Other calibers, like .45, .40, and 9mm just don't have the hit that a .357 has, and they are more geared to tactical/defense use. Everyone I've talked with absolutely beats off to .45's, but I think they're worthless. They're expensive to shoot, expensive to purchase, inheritly inaccurate (unless you're paying over $1000 for your gun), or heavy as h**l... That's all my personal opinion though. I also find them hard to shoot becasue I'm 5'7", and I have yet to find a fullsize .45 that fits my grip, and doesn't look rediculous in my hands.

Answer 11

You might want to take a look at Taurus "The Judge" .45LC/.410 ga.  Its a 5 shot double action revolver with either 4" or 6.5" barrel that can shoot either .45 long chamber bullets to stop a black bear or .410 shotgun shells to take care of a rattle snake that might be in your path.  I've seen them on gunbroker.com going for around $450, but you have to add in some more for shipping and handling and a fee to the FFL who receives the gun for you.  Good luck!

Answer 12

I agree with James S.  You don't sound like you plan on shooting a lot, if ever, but want something with enough stopping power should the need arise, but also something that is very easy to clean (as most revolvers are).  So I suggest, and I'm going to be specific, a snub nosed 357 magnum, lawman III.  Probably going to run in the $400 range.  

Answer 13

if you concerned with running into a bear, you better be thinking .44 magnum, because anything less just won't stop it. Ruger, Taurus, and Hi-Point revolvers can be found pretty cheap . . . under $350.00. Should you not decide to follow my advice about the 44, you might look into a Ruger convertible . . . it will shoot .357, .38 special, and 9mm. Those previously mentioned were all revolvers . . . if you choose to purchase a revolver get a double action. Single actions are quicker to get off the first shot, but they are more difficult and slower to reload, as the cylinder does not swing out and it has to be loaded one cartridge at a time. As for semi auto pistols, your pretty much limited to a "Desert Eagle" in the 44 Mag caliber, anfd they are rather expensive . . . $800. +.  A 10mm Glock 20 can be had for $500-$600 and it will knock down a bear easily. Otherwise, your best bet is a .40 S&W and load it with 155 Grain Jacketed Hollow Points and hope for the best. You can usually find a used one for around $300, but if you really want to cheap out you can get a brand new (ugly as sin) hi-point for under $200 bucks. Here is some good reading about the .357 for you.

Answer 14

If bear really is a problem consider the new Ruger Super Blackhawk with the abbreviated barrel available in .44 Magnum to .480 Ruger.  If you get it in .454 Casull you can also shoot .45 (Long) Colt in it.  That, or if your concern is just the smaller Black bear then consider the Ruger GP-100 .357 Magnum.  Either one won't put you in the poor house but the Super Blackhawk still costs more.

H

Answer 15

There are 1000's of good 38/357 mag revolvers out there.

the 38 is cheap enough to learn to shoot with the .357 would take care of most 2 and 4 legged predators you might encounter in your travels.

I prefer 4 inch barrels... if your not a neat nick go with a Stainless steel model... they can survive with a bit less attention than a blued firearm. I like fixed sights too...less stuff to break or mess with for an "emergency" gun the better.

There are 100's of good used Smith and Wes sons out there... Model 13 (blue) or 65 (ss) would get you into the 38-357...Taurus and Rossi have equivalent models for the same money new........... but don't expect the resale value.

Answer 16

I would suggest a Llama Mini/Max .45

Its the officially issued sidearm of the Spanish military, so you know it should be a decent, durable weapon.  And I would classify them as very well priced, and compact for carrying while hiking.

I know you said you didnt need this large of a caliber, but to be honest with you, if there was a bear coming, I would want to put as large of a hole in it as possible.  A 9mm would be effective, but the stopping power of the .45 would be worth it, and since its still in a compact frame, you arent sacrificing a whole lot in size/weight for the extra stopping power.