Best Sidearm For Protection From Bear While Prospecting

I carry more for lions and crazys, bears not so much as we have lil black and brown bears here. Still, .357 mag is my choice of side arm.
 

me and the bears have come to agreement.
they don't B+E my tent, I don't run after them with a stick making loud noises.
here's an answer to bear-proof your campsite: urinate all around it, dump the jug you use at night liberally all around.
but only do this if you're male....male urine contains testosterone, which basically says: stay the F*** away!
female urine contains estrogen, which says: come and find me Big Boy!

so, there's my answer to the type of gun I use...a spray gun :)
 

I guess we better include mountain lions in this also.
 

I also carry .357 Magnum. Less worried about bears as I'm also in Nor Cal as most of our bears are pretty tame. I carry for 2 leg and no leg critters. If a big cat wants to eat you are pretty well screwed. If I were going into griz country I would carry a pump action shotgun 12 guage loaded with slugs.
 

Second that on the lion.Unless a bear cub is near by and you don't see it.
 

Up in the northern Sierra's (California side) I was standing near the base of a mountain filling a water container out of a runoff area. About 100 ft from where I stood I heard a crashing sound & quickly turned to look. A black bear came crashing down the hill, onto the flat, & never missing a beat went running down below where I stood into a deep ravine below. It all happened very quickly. I usually carry bear spray but of course didn't have it at that moment. I was impressed by how quickly that critter covered rough ground. I could never have gotten out of his way in time. Funny but he never even noticed me. Good thing for me I guess. Got me to thinking about a good sidearm to buy as I only have a 9mm semi auto now & I think my 15 round clips might be illegal in California.
 

If you are in Alaska, 454 Casull revolver. A little bit bigger than 44 Mag, good for big Brown bears.

Lower 48, 357 Mag revolver.

Good luck sir!
 

[FONT=&quot]Serious bear country [/FONT]- Smith & Wesson Model S&W500 500 S&W 6.5" 5Rds ($1,100.00) with Chest mount holster.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-sw500-1
 

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I encountered a black bear hiking in the trinity alps and he ran straight up the mountain bounding over boulders like nothing ZOOOM it was a sight to behold lol.
 

ghostminer said:
If you were given one choice of a sidearm for protection from bear while prospecting what would it be? Does anyone have any good bear stories while out in the field?
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You have to add wolves to that list.
Probably have to be a pretty extreme situation (hard winter), but a threat could exist.

Don't limit yourself to just one..Reality is carry the biggest caliber you comfortably can without interfering with your activities.
For me sometimes, that is .38 special +P
Not very big, but better than leaving it in the truck.
 

Smith & Wesson XVR .460

Smith & Wesson's Model 460XVR[emoji769] has the highest muzzle velocity of any production revolver on earth. The Model 460XVR[emoji769] is so revolutionary that it required an entirely new designation...XVR, X-treme Velocity Revolver. *Performance Center guns originate from standard designs or are created from the ground up. From hand-cutting and fitting to fine tuning for precision, these firearms are top performers. Products from the Performance Center are the ultimate expression of old-world craftsmanship blended with modern technology.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-model-460xvr-14-barrel-bi-pod download.jpeg
 

12 ga pump,44mag or the s&w 500,for sidearm.i.m.o.
 

Depends on the bear i guess. Noise maker might work. If you're being charged, good luck, it aint gonna happen with a pistol unless you're an expert shot on moving tagets while under extreme pressure. With a Rifle/shotgun maybe
 

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Well, this one struck a nerve. I got chased by a mother bear when I came, unknowingly, too close to her two cubs. She was in a powerline clearing that had small saplings. All of a sudden I saw what I thought was a car driving through them. The saplings were being mowed down as she was coming through them to get to me. It all came together when I suddenly saw the cubs. I was taking pictures at the time and had all my equipment set up. I wrapped my arms around my camera and tripod and run up a fire lane. At the bottom stood mom, rocking back and forth. Took me a long time to keep my knees from shaking. This all took place in New Jersey in a place I used to frequently bowhunt. This is also the area that got me started on detecting and bottle hunting. These are the same exact woods that produced the N.J. state record bear of 829 lbs. https://www.ammoland.com/2011/12/829lb-black-bear-takes-record-in-nj-bear-hunt/ Having moved from NJ to FL to PA and now Maine, I've had encounters with gators, bears, coyotes, rattlesnakes and sharks. I love to detect, but when I put on my headphones I get a little nervous in places, especially here in ME. I would love to bring my 12 gauge, but I have opted for a Springfield .45 ACP. That S&W 500 p
 

I make noise while i hike through the california motherlode and have no problems. The bears here are like puppy dogs and like others have said -youre not gonna see a mountain lion until its on you anyway so a gun isnt gonna help much. I would look up bear and lion attack history in the areas you frequent. Should give you a good idea of the danger or lack thereof.
 

If a bear surprises you, and the same goes for lions, you won't have to worry about packing. You'll never clear leather. I've spent a huge chunk of my time in really wild country, here in Idaho. What I carry is a big , very sharp, knife. I guarantee ya, in a real pinch, that knife will do more good than a handgun. But, you're going to get chewed-up no matter what. The speed and ferocity of wild animals is hard to imagine, if you haven't seen it.
Jim
 

They don't make pistols big enough, you will need a .50 BMG on a pintle mount in the back of a pickup truck along with 2 people to operate the weapon, a gunner and a feeder. Make sure you use hollow pointed bullets, and stay within 25 yards of the pickup while you are prospecting. At the first sign of a bear, hit the prone position as there will be a lot of hot lead in the air. Good luck on your gold!
 

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could this be gold ?

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