I'm glad you didn't have to find out how the 9mm would have faired against a black bear. If I only had that firearm I would bring it too (along with bear spray) I think the combo would/could save your life.

As far as bullets not penetraiting heavy clothing I believe it. My father served in Korea and the US GI's had problems with the M1 Carbine's .30 carbine round penetrating the heavy winter coats of the North Koreans and Chinese troops. This of course was at longer distances than what was describedbut they had problems none the less.

Now, as far as a bear is concerned..........

Way back before I was born......it was the late spring of 1963 my father was in the far north woods of Wisconsin, at night (no lights in the camp) he had shot a snapping turtle eariler in the day with a Ruger .22mag Single Six and hadthe turtleoutside to dry out the shell. The guts were in a garbage can right below it (the shell was on the roof of a low garage) and some of the blood was dripping onto the cans.

Well he was making his way up a hill to his cabin (approx 75yds away) with the Ruger slung over his shoulder. As he rounded the corner of the garagehe saw two sets of eyes in the moon light and knew right there and then what it was. Two cubs were licking the blood off of the can and trying to get into it for the turtle endtrails.

No sooner did this all register when he heard the un-mistakable sound of a bear running at him her claws digging at the gravel as she approached at full speed! He started to back up toward the lake and reached for his only chance, his sixgun on his hip..........it wasn't there, it was slung over his shoulder! As he fumbled to release the leather strap from the hammer to free the pistol the bear was close enough to smell. Instinctively he pulled the pistol pointed it in the direction of the sound and smell, eared back the hammer on the Rugerand pulled the trigger.

BLAM! the muzzle flash showed the erie sight of a huge sow closing in on him. The bear rolled in font of him only to get to her feet and continue her charge....BLAM!.....BLAM! he fired again and again, the bear rolledbut again got up. By this time he found himself sliding down the steep bank down to the waters edge. His back bumped up against a big tree that was growning in the middle of the bank, as he slid to the water side of the trunk he heard the bear slam into the top side. As the bear started to reach around the tree with her massive razor sharp claws hell bent on the destruction of the person causing her pain, My father reached around the other side of thetree, put the pistol to the bear and BLAM! let another.22mag round intoher.

Knowing he was running out of realestate (and ammo)he knew what he had to do. He dug the handle of the pistol into the ground and pulled himself back up the bank not knowing if the bear was right on his heels or dead. As he got to the top and started to make his way to the cabin to retrieve his 44-40 rifle, a person with a flash light runs up to him to ask what was going on. It was a truck driver who earlier in the dayhad brought in food and supplies for the upcomming camping season for all of the kids who would be arriving at the camp along with the rest of the staff.

Explaining what happened my father asked the driver to get into his truck and aim the lights onto the tree in the middle of the bank. The driver did and upon his return from the cabin (with his rifle) found that the mother had rounded up the cubs and treed them above her. She was at about 15ft up and the cubs slightly higher.

Knowing what he had to do a well placed shot sent the bear tumbling down the tree and down the bank below the lights of the truck into the pitch black darkness of the waters edge. Not wanting any more excitement for the evening and very sure a well placed shot was made it was decided to "investigate" in the morning.

After first light sure enough the bear was right where she fell by the waters edge.After a few calls to the game warden the whole issue was figured out with no charges or citations issued. It was deemed (as it should have been) an act of self defence.

The cubs hung around camp for a few days then wandered of to fend for themselves.

Sorry for being so long winded but I just wanted to share a story of someone using a much more underpowered pistol than a 9mm to protect himself from a bear attack. While neither round will ever be used by me as a backup gun, I'd much rather have a 9mm or even a .22 mag than nothing at all.