A Ruger $200 Back Pocket Glock

[Sig]

Do you know how many of those 19 attacks resulted in serious injury or death of the human? Did all 15 of the handgunners survive?

I'm not sure how many died, but I know at least 10 of them were fine.
And I know more than half of the bears were soaked in bear spray.
Bear spray works good on nosey bears, but I've never heard of it working once on an attacking bear.
Check out the "Chukes Outdoor Adventures" youtube channel. He has been keeping track of handgun versus bear incidents. Also, the Ammoland website has a great list of all bear versus human incidents.
It all has a bit to do with luck.
We had an incident with a 1000 pound Coastal brown bear. It was shot 9 times with very large caliber rifles before it stopped. Then there was recently a guy who killed a big brown with one 9mm round.
As always, shot placement is key.
I carry a 10 mm because I'd rather have 16 rounds of 220 grain lead flat nose, than 6 rounds of anything from a revolver. I'm an experienced shooter, but getting one good shot while stumbling backwards on your butt is extremely difficult with 44 mag or 454 Casull. I can get at least 8 rounds off from my glock in the 1.5 seconds I'm falling backwards. I play the odds.

 

[Brad H]

LCP fine gun. But not a Glock.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I ALWAYS have my 45-70 very near. But having a handgun on my side or in a chest holster when doing things where a long gun isn't feasible, is priceless....and I'm very lucky I had it....several times.
Just a bit of background....very short.
In the mid 1990s I did my dissertation for grad school in a cabin owned by the state of Alaska. It was about 60 miles North of the arctic circle, in the Southern Brooks Range....between the Baird Mts and the Endicott Mts.
The cabin is 80 miles from a road, and over 100 from a hospital.
I spent 24 months there working with Yukon wolf/coyote hybrids mostly.
While just living....eating, gathering wood, doing dishes, cleaning up.....it's not possible to get to a rifle when an inland grizzly can be on you in under 2 seconds from the Alder. These bears have no fear of humans, most have never even smelled one.
Nosey bears are one thing, but angry bears are different. At points we had up to six big bears circling our camp and staying within 1/4 mile for weeks. They LOVED our smells.
We had a revolving assortment of professional guides and Alaska experts staying with us. We were setting raw meat traps all day in heavy bear, wolf and wolverine territory. Every one of them had a 44mag, 454 Casull or a 10mm on them at all times. Even going to the bathroom and while sleeping. Then I worked for the state of Alaska for a few years and did 19 necropsies on brown bears that were involved in attacks on humans. In 15 of those a handgun was used.
In 2009 my wife and I bought that cabin from the state. We used to spend a couple months there a year, but less recently. I'm going this summer for 2 weeks, then we are both going this October to do some hunting.

Yeah, they can be pretty damn forward in certain areas for sure.

To be clear, I think my initial comment came off wrong, I’m absolutely not advocating for one or the other, and in fact I would agree that if you’re in very brushy areas where an unexpected close encounter is a possibility, an appropriate handgun is certainly the better option.

The only reason I typically rely on my .300 win mag instead is that I am mostly in wide open country pursuing an animal that requires I carry it anyway, and I’m never alone. We’ve emptied a couple magazines into bears twice now (one charging, the other refusing to stop advancing) and they were down before they got within 20 yards.

As I said, I do have the .45 that I take with me if I know I’m going to be in brushy areas, although that specific one is not an ideal option its what ive got.

The bottom line is, there’s no way in hell I’m going out there without at least one of them! Relying 100% on bear spray is, IMO, foolish. Better than nothing certainly, but no replacement for a firearm.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Moose are far more dangerous than bears statistically. Bears can be nosey, but rarely angry. Moose are ALWAYS angry.

This is also 100% correct. People unfamiliar with them tend to think of them as just a big deer, but their attitude is far from it.

If they perceive you as being too close or threatening them (or even worse threatening their calves) they will absolutely come after you and they will fuck your shit up.

I’ve had more than one get pissed off and pursue me just because it turned out I was in fact NOT the female moose I was pretending to be.

There is also significantly more opportunities for an encounter with a moose. It can be as simple as walking out your front door in the middle of town without looking around first. Too close, you die.

 

[Sig]

Yeah, they can be pretty damn forward in certain areas for sure.

To be clear, I think my initial comment came off wrong, I’m absolutely not advocating for one or the other, and in fact I would agree that if you’re in very brushy areas where an unexpected close encounter is a possibility, an appropriate handgun is certainly the better option.

The only reason I typically rely on my .300 win mag instead is that I am mostly in wide open country pursuing an animal that requires I carry it anyway, and I’m never alone. We’ve emptied a couple magazines into bears twice now (one charging, the other refusing to stop advancing) and they were down before they got within 20 yards.

As I said, I do have the .45 that I take with me if I know I’m going to be in brushy areas, although that specific one is not an ideal option its what ive got.

The bottom line is, there’s no way in hell I’m going out there without at least one of them! Relying 100% on bear spray is, IMO, foolish. Better than nothing certainly, but no replacement for a firearm.

Absolutely.
Bear spray is for nosey bears in state parks. I know of at least a half dozen times people were killed by a bear after emptying a can of spray on the bear. I do still carry spray for those nosey bears.
Most bear attacks are from black bears. But that's just because there are more of them and we live amoung them. And, black bears hunt humans for food. Healthy brown bears only attack over territory,their food, and their young.
Most brown bear attacks are done by the bigger Coastal brown bear and Kodiak because thats where people are. There arent many people inland. But the inland grizzlies are meaner and more brave. I've never had to kill a bear, but I've come very close. I once had a tug of war with a grizzly over an Elk quarter in Montana. It took 3 days in freezing rain to get that elk, the bear wasn't getting it! He wasn't aggressive, just hungry. He had plenty to eat after we left.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Absolutely.
Bear spray is for nosey bears in state parks. I know of at least a half dozen times people were killed by a bear after emptying a can of spray on the bear. I do still carry spray for those nosey bears.
Most bear attacks are from black bears. But that's just because there are more of them and we live amoung them. And, black bears hunt humans for food. Healthy brown bears only attack over territory,their food, and their young.
Most brown bear attacks are done by the bigger Coastal brown bear and Kodiak because thats where people are. There arent many people inland. But the inland grizzlies are meaner and more brave. I've never had to kill a bear, but I've come very close. I once had a tug of war with a grizzly over an Elk quarter in Montana. It took 3 days in freezing rain to get that elk, the bear wasn't getting it! He wasn't aggressive, just hungry. He had plenty to eat after we left.

Hahhaha I've had a few similar encounters myself. Drawing down on a black bear with his front feet up on the end of our airplane float and me standing on the other (watery) end. We had been fishing, and he could tell we had been successful. Thankfully, that's as far as he pushed his luck and with enough yelling he backed off. Banging pots and pans at black bears trying to come up the steps of our cabin deck numerous times. Waking up to a brown nose stuck under the flap of our platform elevated wall tent at moose camp (I may have pooped a little that time), etc.

But yeah, they typically aren't interested in confrontation with humans unless they have a very good reason, as you said usually hunger or what they see as self-preservation. I've lived here my whole life (39 years now) and only ever had to dispatch 2, one grizzly, one black, and I've been in the woods my whole life. I've run far more than that off with nothing more than pots and pans or loud yelling from a safe distance.

 

[sardonicus87]

I think the Security 9 is a much better firearm for a $200 Ruger, just get slightly bigger pockets.

 

[telescopes]

Without a doubt, Ruger makes a fine gun and has great customer service. I can't complain.

I have no idea why an intelligent man insist on calling an LCP a Glock.

I've owned an LCP and I have a Glock. Damned if there is any way I could ever confuse the two.

Of course, for all the bravado about owning guns, shooting guns, the real question one has to ask, is it just bravado that some folks have about these guns?

If you are carrying a gun (in town) for any other reason than the fact that you might have to use it and actually kill someone, then it's all about bravado. They are weapons... not toys - unless it's all about sport and paper.

 

[FurCoat]

That's really nice. But I much prefer the ultimate 'pocket rocket' with the stopping power of a Cruise Missile, cheap acquisition cost, cheap to reload and if you run out of shots you can club your opponent to death with it. I must admit it is a little challenging in the 'Conceal Carry' department!

View attachment 392980

Yeah baby, now that's a hand cannon.

 

[FurCoat]

A Ruger is my copilot.
View attachment 392997

Mine also

 

[telescopes]

There is an argument I've heard made here that carrying a Glock is irresponsible because there is no safety. Horse rubbish. When it comes to self-defense, if you draw your weapon, you shoot to kill. Brandishing will get you in jail. If you feel you need it, you are pulling the trigger. While I carry mostly 1911s in Condition One - another bug a boo that do gooders hate - The gun is locked and loaded and ready to go with the use of just one hand. Again, hesitation, brandishing, none of these will get you any place but the morgue.

 

[Hillcrest]

 

[SmokingInTheWind]

Mine alsoView attachment 393287

Nice Security Six. Bonus points for the Trausch grips!

Here’s mine.

 

[Joe H]

I know this thread started off as a pocket pistol kind of deal, but since there have been so many nice handgun photos posted, I’ll add a couple more if no one minds. I bought a Security Six from a Military Police buddy in the early 80s. I didn’t really need it, but it was $75.00 and he just wanted to get rid of it. I had (still have) a nice long barreled Model 27 that shoots great and has amazing wood grips (I’ve recontoured and re-checkered them). As a favor to my future survivors, the Ruger will get sold this summer. I haven’t got an enormous gun collection, but a few could stand to go.

 

[Sig]

Without a doubt, Ruger makes a fine gun and has great customer service. I can't complain.

I have no idea why an intelligent man insist on calling an LCP a Glock.

I've owned an LCP and I have a Glock. Damned if there is any way I could ever confuse the two.

Of course, for all the bravado about owning guns, shooting guns, the real question one has to ask, is it just bravado that some folks have about these guns?

If you are carrying a gun (in town) for any other reason than the fact that you might have to use it and actually kill someone, then it's all about bravado. They are weapons... not toys - unless it's all about sport and paper.

There is no bravado about owning or carrying a gun. It's taking your own safety in your own hands. When seconds count, the cops are minutes away. The average police response time in the US is 23 minutes. That's too long when someone's trying to stab you, or a bear is actively attacking you. The average self defense incident takes place in 3 seconds or less, and uses 4 rounds or less. Thousands of people are assaulted, murdered, raped and kidnapped every day. Almost none of those people had a handgun on their person. Ive carried a handgun for 33 years. Not a single person has ever seen it, felt it or known I have it. Where's the bravado in that?
Ive been in this business for decades and I've never heard a single person who regretted carrying/owning a firearm. But I have heard MANY stories of people who have regretted not carrying/owning a firearm.
If so inclined, check out "Active Self Protection" on youtube. John Corriea is one of the top self defense instructors and experts in evidence based self defense. He has hundreds of videos of self defense incidents. Many with firearms, many without.
Many people don't see the need to carry/own a firearm. But there are also many who wish they had.
It's a good idea to not go to stupid places, with stupid people, at stupid times, to do stupid things...but sometimes you don't have a choice. It's nice to have the option to defend yourself in those situations.
But most self defense incidents happen when least expecting it at perfectly normal places, doing perfectly normal things.
Carrying a gun is kind of like having a pilot drop dead. You don't realize how important they are until you're heading into a mountain at 400 mph.
Or not having a fire extinguisher while watching your kitchen burn.
Is having a fire extinguisher showing bravado?

 

[NomadOrb]

Personally, I hate the LCP. Just never felt right in my hand. I shot a S&W Bodyguard 2.0 over the weekend and that thing is awesome. It's smaller than the LCP but feels like a normal gun in the hand. I shot it very accurately up to about 15 yards. I'm probably going to pick one up for those days when I'm not wearing a belt. Pocket guns are cool.

My daily carry is a Springfield Echelon 4.0c.

 

[telescopes]

There is no bravado about owning or carrying a gun. It's taking your own safety in your own hands. When seconds count, the cops are minutes away. The average police response time in the US is 23 minutes. That's too long when someone's trying to stab you, or a bear is actively attacking you. The average self defense incident takes place in 3 seconds or less, and uses 4 rounds or less. Thousands of people are assaulted, murdered, raped and kidnapped every day. Almost none of those people had a handgun on their person. Ive carried a handgun for 33 years. Not a single person has ever seen it, felt it or known I have it. Where's the bravado in that?
Ive been in this business for decades and I've never heard a single person who regretted carrying/owning a firearm. But I have heard MANY stories of people who have regretted not carrying/owning a firearm.
If so inclined, check out "Active Self Protection" on youtube. John Corriea is one of the top self defense instructors and experts in evidence based self defense. He has hundreds of videos of self defense incidents. Many with firearms, many without.
Many people don't see the need to carry/own a firearm. But there are also many who wish they had.
It's a good idea to not go to stupid places, with stupid people, at stupid times, to do stupid things...but sometimes you don't have a choice. It's nice to have the option to defend yourself in those situations.
But most self defense incidents happen when least expecting it at perfectly normal places, doing perfectly normal things.
Carrying a gun is kind of like having a pilot drop dead. You don't realize how important they are until you're heading into a mountain at 400 mph.
Or not having a fire extinguisher while watching your kitchen burn.
Is having a fire extinguisher showing bravado?

100 percent agree

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

This is also 100% correct. People unfamiliar with them tend to think of them as just a big deer, but their attitude is far from it.

If they perceive you as being too close or threatening them (or even worse threatening their calves) they will absolutely come after you and they will fuck your shit up.

I’ve had more than one get pissed off and pursue me just because it turned out I was in fact NOT the female moose I was pretending to be.

There is also significantly more opportunities for an encounter with a moose. It can be as simple as walking out your front door in the middle of town without looking around first. Too close, you die.

Absolutely. I spent a number of my kid years growing up in northern Minnesota and we were always warned about moose and black bears, especially if you see bear cubs. Moose tho, we’re more dangerous because people who aren’t familiar with them don’t respect them and then find themselves in some really bad trouble. If i still lived up that way I’d probably carry a wheel gun with me on my hikes.

 

[Sig]

Absolutely. I spent a number of my kid years growing up in northern Minnesota and we were always warned about moose and black bears, especially if you see bear cubs. Moose tho, we’re more dangerous because people who aren’t familiar with them don’t respect them and then find themselves in some really bad trouble. If i still lived up that way I’d probably carry a wheel gun with me in my hikes.

Looking at black bear attack statistics you will see the same "there is one black bear attacks in the US per year." That is absolute nonsense. Most are not reported. In some states killing a black bear, even in defense, can get you fined or worse. Killing a brown bear outside of Alaska, you're in big trouble.
We found that in Alaska about 1/3 of the attacks where the bear is killed, but the human is fine are reported. The native Alaskans almost never report...and they have a lot of bear interactions. The stats for reporting in the lower 48 are even lower.
The vast majority of black bear attacks are not in the stats because neither the bear or the human were injured badly.
Again, "Chukes Outdoor Adventures" on youtube has at least 6 black bear attack reports just from 2025 alone....that were reported. I've had 2 incidents in NYS where a black bear came at me aggressively. Both times a warning shot was fired and spooked the bears away...neither were reported. These may have been bluff charges, but without a gun, I may have found out they weren't bluffs.
A few years ago I came home to find a mama and 2 year old cubs on our porch. We beeped and yelled, they did not move. They were actively trying to enter our cabin. I approached them acting like a psycho, but the mama came at me. One round into the ground and they ran like they were on fire. My wife got pictures.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

View attachment 393302

I guess that the present descendant of the ol' Blunderbuss might be the American Gun Craft 12-gauge black powder pistols.