Moving away from the .44 mag

[davek]

There's been a 10mm EAA/Tanfoglio Witness for sale in the classifieds for a while, something else to consider.

 

[Shadowrider]

Dennis the M&P had some pretty serious looking function issues when they first hit. I think it was running heavy loads like you'll be running. Don't know if the issue was addressed or not. I'd look elsewhere and I have several M&Ps that aren't going anywhere. Hopefully they figured it out, it seemed like a stouter mag spring was needed but don't remember exactly. It was enough to get me to quit looking at buying one.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis the M&P had some pretty serious looking function issues when they first hit. I think it was running heavy loads like you'll be running. Don't know if the issue was addressed or not. I'd look elsewhere and I have several M&Ps that aren't going anywhere. Hopefully they figured it out, it seemed like a stouter mag spring was needed but don't remember exactly. It was enough to get me to quit looking at buying one.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll address that situation before making a buy. It's been out for about 6 months now so hopefully those issues have been taken care of. I'm looking at the 4.6" model with no thumb safety.

 

[Shadowrider]

Another option might be a stout +P load or a conversion to .460 Rowland in a M&P 45. I'd also consider a HK 45 since they are good with supers. With these Lehigh EP bullets? I'd even consider these in a .40 SW for big bear if I loaded them myself. Couple of guys in Alaska and Wyoming on another forum carry the Underwood version when trekking.

.451 caliber, 200 grain Xtreme Penetrator Lead-Free Bullets

‘WE WILL NEVER STOP INNOVATING’ is the driving force behind Lehigh Defense to create new products, redefine terminal performance and to deploy modern manufacturing processes. This mantra has led us to introduce a unique and innovative product, the Xtreme Penetrator Fluid Transfer Monolithic (XP...

lehighdefense.com

 

[dennishoddy]

Heavy for caliber solids seem to be what I've read for penetration. A musher in the iterod sled dog race dumped a mag into a moose attacking the dogs and it continued attacking for almost an hour before someone with a rifle came to the rescue. Yeah, it was a .380 HP. Probably didn't even sting it and the shooter probably didn't know to make a head shot.
No reload mags brought. She just had to sit there and watch her dogs get mangled.

 

[Shadowrider]

Yea I heard about that musher gal. That woulda sucked.

The Lehigh is a different animal. It's solid copper, so no expansion. I don't buy those cavities creating wound devastation inside tissue like some claim, they are all about penetration, at least in any handgun. They are pretty flat up front so should work on a skull hit and feed well from what posts I read.

With lead I'd want as big, heavy and flat up front as possible. That flat part is what gives autos problems though.

 

[GlockPride]

What do you have against the XDm's?

Croatian trash that they couldn’t sell so that had Springfield Armory import it and put XD on it. And any gun that writes out “Grip Zone” on their pistol….

 

[TheDoubleD]

If you have been using the 1911 in Matches then you probably have some pretty good muscle memory built up and that is what you are going to need in a bear encounter. Instinctive operation.

For many years I carried at work only double action S&W revolvers. I had also used single action 1911's with skill. When it came time tor transition full time to the semi autos, I had problems with the single/double actions. Then I found a Glock and have not looked back. Guns in defensive use around me are all double action only-a couple of S&W revolvers and a bunch of Glocks.



Get the 1911 10mm Dennis.

 

[OHJEEZE]

S&W model 69, L frame 44 magnum, 5 shot cylinder, 4" bbl.

Looks like current production is only the 2.75" though.

Model 69 | Smith & Wesson

 

[turkeyrun]

Use the bear spray






On a tree huggers and safely walk away. The bear will appreciate it.


So will we