Bear Defense Handgun Caliber

[waltercervantes]

I have read frequently about the need for 10mm for bear defense, and I wondered about the data supporting this idea, as I enjoy hiking, and occasionally travel to "bear" country.

I recently came across this article, and it seems to suggest that many calibers are quite effective, with specific data from actual bear encounters over the years.

What do you guys think? Is 9mm FMJ as effective as 10mm? I'm certainly more accurate with the former, so YMMV, perhaps.

 

[OkieStubble]

While there are varying opinions on “what’s best” for bear, a general consensus overall is nothing less than .357 Magnum fo black bear, which is a smaller breed of bear, then the Kodiak Brown bears of Alaska.

.44 Magnum, 10mm, and anything bigger is best for brown bear. Self defense pistol calibers such as .38, 9mm and .45 ACP should be a good choice for human self defense but might be very underpowered for any type of reliable defense against bears.

 

[nortac]

^ What he said! My choice would be 10mm (heavy loads, not all are), .44 Magnum or Heavy loaded .45LC. Like Buffalo Bore loads heavy. If you have trouble shooting these, then you need to practice with them (I would), perhaps starting light and working up to the heavier loadings. I would think that 10 mm in a Glock 20 would be the easiest to shoot, but as always, YMMV.

 

[Ad Astra]

^ What he said! My choice would be 10mm (heavy loads, not all are), .44 Magnum or Heavy loaded .45LC. Like Buffalo Bore loads heavy. If you have trouble shooting these, then you need to practice with them (I would), perhaps starting light and working up to the heavier loadings. I would think that 10 mm in a Glock 20 would be the easiest to shoot, but as always, YMMV.

Good to see. 45 Colt mentioned. Not just a cowboy caliber!

Will say, a can of bear spray might give options - since we're carrying things.


AA

 

[Columbo]

I don’t know about other bear varieties, but 9mm is not going to stop an adult black bear. An attacking bear will keep coming at you for a time even after being fatally wounded.

Like the others have said, 10mm or .44 magnum. And plenty of it.

 

[nortac]

Good to see. 45 Colt mentioned. Not just a cowboy caliber!

Will say, a can of bear spray might give options - since we're carrying things.


AA

A heavy loaded .45 LC in a suitably strong pistol can have more power and a heavier bullet than a .44 mag.

 

[BigFoot]

A heavy loaded .45 LC in a suitably strong pistol can have more power and a heavier bullet than a .44 mag.

Bring a Super Redhawk and use both.

 

[ackvil]

I visited a Cabellas store that has a rather interesting display. One of the larger brown bears was taken down according to the sign by a Smith & Wesson500. I was curious about what that gun looked like. I went to the gun department to see the revolver. They had one in the display case and the salesman said it was over 15" and weighed without ammo over 4 pounds. It was impressive.

 

[Columbo]

I visited a Cabellas store that has a rather interesting display. One of the larger brown bears was taken down according to the sign by a Smith & Wesson500. I was curious about what that gun looked like. I went to the gun department to see the revolver. They had one in the display case and the salesman said it was over 15" and weighed without ammo over 4 pounds. It was impressive.

View attachment 1149754

Yes. S&W makes a bi-pod stand for that one.

 

[JCarr]

My dog looks like a bear. But she likes people...and grub. This is her asking for more grub.

Sorry...off topic. I vote for the Dirty Harry calibre...44 magnum.

 

[McBlade]

What do you guys think? Is 9mm FMJ as effective as 10mm? I'm certainly more accurate with the former, so YMMV, perhaps.

There are two theories here.

One is to carry a heavy caliber weapon with real bear-stopping power.

The other is to make sure someone else in the party is carrying a heavy caliber weapon with real bear-stopping power. Because of the extra weight, it should be fairly easy to outrun them.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I live in bear country. I’ve experienced an angry adult black bear tearing through the the bush at full speed, snapping small trees like twigs. I’d rethink the pistol for serious defence.

 

[Toothpick]

Black - attack
Brown - lay down
White - goodnight

That’s all I know about bears.

 

[snowman]

I own a cabin and hunting property on the US Canada border in northern Minnesota. the primary predators are black bears and timber wolves. Ive hunted these woods for 40 years for moose, grouse, bear, and deer. In 40 years I had a single pucker moment with a mother black bear and her two cubs. Never once felt concerned about wolves. They are far to shy and far to smart to get near enough for an encounter.

As far as black bear goes. When I’m in the woods alone I carry a S&W 629 .44 mag with an 8 3/8” barrel. Hand loaded rounds with H110 pushing hand cast hard semi-wadcutters weighing around 245 grains including the gas check.

Ive used this same round to take two bears while hunting. One a 315 pound male, the other a 285 pound sow. I didn’t hunt with the S&W, I was using a Winchester Model 94 Trapper chambered for 44 mag for both bears. I believe it has an 18“ barrel so the velocity is a bit higher than out of the pistol.

In Minnesota you hunt bears from a tree stand, so it’s generally a close downward shot, under 25 yards. The 44 mag out of the carbine performed admirably with quick humane kills on both animals.

So...I’ve rarely had bear encounters....yet carry a large handgun...the 629 ain’t light....when tromping alone in the woods. Why? Cuz those two Black bears I got hunting impressed the begeebers out of me. The smaller of the two could take my head off as easily as sneezing. When I say I’ve on,y had one pucker moment in 40 years that isn’t to say I rarely see bears. On the contrary, I’ve enjoy many hours watching them and they are remarkably fast and strong.

When I had the encounter with momma bear...we met each other on a narrow game trail about 30 yards apart. I had the Smith on a hip holster and was out for a hike with a gps marking future Hunting stands. Somehow mom and cubs got between me and the truck. Mom snorted at me, I got big and loud as this usually backs them down. Her cubs treed mom charged and I puckered. She covered 20 yards before I could even react. She stopped, backed off, I tossed The gps, grabbed Smith, pointed it at mom, and sang to her as I walked slow,y backwards down the trail. She snorted a few times, and stayed with her cubs.

5 minutes later I was well down the trail and I’m not to proud to say that andrenaline had me shaking so badly I had to set the weapon on the ground because I couldn’t get it back In the holster. The song I sang...just sort of popped in my head Ive no idea why...and started coming out my mouth. Cat Stevens Father and Son. Have t heard it since the 70s and 5his happened in 98. Very odd.

 

[ShaverAZ]

Carried .357 mag for many years with a 160 Gr. Softpoint 'bear load'. Upgraded several years ago to a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .41 Mag.

 

[shoelessjoe]

I own a cabin and hunting property on the US Canada border in northern Minnesota ... 5 minutes later I was well down the trail and I’m not to proud to say that andrenaline had me shaking so badly I had to set the weapon on the ground because I couldn’t get it back In the holster. The song I sang...just sort of popped in my head Ive no idea why...and started coming out my mouth. Cat Stevens Father and Son. Have t heard it since the 70s and 5his happened in 98. Very odd.

Also odd, too, is that following graduation, my best friend during the HS years relocated up to Blackduck, MN ... that, and Steven’s rite of passage anthem, Father & Son, just happened to be our favorite song...

 

[Ad Astra]

Yes. S&W makes a bi-pod stand for that one.

Yes, it's over there with the Bond Arms .45-70 Derringer...

AA

 

[OkieStubble]

My dog looks like a bear. But she likes people...and grub. This is her asking for more grub.

View attachment 1149790

Sorry...off topic. I vote for the Dirty Harry calibre...44 magnum.

No such thing as off topic when it's a good lookin' dog. And that's a good lookin' dog!

 

[Tarak83]

Once asked a gun shop owner the best 9mm caliber for bear defense. His advice was surprising. The #1 thing is to file off the front sight.....

....so it hurts less when the bear shoves it back up your ***.

 

[Bhugo]

I have had a few close encounters with black bears. Most of them on my family property in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Anything that makes a bang will scare away most black bears in areas you don’t want them. Firecrackers included.

If they actually charge you, it’s usually a fake charge. Some people say they can tell a fake charge from an attack. I’m too busy filling my britches to decide. I have been charged 3 times.

The first one, I had a loaded 338 mag model 700 aimed at it. We were recovering a dead bear during season. I didn’t shoot because it stopped 20 feet away and I t was dark. I didn’t have the gun even pointed in the right direction until it stopped. There were several bears around us making noises and charging and I was the only one out of 3 guys with a weapon. If that bear wanted to, it could have gotten to me. I might have shot it, but unless you crank one in the brain from that distance..... I shot in front of it and it ran. Scariest moment in my outdoor adventures.

A couple other times I was charged setting/checking traps. Both times armed with a 22 revolver But never drawn. Both in the daylight. Both charges were scary, but one of them the bear got close. She wasn’t huge, but still good sized. A shovel was my weapon of choice, as it was in my hands, and I came damn close to hitting her before she detoured. She dodged my swat and detoured right past me. The other stopped a ways away and I just yelled (screamed in terror) before it ran off. Never tried to even draw. Both hands came up to punch in a pure reaction.

I don’t think any gun, unless you have it in your hand, will be useful in most close charges. From a distance if you notice them, with time, a 9mm with deep penetrating bullets is fine for black bears. Of course bigger is better. They die relatively easy with a decent shot, get scared easy, and are rarely act aggressive. If you get surprised, and they mean business.... A shotgun is probably your best bet. Drawing a pistol and aiming takes time. Unless they are on you, any bang is very scary in itself to them in my experience. If they are on you, you better be ready with your weapon.

Brown bears I have no experience with. I backpack a lot and have been in big bear country. I didn’t carry anything in the past most times. 44 revolvers are too heavy. I had a beautiful model 29, but just way too heavy after carrying it a couple trips. I’m looking at a much lighter 10mm. I don’t know how effective either would be, but it sees to be highly debatable from my research. Keeping your head while getting charged is really scary with a black bear, I cannot imagine being charged by a big brown bear. I’d probably drop dead from fear if I saw it...

I’m not sure I’d worry about what gun with a black bear. I often carry just a 22 revolver or a knife in my woods. Just whatever you are comfortable with is best. Experts all say 10mm or bigger for brown and 44 mag or bigger for coastal grizzlies.... I have no experience there.

If I were going into known dangerous place, I’d carry a shotgun with slugs. When we track bears in the dark we get our shotguns now. Thats just not feasible most days though. A 7 or 8 pound gun really limits you in your woodland activities.

I‘M interested in your decision if you buy a new gun @waltercervantes.

Regards