In stockShips to FFL
Taurus
★ 4.7 (104)
$618.11
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 4.0
Home / Bear defense / .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum & big-bore revolvers for bear defense
Stainless revolvers in .44 Magnum and heavier — the traditional sidearm for guides, anglers and anyone working in brown-bear country.
Revolvers handle heavy hard-cast loads without worrying about feeding, and a short stainless gun shrugs off rain and river water. The trade-off is fewer rounds and more recoil than a 10mm, so train with full-power ammunition.
Looking for the short-barrel Ruger? See the Super Redhawk Alaskan.
Big-bore revolvers in stock
Search .44 Magnum →In stockShips to FFL
Taurus
★ 4.8 (98)
$704.94
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.5
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Taurus
★ 4.7 (96)
$699.19
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 4.0
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.9 (79)
$1569.74
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.5
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Taurus
★ 4.6 (77)
$619.26
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 4.0
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.9 (75)
$1831.36
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 8.38
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (64)
$723.91
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 8.37
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Ruger
★ 4.9 (57)
$1355.84
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 2.5
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Taurus
★ 4.8 (52)
$870.54
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 8.37
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Taurus
★ 4.8 (51)
$878.59
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.5
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.8 (50)
$1239.11
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.0
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.9 (49)
$1209.21
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.5
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.9 (49)
$1687.61
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 5.0
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.7 (43)
$1259.24
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 3.0
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Ruger
★ 4.9 (39)
$1355.84
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 2.5
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Smith & Wesson
★ 5.0 (37)
$1292.01
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.5
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.6 (30)
$1454.16
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 2.63
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Smith & Wesson
★ 4.8 (29)
$1097.66
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 2.75
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Smith & Wesson
★ 5.0 (24)
$2121.74
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 10.5
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Taurus
★ 4.8 (24)
$1023.49
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 8.37
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Taurus
★ 4.9 (21)
$1094.79
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 3.0
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Ruger
★ 5.0 (20)
$1355.84
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 7.5
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Ruger
★ 4.9 (18)
$1355.84
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 7.5
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Taurus
★ 4.2 (17)
$1164.36
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 8.37
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Ruger
★ 4.8 (15)
$1241.99
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 4.2
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Ruger
★ 4.6 (14)
$972.89
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 4.62
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Ruger
★ 5.0 (13)
$1328.24
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 9.5
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Ruger
★ 4.7 (13)
$990.71
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 10.5
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Ruger
★ 4.6 (13)
$1494.99
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 5.5
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (12)
$1013.71
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 6.75
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Ruger
★ 5.0 (11)
$945.29
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 7.5
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Taurus
★ 4.3 (9)
$1016.59
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 6.75
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (7)
$1023.49
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 5.13
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (7)
$999.34
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 8.4
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (6)
$956.79
Capacity: 6 | Barrel Length: 5.12
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Taurus
★ 5.0 (6)
$1039.59
Capacity: 5 | Barrel Length: 8.37
Common questions
Is .44 Magnum enough for bear defense?
It is the classic bear-country revolver cartridge. With heavy hard-cast bullets it penetrates deeply, and it has more power per shot than 10mm. Larger cartridges (.454 Casull, .460, .480, .500 S&W) hit harder still, at the cost of recoil and weight.
Will a .44 Magnum stop a bear?
No handgun guarantees it — placement decides the outcome. A .44 Magnum with a deep-penetrating bullet is a serious cartridge, but it only works if you can hit vital organs quickly under stress, so practice with full-power loads.
What is the best .44 Magnum revolver for bear?
A stainless revolver with a barrel short enough to carry comfortably — roughly 3 to 5 inches — and grips that tame recoil. The Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan and similar short, heavy-frame revolvers are popular because they hold up to heavy loads.
.454 Casull vs .44 Magnum?
The .454 Casull is noticeably more powerful and its chamber also fires .45 Colt for practice. The .44 Magnum recoils less, and its ammunition is easier to find. Both are proven in bear country.
Before you carry in bear country
- Practice with the loads you'll carry. Full-power bear loads recoil much harder than range ammunition. Shoot them enough to hit quickly under stress.
- Carry it where you can reach it. A chest holster keeps a handgun clear of a pack's hip belt and waders.
- Consider bear spray too. Many people in the field carry both; they solve different problems.
- Know the rules where you'll be. Carry rules differ on federal land, in parks and on private land — see our Alaska gun laws guide.
- If you do have to shoot. In Alaska, a bear killed in defense of life or property must be reported to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the hide and skull salvaged and surrendered. Check the current ADF&G rules.
Every firearm ships to a licensed FFL dealer for your background check. Handguns require buyers 21+. How shipping works