The Top 40

44 Mag, 45 Long Colt, 45-70 are plenty big enough for any dangerous game in North America. The trick is, see them before they see you. When you're out in the woods, you are in their house.

Wheel guns can't jam. Pull the trigger-bang. No bang, pull the trigger again.

You don't need 15 rounds. Hit what you're shooting at the first time.

I doubt I'd shoot it very often but I wouldn't mind having one in my stable.

I always carried a .45 Long Colt revolver as my backup gun when I was bow hunting. Never needed it, but it was nice to know it was there on my hip.

I did have to draw on a large bear only a few years ago. He saw me first. Made me wonder seriously if .357 magnum was enough gun for him. Comes down to shot placement. And, my favorite thing: velocity.

You want more rounds, faster (longer barrel), and "right-sized" ammo. As I was contemplating what had just happened to me, I was amazed at how many experts online had not really shot a bear, but had much to say @ it. I had to search hard and find guys who'd actually done the deed.

The .45 is consider too small a round, and yet the week after my encounter a guy shoots a raging griz in Denali NP and lives to tell the tale. I believe he used 11 rounds.

Other "experts" were all, "the bullets will bounce off his skull." Then, look up .357 magnum versus cinder block on You Tube. Anyway, bigger is great, but I'd want 6 rounds plus a longer barrel. That's just me.

Bought a S&W 629 back in '05. Ran a few boxes through it to see which brands it liked. About the fifth or six box was some Magtech 240 grains.

First shot BANG, second shot BANG, third shot nothing. Not nothing as in bad primer or firing pin. Nothing as in locked up. Cylinder would not move, no double action, no single action, nothing.

Took it back to the shop and the owner took it in back to look at it. Got the cylinder freed up and we tried it again in his range, same ammo. Same thing. Lots of residue on the cylinder face but no other signs of trouble.

Sent the gun back to S&W, they turned it around in less than a week, thing's worked fine ever since, any and all ammo (and believe me, I tried them all, including what was left of the original Magtechs--who btw, make excellent ammo--never had an issue before or after).

ANY.Gun.Can.Jam.