Lots of large brown and polar bears have been killed with the .22 rimfire.
Most are killed with a single shot to the head. I have not documented polar bears killed with a .22, but there are many stories of Inuit doing so.
Quite a few big bears have been killed with .22 shots to the body, but it takes time to take effect. There is even a case of a black bear sow killed inside a city limits with a .177 air rifle shot to the body. It perforated a rib and the lungs.
The problem with using a .22 rimfire is the shot placement has to be precise. The target areas for a central nervous system shut down are fairly small. Bella Twin knew exactly where to aim. She took down a world record grizzly bear with a single shot .22 in 1953.
If facing a bear in defense, I would rather have a 12 gauge with slugs than a .22 handgun. But a .22 handgun you can shoot well is not to be despised. It has much better potential than a knife. The noise alone has worked for warning shots.
https://www.ammoland.com/2026/02/colorado-black-bear-killed-with-pellet-gun-in-2024/
Bella Twin -Patron Saint and
Local Hero KANAWA (SP)?