Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I was checking out my hunting area yesterday when my Lab brought me back a Black Bear from the brush! I carry a S&W .40 cal. pistol with me. I had 180 grain Full Metal Jackets in it. The bear took off when it saw me and nothing more happened.

My questions for you guys are these. Is a .40 cal able to stop a bear? Should I use a different bullet? Should I get a different gun/caliber? Maybe, a revolver?

Thank you,

Ed

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

One of the best guns for protection from bears would be the 12 gauge shotgun with slugs. A bear can take a lot of energy.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I too carry a .40 cal pistol (Ruger p94) when I'm on our hunting property or hiking. I would never want to have to try to stop a bear with it, but it sure beats throwing rocks. I would think a few rounds at close range would change its course if it were charging, which is very unlikely.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

One heck of a bear gun is the Ruger .454 Alaskan .... Wow ....

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

............ever try jumping up and down, waving your arms and hollering????
Black bears are generally pretty easy to turn.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

.44 mag or .480 ruger would be my choices before jumping up to a monster like the .500 S&W etc...really I think, the .44 would be my standard and the .480 kinda my big version, I'd take the .480 over the .454

I think pepper spray is probably the best way to go though. They tell you to bang pots n pans vs. firing a round into the air...and spray supposedly is more effective. I'd say have both, but up to you. Think a gun makes you feel safer....

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Now, bear in mind (I know, it's a bad pun, but I couldn't myself! ;) ) that I have no experience with bears as there are none in Iowa (that I know of), but it occurs to me that the "best" gun for bear defense is the biggest one you can comfortably carry all the time and still shoot accurately and quickly. I guess I could be wrong, but I didn't think that black bears were all that aggressive toward people, it's the brown, Kodiak and polar bears that you gotta worry about.

Mike

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Yup, I have a .480 in the target gray in a 7.5" and it is a sweet shooter...

MET

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

44.Mag 9.5 or 45 Long Colt 7.5

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Nice looking rigs White Falcon!

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Although most of the time a black bear will go the other way, certain circumstances will make them charge, first and formost, cubs, if she thinks her cubs are in danger, she will tear anything in her path up, I once saw a vidio of a small female " 300lbs range", take on a boar almost twice her size and kicked his but!, second, if they feel cornered. My personal oppinion is a .44mag or bigger, I would think a 40 or even a 45acp with a heavy hard cast bulletwould do the trick or at least slow it down, but I would rather have the hand canon and a roll of T.P.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I carry a 40 a lot when I'm out also, but I've never considered it a bear defense gun. As a bear defense gun against your average run of the mill black bear a 40 would work, just keep pulling the trigger. A heavy long barrelled 44, 480 or other similar guns are great hunting weapons but for up close and personal work I can't see how you would have time to unholster and bring it into action.

However, my best advise is to use common sense and beware of your surroundings. Most black bears scare easily just by yelling and waving your arms, I've actually done this to several bears and it works.I've even thrown a half empty water bottle at one that got a little too close during squirrel season when I was only armed with a single shot 22.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Nice guns but neither of which I would want for bear protection. One is a single action and the other has a long barrel and scope. Hunting yes, bear protection no.

If a black bear charges you had better be prepared to protect yourself as they seldom charge as a bluff.
They seldom charge to begin with and prefer to turn and runbut if they do charge they typically mean business.

Good bearcartridges IMO will start at a 44 mag and go up from there. Keeping in mind that you must be able to control what ever cartridge you decide on.

Good bear guns, IMO,will be a revolver and have a short barrel for quick handling. The longer the barrel the longer it takes you to bring it to bear on target.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

You can cover your self with honey and play tag with the cub. Then a black bear may lick you to death. There may be some dangerous black bears in some ares of the country. The North West comes to mind. But eastern black bears will run every time. Your 40 is more than enough medicine for an eastern blackie. Tom.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

12ga...or.44mag weapons of choice for me!

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I have a 44 mag but have never needed it. They always turn and run.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

When I think bear protection, I think of grizzlies/brown bears, I agree most black bears will just run the other way, have hunted the NW for black beras, and had black bears just sit there and look at me, eventually we went the other way. I think black bears the big problem is getting between mama and her cubs, otherwise not much of a worry, but stuff does happen, bears won't always act "normal", least you can't count on them to. Course I had the big rifle in hand, either way I think that .44mag or .480 ruger would be my choices and pepper spray.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Why are so many people scared of bears these days? I have seen mom with cubs and most of the time, she grunts and they head up a trail or a tree. I walk the other way, and call it a day.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

There are more black bear attacks every year than all other types of bears combined. I know it's because there are more black bears, but I'm still gonna go prepared. I lived in Dallas for 33 years and was never attacked by a crackhead. I've lived in Denver for 12 years and have never been attacked by a crackhead. I still go prepared to protect myself from f***ing crackheadsevery single day.Most of the time when you see them you can just look at them and wave your arms and they run away!:D

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

And in Colorado (and other states that have done away with or greatly limitedbear hunting)there are more and more every single year.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I grew up with bears all around. I guess when you grow up with em, you generally don't worry so much about it.

I think its like people who have never been around rotts or dobermans. You get around them, and get frighened and panic, and they will bite ya. But you raise em, and show no fear, and generally, you would never have to worry about it.

I just don't think I could continue to go hunting if I was that frighened all the time.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Nothing wrong with carrying some "bear defense" while in bear country. While I've never been attacked (had a brief up close encounter but no attack) my father hasonce and he squared off with another bruin in a death match on another occasion...both (I'm glad to say) ended up with dead black bears. When I hunted in bear country I carried a Ruger 44mag. I would consider a .40 cal a little on the weak side but it's way better than nothing at all!

When Ilast hunted in bear country it was some years ago and high power revolver cartridges were available but they weren't as common as they are now, some didn't even exist. I now own a 454 Casull and I'm really thinking about getting a S&W 500mag just because!:)

In bear country (especially Grizz) I'd carryat least a .44 mag or a .45 Colt loaded with at least 300gr hard cast bullets in the 1250+ fps range. I'd feel a whole lot better with a .454 Casull, 460 S&W Mag, 500 S&W Mag or any of the wildcat rounds common today .475 Linebaugh, .500 Linebaugh etc...

I just picked this little Ruger up a few months ago and it would be an ideal carry gun in black bear country or even Grizz if loaded up with some Buffalo Bore 325gr hard cast bullets @ 1325fps (as pictured) it's small and light but packs a super punch. Or you can load it down to regular .45Colt loads for plinking fun.




Here it is with wood grips...

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

I carry my Taurus .44Mag Revolver w/ 6inch ported barell.Theres more than enough dropping power with a good load. I have custom loads made for mine. The 460 and 454 are a bit much to carry all the time you take a walk in the woods.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Dadgone bigj, never took you for a scardycat.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

jump up and down and unload the gun in them

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

unload all but one round safe the last round for yourself god forbidded he get to you

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

57mm recoilless rifle.............

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

LOL!

No, not skeered just following the six "P's"......Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!:D

I don't expect to be attacked by a bear while hunting in bear country just as I don't expect to have my house broken into by a burglar either.....But that doesn't stop me from keeping a gun in a lock box on my night stand anyway.;)

Besides, that new little Ruger Ipicked up is way too cool to leave at home.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Nice little gun. Only thing I really don't care for is poisonious snakes. I wouldn't mind to carry one of those new "judges" for close prox snake protection.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Not allowed to carry a gun during bow season here, sure hope the big toothy don't get me....grins.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Minimum hot loaded 357 mag and up. Your not going to stop an all outbear charge with a 40 cal. There have been more bear attack related deaths by black bear than any other species of bear.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

The majority of whichno doubt beDumazz Slicks, in Parks, trying to get Bear Naturepictures whilst their young'uns hand feed 'em smores........

Might be off base with the hand fed smores,but I'm betting there's at least Dumazz Slicks involved.........

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

IMO...............Minimum of .338 cal

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

i'm not positive but i believe black bears are responsible for more human attacks than all other bears combined.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

also, if a human can fight through pepper spray i'm quite sure a bear on a mission can. if you are being charged, by the time the bear is within pepper spray range he/she is on top of you before the effect takes place. once he/she is on top of you, the bear does not need to see you to kill you. in my opinion, only an idiot (not calling anyone on here names) would attempt to stand their ground with pepper spray.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

When one decides to shoot in the cause of self defense it's never at 100 yards.....by definition self defense never happens at long range.......it's at 10 feet or there abouts!!!!

If it comes to that (and it's very unlikely) I really want to have something more substantial.....a .41 Magnum at a minimum.....

Trying to execute self defense with an underpowered firearm is a recipe for pissing off the bear.....I'd prefer to kill it!

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Timmywasn't scared of them either.

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

LMAO!!!!!!!!

What a tool that idiot was. If ever there was someone that needed to be taken out of the gene pool it was him.


You mean like this idiot?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qexVfsl2Nms

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

Stupid is hard to fix.............

RE: Caliber for Bear protection!
 

how about Excaliber....suit of armor......i did read that black bear attacks are up....New Jersey folks getting jumped while lawmakers block bear season hunting