Gun Tests has evaluated many firearms that hikers could use as self-defense firearms against bears and other dangerous critters. Some are more portable than others, but the power requirements for handguns, shotguns, and rifles are all the same, in concept: Deliver as much bang as possible in as small and light a package as possible.
Most hikers will choose a handgun as the most portable and stowable firearm, even if a handgun cartridge is far weaker than a full-power rifle round like a 45-70 Government or a 12-gauge shotgun or shotshell-firing gun loaded with slugs. So in this segment, we’ll look at sidearms first and foremost.
Your handgun must be completely reliable, offer lots of penetration, have enough capacity to give you a chance to hit a rapidly moving target, and be easy enough to use in a super-high-stress situation. Being able to train with your defense sidearm is a big positive, so having a choice of training ammunition — such as shooting 44 Special ammo in a 44 Magnum revolver — is helpful to your hands and your pocketbook.
You want to get as many rounds on a tough, mobile, agile, and hostile furry adversary as quickly as possible. So here are what guns and ammunition we’ve tested that make sense for protecting your hide from Mr. Magnum Ursus. Links to archived material are included so you can research the original reviews.
PISTOLS CHAMBERED IN 10MM AUTO
This category is our top overall class because the guns in it have reliability, weather- and conditions-resistant function, power, and commercial ammo availability and selection.
The 10mm Auto cartridge was introduced in 1983 as the cartridge for the Bren Ten semi-auto pistol. Ammunition initially was loaded by Norma, with a 200-grain full-jacketed truncated cone bullet. The 10mm cartridge is an ideal combat round with good stopping power. However, recoil is quite heavy.
Among our top-ranked 10mm pistols best suited to bear defense are:
Springfield Armory XD-M 5.25 XDM952510BHCE. To take backpacking, the XD-M and its 16-round payload might well be our choice.
Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact OSP XDME93810CBOSP. It was very light, so it would be easier to carry than some of the other guns below.
Glock G40 MOS PG4050200MOS. Its long nose helps it stay down on target for follow-up shots. If you’re a Glock shooter already, you’ll like the G40.
SIG Sauer P320 X5-10-BXR3-R2. SIG managed to make a larger caliber work in a frame that fits standard-sized SIG holsters — no big hands required. If you shoot SIGs, go with this one.
Springfield Armory XDM-E XDME93810CBOSP Black. The frame of the XDM Elite has come a long way. The grip provides a good gripping surface. Provides an ambidextrous magazine release and a manual grip safety and three different grip inserts to accommodate different sized hands. Accurate and reliable.
Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 13389. We felt the S&W had the lighter recoil impulse and the shooting results testified to that. The grips would benefit from the light touch of some 600-grit sandpaper.
Springfield Armory 1911 Ronin PX9121L. This Ronin is a no-nonsense 1911 with a good, sights, trigger, reliability, and accuracy.
Springfield Armory XDM-E XDME94510GBHCOSP Green. Choose this one if you like the slide color. We actually did.
We always recommend taking our suggestions and renting a gun before buying it, if a local range offers that service. Some other good guns to try beyond the ones listed above include the Rock Island Armory M1911-A1 FS Tactical II, Taylor’s & Co. 1911 A1 FS Tactical II PC2/230056, Glock Model 20 SF Short Frame GEN 3 PF2050702, and Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 3.8 Compact OSP XDME93810CBOSP.
Potent rounds to consider and test in your handgun for reliability and accuracy include the Hornady 10mm Auto 155-gr. XTP 9122, Cor-Bon DPX 10mm Auto 155-gr. DPX10155, and Winchester 10mm Auto 175 gr. Silvertip X10MMSTHP.
PISTOLS CHAMBERED IN 45 ACP
As for bears, the largest of North American animals that are likely to attack humans, we need plenty of penetration from our sidearm. And sometimes we are not carrying purpose-designed handguns intended for use against wild animals, but rather common packing pistols. Though custom-chambered breech-blocks or Magnum revolvers are the best choices, some shooters are not willing or able to invest in a standalone bear-defense pistol. Expense and the daunting proposition of learning to control recoil are considerations that become hurdles.
Thus, a lot of shooters will want to carry their favorite 45 in the sticks just like they do in the streets, and we’re hard-pressed to say no to that. But choosing the right loads for the 45 ACP is vital. Top-end 45 ACP loads can be quite potent, and they can cause slide-speed malfunctions that have to be assessed and avoided. But among the best 45 pistols we’d recommend include the following, with an emphasis on full-size frames and durable finishes that might not be the prettiest:
SDS Imports Tisas 1911 A1 US Army 45 WG 10100523. Can be found below $500. The SDS is mostly a clone of the original M1911A1, had great accuracy, and ran well. The SDS offers a lot of value and performance in a gun that looks like a brand-new M1911A1.
Rock Island Armory 1911 A1 Tact Standard FS 51484. Widely available in the $500 to $750 price range. The full dust cover offers a smidge extra weight that helps control the pistol. Accuracy was very good. The one-piece guide rod ensures the pistol cycles smoothly. Comparing features and performance with price, this 1911 is a bargain you wouldn’t need to baby.
Springfield Armory Loaded Operator PX9105LL18. The Springfield Armory Loaded Operator is a service-grade holster gun and a very good one. The ability to easily field-strip and maintain the pistol without tools is an advantage. The Loaded Operator has hand-filling grips and a magazine well. The forward cocking serrations are useful.
Wilson Combat CQB 45 ACP. If you have money to burn, the CQB is an impressive pistol on all counts. For a wilderness carry and animal-combat handgun, this is the best choice we’re aware of.
Probably the best load to test-fire in these pistols is the Buffalo Bore 230-Grain No. 45230FMJ Flat Nose 45 ACP +P. Another to consider is the Buffalo Bore 230-Grain +P FMJ No. 45230.
OTHER PISTOL CHAMBERINGS
The 1911 chambered in 45 ACP might make the owner feel he has the ultimate self-defense handgun against bears, but some will not be satisfied with that power level.
For those shooters, more power is readily available. For instance, there are drop-in barrels that can turn your 1911 45 into a hot 40-caliber (400 Cor-Bon) or a hotter 45 (460 Rowland). We acquired some drop-in barrels from Storm Lake in 400 Cor-Bon and from Clark Custom Guns in 460 Rowland. Also, there’s the Guncrafter Industries 50 GI Model No. 1 pistol, which is a 1911 dedicated to a .50-caliber cartridge with a rebated rim.
There are two “normal” loads for the 50 GI, one with a 300-grain jacketed flat-point bullet at 712 fps and a 275-grain JHP at 890 fps. The 460 Rowland ammunition pushes the .45-caliber 1911 envelope close to its limits.
HANDGUNS CHAMBERED IN 44 REMINGTON MAGNUM
About a generation ago, the 44 Magnum reigned as the most powerful handgun in the world. It has since been toppled in size and power by other cartridges, but not before a few handguns chambered in the round became legendary. It is likely the most accessible big-power round available. Here are some guns that chamber it.
Magnum Research Desert Eagle MK XIX DE44. The Desert Eagle is a soft-shooting pistol that tames 44 Mag recoil.
Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 629 Hunter 170318. Trigger pull was less than 10 pounds for the double-action pull and just more than 4 pounds for the single-action movement, though it felt lighter than that. It showed a liking for the 240-grain lead bullets, with a best group of 0.54 inch.
Colt Anaconda Anaconda-SP8RTS. All that weight out front dampened the recoil a good bit. We won’t call it pleasant, but it was very manageable. The Anaconda averaged group sizes of 0.82 inches across three different kinds of ammunition, showing it also preferred the 320-grain hard-cast lead bullets. The smallest group was a mere 0.46 inches, with an average of 0.61 inches. The longer barrel on the Anaconda also resulted in higher muzzle velocities and energy figures, 10% to 12% more than others we’ve fired.
Taurus Tracker 44TRACKER4SS 2-440049TKR. The ported muzzle worked well to reduce muzzle flip. If you expect your handgun to live its life outside in inclement weather, the Taurus M44 is the easy choice. Its stainless finish is utilitarian.
Ruger Super Redhawk 5501. Function was perfect, as we would expect on a good revolver. Average group size across the three types of ammo was just over an inch at 15 yards. The Ruger really liked the 320-grain bullets, posting an average group size of 0.86 in.
Colt Anaconda Anaconda-SP6RTS. The Anaconda is Colt’s biggest snake gun, and it offers great looks, smooth trigger, and good accuracy. It is basically a bulked-up Python capable of handling the powerful 44 Magnum cartridge. The grip could be better.
Ruger Redhawk 5043. The Redhawk is a time-tested heavy revolver with a dated grip and sights but has good accuracy. It is overbuilt to take the abuse the 44 Magnum round doles out, which means extra carry weight.
Smith & Wesson Model 629 Mountain Gun 14041. Mountain Gun variants of the Model 29 have been a staple of S&W’s lineup for decades, and for good reason. They are heavy-duty revolvers offering performance and power in a relatively lightweight package.
S&W Model 329PD Alaska Backpacker IV150545. The 329PD made a good compromise of weight using the stainless-steel cylinder and scandium frame. It was light but not so light that it stung the web of our shooting hand. The grip worked well to mitigate recoil, but it was too large for conceal carry. The sights were fast on target but plenty tall.
Ruger Redhawk KRH-445 44 Magnum. If your aim is to fire hot loads aplenty and concealment is not an issue, we think you’ll be happier with the Redhawk. Furthermore, even the hottest .44 Specials were a ho-hum affair in the Redhawk.
Taurus Raging Bull 444B8 44 Magnum. This is a very large-framed revolver, and the grip is augmented at the backstrap, making it feel even larger. We didn’t mind its size when firing single action even if the length of pull is at the edge of acceptable for medium to large sized hands. Big people should really like this arrangement, but for most an alternate grip is necessary to even consider double action shooting.
HANDGUNS CHAMBERED IN 357 SMITH & WESSON MAGNUM
Ruger GP100 01753 357 Magnum. Smooth, controllable action. Modest recoil with all loads, and good-to-excellent accuracy potential. This is a credible combat revolver well suited to any serious role. Overall Length, 8.0 in. Barrel Length, 3.0 in. Weight Loaded, 39.0 oz. Capacity, 6.
Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus 164300. The Model 686 Plus has a smooth double-action trigger pull, a rubber grip that absorbs recoil, large sights, and good accuracy. The 3-inch barrel is an optimal compromise between 4- and 2.5-barrel revolvers. The seven-round capacity is a definite plus. Overall length: 8.1 in. Barrel length: 3 in. Weight loaded: 39 oz. Capacity: 7.
Colt Python BP3WTS 357 Magnum. We thought the deeply-blued finish was the most pleasing of the pistols tested, while we recognize that it won’t be as corrosion resistant as the others. Pricey, the Python was the fastest and most accurate, making it our choice. Overall Length, 8.3 in. Weight Loaded, 41.44 oz. Barrel Length, 3.0 in. Capacity, 6.
A Grizzly Cartridge 180-grain flat point had the greatest penetration in water we’ve seen (44 inches), followed closely by a Cor-Bon 180-grain JSP. A slightly lighter choice would be the Speer Gold Dot 158-grain JHP 23960.
OTHER REVOLVER CHAMBERINGS
Smith & Wesson PC M460XVR 170262 460 S&W Mag. The 460XVR is very versatile, with the ability to shoot a variety of calibers.
Smith & Wesson S&W500 163500 500 S&W Mag. Cartridge choice is limited. We found this revolver to be accurate and offer plenty of punch both ways.
Ruger GP100 1761 44 Special. For many of the raters, they liked shooting the Ruger GP100 the most among the revolvers tested. However, this is the largest and heaviest revolver as well, so it was expected it might be more docile with 44 Special rounds. Accuracy was outstanding. The GP100 44 Special is more accurate than all but a very few revolvers we have tested.
Smith & Wesson Model 57-6 No. 150481 41 Remington Magnum. We won’t try to talk you into buying a Model 57-6 chambered in 41 Magnum. The cartridge and this model of Smith handgun seem to be hanging on by a thread. But this was a very good combination. Perhaps you can help the 41 Magnum have a resurgence along the lines of the 10mm Auto.
S&W Performance Center Model 657-5 41 Magnum. The correct holster and belt are required for any of these revolvers. The 657-5 fell out of favor with testers in part due to the availability of more 44 Magnum and 44 Special ammo. The gun was well made and filled with great features, but the 44 Magnum chambering offered more for the investment.
Smith & Wesson Model 25-13 Mountain Gun 45 Colt No. 160929. Controllable and accurate, it should be able to handle the most aggressive common-pressure 45 Colt ammunition. But availability is in question.
Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan KSRH 2454 454 Casull/45 Colt. If you only have six shots, why not maximize power? We didn’t have to use Casull rounds to land heavy blows, but we could have. Accuracy was consistent with all variety of ammunition, and it offered a quick, natural index despite its size.
Ruger Super Redhawk 480 Ruger. The Ruger was well made, like most Ruger products. The finish was Ruger’s proprietary gray, now applied to most of the firm’s stainless products. The iron sights were fully adjustable, and gave an excellent sight picture. The rear notch was outlined in white, and the replaceable front blade had a red insert. The grip material was rubber with dark gray synthetic inserts. The handgun was very muzzle heavy. All the weight of that 9.5-inch barrel up front helped hold the gun steady as long as we were able to hold it at arm’s length, which was not all that long. The weight, unloaded and unscoped, was 55.4 ounces, which is just a tad under 3.5 pounds. The 480 Ruger is not a full-power 475 Linebaugh. Its only claim to fame is that it’s new, and that it costs way less than half what a custom Bowen or Linebaugh revolver costs, or right around half as much as a Freedom Arms in 475 Linebaugh, depending on model. But it’s not the real thing. Bullets for the .475 are nowhere near as easily found as those for the .45, though there are plenty available. Brass is also questionable. If you’re going for an oddball size, like the .475 or .500, you might as well have the whole enchilada. The .480 Ruger gives you only a taste.
475 Linebaugh by Bowen Classic Arms Corp. The .475 was very well balanced. The grip was hand-filling, noticeably larger than that of the .500. On the range, the full loads gave a sting to the hand, but the gun was totally controllable. We tried it with the .480 Ruger loads, and it was very mild-mannered. We tried Buffalo Bore’s light loads, which gave a 420-grain bullet about 950 fps and put five into less than an inch shooting from a kneeling position at 15 yards. Our best group at 25 yards was 1.2 inches, with a “light” Buffalo Bore load. Cost is the main drawback to owning one of the custom guns, and you would have about a three- to six-months wait. We think you would not be sorry to own a .475 Linebaugh like the one from Bowen we tested. If you get tired of it, it’ll be easy to sell.
Linebaugh 500 Linebaugh. Our best group with the .500 was with a super-wimp load of a 350-grain cast bullet over 5.0 grains of Bullseye powder. This crossed the chronograph screens at all of 550 fps. It still had lots of power, and struck the backstop with authority. We upped the ante to 8 grains of Hodgdon’s Universal Clays, and velocity went to 650 fps, and recoil was still very mild. This gave best accuracy of our shooting, with a group of 1.8 inches at 25 yards. With the full loads, the best we could do was 2.5 inches. The gun would shoot better than that, the owner assured us, but we couldn’t manage to prove it. This load was brutal on our hands, and we fired only one five-shot group. With these loads, the relatively light gun ends up rising so far that it’s actually pointing behind us in full recoil.
