Recommendations for 44 Magnum revolvers.

[Huckelberry75]

Do what ever you want to do as far as a hand gun goes.
Hunters know that unless you get a shot into the brain or spinal area, the bears can still attack and do much damage before expiring.
Recent reports and tests have shown that Bear Spray is the best defense. The above funny posts are funny.
I would certainly have a large cal pistol handy if the bear recovered before you could get out of the area.

Think about it........If a Griz is coming at you faster than a horse can run, and your stated inexperience with a handgun, do you think you could draw from some backpack area and hit one coming at you.......Probably not. They would be on you within a second or two from 40 yards away. Current laws in the areas allow one to carry a gun but not on the hip.
With the bear spray that one can carry on the hip, you put up a wall of spray that will stop a bear long before a bullet will if the bullet is not put into a precise area.Do what you want to do, but this is my advise.

+1 for this. Good luck.

 

[300WSM]

Back to the original question of a 44 mag revolver. I have a taurus tracker in a 44 magnum. I like it pretty well. Before all the hating on Taurus comes out, it was a deal i fell into and I am still pleased with it. It is a stainless 4" factory ported 5 shot. It is light weight and the porting helps alot on the muzzle rise and percieved recoil. You can also get one for under 500 if you shop around. If I were in your situation it is the handgun I would carry. As far as concealed carry in states you are crossing while traveling you could just lock it in a case separately from the ammo then you are not carrying a concealed magnum. Just my opinion for what its worth.

 

[Parks 788]

Do what ever you want to do as far as a hand gun goes.
Hunters know that unless you get a shot into the brain or spinal area, the bears can still attack and do much damage before expiring.
Recent reports and tests have shown that Bear Spray is the best defense. The above funny posts are funny.
I would certainly have a large cal pistol handy if the bear recovered before you could get out of the area.

Think about it........If a Griz is coming at you faster than a horse can run, and your stated inexperience with a handgun, do you think you could draw from some backpack area and hit one coming at you.......Probably not. They would be on you within a second or two from 40 yards away. Current laws in the areas allow one to carry a gun but not on the hip.
With the bear spray that one can carry on the hip, you put up a wall of spray that will stop a bear long before a bullet will if the bullet is not put into a precise area.

Do what you want to do, but this is my advise.

X2 here. However, I would still feel MUCH better about having the gun at the ready. No reason to not carry both. Legally, I don't know but def spray on the hip and the big gun somewhere close by.

 

[elwoodtrix]

while my Dad was in Alaska, he told me of guy with shottys goin fishin... shottys to protect against bears...they also were carrying 460's 500's so you know

 

[mhphoto]

If you're an insane man you could get a Smith & Wesson 329 Night Guard. It has a scandium frame and weighs a mere 29.3 oz empty. I'd imagine it would kick worse than the bear you're trying to shoot, but honestly I've never shot it.

Can't go wrong with a S&W 629.

 

[dwkennedy]

Random fact: YNP rangers carry M14 rifles in their vehicles. That'll teach those bears to steal picnic baskets.

 

[Glocktogo]

I love my S&W 629 Mountain Gun. I still want a Smith 329PD, even though I know the recoil on them is fierce. I just can't see replacing my MG with one though.

 

[Rob72]

If you aren't in a huge rush, and if you don't find one to pop off sooner, I'll be done with classes in the middle of December, and you can run a couple or three cylinders of .44 mag through my Alaskan, if you want.

It really is all about the trade off. Personally calibers above .44 mag I see as pretty useless unless you're a really big guy, with tie-rod-breaking wrist strength. I say this having lots of 240 and 300 grain .44 mag rounds through both a 6" Superblackhawk, and the Alaskan, a few through a DE .50 AE(still far less concussive than the .460/.480/.500), and (I counted) 60 rounds of .308 Win MagResearch Lone Eagle with a 12" barrel.

Personally, with situational awareness and a .44 Alaskan, I feel as comfortable as you can. Folks who have had violent encounters will always say they wanted more and bigger to respond with, but if you aren't going to carry a Tanker Garand, you can at least afford and tolerate shooting the .44 until you're very capable with it.

A Glock 10mm would be another reasonable choice, BTW.

 

[cowadle]

Ruger Alaskan.

 

[cjjtulsa]

Ruger Alaskan.

Love my Redhawk, but an Alaskan in .44 Mag would be easier to carry, I think.