Not sure if this has been posted before as I have not been here much lately. I would not have left my 629 at home if I new I was going into bear country.
Bad Request
Bad Request
9mm v Bear again
- Thread starter roundgunner
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forindooruseonly
Member
Nope. 9mm will obviously just bounce off bears. You'll be mauled and killed without a doubt.
Go buy some bear spray. It's cheap, it works, and is readily available.
Go buy some bear spray. It's cheap, it works, and is readily available.
THE PILGRIM
Member
This Alaskan guide took a bear with 9mm Buffalo Bore +P.
If I go into into Bar Country with a 9 Thrillameter,
I want to be with this guy!
American Hunter | Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol
If I go into into Bar Country with a 9 Thrillameter,
I want to be with this guy!
American Hunter | Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
BEAT THREAD! BEAR THREAD! Get out the bear spray! And the .600 Nitro Express double rifle! And everything in between!
But seriously, of course those guys were lucky. But so is everybody who successfully repels a grizzly attack with a handgun, no matter the caliber.
Here, it most likely succeeded because the bear was highly agitated, but not actually attacking. Looking at the photo of the scene and reading the guide's description, had the bear charged with the intention of carrying through, his clients would not have walked away without a scratch as they did. But the guide did NOT stop a charging bear, he got multiple opportunities to take aimed shots at an agitated bear cavorting around a few feet in front of his clients, but never making contact, not even after starting to get hit.
This is a fascinating story, but I don't think it proves anything other than you can kill a grizzly with a 9mm if you shoot it often enough and aren't distracted by the bear chewing on you.
But seriously, of course those guys were lucky. But so is everybody who successfully repels a grizzly attack with a handgun, no matter the caliber.
Here, it most likely succeeded because the bear was highly agitated, but not actually attacking. Looking at the photo of the scene and reading the guide's description, had the bear charged with the intention of carrying through, his clients would not have walked away without a scratch as they did. But the guide did NOT stop a charging bear, he got multiple opportunities to take aimed shots at an agitated bear cavorting around a few feet in front of his clients, but never making contact, not even after starting to get hit.
This is a fascinating story, but I don't think it proves anything other than you can kill a grizzly with a 9mm if you shoot it often enough and aren't distracted by the bear chewing on you.
HAND GRENADE !
*** normally a Bear will stop the attack after the prey (you) are down and blood covered to say grace before dinning on you. At this time you pull the Grenade pin and blow both you and the Bear up.
*** If this happens to Jimmy, I will be covered with something else in addition to blood.
*** normally a Bear will stop the attack after the prey (you) are down and blood covered to say grace before dinning on you. At this time you pull the Grenade pin and blow both you and the Bear up.
*** If this happens to Jimmy, I will be covered with something else in addition to blood.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Took me to the same AH article as Pilgrim's link.
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There are probably many counts of people killing dangerous game with sub-calibers that we now deem insufficient for the purpose. That said, how many Buffalo do you think were brought down with a Bow & Arrow? Lewis and Clark used an Air Rifle to kill Buffalo and it blew the Indians mind. Just shows ya how some well places shots at a reasonable range can still get the job done.
deadin
US Veteran
Years ago I read of a guy that killed a grizzly with a .32 S&W top break.
It seems that he was treed and all he had was an old DA and a box of shells. Every time the bear started up the tree he would pop it with the .32 and the bear would back down.
After 34 or so shots the bear finally bled to death......
It seems that he was treed and all he had was an old DA and a box of shells. Every time the bear started up the tree he would pop it with the .32 and the bear would back down.
After 34 or so shots the bear finally bled to death......
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Targets Guy
US Veteran
Wasn't there a gal that killed a griz with a .22?
Bear spray is a more reliable way to deter a bear attack than a gun regardless of caliber. Remember the bear will charge at about 35 mph. Since most bear attacks start with the bear about 5omtom150 feet away, you will have only a few seconds to draw aim and shoot. Miss an incapacitating shot and you are toast. A charging bear presents his front to you low to the ground so the head is the most prominent target. The skull is impanatrable by most calibers. The best area to targer is the dried of a bear just behind the shoulder because that will hit the area of heart and lungs. But you will it have time to change position for side shot.
On the other hand bear spray is used properly will either drive the bear odd or stop the charge. If the charge has been stopped there is time to take incapacitating shots.
I hike spring and fall in PA black bear country. Over the past ten years I have had to spray two bears. They ran off and did not come back. Of course they were brown or grizzly bears, but there is plenty of documentation that bear spray works on them too.
The spray also works on cougars, coyotes, and wolves.
On the other hand bear spray is used properly will either drive the bear odd or stop the charge. If the charge has been stopped there is time to take incapacitating shots.
I hike spring and fall in PA black bear country. Over the past ten years I have had to spray two bears. They ran off and did not come back. Of course they were brown or grizzly bears, but there is plenty of documentation that bear spray works on them too.
The spray also works on cougars, coyotes, and wolves.
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Targets Guy
US Veteran
If you spray the bear spray on you will that work as well?
N
No, but it will really test your endurance of mace.
Bear spray is pepper spray that is many more times powerful than personal defense pepper spray. You spray it wha. The bear is between 15 and 20 feet away. It creates a large cloud of the pepper spray. It is usually colored orange or yellow.
When the bear runs through it it breates in the spray cloud and it gets it in its eyes. The bear suffers major instantaneous inflammation of airways and eyes. Their natural impulse is to go in a different direction.
No, but it will really test your endurance of mace.
Bear spray is pepper spray that is many more times powerful than personal defense pepper spray. You spray it wha. The bear is between 15 and 20 feet away. It creates a large cloud of the pepper spray. It is usually colored orange or yellow.
When the bear runs through it it breates in the spray cloud and it gets it in its eyes. The bear suffers major instantaneous inflammation of airways and eyes. Their natural impulse is to go in a different direction.
LVSteve
Member
Not your average 9mm plinking ammo.
nachogrande
Member
KINDA HARD TO REMEMBER THEM ALL.
I've been dinged/timed out SO many times on so many sites, mostly over bear threads that, That's all I have to say about that.
I've been dinged/timed out SO many times on so many sites, mostly over bear threads that, That's all I have to say about that.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Thanks. I admit I had to laugh when I read you spray it when the bear is 15 to 20 feet away. I had an image of myself telling the wife, "Wait Madge, not yet, wait till he gets to 15 feet. Not yet. Not yet!
keith44spl
Member
I kill'd a bear, er two...with bullets...
Back before bear-spray was kool.........
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Back before bear-spray was kool.........
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You are correct....But remember: black bears and grizzlies are two different birds. Black bears can climb trees and tend to flee when they're challenged or hurt. Grizzlies can't climb trees, but they're bigger, meaner and far more committed to the attack than black bears ever are. Hell, they kill just for fun sometimes, both humans and critters. Any device that will deter or kill a griz is a good thing. But comparing them to their smaller more common cousins is dangerous.
With that said, I carry a 40 with the same type rounds; 200gr. hard cast solids or a .357 Magnum. Both have a slight edge over a 9mm. I'll give the old guy credit, he did the best he could with what he had.
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If you wanna feel like you just fell into the depths of hell! I was sprayed with 5% OC (standard police stuff) in the academy 21+ years ago. It SUCKED! I'll never forget that. I don't even like using OC on the job because it goes EVERYWHERE! But, it is effective on criminals & the bear formula is far worse.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Is the 5% OC worse than tear gas. We did the tent drill where we walked into the tent with our gas masks on and them took them off and had to stand there for some length of time.
I didn't enjoy that at all.
