308 auto is far better vs bears or moose than 45-70

[WinterBorn]

The worst part of the suggestion is not that it is a .38, but that it is a hammerless revolver. That means a heavy trigger pull, not conducive to the best accuracy. If you plan to stop a big predator with a .38, you better be dead-on accurate.

Well from your standpoint I can agree with your concern over a heavy trigger pull. But keep in mind, you're not out there hunting with that gun. You're simply relying on it for personal protection and nothing more.

Which makes the accuracy even more important. If I am hunting and miss with the first shot, my prey runs off and I go home empty handed. If I use the .38 for protection against an attacking bear, and miss, I become dinner for Ursus.

I'm sorry but your senerio is deeply flawed and leaves me wondering about your knowledge, or possibly lack there of, when it comes to being out in the sticks.

Your mistaken belief that you're somehow safe from a bear with an empty gun in your hand, after wasting the only round in a missed shot, yet you are certain to die from that same bear with a loaded 38 in your hand.

Maybe you need to rethink your senerios.

Empty gun? Why would I have an empty gun? Yes, I may have fired a shot from my single shot rifle, but if I am in an area where there may be dangerous animals, I carry a Ruger Blackhawk .44 Magnum. The 6.5" barrel is not unwieldy and it is both accurate and potent.

 

[pwjohn]

Well now you've changed your story. It "was," one gun, or the other.

 

[WinterBorn]

Well now you've changed your story. It "was," one gun, or the other.

It WAS either a .308 or a 45-70. I also never said anything about only one gun. I simply remarked that a .38 was not the best choice for stopping a lion, tiger or bear, especially if the .38 was hammerless.

But, as a matter of fact, I carry my .44 much of the time I am in the woods.

 

[WinterBorn]

Well now you've changed your story. It "was," one gun, or the other.

I looked again, and can't see where I said anything about one gun or the other. The OP was about one or the other, but that was two rifles, and nothing at all was said about a hammerless .38.

 

[pwjohn]

Well I brought the 38 into it as a means to stay off the menu when just hiking and or camping in the woods.

Back Years ago when they changed the laws , we could no longer take firearms into national parks while hiking & camping, so that's when I got the idea to buy a small 38 for just such an ocassion. A gun that was easily concealed and perfect for warding off animals that can easily make a meal out of you.

 

[WinterBorn]

Well I brought the 38 into it as a means to stay off the menu when just hiking and or camping in the woods.

Back Years ago when they changed the laws , we could no longer take firearms into national parks while hiking & camping, so that's when I got the idea to buy a small 38 for just such an ocassion. A gun that was easily concealed and perfect for warding off animals that can easily make a meal out of you.

It is probably better than nothing. I've always wondered how one of those handheld air horns would effect a bear. But I'd rather fire that off with my left hand, and hold the .44 with my right. lol

 

[9thIDdoc]

As a general rule I hate to shoot DA. I do, however, have a little Ruger LCR .38 spc.+P on my person pretty much all the time mostly because I forget I have it. It actually has an almost decent DA pull and I can often hit what I shoot at at ranges for which it is intended. I wouldn't want to shoot a bear or moose with it for fear of pissing them off.

I agree that the .44mag is the handgun for bear country although I recently acquired a Taurus .45LC/.410 that might deserve consideration as a survival weapon.