Minimum for Black Bear

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Newton

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The wife and I are planning on doing some hiking in Black Bear country (actually alien abduction country but that's a whole 'nuther story :uhoh: ).

I have a .40 Beretta that I absolutely hate (it's a 9000F), a USP 9mm compact, a Hi Power in 9mm, and a .38 4 inch.

I don't really want to buy a new gun right now, and like I said, I really don't like the Beretta even though it's my most powerful gun, but I do know of at least one case where a SiG P239 in .40S&W was used to kill an attacking Black Bear.

I know I should go out and buy a .44 Magnum, or a 10mm Glock 20, but I'm thinking of "making do" with one of my 9mms, either the H&K or the Hi Power, pointless maybe - but how about the Hi Power and a nice big can of bear pepper spray.

What would you do?
 
At an absolute minimum, a .357 magnum loaded with 200 grain bullets....

Why not sell the Beretta that you do not like and possibly one other gun and use that money to buy a .357 magnum or .44 magnum revolver?
 
Makes a differnce if you run into Boo-Boo or if you run into Yogi,,,bears come in different sizes.

Seems you are set on a semi-auto hunting handgun...why not sell what you don't like, save some bucks, and get one of the few semi-autos that are specific to the task?
 
Settling for one of your 9's instead of taking a weapon appropriate to the task could be a decision that you would regret. Go with the 40 or go get another gun.
 
Newton, if they are bears both of you should wear a little bell; the noise will keep the bears away. Allowing for this, the BHP 9mm should be fine. Regards, Richard :D
 
357 mag would be a good mimimum for bear. Aliens have thin skin so a 9mm should be fine for them.
 
Perhaps this recent thread from the S&W Forum will be of interest:
Bear Gun: What Gun to Actually SEE a Bear?
http://smith-wessonforum.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/530103904/m/3191008421

I think you'll be fine with any of your guns. I've been alternately frustrated and disgusted with the black bear fear that's running amok in the country (Not saying that's what you're promulgating here, but there've just been so many of these threads lately), so I admire your restraint in not running right out and buying a .500 S&W to deal with the "black bear menace." Your rational approach to examining this issue is to be commended.

I live in what's been known as "Bear Canyon" since it was "Cañon del Oso" in the Spanish Colonial days. :) They get into our garbage cans if we leave them out, and I see their sign all the time (they're tenderfoot and they use the trails), but they stay out of my way.

(Up behind my house)
mountain.gif

I hike all the time, and I carry. My gun is for 1) dogs, 2) human idiots, and 3) big cats, in that order (the cougars scare me a lot more than bears - you know how cats can be). I suppose I could shoot a bear with it, too . . . but I'd be just stunned if this would ever prove necessary. In all seriousness, I think I'm more likely to be struck by lightning (check the stats: NM has the highest lightning death rate of any state ;) ). If it is necessary to shoot a bear, I figure my people gun will probably do an adequate job on the skinny 150-300 lb black bears we get here in NM. (I've got a friend who gets at least one blackie a year with a short-barrelled .357 and whatever factory 158-grainers he happens to have in the gun.) As I've said several times before, blackies are more akin in behavior to giant raccoons than terminator grizzlies. Tough critters, to be sure, but nothing to wet your pants about. :)

Black bear attacks almost always happen when the vic is sleeping, the one last week notwithstanding (however, since I'm not a little girl . . .). There was a nice little old lady actually killed here in NM by a black bear as she slept about three years ago. Came into her house and ate her. There were some boy scouts who were gnawed on when they were sleeping in a tent up by Cimmaron, NM a couple years ago. They beat it with a stick, and it split. If you're not planning on sleeping outdoors, you're probably golden.

Anyway, I can tell you that hiking around my house with a 1076, a 65-5, or a 36-1, I'm almost guaranteed to see bear sign (except in the coldest part of winter) - but the bears themselves appear to be avoiding me.

Here's the good ol' shot-placement guide for black bear, in case you need to shoot one after all: http://www.nbef.org/pdfs/bearshotplacement.pdf#search='bear%20shot%20placement'
 
I'am thinking a slightly used 357 mag
revolver wouldn't be too hard to find.
I would go with a 4 to 6" barrel and a
GP-100,686 or even a old model 28 to
handle the heavy 357 hunting loads.
Cor-bon,buffalo Bore,Federal,Winchester
and others all make ammo that would
work.Of course a decent 12 gauge loaded
with slugs wouldn't be a half bad ideal
either.
 
You can easily get a used Ruger Service Six for $200. It can handle any .357 load, including the 200-grain hardcast loads that you might want for bear or velociraptors.
 
I have black bears on my property all the time -- they don't bother humans. I sometimes carry a Colt New Service or Ruger Blackhawk, both in .45, but it's because I like those guns. I'm just as likely to be carrying a .22 pistol or a Colt SAA in .357 loaded with powder-puff .38 Specials.

There are, of course some bears who haven't read the rule book, but they're rare. My advice to you would be to pick the gun you shoot best -- there really isn't all that much difference between the various calibers. A hit with a .38 is better than a miss with a .40.
 
If you hate the .40 that much (I do too), why not sell it\trade it on something you DO like, that might be appropriate? I wouldn't hesitate to carry a G20 loaded with some nice hot stuff. EAA witness either. Both will give you 15+1 rounds of mild bear repellent.
 
You can have your autoloaders, I'll stick with my Blackhawk...;) I haven't seen the service auto that can top the Blackhawk for a combination of 900 ft lbs of 300 grain bullet plus 4moa accuracy out of a 4 5/8" barrel. :D

Any SA or DA revolver from .357 up would be the choice I'd make. If you don't have a good L frame or GP100, here's your excuse to buy an extremely versatile revolver.
 
As a hiker here in WA, I've been very interested in bears and cougars. From everything I've read, a big can of pepper spray has proven more effective than any handgun.

Just my 2 cents.
 
A shotgun with slugs. Having said that, while fishing in Alaska a few decades ago we didn't feel to bad about carrying a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag with the heaviest bullets available at the time.
 
close encounters

The 9mm, FMJ are known for their penetration, and that is what you require, however {please add input, THR posters}, I believe the heavy 158 gn solids or there are even some 180 gn 38 solids {"Buffalo Bore"}would be better than the 9mm's in the 147 gn rounds.

Am I correct on this? Penetration wise.
 
A couple of years back I picked up a single shot 12g NEF shotgun for $75 at a pawn shot. With a little work I bet you could find the same, or maybe in a medium rifle caliber. That and your 40 would be PLENTY of bear protection.

Pop him first with the SG then toss the SG to your wife so that she can reload while retreating. The draw your 40 and shoot COM till slide lock. After that, if you're still standing and the bear is still charging, then PM me and I'll see what I can do for you.
 
"...stick w/fmj's..." Absolutely not. No expansion, just a hole. JHP's if you really think you need a handgun. Yogi isn't interested in you. You reek of trouble to Yogi. Cindy will strenuously object to your getting anywhere near her cubs though. Walk with the wind, wear a jingle bell, stay away from local dumps and you won't need anything.
Two legged predators are more trouble than Yogi. If the space aliens come for you, nothing will help.
 
theyre BLACK bears, not freaking grizzlies; Id be fine with the 9mm, or the .38, but the short barrel is a negative.
The demeanor of a black bear is such that Id feel safe enough with a whistle or a baseball to throw at them.
fyi, the average healthy black bear adult is like 140-180 lbs.
 
Thanks for the responses - just for info, the hiking location is Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, the location from where Travis Walton (Fire in the Sky) was allegedly abducted by pesky alien critters many years back.

Hopefully the BHP and some 127 grain +P+ Ranger T's will see me home safe, I'll look into the .357 suggestions though, maybe a new Rossi for low $.
 
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