Thinking about buying a Glock 20...need advice

[tcward]

I struggled with the same issue. For Alaska, I take a Ruger Alaskan in .454. It has a history of stopping charging Grizzlies. I bought a G29 for all other predators in lower 48. With the 15 round mag and some dangerous game hard cast, I would probably feel pretty comfortable with that vs the .454 in Alaska. Not sure if any thing has changed but, to shoot the hard cast, I need to change barrels in my Glock. If you decide on a 10mm for Alaska, you need the big boy ammo.

Yep. Buffalo Bore hardcast.

 

[treemanjohn]

A Glock 20 has been my everyday carry for over 20 years. I every/other with hardcast. It's certainly a potent handgun, no doubt. That said I don't think any handgun is a proper grizzly or brown bear killer when they're in defense or attack mode. They can eat a lot of lead. Bear spray appears to be the best at repelling

Best thing to do is train with an elevated heart rate.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

In grizzly country -

1) use bells to warn that you are approaching
2) carry and be ready and willing to use to use bear spray as a deterrent
3) be ready to draw the 10mm, be bold enough to TAKE A KNEE (so you are not shooting over it's back) and fire those 11 rounds of SERIOUS 10mm ammo as the target rapidly gets larger. PRACTICE!

 

[660griz]

A Glock 20 has been my everyday carry for over 20 years. I every/other with hardcast. It's certainly a potent handgun, no doubt. That said I don't think any handgun is a proper grizzly or brown bear killer when they're in defense or attack mode. They can eat a lot of lead. Bear spray appears to be the best at repelling

Best thing to do is train with an elevated heart rate.

Why I got the .454.
Charging Griz killed
I think bear defense with a handgun is underestimated. A study I just read stated 97% effective. Bells may be a deterrent but, some folks are hunting. You have to be quiet and hunt the wind. If archery hunting, you better have some deterrent you can get to. While I would carry bear spray, in a surprise attack with a fast charging grizzly, I aint pulling the spray. Spray is for the defensive charge, bluff charge when you can read the wind. If you have time to say, Hey, Bear a couple times, you can use spray.
If I had to choose between spray or handgun, it would be handgun all day. Anyway, most likely you will not need either but, better safe than bear scat.

 

[Dub]

A lot of people will recommend hand cannons. Understandably so.

You have to put the rounds in the bear for them to have a chance on working. What are you going to be most accurate with under pressure...swiftly ????

If you are already familiar with Glocks...and shoot them well.....it seems a small stretch to go with that G20. I've had one. Shoots much smoother than I thought it would....even with stout loads from Buffalo Bore, DoubleTap & Underwood.


I have a couple 10mm 1911 that I like shooting and no longer have the G20 but moved into a G40 MOS. Will be doing some enhancements to the gun this week, hopefully, to make it very range & hunting friendly: aftermarket trigger, red dot sight, aftermarket barrel that'll handle lead handloads and taller sights.

I wouldn't mess with any of that for what you are doing. Get the G20 and run it often and run it with the specific ammo you are using. Get solid on error recover, if such things occur (never had any trouble with any Glock before...so long as it was running stock parts).

Killed a few pigs... one of them was somewhat exciting situation with one coming my way at what was faster than I knew I could move, lol.

Wound up killing it....overkilling it....dumped a mag at & into it. This was a little pig on the ground I was walking on.....a charging bear would have the ole blood flowing. Take loaded spare mags, too.

 

[menhadenman]

I already own a Glock 22 in 40 cal which I really like and now thinking of the Glock 20 in 10mm.
The main reason is that I want to take a fishing trip to Alaska and future trips to Colorado/Montana for camping/fishing and I everything I read is that 40 cal isn't enough for the big predators one might encounter. Anyone chime in on whether the 10mm is worth it; also how easy/difficult it is to get 10mm ammo now. Thanks

My own suggestion would be to stick with the gun you’re comfortable with and pick up some hard cast bullets like Buffalo Bore and a Gunfighter’s Inc Kenai chest holster. Lived out west for work maybe 15 years. Used to carry a 44 mag in grizzly country but now tote a G19 in 9 mm. I’ve had two encounters, one in WY another in AK. Never fired a shot. Read the stories, you’d be surprised.

Then again, any reason for a new pistol is a good reason to get one! Good luck.

https://www.ammoland.com/2021/06/handgun-or-pistol-against-bear-attacks-104-cases-97-effective/

 

[Otisman]

I’ve had many glocks over the years. Only ones i shoot consistently well with are 20 and 30. Sold my only Glock 20 many years ago and regret it. Thinking about getting another.

 

[Big7]

I'd be taking a wheel gun and a magnum at that. 180gr bullet from a 357 mag is about 100 ft/sec slower than 10mm. Seems on the lower end for griz to me, good enough to knee cap your mates and run off though. I'd be looking for a 460 s&w or bigger.

At least a .44 Rem. Mag and premium hunting boolits or some hot, hard cast semi- wadcutter handloads. ?

 

[Big7]

Second thought, I rather have 15+1 10MM
with some COR®BON's DPX than 6 44's ?

 

[rosewood]

Guys, I have a great idea for an invention. Bear spray that mounts to the picatinny rail on your 10mm pistol. You can try the spray first and if it doesn't work, then unload the 10mm. Of course if the bear is just recovering from COVID, the spray will probably not work.

Rosewood

 

[deast1988]

I’d go glock 40 with the Delta point mini

 

[Big7]

I'm still going with the Glock 20 and COR®BON's DPX

15+1 of those will solve any problem you may encounter unless you are in Africa.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You done got me thinking about getting a Glock 20 ?

 

[Handgunner454]

I already own a Glock 22 in 40 cal which I really like and now thinking of the Glock 20 in 10mm.
The main reason is that I want to take a fishing trip to Alaska and future trips to Colorado/Montana for camping/fishing and I everything I read is that 40 cal isn't enough for the big predators one might encounter. Anyone chime in on whether the 10mm is worth it; also how easy/difficult it is to get 10mm ammo now. Thanks

I have a G20 and carry it bear hunting here in GA and also on sheep hunts in MT and Moose in WY. It’s a common carry for outfitters in Grizzly country. I also have a Ruger Alaskan in 454. Either will do the job assuming you can shoot under pressure. I had a griz at 50 yards in MT but yelling was good enough even those 1 hand was on the 10mm and the other on pepper spray.

 

[Handgunner454]

I'm still going with the Glock 20 and COR®BON's DPX

15+1 of those will solve any problem you may encounter unless you are in Africa.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You done got me thinking about getting a Glock 20 ?

Underwood Xtreme Penetrator 140 gr. are great too.

 

[Ratrzcer1991]

Never been in grizzly country, but I’d feel ok as long as I had my Glock 40 and a mag full of hot loads.

 

[Dennis]

I have a friend who was charged by a grizzly and he had a 10mm glock he said it felt like he had a BB gun. He now carrys a 44 mag at the least

 

[Ratrzcer1991]

I have a friend who was charged by a grizzly and he had a 10mm glock he said it felt like he had a BB gun. He now carrys a 44 mag at the least

It would be a less desirable situation, I practice very very frequently. As stated above, got to put the rounds in the kill zone regardless. I’ve never been in a grizzly bear charging me situation, so I’m not sure how I would react. I would hope that muscle memory took over.

 

[transfixer]

I'd have to seriously think about my choice if I were going to griz country, but I believe I'd lean towards one of the larger revolvers, .454, 460 or .500, prbly ported to reduce the recoil, and I'd have to have some serious penetrating rounds, not sure how thick a grizzly skull is , but I wouldn't want to trust boiler room shots to stop one before it got to me.

 

[rosewood]

I have a friend who was charged by a grizzly and he had a 10mm glock he said it felt like he had a BB gun. He now carrys a 44 mag at the least

And he survived?

 

[Dennis]

It worked but he said he wants something bigger