Please don't post about which other calibers or guns you'd prefer. What I need to know (on a relative's behalf) is:

Will a 10mm auto, probably a Glock, suffice for defense against an Alaska grizzly, maybe a coastal brown bear, if the bullet is well placed at close range by a steady person?

This assumes that the shooter knows bear anatomy well.

The shooter is a woman whose hand size will not accomodate most powerful DA or SA revolvers, and she is much more comfortable shooting those autos which she can handle. She is not really attracted to revolvers, which is why my advice won't do.

I do know that the Glock 10mm has been recommended by such knowledgeable writers as the late Chuck Karwan, but I can't recall if he suggested it for a bear gun. He was writing about dangerous animals in general, and I can't find his article now.

Is there anyone here who has shot anything sizeable with that arm? How did it perform? Is it on par with the .41 Magnum, which I think would work, given precise placement?

Please, guys: don't let this degenerate into one of those threads where everyone posts what he'd rather have, etc. I posted this on behalf of another forum member who refused to post because he thought it'd just become another bear gun topic, with everyone giving his preference without sticking to the actual question.

Some discussion of 10mm auto bullet integrity as compared to equivalent .41 Magnum bullets would help. In particular, is it feasible to handload 10mm ammo with hard-cast Keith bullets of about 200-210 grains, and will they feed in the Glock?

I frankly am not enamored of Glocks. If the couple in question finds that a Glock 10mm won't fit her hand, they know that a Colt will, and the lady can shoot the .45 Govt. Model well. So, the Colt Delta Elite might be a viable option, although I have the impression that the 10mm overpowered that old design and the guns didn't last well.

FYI, the man in this case read that the Danish government issues 10mm Glocks to its forces in Greenland who might encounter polar bears. I suppose this suggests something, unless that is what Danes are melancholy about.

My only help was to suggest a minimum of .40 caliber, 200 grains, and min. velocity of 1,000 FPS, with 1200FPS being better, if obtainable at safe pressures. About what Jeff Cooper said was minimum for deer...

The couple is planning to move to Alaska later this year, and want to begin assembling their guns and other gear now. They have some suitable guns, but need handgun options.


Thanks,

T-Star