Ammoland has an obsession with bears.
Posted on 07/09/2024 5:27:30 AM PDT by marktwain
Many readers are interested in how various handgun calibers have performed in defense against bears. This is a complicated subject. Sometimes, any caliber will do. Sometimes, a level of power may be required. Sometimes, a level of accuracy or speed may be required. Many permutations exist. 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 asked for examples of failures. Only four failures have been documented. Link to three failures. Link to the fourth failure. We appreciate readers who help us document cases.
Here are all the cases that have been documented where .40, .44-40, and .45 Colt (long) caliber handguns were fired in defense against bears. These calibers are fairly close in power, although there is variation as usual. This grouping includes three calibers to include enough incidents to be illuminating. These cases do not include incidents where handguns were used with other lethal means or a mix of handgun calibers were used. There are 7 incidents with .40 caliber handguns (6 black bears, 1 brown), 2 incidents with .44-40 revolvers (1 black, 1 brown), and 4 incidents with .45 Colt (long) caliber revolvers (2 black, 2 brown). All were successful. The incidents are listed by caliber and chronologically within caliber.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
IN Northern Canada andout in Alberta , the go to hand gun for black bears and Grizzly is the Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Magnum.
Why?
You do not have to wait until the bear is up close to shoot it.When a bear is 150 yards away, its danger close.Thats the best time to for a warning shot and then to shoot the bear if it does not exit the immediate area.
The reviewed hand gun calibers are effective at 25 to 50 yards, thats way too close.
Remember a charging bear can cover 100 yards in about 10 to 12 seconds. Two hundred yards is too close.
Ammoland has an obsession with bears.
Probably.
.40 gets a somewhat bad rap; I think it’s mainly because the Feebs used it for a while.
I’m a crap shot with a pistol so I like having a lot of rounds in my pistol, lending me toward 9mm. The .40 seems to have more stopping power than a 9mm but the pistols usually have the same/similar number of rounds.
Plus I bought my first concealed carry weapon circa 1992 and it was a .40, so I’ve just stuck with it.
I’m not sure that I could hit a small barn at 150 yards with a handgun, to be honest about it. Especially one that is moving.
Do you know how the people you are talking about manage to obtain their handguns?
In good FR tradition, you never visited the source. Dean is one of the good guys.
“Ammoland has an obsession with bears. “
A well-aimed .22 round could incapacitate a bear. Shoot his eyes out.
I got my hands a .454 Casul thinking I’d empty it. Two rounds and I gave back to the owner.
In an “oh sh*t” situation I probably would notice the recoil, but I’ll take a hi-cap 10mm all day
When I was in school, many moons ago, in a freak accident, a girl was messing around with a bb gun. And accidently shot it, hitting and killing her mother.
A well-aimed .22 round could incapacitate a bear. Shoot his eyes out.
.............
On a tranquil range maybe. Try it with a quart of adrenaline blasting through your veins.
The .40 is a great round but it has some snap.
The real reason Fed’s went back to 9mm, which is also a great round due to improvements in the ammo, comes from being able to get recruits qualified.
In hiring females, small stature folks, folks who don’t really want to carry guns even though they’re in a gun carrying position, it took less time, money and effort to get them through training.
The math didn’t lie.
Training with a .40, lots of failures and ‘non-quals’
Training with a 9mm, less failures and significantly more ‘quals’
Somebody has to. I appreciate it.
Many readers are interested in how various handgun calibers have performed in defense against bears.
I wish they would publish an article on the best round for RINO hunting..,
5.56
Stock up and wait.
10mm and .41 Magnum have similar ballistics, but .41 can be loaded hotter. The only “hi-cap” firearm chambered in .41 is a lever gun, otherwise it’s a revolver cartridge.
.454 Casulls have some whomp, but they’re fun to shoot! My experience has been that they are accurate, too.
.454 accurate and packs a wallop. The literal Hand Cannon. Folks have developed stress fractures from them.
Me….I’m going to the woods with a 10mm and my trusty 45-70 Guide Gun
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