User Panel
Posted: 5/10/2018 11:00:23 PM EDT
Let’s say you are hiking in an area that has black bear, mountain lions and other shady animals and possibly shady people. What pistol caliber do you go with. 9mm HST?
|
|
|
Same as always.
G19 & 135G Critical D. Get some Underwood/LeHigh Extreme Defenders/Penetrators - if you want a Bear specific load. https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defense-against-bears-with-pistols-97-success-rate-37-incidents-by-caliber/#axzz5DvxztB4y |
|
10mm or 44 mag would be my first choices, but .357 hard cast would likely work fine too.
|
|
I go hunting and hiking for black bear in mountain lion territory (got em on my cameras) and I carry a glock 19. They are all more afraid of you than you are of them. Going to get some buffalo bore for it this year though.
|
|
|
Quoted:
I go hunting and hiking for black bear in mountain lion territory (got em on my cameras) and I carry a glock 19. They are all more afraid of you than you are of them. Going to get some buffalo bore for it this year though. View Quote |
|
|
The bigger the better.
Beyond that, don’t know. 44M and 454 Casull are common favorites for this purpose from what I understand. Never had a need for bear defense. |
|
I carry a 6" .44 mag with hardcasts for casual outdoor work, but I also will carry my .44 carbine if I'm afraid I might actually have to shoot something.
|
|
Quoted: Mountain lions are here mail and kill people pretty often compared to other places, but I hear you. I do need an excuse for at least one pistol that isn’t 9mm. Yes mail View Quote I believe the word you’re looking for is “maul”. |
|
I hike and camp with a G19, 124gr +P HST. Never shot a bear with it so I can’t say it’s a good choice.
|
|
Quoted:
Im sure that panics the people at the post office. Who would they be mailing things to? I believe the word you’re looking for is “maul”. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: Mountain lions are here mail and kill people pretty often compared to other places, but I hear you. I do need an excuse for at least one pistol that isn’t 9mm. Yes mail I believe the word you’re looking for is “maul”. |
|
|
|
I carry 9mm, hope I never need it though, I prefer to shoot them with a rifle.
|
|
|
As the ammo land study above seems to indicate, literally any pistol caliber will probably work, as bears don't like getting shot
|
|
|
Quoted:
As the ammo land study above seems to indicate, literally any pistol caliber will probably work, as bears don't like getting shot View Quote |
|
If what ever I am hunting has teeth or claws and weighs more than me I do my sidearm is my 454.
I have taken deer and boar with a 10mm and 454. The 454 is far more devastating when the metal meets the meat. |
|
Quoted:
If what ever I am hunting has teeth or claws and weighs more than me I do my sidearm is my 454. I have taken deer and boar with a 10mm and 454. The 454 is far more devastating when the metal meets the meat. View Quote |
|
Every black bear I have ever encountered in the wild has either ignored me or turned tail and ran. And I don't think any of them were any bigger than 200 pounds, at most.
A .357 Mag. would take care of them easily. |
|
OP, I carry a Glock 20 loaded with underwood 200 grain hard cast.. thats in grizzly country...9mm, .40 or 45 will work, but I would load it with a high quality, high power, hard cast and shoot at least a few hundred rounds thru it to make sure it is 100% reliable....While I do have some underwood 140 grain extreme penetrators to try on a bear carcass, I haven't been able to yet so I won't trust them yet unless as a last resort...
|
|
I knew before I opened this thread the first post would be “9mm” and I wasn’t disappointed.
Arfcom’s answer for everything is always “9mm.” |
|
|
|
I carry a .44mag Blackhawk or 1894 in the woods of Idaho and Montana.
|
|
|
I wouldn't be overly worried with 9mm. HST would be fine as the main threat would be humans. I'd maybe use 147gr Gold Dot or 147gr XTP just to have a little more penetration on mountain lions.
If you did have to defend yourself I think a 10mm would be better against mountain lions, bears or humans. I'd probably carry 200gr XTP or Federal 180gr Trophy Bonded. |
|
In the Southeast, Black bear is very low on the threat spectrum, because not only are they very cautious, they are also very small.
Any common handgun cartidge is more than sufficient for our black bears down here. Personally I like my 4 inch 686 with 158 SJHP reloaded (moderate) for the woods. I’ll also take factory ammo loaded the same (usually Remington “classic”) Your more likely to run into methbillies, moonshiners, or growers down here, dunno about Arizona but it’s probably the same plus illegals I guess, good excuse to buy a Glock 20 or 686 or GP100 or whatever. If the bears are big (meaning Grizzly, Kodiak, etc.), the conversation starts and ends with .44 Magnum for me. |
|
Any caliber that's good for whitetail, using a heavy hardcast bullet.
|
|
Quoted:
Any of them are effective against a Black Bear. View Quote Placer County Man Punches Bear In Face To Save His Dog |
|
you guys think one a those .327 mags with the right load would do the job?
|
|
9mm will be fine.
I’d go with something FMJ and buffalo bore. |
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.