.44 mag for black bear

[wild country]

ok, I'm new at this.........I have read about the .357 and think shot placement is everything, as is the right bullet to get the job done.  I am asking if .44 mag will kill a 250lb-600lb black bear at 15-25yrds.  I have taken them with rifle and shotgun.  My friends have taken them with  smokepoles and bows.  No one as of yet has taken one with a handgun.  I would like to be the first in our group to do so.  Most on this site seem to tell it to you as it is..........So tell away.......... 

[Blackhawk44]

You .44 will do just fine.  Lots of pre-hunt practice and quality loads are all you need.

[Lloyd Smale]

what blackhawk said

[Mikey]

What Lloyd and Blackhawk said.  Mikey.

[Redhawk1]

Take the 44 Mag and don't think twice about it.

[superdown]

  +1 for the 44 mag ! what sort of handgun do you plan on using?

[teddy12b]

I haven't heard anything bad about using a 44 mag at that range.

[Dusty Miller]

And look at it this way, if the .44 mag don't get the job done then SOMEBODY will have a great story to tell his grandkids!!

[RollTide]

What everybody else said.  Just to give you a little more definite info from someone who has killed around 100 black bears with a 44 as a professional, here is a little of what our resident professional hunter, JJHACK, has to say on the subject.

When you read this post which follows Remember I'm not just blowing smoke, I've been there! The .44 magnum with a good load will fold up and kill any black bear alive with ease! I don't know who the fellow was that gave the presentation but my guess is that he is baised in some way against handguns, or has little faith in the average user(most likely). I have shot many dozens if not over a hundred with a 44 magnum and never lost a single one. As far as I'm concerned it's nearly the perfect gun for black bear hunting over bait or for as far as 75 yard shooting, maybe further!

JJHACK has some much longer, very informative posts on the subject if you want to search them out here at Graybeards.

Roll Tide

[BlkHawk73]

   People seem to think game animals require super magnum power cartridges for some reason.  The games animals haven't gotten tougher.  The .44 magnum is quite adequate and isn't nearly the minimum handgun cartrdige.  I'd prefer the .41 mag or .45 colt myself.  Any of these chamberings in a Ruger single action...happy bear hunting!