Gun

[Quarry Man]

I am 16 now. I am an avid hiker angler and outdoorsman.. i do not hunt. I live in a part of the country where bears and other large predators re common. Looking for a handgun that i can use for self defense, survival, and bring with me on my hiking trips. I am also considering a rifle of some sort, maybe ill get that if i start hunting. Anyways, i have a while to go, but i want to learn more about guns so what do you recommend?

[S. Sass]

Bear = Big gun

If not you just ticked him off.

[Quarry Man]

2 minutes ago, S. Sass said:

Bear = Big gun

If not you just ticked him off.

 

what kind of gun?

[S. Sass]

Being your 16 I don't think you can legally carry any gun. I'm no expert on the legality every where so I can't say. But if it wasn't a 44mag or bigger I would not consider it against a Bear. Maybe get with your Dad to discuss your options. 

[Quarry Man]

2 minutes ago, S. Sass said:

Being your 16 I don't think you can legally carry any gun. I'm no expert on the legality every where so I can't say. But if it wasn't a 44mag or bigger I would not consider it against a Bear. Maybe get with your Dad to discuss your options. 

 

I can't legally, and my mom won't let me. lol, i am thinking down the road...

[Angry John]

I have a friend that is an avid bow hunter.  He carries a 10mm for deference from large game including bears.  This is not a target gun as it is way expensive to shoot.  I feel that bear spray is a better option along with knowing the signals they give you threw body language.  A gun will not fix a bad situation that can most of the time be avoided.  Hunting is entirely different.  Range to target plays a huge roll and will change my recommendation from a 7mm mag for long range to a 45/70 for 150 yards or less.  There is no such thing as overkill when dealing with dangerous animals...

[RoLo]

1 hour ago, Quarry Man said:

 

what kind of gun?

 

You stated that you're not a hunter, so you wouldn't need a 375 H&H Magnum rifle to take out a grizzly bear.

With regard to raw persuasion, shoot an aggressive bear with a 357 Magnum handgun,

and his machismo will be promptly trivialized  

 

Roger

[XpressJeff]

You have a few issues to deal with,

 

1. You are a minor and your Mom said NO!

2. You live in part of the country with VERY restrictive firearm regulations.

3. You need to take a Hunter's Safety Course. (Check with local Friends of the NRA rep.

4. After you have done those you must remember, your Mom said NO!

 

I would suggest you get some training and then address the issue again with Mom.

 

After she has seen you are serious and have made some effort she might reconsider.

 

I would give some thought to a Taurus Judge for a firearm. It would allow use of .410 shotgun shells or .45 Long Colt

Ammunition that will be more than capable of bear protection with a good hollow point cartridge. A cheap Alaskan type holster from Uncle Mikes would keep it centered on your chest for access.

 

most important - 1. get some training!

                                     And

                          2. Don't ignore Mom!

 

Be Careful!

[Crestliner2008]

Being able to handle any gun requires training, discipline and lots & lots of range work. We're not talking about a .22 rimfire here, but rather the very expensive high powered rounds of .44 mag. and up. Unless you are big 16 yo, I'd have reservations as to whether or not you could actually be able to handle such a weapon under extremely stressful situations. To become proficient enough to use such a large weapon in close quarter combat with an angry bear (and I'm talking about black bears in your neck of the woods), will require a extraordinary amount of preparation and dedication on your part. 

 

All that being said, the black is not a bear to fool with. Much more aggressive than most journalism makes them out to be. If they decide to come at you, you will need to fight with every ounce of will power you have and with any weapon available to you. Unlike the griz or brown bear, they will never leave you alone after the initial attack. Study their habits and tendencies so that you can be more proactive in avoiding a confrontation with them in the first place. Be safe out there!

[Clinton john]

Ok first things first.

 

You need to sit down and get your mom to understand and approve, then you need to take a hunter's saftey course even if you don't intend to go hunting, then you need to take a few lesson's from a certified handgun trainer at a range.

 

Once you have done that and mom gives the ok for the gun and bye the way you can carry a sidearm for protection even though you are

under 18 but there are some legel paperwork your mom has to sign off on and she has to be with you at all times while you have it on your person, atleast that's how it is in louisiana, I know because two of my children have pistol's, one's 17 and one is 15.

 

You need to take a class on bear survival, it will teach you what to look for in a bear's behavior and how to react to that behavior and how to be a lil safer in bear country.

 

A question you have to answer is what kind of bears will I run into and that will help answer what pistol to get.

 

Black bear- 357 Magnus loaded with critical defense ammo will be more then enough.

 

Grizzly- I would think 44 mag would be better, I'm guessing because we don't have grizzly in louisiana just black bear.

 

A pistol is your last line of defense in a bear charge, and it will serve you better in a charge then a rifle due to its size weight and the fact that with training it will be a point and shoot type of thing, where you don't have time to shoulder a rifle and take aim at a charging bear.

 

A 350 pound black bear can cover 50 yards of ground in under 5 seconds, I know from first hand experience.

 

I have given you the best knowledge and advice I have but at the end of the day without your mother's blessing it is of lil use.

 

Until you get set up with a pistol for defense of a bear charge remember your best offense is in numbers and sound, travel in groups of atleast 6 and make lots of noise at all times.

 

If they hear you coming they are less likely to stick around, and if they do they are less likely to do anything if you are in a group of people.

 

Hope all this helps sir.

[ThePolkFolk]

On ‎4‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 10:09 PM, Angry John said:

bear spray

X2

If your dad happens to shoot guns, I would ask him to start bringing you to the range. If not, you will want to get your parents permission to find a place that can teach you how to properly shoot. That way when you turn legal age you will know be knowledgable, proficient, and most importantly safe with guns.

Bear defense guns are very powerful and shooting them requires a lot of respect for the damage they can do (to the target AND the shooter).

.357 for black bears isn't too bad but I'd consider .44 Mag and up to be the real bear calibers.

Like stated above, the most important thing is knowing how to act in bear country. Be loud and let em know you're there.

 

[rboat]

Bear spray would be your first purchase. Secondly learn all you can about black bears and how to avoid them. The black bear is mostly a grazer and scavenger. They do not consider us as food, unless someone was feeding them. They will savagely defend a territory especially a mother with cubs. If you know what to look for, (tracks, scat, rub marks, dens, etc), you may be able to avoid most encounters. As stated above, knowing how to act may be more beneficial than a hand cannon. If the bear is not intent on aggression, a shot into the air from any gun would probably send him looking for more cover. If you are serious about the gun, get proper training and permission first. Proper training will keep you and anyone in the area much safer. Good luck and be safe. 

[Catt]

[Gundog]

 ^^^^This.