45 acp Bear Loads

[mountain_man]

I went hiking not too long ago and came across a black bear which is the only bear in my area. Fortunately it kept its distance and I kept mine, anyway that got me to thinking what would be a good bear load for a 45 acp with a 4 inch barrel?

And please don't say get a 44mag or something else, funds will not allow it.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

200 gr SWC pumped up as far as my manual allows would be my choice.

 

[silicosys4]

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=295

Buffalo bore 255 gr FP hard cast at 950 fps out of a 1911.

 

[StrawHat]

THere are quite a few loads published that might interest you. Some were used for bowling pin shoots and launched the 255 grain SWC at impressive velocities. The 1982 issue of "The .45 Auto Handbook" carried the article on page 37.

They list a load for a 300 grain lead bullet that goes nearly 800 fps from a Commander. New springs should be considered to help prevent battering.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I think on a full grown black bear... a .45 ACP is a good way to piss off the animal or make it leave, but not to "stop" it without several hits. I'd want something FMJ to get max penetration, or a super hard lead projectile, and launched at above 1100 fps. The old .490 round ball was soft lead at around 175 grains, was considered "good" on a black bear, and they were launched at more than 1100 fps. So a hard, 200 grain LSW pushed pretty fast would be my choice.

LD

 

[jmr40]

Buy a can of bear spray!!! Better than any gun. 99.99% of them won't bother you anyway. I see 2-3/year hiking and hunting. Never had a hint of a problem. But I am prepared, just in case.

I'd be shooting someting in a 200gr hardcast if a 45 were all I had. You don't need a 44 mag to stop a black bear anyway. Typical problem bears are almost always 1-2 year olds that have been recently run off by thei mothers weighing under 200 lbs. Any gun capable of stopping an athletic 200 lb human is capable of stopping a bear of the same weight. As said the bear spray is far more effective and cheaper than buying better bullets, much cheaper than another gun

 

[plmitch]

I'm with jmr40 on this one.

 

[KC45]

I used to carry a Government model (5" barrel) many years ago.
I kept it loaded with 8+1 rounds of my handload consisting of Hornady XTP 230gr with enough AA#5 to get 920 fps. from that pistol. I never shot a bear with it but did shoot couple of hogs and deer and they worked great with complete penetration.

 

[PapaG]

I agree with Stawhat. Bought that handbook new, developed my Buffalo Stomper load from that article. RCBS 45-255KT, cast from wheel weights and loaded over what seems to be a safe charge of Unique. Straight line penetration of over 8" of hard dry pine, shot through both shoulders of a buck we found that had died on our land (too ripe to use), and slams pins off the table like a sledgehammer. Probably ran a thousand of them through my pin gun and no damage. I don't use them in my Pro Carry with the alloy frame. Think I had a 22 pound recoil spring in it. Rather have a 454 or 12 ga with Brennekes for bear.

 

[rcmodel]

I would just about depend on 230 grain GI Hardball FMJ-RN penetrating and breaking down a bears joints over any kind of hollow-point load.

If he can't stand up, he can't chase you down and maul you.

Anyway, that's what I carried in Colorado years ago while hiking and dirt biking in bear country.

In actual fact?
My chances of falling down an old deserted mine shaft, or getting killed by a falling bolder, or getting lost in a snow storm and dying of exposure were far far greater then getting ate by a bar!

rc

 

[witchhunter]

I've seen a lot of bears shot when I was runnin hounds. I would not want to shoot one with a .45 ACP. Definitely not a HP. When they are bayed up they are full of adrenalin and they are tough to kill. Get some bear spray or a .30/30. Now some guy is gonna say he killed one with a .380, and yes, I have seen em killed with a .22 Mag. but all I'm gonna say is I wouldn't recommend trying it! It ain't for the weak kneed.

 

[MCgunner]

And please don't say get a 44mag or something else, funds will not allow it.

Okay, I won't...... .45 COLT!!!

Yeah, I loaded a 200 grain SWC up to over 500 ft lbs. Can't remember the velocity, got it in my notes somewhere from 25 years ago. Thinkin' I used Blue Dot. I never shot anything with it, though. The idea was for taking on hog hunts with dogs. Now, we killed 'em by stabbing with knives, but I wanted back up. Range would have been point blank if I'd ever needed it. I eventually got a Blackhawk in .45 Colt, far better tool, especially for bear. But, in a pinch, I wouldn't feel helpless with that 200 grain SWC load. It is pretty accurate, too, in my Ruger P90.

 

[stressed]

I remember reading an article by the Soviet Union about documented bear attacks during WWII and after in the far eastern districts that were repelled with small handgun calibers.

Listed 7.62x25mm Tok, 9x19mm (from Germany) 7.63 Mauser, .45 ACP (very few, lend lease program) 7.65mm/.32 & 9x17mm/.380.

In half instances, the shooters were also killed by the bear except for the 7.62x25mm Tokerav which had over 2/3rds survivors and bear kill/stop ratio.

But it didn't say wether TT33 or subguns like the PPSh41 or PPS43 were used, which I can see downing a bear fast with a full magazine/drum.

I'll have to find the info

 

[RPRNY]

BLACK BEAR. Most black bear, other than in internet hunting stories and threads about bear loads, are in the 200 - 250 lbs range and will, with decent center mass hits, respond to standard velocity 240 -250 grs rounds much like a human, ie they will go down. I would opt for lower BHN lead in the 12 -14 range with as wide a meplat as will reliably cycle.

If you are around internet forum black bears that weigh in at 500 lbs and are armored, you've going to need a bigger gun.

http://www.americanbear.org/Size.htm

 

[Outlaw Man]

Bear spray and one of those little bells you hang on your backpack, or at least something that makes a lot of racket so you don't sneak up on one.

While 250 lbs is only average, you're still probably not likely to run across one that spray won't take care of.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

This makes me laugh every time a bear thread comes up.

 

[mountain_man]

Haha I have seen that before.