If black bear was the goal of your 5 year savings accout. would you want to take a 454 super redhawk or wait to find a bisley hunter 45 with a 300grn WFN. I currently shoot 45 bisley 5.5. havent shot it in 3 months and was able to keep 4 of 5 in a two-three inch group off hand at 20 yards. that was with 8grn unique under 255 swc. so i know i got some work to do in the recoil dept. I have shot a hot 41 mag and would not hesitate to do it again so hope 454 recoil wont be to much of a turn off.

Thanks
Rabbit

It could be argued that either would be just fine with the right load and that's certainly true but for me it would depend on the type of bear hunt. Are you going on a dog hunt, bait or spot & stalk?

depends where ya do it, over dogs, i wouldn't hesitate to use a 357, where we hunted in alaska and ya don't wanna let the bear get 20 yards to the trees, i'm happy we had 454's or 475's. the guide said lots of bears were lost by making the trees on POW island. i'd use a 454 in that situation with a tough expandable bullet.

we will have about 6000 apiece. doubt that will get us to alaska. I watched a episode for the Bear wisperer. i know cheesey show. but he did a spring bear hunt and use a mouth call and they came running in. that would be awsome. but the hunt is a good 4 years away. i also have a contender but would prefer to use a revoler.

If you already have the .454 SRH, I'd use it. If you have neither, than either the .454 or a heavily loaded .45 Colt Bisley Hunter will do. Buy whichever one appeals to you most.

Personally, I would never choose a .357 as suggested above. You may encounter the bear of a lifetime, and I always want AT LEAST enough gun.





P.S. My bear guns are .475L's.

you could easily do our alaskan hunt for 6K apiece.

You can do an AK hunt for 6K even if you don't have one single piece of gear.

Tradmark do you have a website

Damon,

We hunted with Ryan McCue. It was a drop camp hunt. You might also send Pasco a PM, he hunted in AK this past spring also and he also got a great bear. I think he had a boat as a base camp but I could be wrong.

http://www.handgunhunt.com/alaska_bear.php

The link to his website is at the top right.

Gary

Very nice. Just need food gear and burbon

Thanks ill save the web site. Only 4 more years to go.

Definitely don't forget the bourbon!

Damon

I lived in Alaska for just over 22 years, it depends on where you go for black bears. The interior bears are smaller than the coastal bears, and Prince Of Wales Island, has some 7' black bears. I would have no qualms about shooting an interior bear with a .357, but I would recommend some thing bigger for the coastal bears. .452/300/1200 is a pretty good formula.

Good luck.