Was watching an episode of Alaska-The Last Frontier yesterday and a husband and wife were catching salmon for their winter meat supply. They were smoking the salmon they had caught, plus lots of fish guts around from cleaning them and they were in bear (brown and black)country.

The husband went off to hunt moose and left his wife with a 44 Mag Ruger Blackhawk as bear defense, she fired it effectively at close range with some instruction.

What gun would you leave your wife with in that situation? I think I would opt for a rifle or 12 ga with slugs myself.

My wifes a very good shoot with one or all three.

That said her ruger 77 in 06 would do just fine.

I would let her choose.

Since she the best with her shotgun, that's what I would expect her to choose.

This caibre, in a revolver, is marginal in penetration and power and the Ruger Blackhawk probably none too easy to shoot accurately when BULLET PLACEMENT is of the essence.

She'd be better off with a long arm in just about any powerful 30-06 class calibre with suitably constructed bullets.

I would leave my wife with HER S&W 44 Mag Mountain Gun, and HER Winchester 44 Mag Trapper Mod 94 in 44 Mag, with proper BIG bear ammo.

No doubt in my mind she could handle ANY BIG bear than happened to come along.
She has killed black bear, cape buff and all other manner of game animals.

Yes, I know I have talked a LOT about using The Winchester 44 Mag Trapper as a Utility, Traveling Vehicle, and Pig gun, BUT the Truth is, I bought it for HER as HER, Camp, Utility, close range hunting, Rifle when we camped in Bear Country, and for the deer lease, and traveling...

I sneak it out and use it when I go somewhere without her, and she "ain't" looking.