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Handguns in Defense Against Bears by Caliber | .357 Magnum
AmmoLand ^ | June 29, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 07/06/2024 4:11:01 AM PDT by marktwain

The most important aspect, if a confrontation occurs, is to have a firearm available, easily and quickly accessible. The specific caliber is less important. These updates include all the incidents we have been able to document to the date of the update after several years of intense searches. We have always sought examples of failures. We appreciate readers who help us document more cases.

Here are all the cases that have been documented where .357 Magnum caliber revolvers were fired in defense against bears. These cases do not include incidents where handguns were used with other lethal means or a mix of handgun calibers were used. If more than one handgun of the same caliber was used, the incident is included.  There are 14 incidents with a .357 caliber revolver (3 black, 10  brown, 1 polar bear), and 1 incident was a failure with a brown bear. 1 incident was indeterminate. The incidents are listed chronologically.

We have found fourteen cases in which .357 magnum revolvers were used to defend against bears. Twelve were successful, one was unsuccessful against a brown bear, and one was indeterminate.

September 1956 or 1957 — Geologist Alex Burton, Highland Valley, British Columbia, .357 Magnum Colt revolver, Black Bear.

I interviewed Alex Burton. The details of his cases have been detailed on AmmoLand before. When Alex arrived at the scene, the Cook had gone back to the dump. Alex had to retrieve his 357 Colt revolver, unlock the box it was in, retrieve ammunition from another box, and load it. While he was doing this, the Cook came running back from the dump, with the bear chasing him.


(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 357; banglist; bear; bearrepublic; bearsrepeating; defense; unbearable
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To: mabarker1

You shouldn’t use hollow points for bears. Penetration is key. FMJ or lead.


21 posted on 07/06/2024 8:10:28 AM PDT by SACK UP
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To: riverrunner

I suspect that there have been a lot of incidents never reported due to the fear of the human becoming the perpetrator. If I killed a bear in self defense and had no wounds, no way I would report it unless it was witnessed by others.


22 posted on 07/06/2024 8:14:20 AM PDT by Mean Daddy (Every time Hillary lies, a demon gets its wings. - Windflier)
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To: marktwain
House guest (a nutcase California "liberal"), upon learning that we have an arsenal in our house:

"Oh...! I think such things are best left to the police."

My Wife:

"Out here in the Middle of Nowhere? I don't think so."

23 posted on 07/06/2024 8:17:16 AM PDT by Savage Beast (Trump defeated the entire Philistine Army using the jawbone of an ass, the ass being Joe Biden.)
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To: ALASKA

Bear spray, air horns, bells, flares are all recommended by the pro-bear anti-people crowd.

Personally I found firearms work very well against bears.

One of the reasons handguns work well and are very popular is you can have them with you all the time.

Even when doing chores ect.

Where as long guns seem to get set down often.


24 posted on 07/06/2024 8:38:14 AM PDT by riverrunner
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

Great penetration through three people.


25 posted on 07/06/2024 8:47:31 AM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore.)
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To: SACK UP

45ACP:

https://underwoodammo.com/45-super-200-grain-xtreme-penetrator/

https://underwoodammo.com/45-super-255gr-flat-nose-black-cherry-coated-hard-cast-hunting-ammo/

https://underwoodammo.com/45-acp-230gr.-range-supply-full-metal-jacket-hunting-ammo/

https://underwoodammo.com/45-raptor-245gr-xtreme-penetrator-solid-monolithic-hunting-self-defense-ammo/

44 Magnum:

https://underwoodammo.com/44-remington-magnum-255gr.-keith-type-semi-wadcutter-gas-check-black-cherry-coated-hard-cast-hunting-ammo/

https://underwoodammo.com/44-remington-magnum-p-340gr-flat-nose-gas-check-black-cherry-coated-hard-cast-hunting-ammo/

https://underwoodammo.com/44-remington-magnum-160gr.-xtreme-hunter-solid-monolithic-hunting-self-defense-ammo/


26 posted on 07/06/2024 9:44:52 AM PDT by mabarker1 ( (Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress!!!)
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To: riverrunner
Had a cabin out in the sticks on the Kenai River in Alaska so bears were not that uncommon.

Most of them were just out doing bear things and would not bother you if you did not bother them.

Some bears could be aggressive and problematic especially if you had a bunch of salmon they wanted. If I saw a bear I'd just go find some place else to be . Alaska is a big place with lots of room. And if a bear really wanted that salmon he could have it as long as didn't bother me. Alaska has plenty of fish for everyone.

Very seldom did a bear take a personal interest in me.

General consensus in my area was that air horns were better than gunshots at scaring them off.

Have a negligent discharge phobia so shooting a gun randomly into the air is something I try to avoid and shooting a gun at a bear is aggressive and is likely to provoke them as much as it scare them off.

Fortunately my neighbors were mostly locals who were very experienced at identifying and dealing with problematic bears.

That said, a Springfield Armory FN FAL bush rifle and a Dan Wesson 357 revolver were my preferred bear protection guns.

27 posted on 07/06/2024 10:46:00 AM PDT by rdcbn1
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To: rdcbn1

shooting a gun at a bear is aggressive and is likely to provoke them as much as it scare them off.

I take it you never shot a bear. I have shot many.

IMHO having killed bears with rifles, shotguns and a couple different handgun calibers.

I have found shooting at them makes them very dead.

IMHO saying it makes the aggressive is a old wife’s tale.

Shooting a bear with a proper caliber in a proper place kills them really quick.

Other wise hunters wouldn’t use firearms.

Many thousands of bears are killed every year without a fuss.


28 posted on 07/06/2024 11:37:42 AM PDT by riverrunner
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To: riverrunner

Thinking you misunderstood, probably because I was unclear.

My point was that facing off with an aggressive bear and firing a warning shot with no intention of hitting them to try to scare it off may backfire and provoke an attack.

If all you have is a revolver to defend yourself it wastes ammo you might need pretty badly.

If you feel you are seriously in danger from a bear it may be wise to shoot the thing with a well placed shot while it is standing still or moving slowly at a safe distance than trying to kill a charging bear at short distance with a revolver with four rounds loaded in the chambers.

Not sure how this is controversial


29 posted on 07/06/2024 1:01:30 PM PDT by rdcbn1
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To: mabarker1

JHP out of a 45 aren’t the best, need penetration to get to the “boiler room”. A lot of people in bear country carry the Glock 20 in 10mm. There has been good results, even with FMJ ammo. You have 15+1 in it, and it is easy and fast to reload (tapered mag loads faster than a 1911 straight mag).


30 posted on 07/06/2024 1:18:28 PM PDT by Aut Pax Aut Bellum (What did Socialists use before candles? Electricity)
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To: Cobra64

That’s equal to an 18 round magazine.


31 posted on 07/06/2024 1:41:52 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: rdcbn1

I agree.

But Most modern revolvers are very safe to carry fully loaded.

Why one would carry a modern revolver not fully loaded is a mystery to me.


32 posted on 07/06/2024 1:49:28 PM PDT by riverrunner
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To: Aut Pax Aut Bellum

See 26

I have plenty of loaded Magazines from 7 to 15 rounds.


33 posted on 07/06/2024 2:55:00 PM PDT by mabarker1 ( (Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress!!!)
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To: Bob434

Thanks for the link. Yes, this guy has hordes of shotgun shell types. Looks like a fun hobby just experimenting with this stuff.

My own experimenting with self defense loads is to have a 12 ga magazine loaded with the first shot #4 high velocity pheasant followed by high velocity 00 Buck and keep alternating those loads thereafter. Effective range is best at 50 feet or less, the birdshot will make it to a hundred feet with little penetration and a couple 00 Buck pellets will also get to a hundred feet on a man size target.

Over a hundred feet a rife is best. Red dot AR15 preferred.


34 posted on 07/07/2024 5:23:49 AM PDT by redfreedom (Joseph Stalin: "It does not mater how anyone votes, how votes are counted is what matters.")
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