[Jeff Higgins]

I still have a big old knob on the joint of my right thumb from where a 3" M29's cylinder latch nailed it. And that was 20 years ago. Shooting Elmer's old load of the Lyman #429421 over 22 grains of 2400, the recoil flipped it up so hard that damn latch took the meat off right down to the bone. Granted, losing a 1/4" diameter chunk of thumb meat would be far preferable to some other outcomes in bear country. Little guns with big horsepower do hurt, though, and about all you can do is lessen that a bit.

Have you considered a single action? Cut a Ruger down to about 3" and put their aluminum grip frame on it. I find the grip shape really helps with the big boomers, and there are no protrusions to bite you like that damn latch. Not the quickest to reload, especially if you cut them way down and eliminate the ejector rod, but I'll make that concession. If I have to stop to reload after shooting at Mr. Bear, I'm probably in big trouble anyway.

So, do you know why Alaskan guides insist their clients remove the front sights from their revolvers? Most clients guess it's because any griz encounter will be so close they won't need it, and it will come out of the holster faster. But they would be wrong... It is purely so that (when the bear is done with you) it won't hurt so bad when the guide has to pull it back out of your ass. It's kind of their endearing way of saying a handgun ain't gonna help much.... Still, most of us feel better with one.