Grizzly bear downed at 10 feet by Jimmy Cox with a 10mm pistol in a defense of life and property incident in Alaska
Posted on 06/21/2023 4:40:50 AM PDT by marktwain
Handguns have been shown to be effective tools when used to defend against bears. Seven years ago, whether handguns were effective when used to defend against bears was in dispute. In October 2016, someone on the Internet claimed pistols were ineffective as a bear defense. He claimed there were “legions” of incidents where they failed. He failed to provide a single documented case where a handgun, when fired in defense against a bear, failed to stop the attack.
A group of people I worked with and I started to look for instances where pistols were fired in defense against a bear or multiple bears. We particularly looked for incidents where pistol use failed to stop the attack. Incidents where the bear stopped attacking, was killed or just ran off were considered successful defenses.
As the number of documented incidents where pistols were fired as a defense against bears accumulated, publishing the entire list became burdensome. This is an update to the list, we include links to the last full list of 104 incidents, published on June 21, 2021, and the first update increasing the number to 123 incidents, published on April 11, 2022. Those numbers are the incidents where only a handgun was fired. Combinations, where a handgun and other deadly instruments were used are not counted for handgun statistics but are documented.
Since April 2022, we have documented 25 more incidents where handguns were fired as a defense against bears. Twenty-one incidents involved only handguns. One of those incidents was judged to be indeterminate
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Grizzly bear downed at 10 feet by Jimmy Cox with a 10mm pistol in a defense of life and property incident in Alaska
I’m thinking the “failures” would mostly be where the attacked person was unable to get a shot off in time.
It would certainly have to be a pistol with enough wallop to penetrate to a vital spot somewhere in the bear’s anatomy. A low-impact hit from a poorly aimed shot would in most instances simply enrage the bear. Bears do not respect warnings.
If you are going to shoot at the apex predator, you better the hell not miss. There are no second chances, and the punishment for error is catastrophic.
Bears are strangely quiet and can pop out on you in an instant.
I think it’s time we should rethink our position on the right to arm bears.
The only good bear is a dead bear.
I think if you scratched this moron who claims guns are ineffective against bears you would find a rabid liberal anti-2nd amendment activist.
No if one would take the time to read all the intendents.
One can come to the conclusion that it dose not take a perfect shot to save ones self.
It is a myth that one has to be a expext with a handgun to save ones self.
Anti hunters, anti 2nd second amendment types, pro environmental wackos.
All make up the crowd that do not like handguns.
I prefer double action revolvers
A good hand gunner can draw and fire hitting their intended target in around l.5 seconds or under.
If you can not do so one needs more practice.
Along with having not having enough gun like the guys in Dean's research that tried to fend off a polar bear with a .22 but even the .38 or .357 in the other cases are pretty light IMO. Also, simply missing the target is a possibility. A fast-moving bear in a high-stress situation like that would be a difficult target.
Read the failures below you well find out your statement is a myth.
https://www.ammoland.com/2022/04/lessons-from-handgun-defense-failures-against-bears/#axzz85DmrVEld
There’s a story in one of Jack Connors’ books about his favorite Alaska guide, Field Johnson, being mauled by a griz or a Brown Bear. He got battered pretty good, but played dead. When he thought it was safe to move, he did. The bear was still close, and saw him. It mauled him all over again. It messed him up, good. Again, he played dead. He survived, but was driven insane by the experience.
Jack O’Connor...sheesh.
Poor widdle griz....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.