I'm heading out on my first black bear hunt in about 10 days and I'm taking my Glock 17 along for the ride. I know it's not the best choice for a bearstopper, but it's all I got for now.Today I picked up a box of Federal HydraShock 147 gr to throw into themag in case blackie doesn't go to sleep right away or decides thatI look like dinner.Since I highly respect all of your opinions (), and I have some time before the hunt begins, can anybody suggest a better factory load for this trip that is readily available at most stores for less than my monthly truck payment?

Thanks,

Mud

I guess I would look for the heaviest FMJ That I could find.

Yeah, and extra magazines. If that bear keeps comin shoot fast and often

Well, I'll have two 17-round clips.
So, FMJ overthe hollow points, like the Hydra-Shok or the other so-called personal defense?The 147 grain is the heaviest I've found. Been looking at Hornady's TAP online. Wish I could splurge for a Ruger Blackhawk, but it's not going to happen right now. I won't be in Griz country this outing, so I'm sure I'll be fine. My partner's packing a .45 ACP, so I'll let him shoot the charging bear and I'll scare the circling ravens away with the nine.

Here is my viewpoint on the 9mm... it is basically a .357 but not with enough push for medium to big living critters. Sometimes it works, sometimes the path of the bullet will be deflected by bone and not go to the vitals you were hoping to hit. The 357 magnum revolver round is a different story, at least in a decent barrel. It has enough powder behind it to penetrate relatively straight. I have a 9mm as well;if that was what I was toting in the weeds, I too would use the heaviest solid that I could shoot in the piece. Federal makes a 147 grain fmc flat tip for not much money. Otherwise, unless you drag food into your sleeping bag or otherwise smell like cinamon roll, bears probably won't be much trouble.

You will get more penetration from the heavy FMJ. Lots more.

Get the heaviest bullet you can find. Preferably a Jacketed soft point or lead round nose if you can find them. Most places wont let you carry a firearm with FMJ or Ball ammo whyle hunting. I hunt Black Bears here in PA and shot my first one 2 years ago with a .44 Mag and it took 3 shots from the .44 Mag at 35 yards and 2 from a .300 Ultra Mag (Whyle running away) to stop it. If i was you i would consider taking a 12 gauge with slugs or a rifle without a scope for tracking.

A FMJ would be the absolute last choice for me. While they penetrate deeper than a hydrashock would they do absoluteminimal damage to anything it passes through and transfers an absolute minimal amount of energy to the animal.

Even though I think the 9mm is like peeing in the wind when shooting at an angry bear I think you have the right bullet for your intended purposes.

If your gun will handle +P+ loads thenBuffalo Boreloads a 147 grain Speer Unicore at 1175 fps which offers another 100 foot pounds of energy.

Carry a cross, it will be lighter and probably do you more good. If you are close enough to a bear to shoot it with a 9mm pistol you will probably be dead before you empty the clip.

In my opinion the 9mm is OK for self defense against humans. A wounded or PO'd bear ain't no human! I have heard stories of people emptying 6 rounds of 357 hunting ammo into a bear at close range and the bear still killed them. And lived I believe.

I might carry one for defense against a coyote, wolf or stray dogs, but not a freakin' bear. Then again I don't hunt bears, so take what I say for what it's worth.

Paul

9mm for bears? Your better off throwing rocks