100 lb deer often run 50 ft, 12 ga slug chest hit

[registror]

so WHY would you expect something with MUCH less power, like a 454 Casul, to stop a bear charge with a chest hit? It hits less hard than a .20 ga slug, and the 20 ga is a LOT more likely to get the needed brain hit, and has other uses vs small game. The Casull is pretty much worthless for anything but making believe that you're a handgun hunter. You can't get close enough to brain a big critter with an actual sidearm, so you cheat and use a monstrosity that's a handgun only in legal terms. I'm not buying anything special for "bear country" because no matter where you are, men and dogs are many times more of a threat than any land animal. A casull is so slow for repeat shots that it's a joke for defensive work vs men or dogs. You WILL miss the man with some of your shots, and some of your hits will be poor ones. It's often more than one attacker, too. So, yes, repeat hit speed IS an issue.

For sleeping on the trail, tho, I move the little 9mm from the pants pocket holster to the chest rig. Then it's right there and can be drawn with either hand.

[BigEd63]

Really GK? I mean for real?
Why oh why do you either transfer or project, whatever the current trendy psychobabble word is, your inabilities upon a whole slew of others that you know nothing about?

I do agree that some Elmer Fudd type that thinks he can buy skill and plunks down big coin on expensive handgun and optic and never hardly practices with it is a fool and a tool for slick marketing.
Plus is likely to just wound game.

However if someone wants to spend the time and effort to learn how to handle such a firearm then more power to them.

[Tugaloo]

In real estate the saying is location, location, and did I say location....
The hunter's version is shot placement, shot placement, and did I say shot placement....

[RICHFL]

Here is the answer you speak. Go to Alaska see what every day people living there carry. It's a .44 magnum pistol men and women carry it for bear protection! Not a.45 cal or a .454! Knowledge is power! Experience can save your life.

[Tugaloo]

Here is the answer you speak. Go to Alaska see what every day people living there carry. It's a .44 magnum pistol men and women carry it for bear protection! Not a.45 cal or a .454! Knowledge is power! Experience can save your life.

Exactly!!!
Where one lives and the threats one may face decide what one needs to defend themselves.
When trout fishing; although a 12 gauge with slugs would be better than my .44 mag; it would be a pain to carry on a sling while fishing.

[Dorobuta]

I do a lot of archery elk hunting and carry a revolver in .45 Colt (not ACP) and don't feel under gunned for bear or there critters. There is a number of studies out there on the effectiveness of handguns for stopping bear attacks. Handguns are far more effective than people realize.

I'm also fortunate enough to live in a state where we aren't force to use a shotgun for deer either, mostly because we have longer shots than Midwest or eastern states 200 yds is not considered a long shot here. I prefer my .280 for deer.

[Tugaloo]

I do a lot of archery elk hunting and carry a revolver in .45 Colt (not ACP) and don't feel under gunned for bear or there critters. There is a number of studies out there on the effectiveness of handguns for stopping bear attacks. Handguns are far more effective than people realize.

I'm also fortunate enough to live in a state where we aren't force to use a shotgun for deer either, mostly because we have longer shots than Midwest or eastern states 200 yds is not considered a long shot here. I prefer my .280 for deer.

If shooting appropriate ammo, a modern .45 LC is a serous big hammer. I don't have a 45 LC; however, that doesn't mean I don't have a lot of respect for one.

The range isn't as important as making a humane kill.

One of the weirdest (worst?) restrictions I've seen was Scotland county in SE NC. Deer rifles were limited to 22 CF.