Since Colt Manufacturing returned to the double-action revolver business in 2017, they have built on existing platforms to come up with some interesting variations. The Python .357 Magnum revolver returned to the Colt lineup in 2020, and subsequently, there are now 17 models with various barrel lengths, finishes, grips, and sights variations. The newest, and number 18, is the Grizzly.

Colt Grizzly Revolver

While bear attacks on humans are rare, since the 1700’s only 180 fatalities have been recorded, with a few folks victimized by bruins each year. A good percentage of states in the Continental USA have ursine populations in certain areas. The most widely dispersed is the black bear, known to inhabit at least 36 states. Brown bears and grizzly bears are limited to four to five northwestern states, while Alaska is home to all of these bears, plus the arctic areas of the state have polar bears.

Bears range all over Alaska and records show that from 2000-2017 some 68 known hospitalizations, and 10 fatalities are due to bear attacks. In the Lower 48, black bears are the most commonly encountered. My home state of Kentucky has the greatest population in the mountainous eastern region, but bears tend to wander and there have been confirmed sightings in a county adjacent to mine. As human population continues to intrude on bear territory, confrontations will only increase.

Good Bear Medicine

If you are going to be enjoying the “Great Outdoors” and you happen to be in bear country, a suitable sidearm can provide peace of mind. Bears are tough animals and they are also fast, so a handgun that provides both power and controllability would most certainly be in order. The new Colt Grizzly gives you just that. It is chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, the original “Magnum,” and will launch a 200-grain hard-cast lead, flat-nose bullet out of its 4.25-inch barrel at a velocity of 1,307 FPS, producing 758 foot-pounds of muzzle energy (more on this later). With an empty weight of 41.1 ounces and an overall length of 9.75 inches, it is portable firepower.

The Grizzly is a Python with some differences. Most notable is the non-fluted, six-shot cylinder that increases cylinder strength, and adds just an ounce or so of weight. Then there are the three round ports on either side of the barrel, close to the vent-rib, near the muzzle. There’s also the distinctive marking on the left side of the barrel COLT GRIZZLY, and embellished with a paw print. It is a traditional DA/SA revolver, with an exposed hammer, and is constructed of stainless steel and polished to a glossy finish. The black rear sight is fully adjustable, the front sight has a red ramp, and is interchangeable.

Grip & Trigger

Grips are Hogue OverMolded black rubber, with finger-grooves, and pebble texturing. Factory specs for the DA trigger pull is 7-9.5 pounds, and my test gun had an average pull weight of 9 pounds, 8.5 ounces. The single-action trigger pull averaged 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and its face is 0.25-inch wide and grooved. Fit and finish met all expectations for a product with the Rampant Colt logo. It comes in a Colt blue plastic carrying case, with foam rubber padding inside, an owner’s manual and safety padlock.

From the get-go, I decided there would be no .38 Special loads in this T&E and I was going for some of the best “Bear Cartridges” that I could find. Given their penchant for penetration and energy dump within the target, my first selection was Black Hills Honey Badger. Its solid copper bullet has an X-nose and flutes that give it a whirling/tearing effect as it buries deep inside the animated target. Next was the Heavy Outdoorsman load from Buffalo Bore. It has a 180-grain hard cast, lead flat-point (HC-LFP) bullet, with a copper gas-check (GC). Then there’s the Doubletap load; it has a 200-grain HC-LFP bullet. A lighter, but effective load, was Federal’s American Eagle, with a 158-grain JSP bullet. To top it off was the “Bear Load” from Hunting Shack Munitions (HSM), with a 180-grain HC LFP GC bullet.

Good Leather

For a bear country packing outfit, I looked to Galco. I wanted a holster that would both protect the gun and carry it in a position that allowed me to wear a coat or jacket, without hampering my access to the gun. A rig called the Big Iron Belt Holster answered my requirements. Fashioned from premium steer hide, with a smooth leather lining, it has a half-flap that secures the gun and keeps debris at bay. The flap has a glove-friendly polymer tab for security and easy release. While it comes with a polymer belt slot, I got the optional Belt Drop, that lowers the holster below the beltline and away from things like backpack waist straps. It will accommodate belts up to 1.75 inches and can be used with the holster’s leg thong.

For extra cartridges, I went with Galco’s Pick Six Ammo Carrier. It holds six revolver rounds for easy access for 2x2x2 loading, and uses four adjustable tension units to keep the ammo secure. It will also fit a 1.75-inch-wide belt. For a color-matching belt, I went with their SB2 Casual Holster Belt. It is 1.5 inches wide, made of premium steer hide, and like the holster and ammo carrier is tan in color.

How it All Works

The first step in my evaluation was to get some velocity figures; I wanted to see what kind of bullet speeds I’d get from the 4.25-inch ported barrel, using the heavy Magnum loads. I had to step back a bit further from the Sky Screens of my Oehler Model 35P chronograph than I usually must do for lesser handgun cartridges. I wasn’t disappointed; you can see the data in the performance table. Next, I put up a double bullseye target at 20 yards to see where the sights were with my test loads. I had to make a couple of elevation adjustments and was then ready to check accuracy potential.

Again, I used a distance of 20 yards, and shot three, five-shot groups with each test load. Shooting was done single action, from the bench, using a sandbag rest. Group averages ran from 2.11 to 2.53 inches, and usually my first group was the best one as these heavy loads pounded my septuagenarian hands. The tightest five-shot cluster measured 1.54 inches and was shot using the Buffalo Bore Heavy Outdoorsman 180-grain load. Second place went to Federal’s American Eagle 158-grain JSP. Point of aim was generally 6 o’clock of the orange bullseye center, and point of impact a bit low and left of center.

Bear Activity

Two things tend to enrage bears the most. With mother bears, it is what they perceive to be a threat to their cubs, and with almost all bears, it is an encroachment on their kill/food source. This is usually accidental and too close-up for comfort. For a somewhat realistic test of the Colt Grizzly on a charging grizzly, I had to resort to realistic paper targets. I placed the full-color, slightly undersized bear targets, affixed to a target backer down to the 20-yard line. Upon activating the target return switch, I attempted to present the .357 Magnum revolver in hard, bring it to bear (smile), engaging the charging bruin with six rounds before upon me. Then I repeated the exercise with each of the six test loads. Reloads came from the Pick Six Ammo Carrier.

Findings

I avoided the bear “mauling” me during this test phase, placing between one and four shots into the optical triangle/brain pan of the ursine target. My best performance was with the Federal 158-grain JSPs. Needless to say, they were more controllable in rapid fire, and quicker to get back on target. The big 180-200-grain slugs were more of a challenge, but still gave some good hits.

I don’t know how much the barrel ports helped, but the rubber Hogue grips soaked up a lot of recoil and helped me get back on my sights as quickly as possible. It is so nice to test a quality handgun. The last couple of handgun tests I’ve conducted suffered from some QC issues; not the big Colt. It ran like the proverbial top, with no malfunctions, brass ejected with aplomb, and nothing came loose or fell off.

One item of mention is the barrel ports. The upward jets of hot gasses do tend to dirty-up the red ramp front sight after several shots. This also marks up the barrel rib. A stainless steel brush and lead removal/polishing cloth takes care of that in a jiffy. I also had no issues with the Galco leather or with any of the ammunition. It was a fun and successful evaluation. Until I did some research, I never thought of myself in bear country, but now, in certain under-populated, wooded, and hilly sections of my county, it could be possible to encounter a bear. I certainly would have no qualms carrying the new Colt Grizzly as my outdoors companion. 

For more info, visit colt.com.

Colt Grizzly Specifications  

• MECHANISM: Traditional double action revolver
• CALIBER:  .357 Magnum
• CAPACITY: 6 cartridges
• BARREL: 4.25 in.
• OA LENGTH: 9.75 in.
• EMPTY WEIGHT: 41.4 oz.
• SIGHTS: Fully adjustable rear sight, red ramp front sight
• FINISH: Stainless steel
• STOCKS: Hogue OverMolded black rubber 
• MSRP: $1,599

Colt Grizzly .357 Magnum Performance

NOTE:  Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second 10 ft. from the muzzle by an Oehler Model 35P chronograph, and accuracy in inches for three 5-shot groups at 20 yards. HC LFP (Hard Cast Lead Flat Point), GC (Gas Check), FPE based on bullet weight and velocity.