Out of your two options I would go with the XD. Use the gun to scare away cougers and black bear. You may just piss off the bear.
I think I'll stick with a .30 caliber weapon when in grizzly country -- .30-06, .308, .300 Win Magtapehoser said:That said, if I were wandering into a place where grizzlies were known to inhabit, the .44 Mag would be my minimum choice of caliber.
Yeah, it's one thing to carry a 300 Winnie when you're purpose is HUNTING. But another issue altogether when you're hiking and carrying 30-40 pounds of gear. I know you understood what I meant, but in case anyone else did not, I was talking purely about a handgun.swillden said:I think I'll stick with a .30 caliber weapon when in grizzly country -- .30-06, .308, .300 Win Mag![]()
I dunno, did you see the recoil that thing has?!?! I would rather carry around a S&W 500! :lolbang:sculptingmyguns said:Or maybe consider the noisy cricket!!![]()
:ROFL:fnfnc64 said:I read an article that talked about the .45 being ok for defense against Black Bear. I usually have one along when Im out riding fourwheelers or hiking (not that I hike alot.....)You would have to be nuts to hunt bear with anything smaller that a nice stout .30 cal, but in a pinch an XD beats sticks and rocks any day.
The old joke goes- A guy walks into a bar in Alaska wearing a holstered .44 mag. So one of the locals asks him "Hey pal, what you planning on doing with that six shooter?". The guy responds "I'm going bear huntin with it". So the local says "You might want to file the front sight off that thing before ya go." So the guy says "Why is that?" The local replies "So it wont hurt so bad when the bear takes it away from you and stuffs it up your........"well, you get the picture 8)
+1roseblood said:Bear spray has a statistically better chance at repelling an angry bear than a gun does.