I'll start by saying I used to live in an urban area with strict gun laws...

.357 magnum in hollow point. Any caliber less than this won't deter the bear. Anything higher than this isn't practical for every day carry. You can find used revolvers for "cheap" prices. I suggest you buy the cheapest revolver in .357magnum that you can, don't buy a nice expensive one. You might hate it, you might find you can't handle such a big boy round, you may find a .357 to be a bar of iron on you. There's more reasons to dislike a .357magnum revolver than there are positives, but this is the best for real bears, and not niggers. For niggers you need capacity, not power.

(Cont.)
So, let's start diving into it.
Based on what your intended use is, you're better off doing "open carry". MAKE SURE THIS IS LEGAL IN YOUR AREA FIRST.
Your best options are a belt or shoulder holster WITH RETENTION. Do not go with a shitty kydex holster or anything like that. Look up reviews, ask around, watch videos. The holster has to be designed with your firearm in mind for it to function properly, so make sure you look at that when doing your research.

When selecting your cartridge, keep in mind that the grip on a handgun can only be so large before you can't grip it anymore. Smaller rounds can be stacked in the magazine to increase capacity. More rounds on target, as long as they reach the depths necessary to hit something vital, means more chances of you getting out alive. Double stack magazines will usually still be single-feed (as in there is only one round sticking out the top of the magazine, as seen in pic related), but double stack double-feed magazines do exist (They are generally better, but more difficult to get working properly, so less common. You usually see them in submachine guns).

If you go stronger than 10mm AUTO, you're pretty much stuck with single-stack magazines or revolvers if you want anything more than 2 rounds on-tap.

Every day carry shouldn't be a concern when talking about bear defense. He should get himself a small .380 or 9x19 for everyday stuff. Different guns for different purposes.

Attached: difference_between_double_stack_and_single_stack.jpg (300x383, 26K)

.357 was my first idea, but I'm not sure if its best for me because I'll be working with bears close-up, training them, etc. If I was just going out in bear territory or something, that's what I would 100% get.

>Bears come at you hard and fast, so to avoid them closing the distance, I need something that can effectively put them down BEFORE they reach me.
It's called a 12ga, user, or a 45-70. Something with a fucking massive slug. Sidearms are not what you want to be carrying against dangerous game.

If you go with a .357 revolver, then you do have the advantage of being able to train more affordably (and without bruising your palm as much) by feeding it .38 special rounds or downloading .357 to .38 pressures. Just make sure that if you're feeding your revolver .38's that you CLEAN IT THOROUGHLY after. .38's are shorter and will leave fouling in the front of the chamber where .357 fits, which can cause failures or even over-pressure.

If you end up going with a revolver, here's a handy guide for what to look at.

Attached: revolver buying guide.jpg (1200x2160, 781K)

Although, thinking of it now, maybe you should get a BFR in 45-70. Kind of a waste of money unless you absolutely must have a sidearm instead of a rifle.

There is zero reason not to carry a sidearm, even if you have a Guide Gun or something on you, just in case. Assuming it is lawful for you to carry it there, of course. Don't mess with game wardens.

Being up close to bears just means that .357 is an even better choice. Being closer to your target means that a stronger hit is that much more vital. You'll only get one shot or two before it's on you. Do you want to be fumbling with safeties and quick release holsters with a bear on you? No, you want a pocket revolver that will get the bear off you in one trigger pull.

>Based on what your intended use is, you're better off doing "open carry". MAKE SURE THIS IS LEGAL IN YOUR AREA FIRST.

It is legal in my county, it's really common.

>He should get himself a small .380

I have a pk380 for home defense
Obviously not good enough for bears though

>Your best options are a belt or shoulder holster WITH RETENTION. Do not go with a shitty kydex holster or anything like that. Look up reviews, ask around, watch videos. The holster has to be designed with your firearm in mind for it to function properly, so make sure you look at that when doing your research.

Yeah, I need to be able to react fast, and even react when they're on top of me.

Agreed. Pistols are nice to have, esp for putting down wounded game, but unless it's a big bore it should not be your only weapon.

Yeah, I'm thinking a long barrel BFR in 45-70 and bear spray would work. As long as OP can traing with it and practice working a single action and hitting what he aims at.

Look guy, if you can handle some retarded shit like a .454 casull or .500 S&W mag under rapid fire at a moving target let alone one handed while a bear is mauling you to death then obviously go with that, otherwise welcome to the land of compromise. Since you're going to be close up with them frequently that pretty much screams revolver so probably skip the 10mm, you're not likely to have enough space and time for the extra capacity to matter and at least the revolver won't get pushed out of battery or need a tap-rack-bang while yogi is eating you from the ass end up. Plus hard contact shots are a possibility which is a great means of persuading anything that bleeds to go away.

Oh and ignore the retard recommending HPs in a .357 for brownies, that's just asking for problems.

>380 for home defense
Viable, but honestly I would never use a pistol without a flashlight for in the home.

The BFR is a scary fucking handgun to shoot. It's really a gun you have to work your way up to.

OP, how big a guy are you? For most people, even .44 Magnum is kinda pushing it. When one is fired near you, you feel the pressure difference in your chest and it's not something you want to fire many times in a row.

People have killed aggressive bears with everything down to 9mm, but most people prefer overkill with identical equipment used for hunting deer with handguns. Hot loads of big calibers. Penetration, not JHP expansion, is desired, because bears are much thicker than humans. The average woodsman would trust a .44 magnum - to piss off the bear long enough for him to grab his rifle.

Also you don't have to start with a .22 but jesus dick are magnums expensive to shoot if you don't reload. Go middle of the road and start with a 9mm so you have some recoil to learn to manage. 9mm is also the best caliber ever for putting down humans (because the fuckers keep fighting with multiple gaping holes in them unless you hit the heart or CNS) so you're covered there.

parting shot: you're working with domestic bears and will probably be reprimanded for killing them. better to make shooting a hobby and just go with the pepper spray and run out of the enclosure strategy.

Don't they make 10mm AUTO revolvers that use moon clips? Not a bad option, either. Especially if OP has to unload and load it up frequently.

I"m actually working hands-on with the bears, which are pets, I have a mentor, that doesn't even carry around them, they have broken his arm twice.

I'm working with them from when they are cubs to adults. Big guns scare them, for good reason, we train them to be scared of big guns, in case we have to release them into the wild, so they avoid humans with big guns.

Yeah, if you kill them you're going to lose your job, make the news, and probably be charged for discharging a firearm in city limits.

You can't run in the woods but you're going to have fences and doors to put between you and the bear as a trainer. And other people present to help you. Just get bear spray.

Can you guys train them to avoid trash or is that just too enticing?

Ask someone who lives in Northern Ontario what bears think about doors.

Because they really don't seem to care.

>bear has to get past
>fence gate
>multiple doors
>a car
>all while other humans are working together with one scrawny californian to escape an angry bear

Any bear that catches you deserves the snack and will probably go on to take over the world as the superior lifeform.

We can, yes. They like to "play" though, so trash looks like good fun. We can train not eat stuff, but generally stopping them from playing in trash is difficult.

The problem is that the "Liberals" fucked with the spring bear hunt, so there's a large population of very hungry bears every year that go snooping in peoples homes.

If I lived further North, you can bet I'd have a bunch of 12 gauge slugs handy.

>OP, how big a guy are you?

6'0" 201 lb, small guys (or girls) don't do my job.

OP's bears are trained pets in enclosed spaces. His employer probably has a policy on weapons.

>parting shot: you're working with domestic bears and will probably be reprimanded for killing them. better to make shooting a hobby and just go with the pepper spray and run out of the enclosure strategy.

They aren't like zoo animals, they are pets, completely private. I have permission have a gun on me, and use them, if I have to.

I'm starting to think .357 is the best again, that's what I was originally thinking about. Good to know about affordability.

Trained/pet bears are trained to be scared of rifle/shotguns. So, if they escape, they know to run from people with guns, for the safety of the people, and the bears.

>Since you're going to be close up with them frequently that pretty much screams revolver so probably skip the 10mm, you're not likely to have enough space and time for the extra capacity to matter and at least the revolver won't get pushed out of battery or need a tap-rack-bang while yogi is eating you from the ass end up.

I have to admit, you made me chuckle. Thanks for the advice.

.41 magnum might be better, performance-wise, but it's a PITA to get ammo for. It really has fallen by the wayside over the last couple decades and I wouldn't be surprised if the guy behind the counter said "Do you mean .44?" when asked.

.44 Magnum can also use .44 Special for practice, but the cost is quite a bit higher. One positive is that you can easily get a used .44 in really nice condition because a lot of people buy them to look tough, shoot one or two cylinders, hate it and then sell it almost like new.

If you're looking at a .357, I'd recommend the Ruger GP-100. They are ridiculously overbuilt and will out-last you.

Just to reiterate, though, regardless of which firearm you get you should shoot it regularly to maintain the muscle-memory.