redcore86 asked: I mountain bike alot in the wilderness and have encounter these animals.
Taylor
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November 27th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Autumn
a 12 gauge shotgun.
No joke. Pack buckshot and slug rounds. I personally prefer #4 Buckshot and rifled slugs (as opposed to sabot slugs). When in doubt, load the shotgun with slugs and aim carefully before firing. Remember, one well placed round does more damage that 100 misses.
If you meant a handgun…Look into .44 magnums. I recommend the .44 Magnum because it is a good round with a lot of force exerted into the target and because of it’s availability. You should be able to find ammo almost anywhere. that isn’t necessarily true for the .480 Magnum or the .50 Desert Eagle.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Gracie
Mate i reckon any gun is a good self defence weapon as long it has a firing cap and a gun powder
December 1st, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Elijah
Well if you were only encountering mountain lioins and wolves, I would suggest nearly any 40 cal. handgun would due. But the bears would still be a problem. Myself personally I would carry a SW 500 with the snub barrel. Small enough to lug around and it fires the most powerful handgun cartridge in existence at this time. Guides in Alaska are buying the short barreled versions as a side arm on grizzly bear hunts.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Benjamin
I would stick with a .357 magnum revolver. Easily concealable *if you have/need the appropriate license* The 357. magnum cartridge is plenty powerful to stop wolves, mountain lions, and bears and should function without a hitch. I would look into used smith wesson revolvers which can be found in good shape in great prices. With the .357 magnum you can also use .38 ammuntion so It’ll be a bit cheaper to practice with and use until you get used to the recoil/function of the firearm, then move up to .357 magnum hollow points. I would tend to stay away from a shotgun while mountain biking through rugged terrain, I think in that case it would get in the way and be more of a problem than a protection. I would also stay away from buckshot/shot in a pistol cartridge if you were looking into that. Buckshot is terrible for penetration while being shot through a handgun.
I would look into firearms like this, easy to use, they don’t jam, and will be more than adequate protection.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Samantha
I’ve been living all over Alaska the past 30 years and am a certified hunter safety instructor. I have helped my ex-wife take brown bear and have wolves hanging on my wall. There are some great personal protection firearms available.
First – forget the wolves. There is no record of anyone in North America ever being tracked down or killed by one.
For a bear or mountain lion encounter – you need something small enough that you will keep it with you at all times, and, has enough power to stop the animal before you empty the cylinder or magazine. Since you are biking and moving around quite a bit – you need something that will work by sheer force and not jam.
To me – this boils down to a small frame, 5 shot, 357mag or 44 Special pistol. These are inexpensive, balance well and are easy to carry – best of all – they throw a lot of power at close range. One or two shots will stop a black bear or mountain lion. You then have 3 extra.
You might be tempted to getting a nice black automatic – Glock, XD, etc – but it might be your undoing. These automatics are great for police officers who wear a good protective holster and clean them all the time. Good chance yours will just be going on and off without ever coming out of the holster. They day you need to draw it – will be the day you don’t a jam. In this case – the revolver is king.
My wife and I carry the very heavy stainless 480 Ruger Redhawks while caribou hunting, fishing, and trail riding. They are heavy and can really take the enjoyement out of any outdoor activity. But, we are in brown bear country and anything less won’t work. Bear attacks start quick – no time to fumble around in a pack or open a gun case. Although we always have a 338 Win Mag or 12ga along………the rifle can be on the wrong side of the gut pile or atv when you need it. The pistol is your ace in the hole because it is always strapped to you.
Bottome line – you need a revolver. Start by looking at holsters – find one the suits your clothing and body. Then start looking at the revolvers that fit it. This will give you maxium comfort while enjoying nature – and – you will be sure to have the revolver stapped to you when you need it……… not stuffed in a pack somewhere.
December 8th, 2009 at 3:42 am
Michelle
A Ruger Mini 30…. Its light weight, feels comfortable across your back and the 7.62X39MM cartridge is quite adequate on the animals you mentioned…. Follow up shots are quick and easy……. Its the same as a Ruger Mini 14 but shoots a 30 caliber cartridge…. Please Note — ONLY use brass cased ammo in the Mini 30 — Sometimes I have had the cheap steel stuff fail to fire whereas I have had absolutely no problems with good grades of brass catridges….
December 9th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Riley
Cats and dogs won’t be a big problem. A 38 snubby would do. If you’re in grizzly bear country, anything with a trigger instead of a lanyard is too small. If you can handle 44 Magnum, that would probably be your best compromise.
December 10th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Victoria
desert eagle, it shoots a 50 caliber round, cant go wrong with that
December 12th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Claire
Anyone that states that wolves have never attacked humans in North America is a fool, a liar or just a propagandist. It happens frequently, in recent history and in the lower 48. If you are going into wolf country, protect yourself.
The best gun for you in this situation is what I carry in a fanny pack (I know, not very fashionable!) when I hike and fish, a stainless .357 with a four inch barrel. You can find smaller guns, but if you are to be in bear country you need the power. Also, do not get a short barrel, 3 or 4 inch at least.
December 15th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Carlos
If your riding a bike then a shotgun isn’t going to be for you. Too hard to lug around and draw.
I recommend a .44 magnum or larger revolver with as short of a barrel as you can find. You dont need a long barrel for close encounters and you can draw a shorter barrel faster.
Lions would be my main concern because they are known for taking bikers. When your riding along on your bike you look just like fleeing prey, and with most lion/bike attacks the rider doesn’t even know the lion is there until its on them.
Shoot your gun often and practice drawing it quickly. The more you handle the weapon the more effective you will become with it.
A desert eagle is a piece of junk. Its huge, heavy.. and they often do not function properly.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Natalie
The simple fact that you mention bear… leaves me to say one of two. Either a .50 or .44 Magnum.
If you’re on a bike carrying a rifle, or even shotgun, is not a realistic option. I cannot say a .357 Magnum would not be sufficient, but personally… I would want .44 or larger revolver… with a 4 or maybe 6 barrel max… not a cumbersome 8 or 10.
If I bumped into a tempered bear… I would not want to be fumbling around with a rifle, especially in a surprise situation.
- Good Luck!
December 19th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Gianna
26 calibur rifle or a machine gun.
December 19th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Briana
30/30!
December 20th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Brayden
A snub nose .44 Special.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Jordan
With all of these beasts in mind, I carry a .44 Magnum SW M-29. A .357 or a .40 might do for wolf, but I want a bigger handgun for any adult black bear. If I may encounter grizzlies or Kodiak bears, I go with my .500 Magnum Linebaugh.
December 24th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Carlos
they make a 12gauge single shot handgun….load that up with buck shot…its not like your gonna see a pack of lions or bears together…and besides, bears are more afriad of you then you are of them….lions and wolves are a different story
December 26th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Jordan
Glacierwolf is wrong, people have been attacked by wolves. And IF he lives in Alaska he should know that. It was all over the Alaskan news stations last year, about the attacks up here.
I would go with a .44 mag. and learn how to be a good shot with it.
December 29th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Brooklyn
One of three: A quality .357 Magnum revolver with at least a 4 barrel; a 10mm Glock or… A .454 Casull Raging Bull revolver.
H
December 29th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Mariah
Definitely a revolver.
I would go with Smith and Wesson but Ruger is ok too.
Depending on how big a threat you think you will likely encounter, I would recommend two different guns. If you think you may encounter a charging bear some day then I would recommend no less than a SW 629 (or similar) 4 barrel .44 Magnum. A .357 might do the job but I would feel better with the piece of mind of having a more powerful cartridge. And you have to pick your ammo carefully. When encountering a big animal such as a bear, you want your bullet to penetrate as deeply as possible so it hits vital organs and dropps the bear quickly. But if choosing such a gun, you have to be willing to always carry it. The 629 is a little heavy. It would be fine in a backpack or something like that but you could easily get seperated from a backpack or maybe not be able to access the gun quickly enough.
My second suggestion would be a small J-Frame .357 Mag revolver. You’re going to loose some power and a round but you’re always going to have that gun on you. You can strap it to your ankle (which I do every day for personal protection) or you can even put it in your pocket (tried that for a while but the leather holster I had wore the finish off the gun – don’t get a leather holster). If I were in your situation I would do both. I would keep the .357 Mag on me at all times and the 629 in a backpack.
If you’re afraid of the recoil of the .44 Mag, one, don’t be. You will have so much addreniline running through your veins that you won’t even notice it, but if this is a major concern, you might look into the .41 Magnum. It’s inbetween the .357 and .44 and would probably do the job just fine. Though ammo is pricey and often hard to find.
January 1st, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Aubrey
If you are on a bike you’ll probably never have to use a firearm. However, if you do, it better hit hard. I like the idea of a self-defense shotgun, preferably 12 guage, 18 barrel, holding at least 5 rounds: 1 round birdshot (the blast itself will probably scare the animal away and do no real damage), 2-3 rounds 00 buckshot, 4-5 rounds foster style slugs. Put a sling on it and carry it on your back while you bike.
January 3rd, 2010 at 9:56 am
Madeline
The one and only deadly 357 MAGNUM…*** 4 or 6 Barrel.* Revolver.* Preferably Smith Wesson Brand.*
January 6th, 2010 at 12:43 am
Haley
Well if I were confronted with a large pissed off carnivore, I’d be happy to any gun I could get. Ofcourse for a best case senario my Ak47 comes to mind, that would certainly ruin any predators day.
January 8th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Mackenzie
The one you keep at home!!!
January 9th, 2010 at 7:27 am
Stephanie
Police edition Remington 870 super mag 12 gauge loaded with 3 1/2 inch double ought buckshot, this will take care of any mean ol kitty or pup that your likely to encounter, however if you prefer a handgun go with a 44 mag revolver either ruger, smith and wesson or taurus, but for close range which is likely the situation you will be in, then the 12 gauge would serve the purpose much better.
January 10th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Adam
get yourself a good .357.
January 11th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Mary
Depends on your ability to take recoil and reacquire the target.
I would think that a SW 500 or a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull. Both are BOOMers.
The Ruger puts out a bullet with, according to one report I read, a bullet with 1839 foot pounds whereas say a .44 magnum was rated at just over 800.
I am a recoil junky but can only get about 1 cylinder full done before I can no longer hold the gun steady because of the beating my wrist takes especially if I am shooting with one hand…