"Best for Bears" caliber poll

[Ducman69]

I'm just waiting for a "Best Defense Against Zombie Bears" thread.

Don't even JOKE about that! Now I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. In that situation, a 9mm would be fine, as you might as well just abandon all hope and check out before it leaves you an infected quadriplegic tattered zombie.

 

[Pyro]

A .44 Magnum with these http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=54.
Get in the mind set your shooting a .22 revolver (less the recoil). Aim for extreme vitals.

 

[ghitch75]

45Colt 300gr XTP 27gr 296 @ 1400FPS from my 7 1/2" Blackhawk would = dead bear

 

[DAP90]

In this thread, lets get a vote for what YOU would actually feel comfortable taking along in bear country. No rifle calibers, and no shotguns. I would really like to see what people are more likely to take into the woods.

So at the moment. .44 has the most votes...and .22LR is second.

Either we have a lot of jokesters here, or bears are a lot more fragile than I thought.

Technically, the question is what would you feel comfortable carrying in bear country? Not, what would you carry to if you had to shoot a bear.

I can feel comfortable carrying a 22 because I also have bear spray; which is supposedly more effective than a handgun.

I don’t live near grizzlies or Kodiaks (man that was a big bear in post #14) and don’t feel the need to gear up as if I did.

Besides, the 22 and spray is just when I’m hiking. If I’m camping I bring a shotgun.

 

[Pyro]

How come .25 acp isn't on the list?

 

[Loosedhorse]

I can feel comfortable carrying a 22 because I also have bear spray

Fair enough. Especially as the question heading the poll is even more general: What caliber are you most likely to take when heading into bear country ?

But it seems then, in that case, ".22" is just a stand in for "don't really feel I need a gun at all." And that, quite frankly, makes more sense than, "I do need a gun for bear: a .22LR!"

 

[Unistat]

I'm just waiting for a "Best Defense Against Zombie Bears" thread.

You know, I read and interesting article today about how Lyme Disease is so much more common than any wild animal attack. So...

What caliber for tick?

 

[DAP90]

But it seems then, in that case, ".22" is just a stand in for "don't really feel I need a gun at all." And that, quite frankly, makes more sense than, "I do need a gun for bear: a .22LR!"

Fair enough.

The .22 is just because I enjoy guns and want to have one around. The bear spray is my actual defense.

Except when camping; food sources and greater cargo capacity mean I might need a gun more and have the space to bring some real firepower. Most of my bear encounters, few that there were, happened in campgrounds.

I can store my food in my car or in a tree away from my tent, etc but that doesn’t mean others in the campground will or that the bears haven’t already made the food/campground connection.

 

[wrs840]

Here in the sticks of Western NC we have black bears, but they are, in habit and action, basically just a great big raccoon, seems to me. The likelihood that I'd have to defend myself against one is almost nonexistent, IMO. The biggest sidearm I ever carry in the woods, therefore, is a 4" K frame .357, but it's usually a 3" K frame .38. My wife will probably post a "thanks and so long..." here for me if I ever get eaten.

 

[97guns]

if i lived in bear country i would opt for a 12ga. with slugs

 

[Chris-bob]

I carry 2 9mm's whenever we go out on walks. But that is only because I stupidly sold my .44Mag before I knew I was moving to Alaska.

 

[EVIL]

Around here (in OH) woods black bear are not even that common, so I carry the same calibers I would for BGs encountered in the wilderness- .357 Mag, .45ACP or .40S&W. Usually, this would be my G21 on the trail, with 2-3 mags for reloads. If I were going to hike or hunt grizzly country I would shoulder my 3" 12GA sabot slugs (or a .30-06 that I would be hunting with..) To me, handgun is a secondary personal weapon, one that can easily be EDC'd and if a threat is expected, the handgun is back-up at best. Usually when I am in the field, hunting, etc ... I have a long gun anyway.

 

[lucky-gunner]

460 S&W since I already have one. I would feel ok with any 44 mag and up. It's not really and issue for me anymore.

I'm not living in bear country. There have been some sightings in the south. Nothing substantial though.

 

[montanaoffroader]

If I'm going to rely on a handgun for bear defense, it will be chambered for the hardest hitting cartridge I can shoot reasonably well. In my case, that cartridge is a .44 Magnum.

If you can't hit with it, no point in carrying it..........

 

[warnerwh]

Depends on the bear as there's a big difference between bear species. We only have blacks here in Oregon. If I were worried about blacks attacking, which I'm not, I'd carry a .44 magnum. At least 95 percent of the time though I carry a .357 for all around protection in the woods. People worry about blackies too much.

 

[bassdogs]

After quickly reading thru the thread, have noted several who Boo Hoo any handgun as SD in Bear country. One post mentioned not carrying a handgun when hunting because he had a rifle. Others have mentioned various rifle hunting calibers [300WM. 338, and the really big ones]. I think all need to listen to the ones who speak from personal experience. These are the few who have encountered an aggressive bear and experienced an attack and/or actual mauling. The recurring theme form all of them is that a Bear attack will most often happen in a heartbeat and you will have maybe 2 or 3 seconds to get off shots at a bouncing charging target. Unless you are poised for a shot, a scoped rifle is of little use and an open sighted rifle of any caliber is only useful if it is at hand and ready for immediate use. A shotgun with rifled slugs [maybe buckshot for Blacks] is always recommended.

I know this thread is about "handguns" in bear country, so we should stay with the topic. With that said, it appears that the 44mag is the most recommended. I have to chuckle at the 500SW bigger is better guys who just love to talk about hand cannons, while I suspect few can actually handle one of them effectively in a crisis situation.

After participating in a similiar thread about recommended handguns for bears, I am now the proud owner of an 18" 870 12guage. It never makes sense to carry something you can't shoot effectively.

 

[Inebriated]

^ I feel like the .500 voters (I'm one) voted so because of the lack of an "other" option, or 12 gauge, which is also my preferred critter defense gun.

 

[Loosedhorse]

an open sighted rifle of any caliber is only useful if it is at hand and ready for immediate use.

It would seem that this "criticism" of rifles applies to any shotgun as well.

Maybe I'm unique, but I own a rifle that I shoot better at close range than I shoot any shotgun. Might own two like that.

 

[Ranger30-06]

Alright guys, stay on track. This thread is about bear defense with handguns.

Remember, sometimes long arms are difficult to carry along, like when backpack camping and such. You can tote a nice sized handgun along with ammo to spare and it all fits on one side of your belt if you need it to.

 

[Loosedhorse]

No rifle calibers, and no shotguns.

So...what if my rifle is in a handgun caliber?



Actually, I already answered, post #6.

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

.22lr is the best. When a bear charges you his skull will deflect all handgun bullets. Your only chance is to go for the eye with a .22. It will enter the brain and bounce around inside the skull scrambling his brain.

 

[gofastman]

I would prefer a can of Guard Alaska. There is some good data to support that spray is more effective than lead, I certainly would like to back it up with a gun though.

I chose .454. I really dont care for the cartridge, its stupid loud and has a lot of recoil, but i feel a Ruger Alaskan in .454 is about the most power you can practically carry.

For the record I think a Glock 20 may have more overall killing power, but from what I understand most large bear attacks are very fast and you probably only have time to get a few rounds off.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

.22lr is the best. When a bear charges you his skull will deflect all handgun bullets. Your only chance is to go for the eye with a .22. It will enter the brain and bounce around inside the skull scrambling his brain.

So all grizzly bears apparently have steel skulls? I carry a 460 with 325 grain hard cast bullets. It will create about 2400 ft. lbs at the muzzle (estimate based on reported ballistics from ammo manufacturer and the fact that I only have a 5" bbl)(box says 2600+ ft lbs. but 460 was originally designed as an 8 3/8" bbl). That sure as hell will penetrate the skull of any north american animal. Is it better than a 12 gauge? NO! Is it better than a .22? Ummmm....... Yeah I think so.

p.s. Even if you somehow manage to shoot a bear's eye (Don't get me started on how difficult that would be!) the bullet isn't going to bounce around in it's brain. It's going to deflect off of the skull's surface behind the eye. The eye is not a direct shaft to the brain. Have you ever looked at a bear skull? You want to aim for something? Aim for the nose.

p.p.s. If you did manage to penetrate the brain with a .22 the bullet would hit the back of the skull and stop, not bounce around.

If you are going to carry a .22, you better get some bear spray.

 

[Mike1234567]

460Kodiak... I think the .22LR post was a joke (sarcasm).

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I sure as heck hope so.