45 ACP Suggestions while backpacking.

A .45 H&K weighs 1.75 lbs unloaded, a 5' Taurus .454 weighs 4 lbs. I had made the point previously that a bear confrontation *is* highly unlikely, especially compared to the likelyhood of a confrontation with a 2 legged predator or even a rattler or a deer in rut. So if you insist on carrying a ..45, load for that.

But *if * one is really concerned about bear (or wild boar for that matter), maybe because you plan on a salmon fishing trip in Grizzly country or because there is a known rogue bear where you are going, then carry extra food or water if you like, but carry the extra two pounds of iron at least!

Let's don't go too crazy with this...

Sure, an angry Grizzly/Kodiak boar or a mama with a cub won't be stopped by either the noise or the effect of a few .45 ACP rounds. But a nosy black bear raiding your camp or food supply is pretty easily scared off by gunfire even if it is a puny caliber. Also true is the fact that humans smell bad to bears unless we've wallowed around in salmon guts or meat greases or doused ourselves with honey...

Bears are like most of nature's critters - they prefer to eat easy and keep away from harm - exceptions are mating battles between males and starvation induced behavior. Then, animals start acting more like humans - killing for no apparent reason, not avoiding strange or dangerous situations, being selfish & greedy...

A good sidearm for bear country is a big revolver [.44 mag, .45 Colt w/ handloads, etc.] with heavy, flat hard cast lead bullets. But, if you have to use that sidearm, you've made at least one big mistake.

B. Woods

# # snip # # If you want to go ahead and load a .45 with # # fmj on the theory it is better than nothing, or you because don't want # # to spend the extra money on a rifle or large frame revolver, then you # # are behaving foolishly and will simply prove Darwin was right. # # # # :o) # # I think that Darwin would say the guy that carried a 1911 and the extra # weight in water (or food or warm gear depending on the hike) is better # survival candidate than one who carried the heavier hand cannon or rifle # in preparation for a much rarer event of bear confrontation than # dehydration or hypothermia. But if your hike is more likely to have a # bear confrontation then your advice is undoubtedly right. #

A .45 H&K weighs 1.75 lbs unloaded, a 5' Taurus .454 weighs 4 lbs. I had made the point previously that a bear confrontation *is* highly unlikely, especially compared to the likelyhood of a confrontation with a 2 legged predator or even a rattler or a deer in rut. So if you insist on carrying a .45, load for that.

But *if * one is really concerned about bear (or wild boar for that matter), maybe because you plan on a salmon fishing trip in Grizzly country or because there is a known rogue bear where you are going, then carry extra food or water if you like, but carry the extra two pounds of iron at least!

Wow, and that second guy had just won the lottery, too. Just goes to show ya' 'Timing is everything.'

Yale

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'There is a serious tendency toward capitalism by the well-to-do peasants.'