If you had to shoot a Black Bear;

[AJ]

If I wanted bear medicine out of a 357 Mag I would load up some Keith 173 gr. LSWC's made out of Lyman #2 and load them over 13.5 grains of 2400 in 38 Special cases or 14.5 gr in Magnum cases.

Those will do a bang up job on a blackie out to probably 100 yards.

Will it stop one charging? Probably. But I'd rather have a big bore.

I use 14.4 of 2400 with a 158 grain bullet, so I guess I am in the ball park....

 

[smithra_66]

I use 14.4 of 2400 with a 158 grain bullet, so I guess I am in the ball park....

That'll get his attention too. Just a little more sectional density with the Keith slug. Might have to run it in Special cases though because it's so long!

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

"Last Cartridge" reminds us of the stiff arm. Also reminds us we have already used the rest of our ammo, so this one must work. Know they show a griz.

Only way I'd shoot a black bear would be if it was wounded, or if I was starving.

 

[AJ]

That'll get his attention too. Just a little more sectional density with the Keith slug. Might have to run it in Special cases though because it's so long!

I am using a 158 grain SWC in my cases, both ,38 Special and .357 Magnum. No problem with them being to long.

 

[65Whelen]

I have a cabin in northern WI. with a very healthy bear population. Never had a problem with any of them. Mostly it's you go one way they go the other. Spring time is different, after a long winter and they're hungry be careful when foods around. I used to carry a 44 but last couple years I've gone to a 10mm. A Tanfoglio that hold 14 rounds. The 14 rounds is what changed my mind and the 10mm being very capable.

 

[Shibadog]

Based on information compiled over the past several years by ammoland, it seems pretty conclusive that contrary to popular belief, Bears are not in fact four-legged Sherman Tanks that can only be dropped by a .50BMG APIT round, but rather creatures of flesh and blood which can and have been killed by literally every cartridge on the market including .22LR.

So yeah, unfortunately campfire stories about the Bald-headed Bear of Claire County just don't hold up in the information age. You don't need a .500 Magnum Revolver or .338 Lapua Magnum Rifle to drop a bear, you can do it with whatever you might have handy.

Granted, "can" and "will assuredly" are two completely different things and a more powerful cartridge is more likely to succeed, so definitely carry the most powerful thing that you can use proficiently, but other than that, you're probably fine.

.357 Magnum is obviously a powerful and very capable cartridge which if loaded with solid, non-expandind bullets most certainly has the necessary energy as well as sectional density to penetrate a Bear's skull and shut it down.

If all else fails, you could always just stay out of Bear Country, then your likelihood of ever having to shoot a Bear will decrease dramatically.

Just remember there are "bears" and then their are "BEARS". A small black bear can certainly be engaged pretty effectively with a decent .357. A big blackie or even more so a Grizzly, Brownie or other big bear is a whole different critter. For those fellas there is no such thing as "too powerful". A .44 Mag would be a minimum for them (and I'd be a lot happier with a 12 gauge with slugs)

 

[llowry61]

Well guys, I have never had an encounter with a bear or even seen one in the wild, but if I did this is what I would want.

 

[AJ]

Well guys, I have never had an encounter with a bear or even seen one in the wild, but if I did this is what I would want.

View attachment 642893

My Grandson has this, but I think the battery pack is low.

 

[oneeyedpete]

I love these threads. I have never hunted bears but I had a weekend cabin in NE PA for 20 years that was loaded with black bears. One spring about ten of them came roaring out after hibernating under my porch. By and large they are not aggressive, but they are unpredictable. Females are very cub protective. The biologist for the US Park Service in the area was a friend and said never to get between a mama and her cubs. If well fed they tend to be completely harmless, but in the spring and very hungry after hibernation they are voracious and ornery. I don't know whether a particular caliber revolver will stop one, but you better have a heavy solid bullet in the mix because they are not built like a human or a deer. They have a thick pelt, gristle and muscle that will never be penetrated with a soft point or hollow point bullet. All the locals hunted with minimum .308 rifles or shotguns loaded with slugs. I'd probably carry a pump shotgun with slugs if I was worried about a bear.

 

[Travis Montana]

I do a lot of hiking in National Parks and Forrest. I carry a revolver in .357 magnum or .45 Colt. Loaded with hard cast bullets. As with all ammo I shot a few different cartridge to see what shot the best.

 

[Pig Hunter]

Just this year south of Tucson a guy was sitting at a picnic table having coffee in the afternoon when he was ambushed by a black bear and killed. According to the news broadcast, I heard, the bear was killed by fish and game. It was a big healthy male and they had no idea why he attacked the guy. It seems blacks usually attack from ambush.

 

[llowry61]

Here is something that would probably work.

 

[AJ]

Here is something that would probably work.

View attachment 643030

.45/70?

My Sister just bought a .429AE Desert Eagle. Develops as much power out of the pistols as a .44 Magnum does in a carbine.

 

[Greyman50]

I'm surprised and disappointed no one mentioned just carrying a loaded picnic basket to just toss to any bear…..LOL

 

[AJ]

I'm surprised and disappointed no one mentioned just carrying a loaded picnic basket to just toss to any bear…..LOL

You can carry a .32 to protect yourself. When the bear charges, you shoot whoever is with you in the knee and run away. Then it is their problem.

 

[Greyman50]

IIRC there was a joke story about shooting the guy next to you in the knee when a lion jumped out of the bushes??????. Something about the " best" lion gun being a 25 ACP….

 

[AJ]

You can carry a .32 to protect yourself. When the bear charges, you shoot whoever is with you in the knee and run away. Then it is their problem.

IIRC there was a joke story about shooting the guy next to you in the knee when a lion jumped out of the bushes??????. Something about the " best" lion gun being a 25 ACP….

A variation on a theme!!

 

[SweetMK]

.45/70?

My Sister just bought a .429AE Desert Eagle. Develops as much power out of the pistols as a .44 Magnum does in a carbine.

That AE DE AIN'T gonna develop ANY power,,
until YOU get the right ammo loaded up!!

 

[AJ]

That AE DE AIN'T gonna develop ANY power,,
until YOU get the right ammo loaded up!!

.429 DE Ammo - Cheap Bulk Ammo For Sale

 

[K Frame Keith]

We live in black bear central, the Northern Pocono mountains. We see bears on our property regularly. Our local black bears can be a nuisance but are usually very shy when confronted by humans and dogs. Although once we had one attempt to approach us while we were sitting at a camp fire. Very unusual behavior, but the dogs chased him off.
To answer the question, my usual outdoors gun is a four inch .357 magnum with buffalo bore ammo or equivalent. The eastern black bear isn't so tough or aggressive that I feel under gunned. Just my humble opinion.