Posted on 12/22/2023 4:10:37 AM PST by marktwain
"..the Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming sent a letter to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Office of Law Enforcement in Lander, Wyoming, officially declining prosecution in the Paint Creek grizzly bear shooting."
How long before reporting an encounter like this gets you jail time?
It is quite unusual to hear of a double action revolver carried with any empty chambers. The design won’t let them be fired unless the trigger is pulled back even if the hammer is snagged on something. I’m going to think he just wasn’t too familiar with his revolver’s operation.
His holster had previously accidentally cocked his gun, so he had the empty chamber for safety. That allowed time for the bear to get right on him.
Sounds like he needed a different weapon or holster.
In early summer of 2007, my wife and I, along with another couple, were on Goldwing motorcycles touring the western USA. We both were towing small MC trailers.
We were traveling thru Yellowstone NP on our way to West Yellowstone, Montana to spend the night. I was the lead bike that day. At one point, I saw two bears coming up out of the woods from my right side. I radioed my friend who was about 1/8 mile behind me that they were there and on the move. When he past the bears, he had to swerve a little bit to miss em. The bigger one took a swipe at em. The bear managed to just hit the back of his trailer, knocking it kinda sideways, but they managed to stay up.
When we got to the lodge, we looked his trailer over. Deep claw marks were gouged into the fiberglass.....these were never just gonna “buff out”.
We were fortunate that day, but we gained a healthy respect for western wildlife.
It was definitely a trip of a lifetime.
Carrying with an empty chamber as he did, is just silly. Even when busting your way through brush, the weapon will not cock itself against branches and twigs - it is too well protected in that model holster.
C.W.
“The very first time that happened (unintentional cocking), I’d get rid of that holster.”
No kidding. A new holster is cheaper than fixing a hole in your foot or a bear mauling. A holster that allows the gun to be accidentally cocked AND an exposed trigger. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
“That holster is a dead ringer for a Bianchi 5BHL. It is a very good thumb-break holster. Notice that the trigger is covered by this holster...”
The Bianchi 5BHL does NOT cover the trigger.
Well, it does look like the gun’s trigger would have been covered by the holster.
Did the gun have a five or six round cylinder? Only four rounds available seems risky.
I have a .357 Magnum revolver. Is that enough to stop a bear?
Not reporting a self-defense shooting well get you jail time.
The understanding that one defending one self against a bear attack has improved over the years.
The 357 mag loaded with the proper ammunition.
Has a fine reputation for getting the job done.
If the shooter does his part.
In one of four pistol failures to stop the attack, a .357 was used to fling lead sort of in the direction of the bear.
Then the shooter flopped down on the ground, covered his neck with his hands, and let the bear chew on him for a while.
Pistols work better to stop bear attacks if:
1. The person shooting actually tries to kill the bear.
2. The person shooting actually hits the bear.
A significant amount of time, warning shots work, but not all the time.
I’m just going by the photo in the original post. It might not be a Bianchi holster; I don’t know.
“I have a .357 Magnum revolver. Is that enough to stop a bear?”
Yes with well placed hard cast lead bullets (see Buffalo Bore). Should be good with black bears, probably marginal with griz.
“Carrying the revolver with an empty chamber proved to be very dangerous.”
Two empty?
It is implied there was one empty chamber.
“I’m just going by the photo in the original post. It might not be a Bianchi holster; I don’t know.”
Fair enough. If you blow up the original picture you can see that the gun is in the holster and the side of the trigger facing the camera is exposed.
“It is implied there was one empty chamber.”
Nope
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