44mag, 454 cas,460 ruger,or 500 s&w????

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I'mlooking for opinions on which large cal would be best to carry as a sidearm while bow hunting for Kodiak bear.I have shot the 44 mag.But have heard horror stories about the 454 cas,460 ruger,and 500 s&w.I'm not recoil shy but would prefer to get the best power with the least amount of abuse.What dose everyone think?

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S&W Model 29

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There's the .460 Smith & Wessonmagnum also. I really can't advise about the Dirty Harry stuff generally (although I used to favor the underappreciated .41 magnum). I've broken a lot of bones and it hurts me to shoot that stuff in my old age. I'd just carry a long gun if I needed that much power.

-ljp

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Bears are rifle meat, but if you are limited to a handgun,.44mag for beeg bears, .357 for black bears. For those who thinkthat isn't enough...... I'm sure you've ordered your .50 cal 1911 for personal defense.......oh wait, the .51 is on the way.

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I went with the .44 Mag when I bought my Alaskan partly because of ammunition availability. When I’m in Sportsman’s or Cabela’s there are dozens of choices in .44 Mag; few and sometime none in the other calibers.

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Kodiaks??

Dude.....you don't need a handgun.....

Just haul along somebody you can OUTRUN!!!



Seriously, though. 454 with a hard-cast, gas-check HEAVY bullet. Nothing less. And make SURE you get it a few months ahead of your hunt and learn how to shoot it.....well.

Problem is you have such heavy recoil and muzzle jump, it's hard to get off a second shot accurately, especially under stress.

If it were me, and it was legal to bow hunt with it as a back-up, I'd have a mossberg/remington pistol grip 12 ga with slugs slung over my shoulder.

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Hard for me to outrun anyone, Im pretty fat and slow.I looked intoit a shotgun isnt legal for me as im bow hunting,but my guide will be carring one of those.