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9mm Handgun puts down Charging Bear
Am Shooting Journal ^ | 6/20/2018 | J Hines

Posted on 06/20/2018 5:07:12 AM PDT by w1n1

This Alaskan Guide has a true tall tale to tell you.
Phil Shoemaker, an experienced Alaskan hunting and fishing guide, was guiding a couple of clients on a salmon fishing trip in the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Alaska.

While there they encountered at close range with an angry bear.
Thank goodness nobody got hurt just the bear.
Whats amazing and you don't hear too often is that Phil stopped this raging bear with a 9mm pistol at close range.
Phil and his clients were lucky enough to walk away without a scratch.

Seasoned outdoorsman who pack hand cannons will chastised Phil to kingdom come. Phil was packing a S&W 3954 in 9mm, whats odd is he also owns S&W 629 chambered in 44 Magnum but chose to carry the 9mm on this day. I think the moral of the story isn't all about carrying a hand howitzer but you can carry a 9mm but supplement that with good quality ammunition, good shot placement and luck if you’re ever in an encounter with a bear.

Anyone that knows cartridges will understand that 9mm Luger does not have penetration compared to a more powerful cartridges such as .454 Casull or .500 S&W. In this instances, Phil the guide was packing a 9mm with 147 grain hard cast bullets made by Buffalo Bore. This was design for deep penetration. Read the rest of the 9mm handgun puts down bear story here.


TOPICS: Hobbies; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: 9mm; banglist; bears; blogpimp; getaneditor; momsbasement
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To: carriage_hill

Yep, that was definitely a Hail Mary....


21 posted on 06/20/2018 7:19:16 AM PDT by awelliott (What one generation tolerates, the next embraces....)
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To: w1n1
Anyone that relies on LUCK when dealing with firearms and bears is an IDIOT.

I wonder what he will carry with him the next time he goes into bear country?


22 posted on 06/20/2018 7:25:31 AM PDT by Delta 21 (Build The Wall !! Jail The Cankle !!)
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To: 1Old Pro

Bears are people too!


23 posted on 06/20/2018 7:28:42 AM PDT by Delta 21 (Build The Wall !! Jail The Cankle !!)
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To: Delta 21

Sorry, but I prefer my calibers a little bit larger ...


24 posted on 06/20/2018 7:28:50 AM PDT by BlueLancer (Antifa and Social Justice Warriors (SJWs) = SturmAbteilung)
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To: leopud

4-6 foot penetration into bone and flesh from a 9mm +p?

Crushing is so much more graphically entertaining than slipping and sliding but call me very skeptical.


25 posted on 06/20/2018 7:36:50 AM PDT by Delta 21 (Build The Wall !! Jail The Cankle !!)
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

1911 45 proven in 2 World Wars


26 posted on 06/20/2018 7:42:15 AM PDT by TheNext
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To: usconservative

If a bear is charging, you’ll empty all the rounds you have in a revolver, too.


27 posted on 06/20/2018 7:42:16 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (The ONLY purpose for gun control is so that one group can force its will on a less powerful group.)
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To: Henchster

Agreed.


28 posted on 06/20/2018 7:45:32 AM PDT by Fightin Whitey
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To: BlueLancer

That would work but I think the bazooka would be sufficient as well. Who worries about penetration when you have explosive rounds?


29 posted on 06/20/2018 7:45:37 AM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: w1n1; All

There have been four successful, documented uses of 9 mm handguns to stop bear attacks. One was a black bear in Colorado, two grizzlys in Alaska (the Phil Shoemaker account is one of these) and one grizzly in Montana.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2018/02/defense-against-bears-with-pistols-97_25.html


30 posted on 06/20/2018 7:53:27 AM PDT by marktwain (President Trump and his supporters are the Resistance. His opponents are the Reactionaries.)
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To: CommerceComet
That would work but I think the bazooka would be sufficient as well. Who worries about penetration when you have explosive rounds?

True, but not when you're aiming at the bear two counties away ...

31 posted on 06/20/2018 7:58:17 AM PDT by BlueLancer (Antifa and Social Justice Warriors (SJWs) = SturmAbteilung)
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To: 1Old Pro

There is this rumor about punctuation..


32 posted on 06/20/2018 7:58:45 AM PDT by jonascord (First rule of the Dunning-Kruger Club is that you do not know you are in the Dunning-Kruger club.)
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To: Mouton
I had heard, not supported, that a good number of natives in Alaska carry 243s. I love my 243 browning but I am not so sure I would take it with me into bear country.

I was recently watching a documentary about a survivor of a polar bear mauling returning to the site of the attack. The Canadian government requires armed guides to accompany visitors in this area. The video showed the guide loading the rifle: a .243 Winchester. I was astounded. Personally, I'd want a mid-.30 caliber magnum (probably a .358 Norma or a .338 Lapua as the Scandinavians apparently know how to deal with big bears) or a .45-70 with high-pressure bear loads.

33 posted on 06/20/2018 7:59:34 AM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: w1n1

Lacked penetration? Buffalo Bore 9mm hardcast gives 4 to 6 FEET of penetration depending on the bone vs soft tissue combo.

He shot it in the vitals because that was the shot he had. A brain shot didn’t present itself. But that round could have easily brained him through a bear skull.


34 posted on 06/20/2018 8:20:47 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

“I’d have thought that all a 9mm would do is make the bear angry.”

That’s true. Just ask anybody. Also a .25 acp can’t penetrate a leather jacket and can’t kill anyone.


35 posted on 06/20/2018 8:24:51 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Delta 21

yes, the description’s 4-6 feet seems optimistic...
But for the reference: NATO spec. 9mm 124 FMJ can penetrate in excess of 32 inches of calibrated ordnance gelatin as a “general rule”.


36 posted on 06/20/2018 8:36:51 AM PDT by leopud
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To: Delta 21

P.S. as further reference, for extrapolation...:
9mm 115 FMJ penetrates about 24 in of calibrated ordnance gelatin


37 posted on 06/20/2018 8:47:48 AM PDT by leopud
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To: leopud

Buffalo Bore is pretty meticulous in their claims. For example, they do not list ridiculous velocities from test barrels like most manufacturers. They list actual chrono results from specific pistols of varying barrel lengths.

IE.. they tell you from a 1911, a glock 19, and a subcompact of some kind.

If they say 4 to 6 feet, you can take it to the bank. It HAS been proven. And the variance probably depends on how much bone it has to break through.


38 posted on 06/20/2018 8:50:31 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: DesertRhino

Optimistic synonyms: auspicious, bright, encouraging, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, likely, promising, propitious, rose-colored, roseate, rosy, upbeat;


39 posted on 06/20/2018 9:45:14 AM PDT by leopud
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To: Mouton
My 25-06 Remington is a fine load for open range antelope and deer. But I would feel much more comfortable in Alaska heavy cover if my guide was "loaded for bear".

None of us were there but I'm glad it worked out for these folks.

40 posted on 06/20/2018 10:05:20 AM PDT by Sa-teef
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