Gary Reeder
having danced with a couple of bears I would go with the
Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 16:47

most powerful revolver I could shoot well, that being the 510 GNR or the 475 Linebaugh. I would also have a 12 gauge pump with the shortest barrel allowed loaded with premium slugs or a 3 inch magnum OO buck or OOO buck..

Anybody that goes into bear country with anything less than the 475 Linebaugh should be bear food. I hear all these stories of the guide carrying the 10mm for back-up just makes me wonder who allowed that guide to work in Alaska. A 44 Magnum is right at half of the power of the old 30-30 and the 10mm is way under the power of the hottest 44 Magnum. So what moron decided that the 10mm is good for a Grizzly or any pissed off bear?
Any bear that has the adrenaline pumping is extremely hard to put down. You don't have to kill him, you have to break him down, put him on the ground, then kill him.
In Alaska years ago I had a big bear come to dance with me. I hit him at about 5 feet with the hot loaded 510 GNR. The round hit him in the shoulder and we found out later it went all the way thru exiting at the lower ribs. He rolled at my feet and I hit him again at about 2 feet with the same round. He screamed nasty things about my mother and ran off. With 4 50 caliber holes in him, (each round exiting the bear), he still ran off which meant I had to go in to finish him off. Thank the Lord the bear was dead when I got there. Good friend Larry Kovach and guide George (can't remember his last name) were there. WB and several others can also vouch for this tale. But it just shows that even the hottest revolver round doesn't always put him down immediately.