What would have more stopping power for charging bear?.44 Magnum - 6 inch Barrel or 170 Gr. 30/30 from Carbine?

Handgun calibers simply can not do what rifle calibers can do. Just look at the ballistics of a 44 magnum shot from a revolver and compare it to that of it's bigger brother, the 444 Marlin. The rifle cartridge is much much more potent.

Let's also remember just how hard it is to shoot a handgun. I can hit a deer sized (or man sized) target at 100 yards, off hand with a rifle with no problem. With a handgun, I can only sometimes hit the same sized target at half that distance - 50 yards. And not consistently!

If I were in that situation, my idea gun would be a 12 gauge pump action with some 3 inch magnum buckshot. At close range on a charging grizzly, it would be the easist to operate under stress.

The .44 Magnum has a heavier, blunt slug. With the magnum charge behind it, it's going to have a lot of inertia. The rifle, on the other hand, shoots a tapered slug which will carry farther than the .44 slug just because of air resistance. When it hits something, because it's tapered, it will go through and penetrate deeper than the .44 also.

Something to consider is that the rifle is longer and harder to aim in close confines. If the bear is close you may not have time to get it into a position to fire while the handgun has less inertia and can be moved much more quickly.

Either weapon will kill a bear if you hit a vital point.

Me? I would feel safer well away from a charging bear and rather than worry which weapon is better I would prefer to think about how to avoid the predicament in the first place.

if that were my only two choices I'd choose a 30-30 carbine.

however, for almost NO increase in size you can get a lever action carbine in 444 magnum or 45-70.

for handguns, the 44 magnum is a fine choice, get something more powerful in the same size package and controllably goes way down. Get something in a bigger package and you might as well carry a carbine.

Dunno about your rifle (more of a handgun man) but there have been cases of bears being skinned and the hunters finding several slugs from guns as large as the .44 because a bear has an incredible amount of fat and muscle to get through. Of the two, I'd rather have the carbine myself. People say it'd be hard to handle, but if you are that close and it's charging then you're already dead due to the fact that it would be mauling you.

.44 magnum

340 gr LFN +P+ 1,325 ft/s 1,533 ft·lbf

.30-30 Win

170 gr. FP 2,227 ft/s 1,873 ft·lbf

The .30-30 will have the edge, both in power and range.

My take on the video even with some doctoring, they were in no danger as the bear ran when they began to yell.

BTW: The .44 magnum will be plenty with good shot placement, and will kill the bear just as dead as a .50 BMG.

that bear didn't look very scary to me. A .44 magnum would work fine. also some people are more natural in the flow of nature than others.

the carbine, i doubt you'd be able to use a handgun effectively in that situation, let alone a 44 magnum.

Hi Newell! Happy New year!!! In answer to your question,when I've emptied the 30-30,then I'll grab the 44! :)

* 44 Magnum * no ifs, ands, or buts.*

44 mag will make a bigger hole.