Best penetrating round in .40sw

Bought a Glock 23...idea was this....good compromise in power/size for several uses.....those being: CC, home defence and a firearm for protection while hiking.

For CC and home defence I'll eventually try and settle on some hollow points.......some sort of round designed for defence against humans. That is a no brainer.

Now, to the real reason for this thread.....hiking. I hike in places that have several possible (though unlikely) threats while on the trail. Those being: Bad people, black bears, hogs and maybe even feral dogs. I would think the threat order in this situation would be hogs, bears, humans then dogs.

I got to thinking that a "man stopper" round might not be such a good choice in the event of a wild hog or bear event. I would think that in this situation something that would penetrate skull and bone would be a better choice. Less expandable hydroshock....more like something that can get in and damage nervous system or the heart of a critter. Hogs have thick skulls and ribcages...so do bears.

I am well aware that .40sw is not really considered a good bear or hog round. Our first line of defence will be a large can of bear spray. I hear that this is actually more effective, statistically, any way. If the need and chance arise to use a pistol then I want the best round handy for this gun. Something that has a chance to get into a brain case or heavy duty ribcage. Any suggestions?

Lone Haranguer and JTQ,

The FMJ's are what first came to mind. I'm no bullet expert. I'm guessing that cartridges (standard factory stuff) that have
180 grain projectiles are all close in velocity? Or, for instance, a standard Winchester brand might have a more powerful load than
another manufacturer?

Also, thanks for the link, JTQ.

Fatcat,

Already have a Lone Wolf 40 to 9 conversion...it is nice and works better than I would have thought.
As soon as more "gun money" comes up I'll also have one in .357.

NG VI,

Hadn't heard of the XTP....will investigate.

As to your listing of threat priorities on the trail....sounds logical. Bad folks on the trail probably would be
the most common threat, but....

You said this: "Dogs are whatever, load is almost irrelevant for them, even a toughly built dog doesn't
require much penetration to ventilate thoroughly, and people are everywhere, and by far the most dangerous
and commonly encountered creature in North America."

I was thinking that if I'm loaded for bear (and would have to be very skillful and lucky to kill one in an attack) then a harmful
human would be a piece of cake.

Thanks JTQ. Will study it.

918v,

I would try only for a bears heart IF he was already munchin' on me and I had a useable gun arm and a shooting angle up into his under belly area....I'd empty the mag. At least infection would eventually kill him after he ate me.

Actually, I thought a lot of how to best use a gun (one not really designed for breaking a bear down) in such a scenario. I'd read of an indian girl dropping a world record brown bear that was stalking her with a .22. One lucky shot that hit the brain through an ear channel. That was extreme luck and a broadside shot. I also recall one tale of how the old time bear hunters would "wade in" and kill a dog-bayed bear with a knife. They'd reach over the opposite side and sink the blade. The bear would always turn that way toward the source of the pain....away from the stabber.

Got to thinking that, if possible, you could take a first shot at it's flank or haunch, then if it turned you could concentrate the rest of the fire on the area between the eye and upper neck. That might afford penetration on upper spine, eye, temple and ear canal. I saw a video of a hiker who was stalked by a black bear. He filmed and walked backward, shouting as he retreated. The bear actually did get sideways several times. This was male bear with dinner on his mind.

Another video I saw was a grizly charge. Some hunters on a float trip startled some cubs.....mama came in like a tank....full bore, charging the boat. The guide pulled his bear revolver and purposefully shot in the water in front of the charging bear. The noise was enough to stop her. Maybe just the noise would be enough to deter a black bear also.