10mm on my chest here in Idaho. 200g Underwood HC. Just hiking with my boy I carry a 12g with Brennneke black magic slugs.. Teaching my son to be very alert.
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice: In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field. We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren't expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray.
@@tomcurran8470 From a 30-year Alaskan resident I have NO JOKE ! Due to the ignorant nonsense fad now of fools coming to Alaska and bring weak handguns in this fad and pot shooting the bears with weak handguns and is some cases the bear shooting was reported, or a Trooper investigation found the shooter the state will spend thousands of dollars search for the bear using aircraft and boots on the ground. The Alaska state legislature has increased the fines for illegal shooting of Alaskan bears to a felony with time 2 years spent in jail and a $25.000 fine! We as Alaskans know if caught committing wildlife crimes you will go to jail and not let out until a judge sees you in court and a person who commits murder has a better chance of getting out of jail on bond. Never screw around in Alaska !
A good friend of mine’s son went to Alaska to start his bush pilot carrier three years ago. He couldn’t carry his 444 marlin in the plane all the time and the only other option he had was PD trade in S&W model 10. Not my first choice. I wanted to give him a better chance than the 125gr JHP he carried here in Wisconsin. I loaded up some hard cast Barnes 175 grain bullets with 3.7gr of Hodgens Tight Group behind them. They Shoot beautiful in my S&W model 15 combat masterpiece and in his Model 10. There was definitely some power behind them. Don’t recommend a steady diet of them. A year and a half into his career he ended up testing those loads if you know what I mean. Two to the chest put an interior grizzly down. He came home for Christmas that year and I went over to his dads to say visit. I walked through the door and he hugged me. He said if it wasn’t for me he probably wouldn’t be there.
So as a Teenager UA-cam groupie Parrot mouth talker making up wild stories how long did it take you to make up that wild nonsense story? As a 30-year resident of Alaska and for all 30 years I offered guided hunts and fishing for a single income. I flew out on all kinds of bush planes from supper cubs - Cessnas and DHC2 Beavers and never did I see any bush pilot ever restricted by what kind of firearm they could take in the plane and not once in those 30 years did, I see a bush pilot with a weak handgun that has only 1/2 the power of a 30-30 win!. What you wrote is a common repeated nonsense that is Parrot mouthed over and over by PUNK ASS teenagers like you who swarm these gun comments as UA-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talkers all repeating the same old nonsense as a Parrot repeats a new work over and over again and again!
@@JSmith-ou3sk It is amazing the nonsense lies made up in gun video comments by Video war game playing teenagers claiming to an adult then righting Hugh nonsense lie story's them the gellable fools to believe the nonsense. I suspect you are one more east coast fool that believes like the rest of the ignorant Easterns that Alaskan bears are the size of Grate Dane dogs that are easy blow up by a weak handgun. I have 30 years as a South-Central Alaskan resident and my single income came from guiding fishing and hunting for brown & interior Grizzly hunts along with Yukon Moose hunts so the complete nonsense I see in video and comments is just insane the level of stupid ignorance of people over bears + guns and ammo and hunting in general.
Mostly good information..! With 13 years in Alaska and 47 years in the Northern Rockies (All Grizz country), here are a few points... - Guns are a tool. - Bear spray is a tool. - Carry both... In a charge, you'll only have time to choose one. - Bear spray shines on a nuisance bear, In an all out attack... All bets are off! - A 12ga with 2oz buck & ball loads will always be my 1st bear defense choice. - Even if you're hunting with a big game rifle, Always pack a sidearm & bear spray. - If all you have is 9mm, .40, 38spl, or 45acp... while not optimal, take it with you. - 10mm is a capable caliber and its hottest loads equate to about standard 357mag... There is nothing magical about it as the current hype would lead one to believe. 10mm & 357mag are about the bear minimum. - Everyone goes on about capacity. It gives off a false sense of security as the reality is... The odds of getting off more than 2 shots accurately at a charging bear is slim to none! Have you ever been charged by a bear? Thanks for the video...
I live in the mountains here in southeast Arizona. we got some beers here they're not that big.but enough to tear me up. What do you suggest a 357 or 40 caliber with hardcast bullets? Thxs
Good points. I don't get the 10mm/.357 comparison unless you are looking at kinetic energy (a poor measure of killing power). The 10mm launches a .40 200gr at 1200fps (4-5" barrel) and a .41 Mag launches a .41 210gr at 1250fps (4-5" barrel) - there is the more accurate comparison in my opinion. No, never been charged by a bear.
One problem with the wolves introduced to Washington State is that they are giant wolves imported from Canada illegally. Way bigger than any native Washington wolves. Cougar encounters are getting way more common for hunters and all around the Yakima Valley where I live.
Boone & Crockett mag had an article on the Yellowstone wolves several years ago. They were transplanted from 2+ habitat zones north and they, too, are now super wolves because they are living in a climate easier than the one they evolved in. I've walked their tracks in the snow when elk hunting last year in Wyoming, they are as big as coffee saucers. In that part of Wyoming they are varmints, no license, no limit. I will eventually get one in my crosshairs.
In Yellowstone ranger offices they have a funny poster describing the differences between black bears and grizzlies. They say grizzly droppings often contain little bells and smell like pepper spray.
Lewis & Clark found it took 9 musket shots to bring down a grizzly! Love all your videos! And the informative comments! Hope U can follow your dream to the future elk hunt! Be sure and share your experiences somehow as some of us are beyond that!
My wife and I live in Wyoming by the Beartooth mountains. We archery Elk hunt in the Beartooth. We both carry 10mm pistols and she carry’s bear spray. While we hunt together she is designated less lethal and I am lethal. After we kill our elk I carry a 12 gauge with slugs. Every year we have bear encounters. So far we have been able to back away.
A bow hunter was attacked by a grizzly on the Upper Green out of Pinedale, Wyoming. He suffered some injuries and was treated in the clinic here in town. He was carring a 10 mm handgun. With the bear on top of him the 10 th round he fired put the bear down saving his life.
I'm only in big bear country a week or so a year. I go to the Tetons and camp 2 or 3 nights and then my compromise with my wife kicks in and we stay inside the rest of the time. I carry one of my 10mm's when we're out during the day. At night in the tent, my S&W model 22 is loaded with 45 Supers, all loaded with Buffalo Bore's hard cast. My wife shoots that S&W pretty well. I generally have the 1301 in the truck. It's not gonna help much in the truck though. I hope you get your breathing problems fixed. Good luck on your hunt.
You better understand the extreme danger you put yourself and wife in my being brainwashed ignorant stupid into this F uck up fad of using weak handguns that have 1/2 the power of a 30-30 then used on large and dangerous bears will kill you and people with you of you will get jumped and tore to shreds by a bear shot by weak handguns. And the total Bull shit nonsense that has brainwashed many into believing total crap lead bullets are somehow super power bullets better than all modern bullets like from Barns or Lehigh. I had one of my clients shoot his interior Grizzly carcass with a federal factory load of a lead bullets with the box had Bear load on the box and that lead bullet blew up in the 8-inch fat layer. I have 30 years guiding AK brown bear and interior Grizzly hunts and the smallest firearm to use is a 338 win mag! Just remember the father and son attacked in Alaska by a brown bear it took a 10 mm mag dump, and a 40 SW mag dumb to get the bear off the son. Then the PUNKS in Idaho Grizzly attack that bear took 34 bullets from a 10 mm and 45 ACP to get the bear off the PUNK kids and in both attacks a rifle would have killed both bears then NO attack would have happened.
Mr. Fairburn, Sir, we love and enjoy your videos very much. I really thank you for sharing your stories, for your suggestions, for your very valuable and important advice and for everything you give us all through your very interesting and good videos, THANK YOU VERY MUCH Mr. Fairburn and greetings from Anchorage Alaska USA.
As far as handguns I’ve been carrying a 475 linebaugh for 20+ years I’m a lifelong Alaskan, was a guide for many years, as far as rifles I carry a vintage marlin 45-70 and a ruger safari 375 H&H mag for moose and bear, even when I guided for Dall Sheep in the wrangell mountains of Alaska I carried a 264 Win Mag for long range shots
I didn't mention in the video, but that is why you should ALWAYS hunt with a partner or two. One can provide "overwatch" while the other(s) are busy breaking down the kill.
Like bipedal self defense bear defense should be a multi layered approach. Having lived in Alaska I use a multi layered approach. 10mm with Buffalo Bore hardcast loads, a rifle or shotgun for camp with Buffalo Bore for the rifle, 45-70, or Brenneke slugs for the 12 Gauge, and bear spray. The .338 Win Mag is a great choice. If you can I’d opt for spray, handgun, and longarm. I can tell you from personal experience that bear spray works great on drunk rectal orifices intended on inflicting bodily harm to your person. For handguns I prefer the 10mm Glock 20 with a KKM barrel. My bolt rifle is a .375 Ruger or .416 Taylor. I use the .338 Win Mag for Wyoming antelope and deer. You have ten years on me and my Alaska dreams were crushed with cardiac issues. I’m now dreaming of Africa so I don’t have the cardiac, respiratory, and physical issues that Alaska presents to me. Keep dreaming and chasing the dream!
From 1989 to the coming of Covid I lived in Alaska and guided hunts for Brown & Grizzly + Yukon Moose. Anyone who write such nonsense to take on these large and dangerous bears with weak handguns like 10 mm to 45 magnums all have less power than a 30-30 loaded with 170 grain bullets and no one thinks of a 30-30 as a dangerous bear gun. Even shotguns aren't reliable on these bears as I found the slugs in the bears 8 inch to 10 inches of fat from bears my clients kill. People who write such nonsense have no idea the danger they put them self and others in by using weak way under powered guns to defend against bear attacks. Every one of the new bears attacks would have been stopped by a large rifle and all of the attacks took between 24 and 36 handgun bullets to get the bears off the people telling you this fad of handguns used on bears is complete BS !
@@lurebenson7722, If you’re aiming your response at me you should improve your reading comprehension. Statistics are proving you wrong in regards to the 10mm but only with certain ammunition. The 10mm for bear defense is very ammunition and recoil spring weight dependent. Go back and read my post again. There are certain ammunition manufacturers that specialize in bear protection ammunition with certain loads. Hint, I’ve actually named a couple of them. I don’t work for either of these companies but I trust their product for intended purpose. I’m not advocating hunting with a handgun. The handgun is the last line of lethal defense against a bear. Are you going to take your rifle in the river with you when fishing? That gets tiresome quickly. Going to take a dump in the woods? While you’re wiping your butt you are probably not going to have both hands free to operate a rifle. The handgun gives you an opportunity to fight your way out of a situation to get to your longarm. Going backpacking? You’re probably not going to pack a rifle. I packed a can of bear spray and a 10mm or .41 Magnum.
@@AugustusMcCrae-e8h Everything you wrote just prove you are a teenager UA-cam Groupie liar Parrot mouth talker right to the BS about never take a rifle fishing to go take a crap nonsense that lying BS is all Parrot talking BS . Now I am since 1978 a professional Hunting guide and a single income. My services offer fishing & Hunting in Alaska for Brown bear and Interior Grizzly hunts to Yukon Moose hunts and Caribou Hunts. I have offered Roosevelt Elk hunts and Black tail deer hunts in the Pacific NW. Your own level of brainwashed ignorant stupidity is insane! As for carrying a rifle when I am working. I have one of these rifles on me at all times - Winchester Model 70 338 Win magnum. CZ 550 9.3x62 Mauser with reloads so High in pressure the load isn't in reloading data, and I am using Barns TSX 286 grain bullets. Last and new is the AR 10 I built and chambered in 375 - 300 WSM to match the 375 H&H magnums. I load for the 375 -300 WSM 65 grains of 4064 Powder with a Barns TSX 300 grain bullet with an energy of 4800 Foot pounds. And so you can't start taking PUNK ASS crap again all my AK guide photos and custom rifles I build are on my Instagram account @ dwayneb1959. My end of bear hunt photos is there so show me how many brown bears you killed with a weak 10 mm with just 1/2 the power of a 30-30 win being you are claiming to be an Alaska Brown bear killer expert with weak handguns or shut your woke & gay PUNK ASS pie hole ass wipe !
375 Holland & Holland is popular with some long term Alaska hands. Usually built by the same gunsmith from the Seattle area. The shoulder angle on the 375 H and H tends to have smooth chambering due to its shape. The ballistic performance is African level as you mentioned...Great video!
When I lived in the Pa mountains I carried a Ruger LCP Custom model, 380 acp with an 8rd (8+1 capacity) magazine. Tim Sundles, the owner of Buffalo Bore recommended his 100grain +P hard cast flat nose round, so I carried that. It has over 40" of penetration in ballistics gel, and is just shy of 9mm Parabellum starting loads in performance. Black bears are a lot less of a threat than brown bears...
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jbI travel to the blue ridge mountains in Georgia, we have black bears down here, I don't have a dedicated bear gun but I figure it might be worth getting some buffalo boar ammo.
Cheers,great info that i certainly nead as im not from usa so never seen a bear or wolf but im moving over shortly into besr country for fishing and teavelling etc so im very much studdying up love the show n great to get another opnion on bear safety
I have a 12X12 Cabela's Alakanac tent with a bear door in the vestibule. Your friends could have borrowed it for their hunt. I also have a portable electric fence setup that they could use. I always used mine for my horses. The horses are all long gone to the big alfalfa field in the sky. Great informative video and presentation. I agree with you on your gun recommendations. I would add a big sharp knife to the package.
I wasn't in the tent at the time, but a black bear ripped a bear size hole in the side of the tent vestibule. The only things in the vestibule were an unopened can of soup and a 12 pack of diet coke cans. He crushed all but one of the diet coke cans. He didn't enter the main tent which had the door zipped up. This was near Burgdorf, Idaho. I always buy tags for bear, cougar, and wolves, even though I don't hunt them. It saves the hassle if you have to put one down and I have had to do that. I do all my hunting now with trail cameras. I have several videos of cougars, bear, wolves, and sheep under my user name on YT. I am always on alert in cougar areas.@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
Anyone packing a 9mm, the relatively new *US Army M1152 duty round* is just about ideal. It's a +P+ class jacketed flat nose at about 1330fps from any duty sized 9mm. There have been many incidents of people successfully stopping grizzly attacks with 9mm (they are cited in the OUTSTANDING ammoland bear attack study mentioned in this video). That is an excellent all around round, and very inexpensive compared to the specialty rounds from companies like Buffalo Bore.
I shy away from FMJ loads in 9mm and .45 for bear defense. If you slice one of those bullets you will see that the copper jacket is very thin barely more than .006". It is folded over at the base so it looks thick from that angle. Those FMJs give good penetration in soft targets but will often rivet and expand when encountering a large, heavy bone, losing penetration.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb M1152 is a military round that is made for deep penetration through tactical barriers, it is much more robust than "practice" FMJ type ammo. That said, regular old FMJ has been used successfully many times as well. Great video brother.
You might want to consider a holster with some kind of mechanical retention. If you get body slammed by a grizzly bear, that friction retention holster may not keep your 1911 secure. Nothing is worse than a bear sitting on your chest and chewing on your face while your gun is just out of reach.
The holster on my homemade rig is a Safariland ALS (stands for Automatic Locking System) which is one of the most secure on the market but is very easy and fast to release with the thumb.
@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb not surprised you know and applied that. Safariland introduced a chest rig a year or so ago that accepts their als holster. I was disappointed to see it was for righthand only.
Big Horn Armory Model 89, in 22" barrel, 500 S & W Magnum....just got it after months of waiting, it was worth the wait. 440 grain hard-cast lead at 1600+ fps from Buffalo Bore. Buffalo Bore does not use "lab" test barrels, they use ordinary rifles, and handguns, as would be used by ordinary people....their test rifle, for this ammunition, is a Big Horn Armory Model 89 in 18" carbine. That's what I'd take into a situation where there is every chance of meeting a large bear, because there will be two holes, one going in, and one going out, and a bunch of damage between. Lever guns are fast handling, as long as you don't put a scope on it. The penetration of the 500 S & W Magnum is measured in feet, not inches. Same for the .45-70. Your lever-gun in .45-70, is, to my mind, more than adequate for a large bear. Thanks again, for your presentations, always worth the listen.
How is the quality on your Model 89. A gunsmith in Cody, WY told me they vary quite a bit from rifle to rifle. But, maybe he just didn't like them. Their length should work for other intermediate cartridges in the .30-30-.308 length, I wonder if they will branch out to other calibers??
This sounds like a weird question but did they ever adress how you breathe? I was short of breath when I was mouth breathing, try to breathe through your nose without using your throat you'll start using your diaphragm and it will get stronger. Sounds crazy helped me tremendously,plus I changed to carnivore diet
HSM bearload hardcast 357mag 180gr gas checked was available at Cabelas. Expensive for a 50 round box. Around $1.75 a round, but available last time I checked in Louisville,Ky. They had 44mag and even 41 mag. First place I seen bear loads in a while.
Every locale is different and bear ammo is NOT common on Illinois shelves. And, with the Illinois FOID restriction, we have to jump through hoops to get a company to ship ammo into Illinois. Plus, seeing some of the pressure signs of "boutique" loads from small loaders, I trust my handloads.
My wife and I just tent camped for 2 weeks this year mid July in Dubois, South Tetons, west Yellowstone, and Gardiner, Montana. I had a .40sw 4” Glock 23 and my wife had her first gen MP in 9mm. I kept my Mav 88 12 gauge around when we cooked and slept, but no issues. We cooked where we slept a few times, had no choice. Had to park next to the tent almost every night with dozens of cans of food and produce in the car. No issues or sightings. I’m being super particular next year at Glacier and bring the Glock 20, but Yellowstone is tame
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb we had it triple packaged and under a compartment in the floor of the car that had two layers of cover over it after, nicely sealed. I also burned wood pellets in and around the car and tent to throw off the scent too. And to cover ours lol those Bill Gates mosquitoes will kidnap you I swear
I've had luck with choice ammunition. Picked up some hardcast loads for my 9mm and .357. I live in Utah so no grizzlies but our biggest threat is Mt lions. I never go out unarmed anymore and usually carry my 9 with hardcast.
headed to bear country next year. I'll have an fn545 with hard cast buffalo bore ammo and a Winchester carbine in 45/70 with same type of ammo. Oh and I guess a canister of pepper spray as my first line of defense. Unless bear is charging than either rifle or handgun depending on distance. Thank you for sharing from all of your experience.
Where I live in the North East black bears are the physically biggest predator. But there is a very large population of 2 legged predators and a heavy coyote presence as well. For many years while walking in the woods with my dog(s) my choice has been a custom 1911 commander in .45 super with my own handloads 260gr hard cast SWC @1150 fps) . I have 100% confidence in both the load and the gun do do whatever I need it to do. I have a nearly identical commander in 10mm and I choose the .45 super for it's larger diameter (non expanding projectiles) and heavier bullet. It's also capable of faster follow-up shots while still offering similar performance to the heaviest 10mm cast bullets loads.
This is one of your best, most informative videos. I spent 26 years in Alaska, hunted Kodiak and Afognak, worked in the Arctic, lived on the Kenai Peninsula, and everything you presented is what I have been practicing for the past 40+ years. I've lived in North Idaho and now NW Montana for the past 22 years and all of my magnum revolvers are stoked with Beartooth Bullets. When Marshall Stanton went out of business it was a sad day. Have you ever seen the article that the AK Dept of F&G published in the early-1980's about cleaning the brown bear skulls out of their chest freezer at the Raspberry Road HQ and shooting them with various loads and calibers at the Rabbit Creek Gun Range? This was the article that moved all LEO's in AK to the Brenneke slugs. I was a medic on the North Slope and have personal knowledge of two Grizzly shootings with Brenneke's after that article was published. I can summarize the article for you in another message if you'd like. Let me know.
That would be great for everyone to read. I wonder if the Alaska F&G research is on line. I talked with Marshall a couple of times ... he has forgotten more about cast bullets than any of us will ever learn.
Can you not have Underwood Ammo delivered to your door in Illinois? They have a 180 grain hard cast load in .357 mag, and things never seem to be out of stock long with them. They also load at the upper end of SAAMI specs and are less than $2 a round with shipping.
I'm very familiar with Underwood ammo, they sent me samples of 10mm for an article about 10 years ago. They now put labels on some of their loads recommending they are only fired from barrels with integral feed ramps (no standard 1911 feed ramp barrels). They didn't put those stickers on then. Saying some of their loads are at the upper end of SAMMI specs might be an understatement.
I carry 10mm, but if I was carrying a revolver, it would be the S&W 460 Magnum. Yes, I would chose that over the 500 Magnum. The 460 has more velocity and there have been many instances of hikers and hunters hitting a Grizzly one time with the 460 Magnum and stopping it immediately (good shot placement of course.)
I live in Southeast Alaska on a black bear island, and 10 mm is the preferred pistol round especially since the ammunition manufacturers are finally producing 10 mm loads to the potential of the cartridge. The diversion of Law enforcement going for 40 Short and Weak delayed the development of 10 mm to its true potential. And Underwood extreme penetration is definitely the way to go.
Actually, the original 10mm Norma load was a 200gr at 1200, just about what we see today. What we saw after the FBI 10mm debacle was the 10mm loads being throttled back to .40 S&W ballistics, but there have always been a few full power 10mm loads out there.
@That is true! I have been a 10mm guy since Glock came out with the model 20. Bought 2 of them...But once Short and Weak came out good 10mm ammo became difficult. CorrBon, in the 1990s and a couple others... so yes I remember.lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
When I camped in the Minnesota Boundary waters & Quetico Park(Canada) the general rule for hanging food was 12 feet up & 12 feet from the tree with ropes stretched between two trees. That's black bear country & they climb trees so 4 feet from the tree won't do it. The alternative was a bear canister tethered to a good tree so the bear couldn't play soccer with it. 200 feet from camp. Grizzly country might be different though.
@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb I've never cared much for Yeti coolers or copies of them but they work. The canisters can be had light enough for backpackers if you can live without insulation. I always use hang bags but I camp in places where plenty of trees are available. Thanks for the reminder about Yetis; I sometimes forget about them.
Liked the video. I have had guys ask why i carry a 44 mag in the boundary waters. I do it for insurance. Better to have and not need. Same reason I carried a 12ga when bow hunting in Canada for bear as a younger guy in the 80's. I see you are 30 miles SE of me.
A man in New Mexico with a 10mm Glock found his firearm disabled by bear hair caught in the slide…it’s nice to say you can just pull back your pistol if the slide goes out of battery, but there’s a plethora of scenarios that could make that not an option. Anything from for getting caught in the slide, to self induced malfunctions (limp wristing), to a massive several hundred pound bear laying directly on top of you. All these are not issues for a revolver.
@@josiahwyncott7519 I have been wasting my time trying to visualize how you could get bear hair in your slide on any semi auto pistol, especially a Glock. Maybe if you were trying to beat him to death with your pistol?
have you had a stress test done? Perhaps anemia. I had a heart attack 5-6 years ago and had a stent put in. I also suffer from having trouble breathing and lightheadedness. Turns out I'm anemic as well which explains the shortness of breath and fatigue. I'm 64 going on 12, lol looking forward to hitting the National Parks out west. Good luck to you, sir
Thanks for the best wishes. Yes, I have been through stress tests, heart caths, breathing tests for 17 years. A heart cath showed the lung anomalies in January but a recent CT scan said no to them. Incompetent doctors is a significant part of the problem.
That's interesting about the nasty breathing problem developed at about 68-69. All of a sudden my wife develops one too and docs can't yet figure it out.
Mine first cropped up 17 years ago climbing out of a steep canyon on a Wyoming moose hunt. Has been getting progressively worse ever since and still no confirmed diagnosis.
I love the 44 Mag. However, for bear defense, you need an adequately powerful (penetration) round that you can shoot and place shots very quickly. There are plenty of tests out there with charging targets to show the difference between a 10mm G20 (or similar) and a 44Mag Double Action or Single Action revolver. 44 Mag is certainly more cartridge but the 10mm penetrates enough and you can place twice as many rounds on target before the 'bear' gets to you. Sounds like any good handgun from 9mm on up will work... but I think 10mm in an autoloader is probably the sweet spot.
Speaking of wolves, I've always wondered why Europe and Scandinavia, esp. Russia, have much more history of wolves killing humans than the America's have. They probably ate well during the various wars over there, a veritable smorgasbord...
I made my chest rig several years ago, the holster is a Safariland ALS. At the time all the chest rigs for a semi-autos required two hands to draw and unsnap the safety strap. Safariland now makes a chest rig harness allowing you to buy the ALS holster you need for your pistol and screw it onto the rig plate. There are some pretty good Kydex designs out there now, but even though the pistols "snap" into the Kydex holsters, I don't think they are as secure as an ALS holster.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb Yeah sorry. You know us keyboard know it alls.... I didnt mean to be one. I really hope you get that solved my friend❤️
10 mm is a good autoloader cartridge, but there are some points that puzzle me. If it’s so powerful and easy to shoot, why the obsession with capacity? If round count an ease of use are so important, why not use a 9mm with a couple of 24 round mags?
The rebirth of the 10mm has been for dangerous animal defense. Big critters like a grizzly may require multiple hits to stop, unless a precise hit is landed in the brain or central nervous system. With deep penetrating bullets, a 9mm can drive the projectiles in to vital organs, but the 10mm hits with much more authority.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb My question about the 9mm was really a facetious jab at fanboys and people like Chuke. I’d never rely on 9mm in that situation. People like to reference Phil Shoemaker killing a grizzly with a 9mm. In my opinion he was irresponsible for carrying one while guiding hunter. The .41, .44 magnums and .45 Colt are better now than they’ve ever been with the preponderance of heavy cast bullets and mono metal options. I’d definitely prefer to go with the bigger hammer when I’m probably only going to have time for a shot or two.
You might have the medicos check for a low-level pulmonary fungal infection. If it's in your lungs, then you can bet it's in your sinuses. You could try a sinus rinse into a sink filled with clean water. Usuall, you can see the fungal strands floating in the water. I know all this because I suffer from a pulmonary fungal infection. It took my docs six years to make the diagnosis.
I have a network of bad blood vessels in my lungs, very rare and they think they are congenital, getting worse with age. Trying to build my cardio to improve performance of remaining lung tissue, but a slow process.
I have a few rifles I'd consider top notch for bear defense. And in order of my preference 1)Remington model 6 .350 rem mag 2)Marlin 1895 Guide Gun.45/70 3) KAK ind. AR10 upper .358 Winchester (for my Springfield Saint Victor) 4) FN SLP 12ga w Brenneke Black magic 3"
I have had several .35 caliber rifles (Whelen, .356, .358). The .358 AR10 upper is a great idea. Jeff Cooper loved the .350 Rem Mag, but when he tried it on Cape Buffalo in Africa, he built a .460 G&A.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb I have wondered for years why AR-10's even in .308 don't get the nod more often for bear defense. They will put accurate shots down range very quickly and with fmj's will penetrate plenty deep enough. I'm a huge fan of .35's and I have and have had many! .35 when, .358 win, .356 win, .348 win, .350 rem....I love them all!
@johncoleman2495 I love my 45/70, but I'm also in the 308 semi auto camp. In bear country I would carry my M-1A without thinking twice (old school I know). Look at terminal ascent and power shok copper. Mason leather tested them and they penetrated 28 inches and 36+ inches respectively. Very good loads for this purpose. Love your thinking man.
@@rainworks5155 I've made similar comments before and most people are totally dismissive of the .308/7.62 claiming it lacks the power and penetration to be effective against bears. Yet many of those posts were advocating a 10mm handgun!? I'd be willing to bet those same people would want no part in facing an AR 10 or similar platform with their 10mm🤣
@johncoleman2495 Same here buddy, but listen if 9mm can do it. .308 can certainly do it. Back in the day people used 30-06, 35 whelen and 303. As new cartridges come out people feel that you need that power. You don't, I think people see the new cartridges and think the older less powerful ones aren't enough. What 3006 used to be good for people say you need a 300 win or 338. You don't, you need to be able to shoot well. Besides other than the hottest 45-70, alot of 308 loads are equal energy wise or quite a bit more so than the original loading. Just my .02 cents.
Dick if you ever do anything Go Carnivore or Keto, you will be amazed and ready to go on your next hunt. Low carb is beyond belief and just as hard to believe it could work. I do low carb (and I cheat a little) and it is the equivalent of an Epiphany with regard to the results. If your hunting future is on the line as my friend Trump would say "what the Hell do you have to loose"? Great video as usual by the way. you can thank me latter.
I am also Type 2 diabetic and tried low carb long before it became popular. Surprisingly, many low carb diets cause problems for diabetics. My breathing problem is currently diagnosed as blood vessel problems in my lungs which are unfixable, but waiting to see another specialist for confirmation.
I totally concur. Carnivore for the last 2.5 years and keto 7 years before that. I reversed my pre-diabetes and fixed a bunch of other health issues. A friend of mine is 80 and has been eating carnivore for a couple years. He is no longer obese, came off all his medications and does brisk cycling 6 days a week plus shoots 5 to 10 rounds of trap every week. It's a game changer.
@@davem4193 Something else, VERY rare, the Doc says I am "one in a million." My mom used to tell me that too, but usually that was while she was chasing me with a fly swatter to beat my ass for something I did to deserve it!
I collect antique books on hunting and natural history. Most old writers, like Theodore Roosevelt, originally spelled the name "grisly." The most common reference to the bear's appearance in the old books describes them as a "silvertip." Read Lewis & Clark if you want to know what the first white explorers thought of the "grizzly's" truculent attitude.
If I was going to be legit, give me a 308 autorifle, so I can have rapid repeat hits and practice getting brain hits swiftly at 5-15m. 165gr Nosler Partition softpoints for the actual hunt. At least twice as fast for repeat hits as any lever action, probably 3x as fast as a 45-70 and MUCH cheaper reloading componets. 4-5x as fast as any powerful bolt action. But I aint spending that kind of money, so I'd just brain whatever I wanted with the M4, cause that's the only longarm I own.. i"ve done it before and I can do it again, if need-be.
Might want to stick with the 45-70, if grizzly defense is part of the context. The 165 grain 308 is doing what, around 2,500 fps out of your rifle? That's 93.7 on the Thorniley Index. By comparison, even an old school loading for 45-70 (e.g. 405 grain bullet, 1,400 fps) is sitting at 157.1 Thorniley.
@LibertysetsquareJack There are some great 308 loads that would do the job. Terminal ascent and powershok copper penetrate deeply. A semi 308 would be a great choice.
@@rainworks5155 Heavier bullets are proven performers for stopping large animals. The problem with cartridges such as 308, 300 Mag and 338, is that they are designed for flat trajectory over distance, not brute stopping power. Regards the 338 specifically, there was a incident that happened with two hunters in Alaska and a large grizzly in 2021, which is illustrative. Just Google "Trevor Schneider and Tana Grenda, grizzly charge," and several write ups will come up.
@@LibertysetsquareJack gimme a break. I bet you're one of the guys that says stuff like "belted magnum bare minimum for whitetail! Anything less is just wounding the animal..."
@@The_Conspiracy_Analyst Whitetail deer and 1k pound grizzly bears are different things altogether. If I have conclusions regards 308 as "bear medecine" that you may not agree with, doesn't say anything else more than that. Stick to the point at hand and argue that, not tangents.
10mm on my chest here in Idaho. 200g Underwood HC. Just hiking with my boy I carry a 12g with Brennneke black magic slugs.. Teaching my son to be very alert.
Im in East TN, so i really had no need for one, but i got a chest holster for my G20 anyways because hey, theyre cool! Yall stay safe out there!
@@armorist6570you still have black bears and wild hogs to worry about. Good choice.
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice:
In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear
conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game
is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra
precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.
We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on
their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren't
expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry
pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a
bear.
It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear
activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference
between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop
is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur.
Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray.
No guns ?
@@glencastleberry8632 In line with the joke. Guns might give the bears indigestion.
@@Nickrioblanco1Shouldn't you carry a dehorned handgun so as not to give the bear any internal injuries. LOL
An oldie but a goodie!
@@tomcurran8470 From a 30-year Alaskan resident I have NO JOKE !
Due to the ignorant nonsense fad now of fools coming to Alaska and bring weak handguns in this fad and pot shooting the bears with weak handguns and is some cases the bear shooting was reported, or a Trooper investigation found the shooter the state will spend thousands of dollars search for the bear using aircraft and boots on the ground.
The Alaska state legislature has increased the fines for illegal shooting of Alaskan bears to a felony with time 2 years spent in jail and a $25.000 fine!
We as Alaskans know if caught committing wildlife crimes you will go to jail and not let out until a judge sees you in court and a person who commits murder has a better chance of getting out of jail on bond.
Never screw around in Alaska !
A good friend of mine’s son went to Alaska to start his bush pilot carrier three years ago. He couldn’t carry his 444 marlin in the plane all the time and the only other option he had was PD trade in S&W model 10. Not my first choice. I wanted to give him a better chance than the 125gr JHP he carried here in Wisconsin. I loaded up some hard cast Barnes 175 grain bullets with 3.7gr of Hodgens Tight Group behind them. They Shoot beautiful in my S&W model 15 combat masterpiece and in his Model 10. There was definitely some power behind them. Don’t recommend a steady diet of them. A year and a half into his career he ended up testing those loads if you know what I mean. Two to the chest put an interior grizzly down. He came home for Christmas that year and I went over to his dads to say visit. I walked through the door and he hugged me. He said if it wasn’t for me he probably wouldn’t be there.
Great story!
So as a Teenager UA-cam groupie Parrot mouth talker making up wild stories how long did it take you to make up that wild nonsense story?
As a 30-year resident of Alaska and for all 30 years I offered guided hunts and fishing for a single income.
I flew out on all kinds of bush planes from supper cubs - Cessnas and DHC2 Beavers and never did I see any bush pilot ever restricted by what kind of firearm they could take in the plane and not once in those 30 years did, I see a bush pilot with a weak handgun that has only 1/2 the power of a 30-30 win!.
What you wrote is a common repeated nonsense that is Parrot mouthed over and over by PUNK ASS teenagers like you who swarm these gun comments as UA-cam Groupie Parrot mouth talkers all repeating the same old nonsense as a Parrot repeats a new work over and over again and again!
You did well to arm him with that load.
@@JSmith-ou3sk It is amazing the nonsense lies made up in gun video comments by Video war game playing teenagers claiming to an adult then righting Hugh nonsense lie story's them the gellable fools to believe the nonsense.
I suspect you are one more east coast fool that believes like the rest of the ignorant Easterns that Alaskan bears are the size of Grate Dane dogs that are easy blow up by a weak handgun.
I have 30 years as a South-Central Alaskan resident and my single income came from guiding fishing and hunting for brown & interior Grizzly hunts along with Yukon Moose hunts so the complete nonsense I see in video and comments is just insane the level of stupid ignorance of people over bears + guns and ammo and hunting in general.
The grizzly reintroduction will probably end up like the wolf. Be way too many wolves and need to be thinned out.
Wyoming keeps trying to start a limited grizzly season, but liberal judges keep striking it down,
Mostly good information..!
With 13 years in Alaska and 47 years in the Northern Rockies (All Grizz country), here are a few points...
- Guns are a tool.
- Bear spray is a tool.
- Carry both... In a charge, you'll only have time to choose one.
- Bear spray shines on a nuisance bear, In an all out attack... All bets are off!
- A 12ga with 2oz buck & ball loads will always be my 1st bear defense choice.
- Even if you're hunting with a big game rifle, Always pack a sidearm & bear spray.
- If all you have is 9mm, .40, 38spl, or 45acp... while not optimal, take it with you.
- 10mm is a capable caliber and its hottest loads equate to about standard 357mag... There is nothing magical about it as the current hype would lead one to believe. 10mm & 357mag are about the bear minimum.
- Everyone goes on about capacity. It gives off a false sense of security as the reality is... The odds of getting off more than 2 shots accurately at a charging bear is slim to none!
Have you ever been charged by a bear?
Thanks for the video...
I live in the mountains here in southeast Arizona. we got some beers here they're not that big.but enough to tear me up. What do you suggest a 357 or 40 caliber with hardcast bullets? Thxs
@@Cruiser777
I personally would choose the 357mag.
Good points. I don't get the 10mm/.357 comparison unless you are looking at kinetic energy (a poor measure of killing power). The 10mm launches a .40 200gr at 1200fps (4-5" barrel) and a .41 Mag launches a .41 210gr at 1250fps (4-5" barrel) - there is the more accurate comparison in my opinion.
No, never been charged by a bear.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
We will have to agree to disagree on this one! :-)
@@shadowcastreI’d say Buffalo Bore and Underwood would be my choice out of a 10mm. Otherwise the common manufacturer boxed ammo is .40SW rebranded.
One problem with the wolves introduced to Washington State is that they are giant wolves imported from Canada illegally. Way bigger than any native Washington wolves. Cougar encounters are getting way more common for hunters and all around the Yakima Valley where I live.
Boone & Crockett mag had an article on the Yellowstone wolves several years ago. They were transplanted from 2+ habitat zones north and they, too, are now super wolves because they are living in a climate easier than the one they evolved in. I've walked their tracks in the snow when elk hunting last year in Wyoming, they are as big as coffee saucers. In that part of Wyoming they are varmints, no license, no limit. I will eventually get one in my crosshairs.
But isn't a bell all you need? That's what Karen down the street says.
"Maybe some bears like hot sauce on their food." Golden.
When I was in Alaska, I met an outfitter that called them "Dinner bells." 😂
In Yellowstone ranger offices they have a funny poster describing the differences between black bears and grizzlies. They say grizzly droppings often contain little bells and smell like pepper spray.
Lewis & Clark found it took 9 musket shots to bring down a grizzly!
Love all your videos! And the informative comments! Hope U can follow your dream to the future elk hunt! Be sure and share your experiences somehow as some of us are beyond that!
What about a 45 Colt with a 253gr. Hardcast swc moving in the 990s for Bear Medicine?
@@codaktakman7636
45 Colt will get it done! You have to jump to 454 Casull to beat it!
Should work
I hear you. It’s getting physically difficult for me also. 33 years LE caught up with me. 65 now.
My wife and I live in Wyoming by the Beartooth mountains. We archery Elk hunt in the Beartooth. We both carry 10mm pistols and she carry’s bear spray. While we hunt together she is designated less lethal and I am lethal. After we kill our elk I carry a 12 gauge with slugs. Every year we have bear encounters. So far we have been able to back away.
Living the dream! Stay safe
Thank you for your service and insight.
A bow hunter was attacked by a grizzly on the Upper Green out of Pinedale, Wyoming. He suffered some injuries and was treated in the clinic here in town. He was carring a 10 mm handgun. With the bear on top of him the 10 th round he fired put the bear down saving his life.
I'm only in big bear country a week or so a year. I go to the Tetons and camp 2 or 3 nights and then my compromise with my wife kicks in and we stay inside the rest of the time. I carry one of my 10mm's when we're out during the day. At night in the tent, my S&W model 22 is loaded with 45 Supers, all loaded with Buffalo Bore's hard cast. My wife shoots that S&W pretty well. I generally have the 1301 in the truck. It's not gonna help much in the truck though.
I hope you get your breathing problems fixed. Good luck on your hunt.
You better understand the extreme danger you put yourself and wife in my being brainwashed ignorant stupid into this F uck up fad of using weak handguns that have 1/2 the power of a 30-30 then used on large and dangerous bears will kill you and people with you of you will get jumped and tore to shreds by a bear shot by weak handguns.
And the total Bull shit nonsense that has brainwashed many into believing total crap lead bullets are somehow super power bullets better than all modern bullets like from Barns or Lehigh.
I had one of my clients shoot his interior Grizzly carcass with a federal factory load of a lead bullets with the box had Bear load on the box and that lead bullet blew up in the 8-inch fat layer.
I have 30 years guiding AK brown bear and interior Grizzly hunts and the smallest firearm to use is a 338 win mag!
Just remember the father and son attacked in Alaska by a brown bear it took a 10 mm mag dump, and a 40 SW mag dumb to get the bear off the son.
Then the PUNKS in Idaho Grizzly attack that bear took 34 bullets from a 10 mm and 45 ACP to get the bear off the PUNK kids and in both attacks a rifle would have killed both bears then NO attack would have happened.
Thanks!
Mr. Fairburn, Sir, we love and enjoy your videos very much. I really thank you for sharing your stories, for your suggestions, for your very valuable and important advice and for everything you give us all through your very interesting and good videos, THANK YOU VERY MUCH Mr. Fairburn and greetings from Anchorage Alaska USA.
Thanks for the kind words, Alaska!
Your first bear vid was the one I first watched and found your channel and it is my favorite one. This is a good one too, ty Dick!
As far as handguns I’ve been carrying a 475 linebaugh for 20+ years I’m a lifelong Alaskan, was a guide for many years, as far as rifles I carry a vintage marlin 45-70 and a ruger safari 375 H&H mag for moose and bear, even when I guided for Dall Sheep in the wrangell mountains of Alaska I carried a 264 Win Mag for long range shots
You can't keep that rifle handy enough when you're field dressing your harvest. That's your most vulnerable time.
I didn't mention in the video, but that is why you should ALWAYS hunt with a partner or two. One can provide "overwatch" while the other(s) are busy breaking down the kill.
Like bipedal self defense bear defense should be a multi layered approach.
Having lived in Alaska I use a multi layered approach. 10mm with Buffalo Bore hardcast loads, a rifle or shotgun for camp with Buffalo Bore for the rifle, 45-70, or Brenneke slugs for the 12 Gauge, and bear spray.
The .338 Win Mag is a great choice. If you can I’d opt for spray, handgun, and longarm. I can tell you from personal experience that bear spray works great on drunk rectal orifices intended on inflicting bodily harm to your person. For handguns I prefer the 10mm Glock 20 with a KKM barrel. My bolt rifle is a .375 Ruger or .416 Taylor. I use the .338 Win Mag for Wyoming antelope and deer.
You have ten years on me and my Alaska dreams were crushed with cardiac issues. I’m now dreaming of Africa so I don’t have the cardiac, respiratory, and physical issues that Alaska presents to me. Keep dreaming and chasing the dream!
Go 'til you can't!
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb ❤️
From 1989 to the coming of Covid I lived in Alaska and guided hunts for Brown & Grizzly + Yukon Moose.
Anyone who write such nonsense to take on these large and dangerous bears with weak handguns like 10 mm to 45 magnums all have less power than a 30-30 loaded with 170 grain bullets and no one thinks of a 30-30 as a dangerous bear gun.
Even shotguns aren't reliable on these bears as I found the slugs in the bears 8 inch to 10 inches of fat from bears my clients kill.
People who write such nonsense have no idea the danger they put them self and others in by using weak way under powered guns to defend against bear attacks.
Every one of the new bears attacks would have been stopped by a large rifle and all of the attacks took between 24 and 36 handgun bullets to get the bears off the people telling you this fad of handguns used on bears is complete BS !
@@lurebenson7722,
If you’re aiming your response at me you should improve your reading comprehension.
Statistics are proving you wrong in regards to the 10mm but only with certain ammunition. The 10mm for bear defense is very ammunition and recoil spring weight dependent. Go back and read my post again. There are certain ammunition manufacturers that specialize in bear protection ammunition with certain loads. Hint, I’ve actually named a couple of them.
I don’t work for either of these companies but I trust their product for intended purpose. I’m not advocating hunting with a handgun. The handgun is the last line of lethal defense against a bear. Are you going to take your rifle in the river with you when fishing? That gets tiresome quickly. Going to take a dump in the woods? While you’re wiping your butt you are probably not going to have both hands free to operate a rifle. The handgun gives you an opportunity to fight your way out of a situation to get to your longarm. Going backpacking? You’re probably not going to pack a rifle. I packed a can of bear spray and a 10mm or .41 Magnum.
@@AugustusMcCrae-e8h Everything you wrote just prove you are a teenager UA-cam Groupie liar Parrot mouth talker right to the BS about never take a rifle fishing to go take a crap nonsense that lying BS is all Parrot talking BS .
Now I am since 1978 a professional Hunting guide and a single income.
My services offer fishing & Hunting in Alaska for Brown bear and Interior Grizzly hunts to Yukon Moose hunts and Caribou Hunts.
I have offered Roosevelt Elk hunts and Black tail deer hunts in the Pacific NW.
Your own level of brainwashed ignorant stupidity is insane!
As for carrying a rifle when I am working.
I have one of these rifles on me at all times - Winchester Model 70 338 Win magnum.
CZ 550 9.3x62 Mauser with reloads so High in pressure the load isn't in reloading data, and I am using Barns TSX 286 grain bullets.
Last and new is the AR 10 I built and chambered in 375 - 300 WSM to match the 375 H&H magnums.
I load for the 375 -300 WSM 65 grains of 4064 Powder with a Barns TSX 300 grain bullet with an energy of 4800 Foot pounds.
And so you can't start taking PUNK ASS crap again all my AK guide photos and custom rifles I build are on my Instagram account @ dwayneb1959.
My end of bear hunt photos is there so show me how many brown bears you killed with a weak 10 mm with just 1/2 the power of a 30-30 win being you are claiming to be an Alaska Brown bear killer expert with weak handguns or shut your woke & gay PUNK ASS pie hole ass wipe !
375 Holland & Holland is popular with some long term Alaska hands. Usually built by the same gunsmith from the Seattle area. The shoulder angle on the 375 H and H tends to have smooth chambering due to its shape. The ballistic performance is African level as you mentioned...Great video!
Thanks for the kind words.
When I lived in the Pa mountains I carried a Ruger LCP Custom model, 380 acp with an 8rd (8+1 capacity) magazine. Tim Sundles, the owner of Buffalo Bore recommended his 100grain +P hard cast flat nose round, so I carried that.
It has over 40" of penetration in ballistics gel, and is just shy of 9mm Parabellum starting loads in performance.
Black bears are a lot less of a threat than brown bears...
According to the Ammoland research, landing a couple of those on the front of a black bear will probably change its mind.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jbI travel to the blue ridge mountains in Georgia, we have black bears down here, I don't have a dedicated bear gun but I figure it might be worth getting some buffalo boar ammo.
Great video. Well informed. Spot on information.
Subscribed.
Cheers,great info that i certainly nead as im not from usa so never seen a bear or wolf but im moving over shortly into besr country for fishing and teavelling etc so im very much studdying up love the show n great to get another opnion on bear safety
I have a 12X12 Cabela's Alakanac tent with a bear door in the vestibule. Your friends could have borrowed it for their hunt.
I also have a portable electric fence setup that they could use. I always used mine for my horses. The horses are all long gone to the big alfalfa field in the sky.
Great informative video and presentation. I agree with you on your gun recommendations. I would add a big sharp knife to the package.
Never heard of a bear door for an Alaknac tent? Could't a bear just rip its way through a sidewall?
I wasn't in the tent at the time, but a black bear ripped a bear size hole in the side of the tent vestibule. The only things in the vestibule were an unopened can of soup and a 12 pack of diet coke cans. He crushed all but one of the diet coke cans. He didn't enter the main tent which had the door zipped up.
This was near Burgdorf, Idaho. I always buy tags for bear, cougar, and wolves, even though I don't hunt them. It saves the hassle if you have to put one down and I have had to do that.
I do all my hunting now with trail cameras. I have several videos of cougars, bear, wolves, and sheep under my user name on YT. I am always on alert in cougar areas.@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
I answered you, but I guess YT deleted it.@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
The black bear ripped a hole in the vestibule and entered. YT apparently didn't like my longer explanation.
Anyone packing a 9mm, the relatively new *US Army M1152 duty round* is just about ideal. It's a +P+ class jacketed flat nose at about 1330fps from any duty sized 9mm. There have been many incidents of people successfully stopping grizzly attacks with 9mm (they are cited in the OUTSTANDING ammoland bear attack study mentioned in this video).
That is an excellent all around round, and very inexpensive compared to the specialty rounds from companies like Buffalo Bore.
I shy away from FMJ loads in 9mm and .45 for bear defense. If you slice one of those bullets you will see that the copper jacket is very thin barely more than .006". It is folded over at the base so it looks thick from that angle. Those FMJs give good penetration in soft targets but will often rivet and expand when encountering a large, heavy bone, losing penetration.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb M1152 is a military round that is made for deep penetration through tactical barriers, it is much more robust than "practice" FMJ type ammo.
That said, regular old FMJ has been used successfully many times as well. Great video brother.
@@Valoriusinteresting, id like to see a ballistics test
@@Razor-gx2dq there are several on UA-cam
You might want to consider a holster with some kind of mechanical retention. If you get body slammed by a grizzly bear, that friction retention holster may not keep your 1911 secure. Nothing is worse than a bear sitting on your chest and chewing on your face while your gun is just out of reach.
The holster on my homemade rig is a Safariland ALS (stands for Automatic Locking System) which is one of the most secure on the market but is very easy and fast to release with the thumb.
Guys be attaching lanyards to their pistols. Seems like a great backup for exactly the scenario u said.
@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb not surprised you know and applied that. Safariland introduced a chest rig a year or so ago that accepts their als holster. I was disappointed to see it was for righthand only.
Spotted that FDE Safariland ALS right away, great holster 👍🏻 will have no problem keeping your 1911 right where it’s supposed to be..
@@richardthomas6602 They may make a few mirror image (wrong handed) ones if the sales are good.
Big Horn Armory Model 89, in 22" barrel, 500 S & W Magnum....just got it after months of waiting, it was worth the wait. 440 grain hard-cast lead at 1600+ fps from Buffalo Bore. Buffalo Bore does not use "lab" test barrels, they use ordinary rifles, and handguns, as would be used by ordinary people....their test rifle, for this ammunition, is a Big Horn Armory Model 89 in 18" carbine.
That's what I'd take into a situation where there is every chance of meeting a large bear, because there will be two holes, one going in, and one going out, and a bunch of damage between. Lever guns are fast handling, as long as you don't put a scope on it.
The penetration of the 500 S & W Magnum is measured in feet, not inches. Same for the .45-70. Your lever-gun in .45-70, is, to my mind, more than adequate for a large bear.
Thanks again, for your presentations, always worth the listen.
How is the quality on your Model 89. A gunsmith in Cody, WY told me they vary quite a bit from rifle to rifle. But, maybe he just didn't like them. Their length should work for other intermediate cartridges in the .30-30-.308 length, I wonder if they will branch out to other calibers??
Happy belated Birthday Mr. Fairburn and I wish you luck and a good time on your hunt.
This sounds like a weird question but did they ever adress how you breathe? I was short of breath when I was mouth breathing, try to breathe through your nose without using your throat you'll start using your diaphragm and it will get stronger. Sounds crazy helped me tremendously,plus I changed to carnivore diet
When it kicks in I can't move air in fast enough through my nose, it is ALL openings maxed out.
HSM bearload hardcast 357mag 180gr gas checked was available at Cabelas. Expensive for a 50 round box. Around $1.75 a round, but available last time I checked in Louisville,Ky. They had 44mag and even 41 mag. First place I seen bear loads in a while.
Every locale is different and bear ammo is NOT common on Illinois shelves. And, with the Illinois FOID restriction, we have to jump through hoops to get a company to ship ammo into Illinois. Plus, seeing some of the pressure signs of "boutique" loads from small loaders, I trust my handloads.
.338 Winmag
.300 Weatherby.
.375 H&H.
Grew up and worked 35yrs in Alaska.
45-70 is a camp/willows gun like a 12ga.
Great info, my last fly fishing trip out west I brought a 9mm with buffalo bore. Next time I'll pick up a 10mm
20 gauge hard cast magnum slugs penetrate very well and sometimes better than 12.
I have seen gel block tests that confirm this.
Excellent channel, Thanks
Very informative, Great stories. Good luck on your hunt in '26' 🇺🇸
My wife and I just tent camped for 2 weeks this year mid July in Dubois, South Tetons, west Yellowstone, and Gardiner, Montana. I had a .40sw 4” Glock 23 and my wife had her first gen MP in 9mm. I kept my Mav 88 12 gauge around when we cooked and slept, but no issues. We cooked where we slept a few times, had no choice. Had to park next to the tent almost every night with dozens of cans of food and produce in the car. No issues or sightings. I’m being super particular next year at Glacier and bring the Glock 20, but Yellowstone is tame
Keeping food in your vehicle should be fine.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb we had it triple packaged and under a compartment in the floor of the car that had two layers of cover over it after, nicely sealed. I also burned wood pellets in and around the car and tent to throw off the scent too. And to cover ours lol those Bill Gates mosquitoes will kidnap you I swear
I've had luck with choice ammunition. Picked up some hardcast loads for my 9mm and .357. I live in Utah so no grizzlies but our biggest threat is Mt lions. I never go out unarmed anymore and usually carry my 9 with hardcast.
headed to bear country next year. I'll have an fn545 with hard cast buffalo bore ammo and a Winchester carbine in 45/70 with same type of ammo. Oh and I guess a canister of pepper spray as my first line of defense. Unless bear is charging than either rifle or handgun depending on distance. Thank you for sharing from all of your experience.
Sound like you'll be "loaded for bear." LOL
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb yes sir I will be.
One of those M1 Garands converted to .458 Winchester Magnum
Did I tell you I am 73 and found low carb at 71
Where I live in the North East black bears are the physically biggest predator. But there is a very large population of 2 legged predators and a heavy coyote presence as well. For many years while walking in the woods with my dog(s) my choice has been a custom 1911 commander in .45 super with my own handloads 260gr hard cast SWC @1150 fps) . I have 100% confidence in both the load and the gun do do whatever I need it to do. I have a nearly identical commander in 10mm and I choose the .45 super for it's larger diameter (non expanding projectiles) and heavier bullet. It's also capable of faster follow-up shots while still offering similar performance to the heaviest 10mm cast bullets loads.
Sunds like you are well armed with either pistol.
This is one of your best, most informative videos. I spent 26 years in Alaska, hunted Kodiak and Afognak, worked in the Arctic, lived on the Kenai Peninsula, and everything you presented is what I have been practicing for the past 40+ years. I've lived in North Idaho and now NW Montana for the past 22 years and all of my magnum revolvers are stoked with Beartooth Bullets. When Marshall Stanton went out of business it was a sad day. Have you ever seen the article that the AK Dept of F&G published in the early-1980's about cleaning the brown bear skulls out of their chest freezer at the Raspberry Road HQ and shooting them with various loads and calibers at the Rabbit Creek Gun Range? This was the article that moved all LEO's in AK to the Brenneke slugs. I was a medic on the North Slope and have personal knowledge of two Grizzly shootings with Brenneke's after that article was published. I can summarize the article for you in another message if you'd like. Let me know.
That would be great for everyone to read. I wonder if the Alaska F&G research is on line. I talked with Marshall a couple of times ... he has forgotten more about cast bullets than any of us will ever learn.
If you ever want to hunt northwest Colorado, I’ll get you up that mountain my friend! Thanks for the great content
What an offer, thank you!
Can you not have Underwood Ammo delivered to your door in Illinois? They have a 180 grain hard cast load in .357 mag, and things never seem to be out of stock long with them. They also load at the upper end of SAAMI specs and are less than $2 a round with shipping.
I'm very familiar with Underwood ammo, they sent me samples of 10mm for an article about 10 years ago. They now put labels on some of their loads recommending they are only fired from barrels with integral feed ramps (no standard 1911 feed ramp barrels). They didn't put those stickers on then. Saying some of their loads are at the upper end of SAMMI specs might be an understatement.
I carry
12 gauge and .357 mag
If I was going west of Mississippi I'd add a .44magnum instead.
Great video
Thank u😊
The spray used on humans by cops is much more powerful than bear spray. Weird but true.
True, a higher percentage of active ingredients.
Excellent Video guidance.
Bear Spray only.... since when would you trust the gov. To do or know the best awnser.
If you wait too long then you get too old then it is too late.
So true.
Bear spray. Safe und effektiv(TM). Hedge accordingly 🙃 Thank you for a sensible view, Mr. Fairburn.
My Buddy in AK carries a .460 revolver bc he says you might get one shot
I carry 10mm, but if I was carrying a revolver, it would be the S&W 460 Magnum. Yes, I would chose that over the 500 Magnum. The 460 has more velocity and there have been many instances of hikers and hunters hitting a Grizzly one time with the 460 Magnum and stopping it immediately (good shot placement of course.)
That's what I carry loaded with Buffalo bore 360gr flat noise hard cast.
I live in Southeast Alaska on a black bear island, and 10 mm is the preferred pistol round especially since the ammunition manufacturers are finally producing 10 mm loads to the potential of the cartridge. The diversion of Law enforcement going for 40 Short and Weak delayed the development of 10 mm to its true potential. And Underwood extreme penetration is definitely the way to go.
Actually, the original 10mm Norma load was a 200gr at 1200, just about what we see today. What we saw after the FBI 10mm debacle was the 10mm loads being throttled back to .40 S&W ballistics, but there have always been a few full power 10mm loads out there.
@That is true! I have been a 10mm guy since Glock came out with the model 20. Bought 2 of them...But once Short and Weak came out good 10mm ammo became difficult. CorrBon, in the 1990s and a couple others... so yes I remember.lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
Serious question: Do they make portable oxygen tanks for mountaineers? Would something like that help with your breathing?
Yes they make portable oxygen tanks and concentrator, but I get that bad I'll stick with hunting whitetail in Illinois from a box blind.
How about one of the small oxygen bottles, when you are in the high country, where the oxygen is thiner.
I'll probably just stay home if that day comes.
I heard that the 12 gauge slugs called Steelheads were better than brenneke for Bear does anybody know about them ? They look proper to me..
Slug Gun, 12 Guage 😅
When I camped in the Minnesota Boundary waters & Quetico Park(Canada) the general rule for hanging food was 12 feet up & 12 feet from the tree with ropes stretched between two trees. That's black bear country & they climb trees so 4 feet from the tree won't do it. The alternative was a bear canister tethered to a good tree so the bear couldn't play soccer with it. 200 feet from camp. Grizzly country might be different though.
Many Yeti-type coolers are certified as bear proof if you can drive to camp, but not easily packed horseback.
@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb I've never cared much for Yeti coolers or copies of them but they work. The canisters can be had light enough for backpackers if you can live without insulation. I always use hang bags but I camp in places where plenty of trees are available. Thanks for the reminder about Yetis; I sometimes forget about them.
What I can’t figure out is, why in hell did you leave Wyoming?😁😁😂
Great place to live but can be a tough place to make a living. Plus, family obligations - taking care of parents & such.
Liked the video. I have had guys ask why i carry a 44 mag in the boundary waters. I do it for insurance. Better to have and not need. Same reason I carried a 12ga when bow hunting in Canada for bear as a younger guy in the 80's. I see you are 30 miles SE of me.
You live in Illinois ... I'm sorry.
A man in New Mexico with a 10mm Glock found his firearm disabled by bear hair caught in the slide…it’s nice to say you can just pull back your pistol if the slide goes out of battery, but there’s a plethora of scenarios that could make that not an option. Anything from for getting caught in the slide, to self induced malfunctions (limp wristing), to a massive several hundred pound bear laying directly on top of you. All these are not issues for a revolver.
Still (barely) a free country so we can choose what we think is the best.
That sounds like a total fabrication of somebody. Was the guy scratching a bear with his pistol before trying to shoot it?
@@josiahwyncott7519 I have been wasting my time trying to visualize how you could get bear hair in your slide on any semi auto pistol, especially a Glock. Maybe if you were trying to beat him to death with your pistol?
@@Mrelindio42 It's from an actual incident. Just query for it.
Source?
have you had a stress test done? Perhaps anemia. I had a heart attack 5-6 years ago and had a stent put in. I also suffer from having trouble breathing and lightheadedness. Turns out I'm anemic as well which explains the shortness of breath and fatigue. I'm 64 going on 12, lol looking forward to hitting the National Parks out west. Good luck to you, sir
Thanks for the best wishes. Yes, I have been through stress tests, heart caths, breathing tests for 17 years. A heart cath showed the lung anomalies in January but a recent CT scan said no to them. Incompetent doctors is a significant part of the problem.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb send good vibes
That's interesting about the nasty breathing problem developed at about 68-69. All of a sudden my wife develops one too and docs can't yet figure it out.
Mine first cropped up 17 years ago climbing out of a steep canyon on a Wyoming moose hunt. Has been getting progressively worse ever since and still no confirmed diagnosis.
Scary that with today's medical knowledge and sophisticated diagnostic tech that there are still problems doctors can't figure out.
I think in many cases modern medicine has only advanced to the point that it can make people suffer longer than they should.
44mag is the last resort for most
I love the 44 Mag. However, for bear defense, you need an adequately powerful (penetration) round that you can shoot and place shots very quickly. There are plenty of tests out there with charging targets to show the difference between a 10mm G20 (or similar) and a 44Mag Double Action or Single Action revolver. 44 Mag is certainly more cartridge but the 10mm penetrates enough and you can place twice as many rounds on target before the 'bear' gets to you. Sounds like any good handgun from 9mm on up will work... but I think 10mm in an autoloader is probably the sweet spot.
Brenneke Muy Bueno
Speaking of wolves, I've always wondered why Europe and Scandinavia, esp. Russia, have much more history of wolves killing humans than the America's have. They probably ate well during the various wars over there, a veritable smorgasbord...
Oregon and Washington need to invest in a couple of wolf packs to help with their hoof disease in the elk population.
Audible book available?
No. Not sure what that all involves.
Their already in Washington
Dick, could you please tell me where you got that great looking tanker chest holster? I need to get one.
I made my chest rig several years ago, the holster is a Safariland ALS. At the time all the chest rigs for a semi-autos required two hands to draw and unsnap the safety strap. Safariland now makes a chest rig harness allowing you to buy the ALS holster you need for your pistol and screw it onto the rig plate. There are some pretty good Kydex designs out there now, but even though the pistols "snap" into the Kydex holsters, I don't think they are as secure as an ALS holster.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb
Thank you very much.
Or full metal jackets...
Can’t hunt elk in the west then try elk in the eastern states PA , WV , KY and others 🦌
Have your heart checked. Good place to start. That is in case you havent already. Hope you get healthy and get your hunt.
Three full cycles of heart tests and lung tests.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb Yeah sorry. You know us keyboard know it alls.... I didnt mean to be one. I really hope you get that solved my friend❤️
@@vdog4799 Thanks!
357 mag snub cus it’s easy to pack along.
10 mm is a good autoloader cartridge, but there are some points that puzzle me.
If it’s so powerful and easy to shoot, why the obsession with capacity?
If round count an ease of use are so important, why not use a 9mm with a couple of 24 round mags?
The rebirth of the 10mm has been for dangerous animal defense. Big critters like a grizzly may require multiple hits to stop, unless a precise hit is landed in the brain or central nervous system. With deep penetrating bullets, a 9mm can drive the projectiles in to vital organs, but the 10mm hits with much more authority.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb My question about the 9mm was really a facetious jab at fanboys and people like Chuke. I’d never rely on 9mm in that situation. People like to reference Phil Shoemaker killing a grizzly with a 9mm. In my opinion he was irresponsible for carrying one while guiding hunter.
The .41, .44 magnums and .45 Colt are better now than they’ve ever been with the preponderance of heavy cast bullets and mono metal options. I’d definitely prefer to go with the bigger hammer when I’m probably only going to have time for a shot or two.
You might have the medicos check for a low-level pulmonary fungal infection. If it's in your lungs, then you can bet it's in your sinuses. You could try a sinus rinse into a sink filled with clean water. Usuall, you can see the fungal strands floating in the water.
I know all this because I suffer from a pulmonary fungal infection. It took my docs six years to make the diagnosis.
I have a network of bad blood vessels in my lungs, very rare and they think they are congenital, getting worse with age. Trying to build my cardio to improve performance of remaining lung tissue, but a slow process.
I have a few rifles I'd consider top notch for bear defense. And in order of my preference
1)Remington model 6 .350 rem mag
2)Marlin 1895 Guide Gun.45/70
3) KAK ind. AR10 upper .358 Winchester (for my Springfield Saint Victor)
4) FN SLP 12ga w Brenneke Black magic 3"
I have had several .35 caliber rifles (Whelen, .356, .358). The .358 AR10 upper is a great idea. Jeff Cooper loved the .350 Rem Mag, but when he tried it on Cape Buffalo in Africa, he built a .460 G&A.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb I have wondered for years why AR-10's even in .308 don't get the nod more often for bear defense. They will put accurate shots down range very quickly and with fmj's will penetrate plenty deep enough. I'm a huge fan of .35's and I have and have had many! .35 when, .358 win, .356 win, .348 win, .350 rem....I love them all!
@johncoleman2495 I love my 45/70, but I'm also in the 308 semi auto camp. In bear country I would carry my M-1A without thinking twice (old school I know). Look at terminal ascent and power shok copper. Mason leather tested them and they penetrated 28 inches and 36+ inches respectively. Very good loads for this purpose. Love your thinking man.
@@rainworks5155 I've made similar comments before and most people are totally dismissive of the .308/7.62 claiming it lacks the power and penetration to be effective against bears. Yet many of those posts were advocating a 10mm handgun!? I'd be willing to bet those same people would want no part in facing an AR 10 or similar platform with their 10mm🤣
@johncoleman2495 Same here buddy, but listen if 9mm can do it. .308 can certainly do it. Back in the day people used 30-06, 35 whelen and 303. As new cartridges come out people feel that you need that power. You don't, I think people see the new cartridges and think the older less powerful ones aren't enough. What 3006 used to be good for people say you need a 300 win or 338. You don't, you need to be able to shoot well. Besides other than the hottest 45-70, alot of 308 loads are equal energy wise or quite a bit more so than the original loading. Just my .02 cents.
458 winchester magnum works but lotta recoil.
Use all the power you can handle effectively.
450 bushmaster for black bear ?
@@44SWAGNUM-MAGA5 Not a long-range round, but plenty of whoop-ass to 100 yards or a bit more.
If it can take a bear or a 300 lb. Hog its good enough for home defense, lol, (no worries i know better then that) lol.
I'd take an M25 plasma rifle in the 40 Gigawatt Range. lol Seriously, I can't imagine being outback without a survival bag.
40 watts... and just what you see, pal.
Dick if you ever do anything Go Carnivore or Keto, you will be amazed and ready to go on your next hunt. Low carb is beyond belief and just as hard to believe it could work. I do low carb (and I cheat a little) and it is the equivalent of an Epiphany with regard to the results. If your hunting future is on the line as my friend Trump would say "what the Hell do you have to loose"? Great video as usual by the way. you can thank me latter.
I am also Type 2 diabetic and tried low carb long before it became popular. Surprisingly, many low carb diets cause problems for diabetics. My breathing problem is currently diagnosed as blood vessel problems in my lungs which are unfixable, but waiting to see another specialist for confirmation.
I totally concur. Carnivore for the last 2.5 years and keto 7 years before that. I reversed my pre-diabetes and fixed a bunch of other health issues. A friend of mine is 80 and has been eating carnivore for a couple years. He is no longer obese, came off all his medications and does brisk cycling 6 days a week plus shoots 5 to 10 rounds of trap every week. It's a game changer.
@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb is it pulmonary fibrosis or something else?
@@davem4193 Something else, VERY rare, the Doc says I am "one in a million." My mom used to tell me that too, but usually that was while she was chasing me with a fly swatter to beat my ass for something I did to deserve it!
@@davem4193 Can I eat all the bacon I want?
well old man try mullen plant it help's this old man good like
Chicago coup de grace, lol.
They called them grizzly because of the coat of hair give me a break
I collect antique books on hunting and natural history. Most old writers, like Theodore Roosevelt, originally spelled the name "grisly." The most common reference to the bear's appearance in the old books describes them as a "silvertip." Read Lewis & Clark if you want to know what the first white explorers thought of the "grizzly's" truculent attitude.
If I was going to be legit, give me a 308 autorifle, so I can have rapid repeat hits and practice getting brain hits swiftly at 5-15m. 165gr Nosler Partition softpoints for the actual hunt. At least twice as fast for repeat hits as any lever action, probably 3x as fast as a 45-70 and MUCH cheaper reloading componets. 4-5x as fast as any powerful bolt action. But I aint spending that kind of money, so I'd just brain whatever I wanted with the M4, cause that's the only longarm I own.. i"ve done it before and I can do it again, if need-be.
Might want to stick with the 45-70, if grizzly defense is part of the context.
The 165 grain 308 is doing what, around 2,500 fps out of your rifle? That's 93.7 on the Thorniley Index.
By comparison, even an old school loading for 45-70 (e.g. 405 grain bullet, 1,400 fps) is sitting at 157.1 Thorniley.
@LibertysetsquareJack There are some great 308 loads that would do the job. Terminal ascent and powershok copper penetrate deeply. A semi 308 would be a great choice.
@@rainworks5155 Heavier bullets are proven performers for stopping large animals. The problem with cartridges such as 308, 300 Mag and 338, is that they are designed for flat trajectory over distance, not brute stopping power.
Regards the 338 specifically, there was a incident that happened with two hunters in Alaska and a large grizzly in 2021, which is illustrative. Just Google "Trevor Schneider and Tana Grenda, grizzly charge," and several write ups will come up.
@@LibertysetsquareJack gimme a break. I bet you're one of the guys that says stuff like "belted magnum bare minimum for whitetail! Anything less is just wounding the animal..."
@@The_Conspiracy_Analyst Whitetail deer and 1k pound grizzly bears are different things altogether. If I have conclusions regards 308 as "bear medecine" that you may not agree with, doesn't say anything else more than that. Stick to the point at hand and argue that, not tangents.
Up to $3416.68 at this moment... Missouri started Black Bear hunts last year,food for thought 👍
I still have about 5 paperback copies I would be GLAD to sell for that price! (another outfitter hunt, woo hoo!)