Im enjoying my first summer living on the upper Skagit river, but as i suspected i'm sharing the property with a bunch of wildlife including a Black Bear and her Cubs. I walk +1000' through my woods to to fish the mouth of my creek in the morning and at night and come back out with freshly caught salmon.....and bears near by. i'm looking for something i can carry while on my property, but cant break the bank to do it. if anyone has an older but reliable shootin' iron they would part with for a good price, it would be appriciated. I feel safer buying something like this from someone on this board since i cant afford to buy new. last thing i need is to end up with something stolen or used for something other than a tweeker deterrent.

glad you are enjoying your new home!! I used to fish that area as a young man. It was a lot different then, but I'm sure you are loving it.

I'm sure you will get some great advice on an appropriate firearm. There are some real experts that reside here.

Good Luck

Another good place to look for a good deal locally on a piece is http://www.seattleguns.net
I've met several folks for purchases and sales from this website and they've all been good folk.

Cheers-

+1 on SGN. . . .

And I would conisder a .357 mag in that group as well. . . .

There's a ruger service six on SGN now for $375. Might be a good security, packing gun for what you need.



Willy

Wheel guns are nice, though also keep an eye out for a Glock 20 (10mm) or 21 (.45acp). The 10mm is like a .40s&w on 'roids, pretty hot cartridge that hits hard, and you get 15+1. The 21 gives you 13+1. If the frame size and grip angle work for your ergonomics, the Glock platform is a great and reliable way to go.

You are more likely to get hit by lightning twice, before getting attacked, let alone killed, by a bear in your neck of the woods.

Look up the statistics. I like those odds....of getting hit by lightning twice....or winning the lotto before getting attacked by a black bear.

Carry bear spray, make a LOT of noise, and save your money for when you can buy a good plinking and/or carry piece.

Handguns for bears make NO sense whatsoever.

If I even remotely thought I was going to be in an area where I was threatened by a bear, I'd carry a Social Shotgun (shortest barreled Remington 870 Express I could buy) loaded with Sabo slugs and .00 buck. Make #3 a Dragons breath and that's pure entertainment! Your chances of getting off an effective shot with either (shotgun and pistol) are about the same, which is pretty close to nill-to-none. A .45ACP or 10mm is just going to piss off a bear. A sabo slug or .00 buck will drop the bear in it's tracks....assuming you can even get the shot off, which is doubtful is most cases.

Or, just be like Stam and kill the damn bear by hand, with a knife! Still, The Absolute Best Bar/Bear Story I've ever heard in my life!!!!!

Real Men don't need guns. Just a knife...and a set of massive brass balls.

Thanks for the input guys, I'm just gonna buy a new S&W Alaskan at the next gun show. As for the gun/no gun point of veiw, if you're going to taking the chance of getting caught between a sow and her cubs on a daily basis, I feel having a large bore pistol is more comforting than a can of hair spray.

You mean Ruger Alaskan ?
Anyway, this thing looks like it would discourage Mrs. Bear if you can get it deployed in time:
http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/smith-wesson-460v-review

I'm with Parker, in that you need to make noise and let them know that you're present. A good dog might be able to warn you that Mrs. Bear is about.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013086837_bearmaul07m.html
Damn, what a story.

I used to pack a Ruger Blackhawk .357 while fishing some remote areas of Alaska. Glad I never had to use it, as I am a firm believer that if you are going to pack a handgun for bear protection, save the last bullet for yourself.

that makes at least three times you've heard it. just sayin

Yeah, I've got a Dan Wesson .357 that I like very well, but I would consider it a noisemaker and perhaps a (false) security blanket in bear country.

This beast might be handy in bear country but you have to pack the weight and be able to get to it fast for it to matter.
Not to mention being able to control it and fire effectively.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.500_S%26W_Magnum

A shotgun hurling a 1 oz slug at about 1500 FPS would be a good, cheap alternative.

If you want the gun buy the gun but you are better off with pepper spray. If you can't afford to buy new. I am guessing you can't afford the ammo to practice enough to hit a pissed of sow and drop her in her tracks.

When I carry, I carry pepper spray for four legged critters and a hand gun for two legged critters.

Thanks for the input guys, we have quite the array of views on the subject. Although it was a WTB Ad, the thread did bring some usefull information to the chosen soloution. I gotta give it to the Glock fans, you reminded me how important relaibility is..... burry em' in the mudd and they still shoot! I've owned a few in the past and really loved those guns. I do wish I had more $$ to buy the wheel gun (S&W Alaskan Backpacker, alloy framed .44 Mag) but did find redemption in a G30. A nice, short, .45 acp, that holds 10 rounds. The gun is in like new but fired condition, with good aftermarket F.O. sights and a couple of clips for under $450.
Stam and hooksetter1 gave a lotta love to the 10mm, but those are a bit harder to find used, and there wasn't $700 in the kitty for a new gun. For the Pepper Spray Fans, I appriciate the direction and may just buy a few cans for the guests on my property to use while camping and/or fishing. Since I live out in the woods and walk my property many times daily, I choose firepower over spray, hands down. The Bears are not the only threat up here, both 2 and 4 legged animals are quite abundant and you would be foolish to think that not being armed is the way to go. If I was camping on occasion or visiting Bear country for a limited time, the spray would be wonderfull.....but I'm not. Theres a reason they call it the "Wild and Scenic Skagit", and I plan on spending the rest of my life up river ....so I choose to Pack a little heat.