A good self defence round against bear?

[Masteroffajitas]

I just recently watched the edge. I also learned that around a camp site I was in during a canoe trip in nothern minnesota, there was alot of bear poop around my camp. So I've had bears on the brain for a few days. We were told by are outfitter to do the whole yell and throw rocks things but I'm not convinced this would do against a really hungry bear, you know, the one with a scar over his eye? A knife in his back, the local legend? Chances are we'd probably wouldn't come across such a bear, but what if we did?

I tryed looking up different rounds to kill a black bear, but there were just a bunch different answers and hunters saying what they've used, like I've gotten a bear with a .22 through the eyeball. I would want something that could drop him 20 feet away. My dad has a .40 but I'm not sure it could do the job unless you were really calm with good aim. Would a .44 do it? .50? What would kill him even if you got him in the neck or chest a few times? Rifles aren't allowed to be carried in those areas, so it'd have to be a handgun. I'm sure .454 would do it, but that's expensive. Could you get away with a .357?

 

[jca21]

i believe the standard in canada is a 12 gauge with 3 inch slug.

 

[Toucan Oasis]

Since your wording was defense, rather than hunting, I'd go with a Marlin 45/70.
You can hunt bear with it but at a limited range as opposed to a 338 mag etc.

OOOPS. Handguns only.
44 mag. will do just fine.
357 I really wouldn't recommend.You need bullet weight to hammer that thick skull.

 

[Skimo]

Angry bears have super adrenaline, or so it seems, if you're gonna shoot, aim, firing for the noise is grade A, politically correct bullspit. pump that sucker full of lead, if you're gonna shoot to save your life, act like it!

at close range you want a large mass exiting the barrel with extreme energy. 12 gauge shotgun IS your friend.

I know that I for one am not taking chances against an animal that is designed to eat anything. Big pistol is good, bigger is better so long as you can aim and squeeze quickly.

 

[koyote]

If you can comfortably handle a .41 or .44 magnum, with a heavy solid bullet- FMJ or JSP, then do it. If you are going to be a bit recoil shy (I personally find hot loaded .44magnum out of either model ruger hawk to be just uncomfortable to shoot, but a smith L is decent) - well, if it's going to be an issue, use a .357. Just, remember that penetration is right up there with shot placement on tough meat like that- you need heavy, solid, fast lead. FMJ or TMJ. NOT hollowpoints. closer you get to 200 grains and 1000fps the better.

There's not any autos I'd actually recommend after thinking about it. I'd go smith or maybe a taurus (the anaconda isn't bad, but I really like the glassy feel of a smith).

Black bear can stalk and surprise, otherwise I'd probably go with a TC with hot .45LC loads.

 

[PayetteRucker]

Around here we have no grizzlies and I carry a .357 Mag with 125 grain Federal Self Defense ammo, and easily has the energy transfer and velocity to drop a bear-if the first round doesn't do it I have 5 more in the cylinder and 20 more in the pack, with a speed loader in my pocket. 10mm Auto is the hot load to carry for bears both here and Montana, guys hunt both bears and lions with 10mm here. Craploads of energy transfer, larger magazine capacity and drops a good sized blackbear with one shot. The S*W 1000 series is a real popular piece, I see it alot out in the backwoods. I have a 9mm 6900 series which isn't a whole lot different and they are quality handguns. 10mm Auto's energy transfer is so good it shatters ballistic gelatin, one of two semi auto calibers that does so-10mm and .357SIG. 44mag is the round of choice for revolvers.

 

[Shotgun]

.44 mag and I would say that it would be marginal. 12 gauge 2 3/4 slug is what my friend was taught this last summer in Alaska.

 

[Fonly]

By rifles, does that include shotties for you?

If not, that would be the best, 3"-3.5" slugs, and dont bother with the pistol grip crap, I've seen broken wrists with that. Get something that you can shoulder fast, and take the buggers head off.

If it hs to be hand guns, some guides up here used to carry .357, but have moved to .44, there is really no doubt with that. You could do the glock in 10mm, which would also remove doubt as long as you have the training to go with it.

 

[PayetteRucker]

By rifles, does that include shotties for you?

If not, that would be the best, 3"-3.5" slugs, and dont bother with the pistol grip crap, I've seen broken wrists with that. Get something that you can shoulder fast, and take the buggers head off.

If it hs to be hand guns, some guides up here used to carry .357, but have moved to .44, there is really no doubt with that. You could do the glock in 10mm, which would also remove doubt as long as you have the training to go with it.

I would NEVER own a 10mm made from plastic... either a 1911 or the S&W 1000 series for sure.

 

[udtjim]

12 Ga, 45-70, 30-06, 375 H&H

44Mag, 454 and 480 Ruger.

Sherman Tank.

 

[Fonly]

I would NEVER own a 10mm made from plastic... either a 1911 or the S&W 1000 series for sure.

Thats the difference, I work in -40 to -50, I dont want my hands frozen to steel. Glock's poylmers have allready been proven to me, in my area and I trust them.

 

[DWK2]

There's enough good 44 mag ammo out that it is a decent choice these days.

On one wilderness river trip in Alaska I ran into a guy who used to be a bear control officer up in MT/ID. He was carrying a .357 with some heavy 180 grain rounds. I questioned it because there were some big brownies on that river (salmon were running). He said that he'd killed a number of bear, including Lower 48 Griz, with the .357 and that it would do the job. Nonetheless, if I were worried about bear and could handle the weight/recoil of a 44, that's the minimum I'd carry.

Personally, I carry an ultralight .357 only on longer backpacking trips in areas of black bear country where I'm not overly concerned about bear problems. I have a compact 44, a Freedom Arms 454, and a custom 500 Linebaugh for areas where I'm more worried but still not eager to carry a rifle or shotgun. In Alaska, I always bring a rifle or shotgun.

DancesWithKnives

 

[mckrob]

When I'm working in bear country, I carry a Winchester Defender 12ga with a Butler Creek folding stock loaded with 3" slugs.

The last bear I shot with it (in self defense) was from about 20' and one shot dropped it dead on the spot (this was after it tore into one of the tents while one of my guys was sleeping, he tore the pillow right out from under his head, I had shot this bear twice with plastic bullets earlier that night and he kept coming back, and very aggressive).

The other nice thing about the 12ga is that it can be loaded with deterents including rubber/plastic bullets and pyrotechnics (bangers and screamers). The downside is that the plastic/rubber bullets have been known to get stuck in the barrell, this is the last thing you need with a bear charging. In a camp situation I will sometimes keep one shotgun loaded with 8 deterrent loads, and another shotgun loaded with slugs, just in case.

I would never attempt to shoot with the stock folded, the idea of the folding stock is to make the shotgun more compact and easier to carry.

I also have a 357mag I carry sometimes depending on the job (the carry permit here is getting harder and harder to get), I've never tried to kill a bear with it but I have used it effectively to scare a bear away. It would be fine for black bears, but I wouldn't use it where I would expect a polar bear or grizzly... 12 ga only for me in these places.

 

[fishiker]

What would kill him even if you got him in the neck or chest a few times? Rifles aren't allowed to be carried in those areas, so it'd have to be a handgun. I'm sure .454 would do it, but that's expensive. Could you get away with a .357?

S&W 329, lightest 44 mag I own and more accurate than I expected it to be. 240 grain jacketed bullets over a reasonable amount of 2400 should do OK. The heavier 300 grain bullets may make the recoil a bit much.

 

[mollyhatchet]

Koyote is right. Use bullets that are for hunting tough game.

 

[Erlkonig]

Fukuro (Socket handle ) Nagasa (Mountain knife)

or call Matagi (Good ghost /Bear hunter )Nagasa and bear spear

The basic bear defense tool(except guns ) in Japan.

 

[RedbeAR15]

I like 10MM :thumbup:

 

[Calebklyne]

bearspray your hand gun will likely just piss it off

 

[Bushman5]

50 cal Browning!

 

[koyote]

bearspray your hand gun will likely just piss it off

This is, on the face of it- untrue. People hunt bear with handguns.

Now, seriously, my bear gun of choice would be a .375 H&H browning BAR. Next choice would be a 12 ga. pump shotgun, followed by a nice lever gun.

Since you are limited to pistol- my advice on the heavy and penetrating still stands. You can work up a .357 load that will do it- or buy one, if you don't have a handloader around. There are game rounds aplenty.

In order of preference- .41mag, .44 mag, .357mag --- the one thing I didn't bring up before is barrel length.

there's a REALLY HUGE difference in performance of all of these rounds between a 2 or 3 inch barrel and a 6 or 8 inch barrel. I'd rather use my K-38 with .38 +p JSPs out of the 6 inch barrel than a .357 in a 2 inch snubby.