Deer maybe out to 50 yards with the right load/bullet combination but it wouldn't be a proper choice really. Bear? uhhhh no. The .40 S&W isn't that great of a powerhouse in the handgun cartridges. Even out of a carbine rifle length it just doesn't have a lot of "gusto". While there are a few handgun cartridges that have plenty for deer and a couple for Black Bear, the .40 S&W aint one of them really. It's nowhere near the .357, .41mag, .44mag, 45LC, .454 casull, .460mag, or the Big Dog of them all, the .500 S&Wmag.