bear defence with handguns

[Ol` Joe]

I saw this on another forum and think there may be some interest here in it as the question as to proper handgun cartridges for bear comes up yearly or so.

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/def...#axzz5Ucf4zGTb

[tkurban53]

Very interesting read. I'm very surprised at the success rate. But, nothing on .22LR, eh?

After I typed the .22LR question (joke) I thought I'd search. Doh!

https://www.ammoland.com/2014/11/wha...#axzz5Utb0Nimg

[10x25mm]

The Phil Shoemaker grizzly shoot with an S&W 3953 has become a legend:

https://www.americanhunter.org/artic...th-9mm-pistol/

Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol
Phil Shoemaker - Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol

I have been guiding brown bear hunters and fishermen and bear photographers from our homestead within Becharof National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for 33 years and have had numerous close encounters with bears. Until now, I have never had to shoot an unwounded bear to protect either myself or clients, but the other week an event occurred and my good fortune changed. When it happened, I was fully aware of what was going on and how big the bear was. I also managed to stay aware of where my clients were, even when the bear was directly between us. The woman I was guiding said that while she did not remember smelling the bear’s breath, it was close enough to her face that it could have bitten her!

I have killed enough bears to know how important shot placement can be, even with large-bore rifles. I was well aware of the limitations of my 9mm pistol, even with Buffalo Bore ammo. I was aiming for a vital area with each shot; because it all took place between 6 and 8 feet, they were not far off. But hitting the head and brain of a highly animated and agitated animal is a difficult shot.

The two photos shown here tell a pretty good story by themselves. The secondary photo (embedded at the bottom of this story) was taken from the point where the charging bear first erupted from the brush. I am on the left and Larry, my fishing client, is on the right. The bear was within 2 feet or less of Larry and his wife when I shot it. You can see the dead bear to the left of Larry. The main photo (embedded to the right) shows Larry and me with the dead bear and shows its size.

Larry and his wife were fishing with me, and because we were going to a small stream I had fished before, which had numerous large male brown bears, I decided to take my Smith & Wesson 3953 DAO 9mm, rather than the S&W 629 .44 Mag. Mountain Gun I have carried for the past 25 years, as the larger boars are usually less of a problem than sows with cubs.

Before we reached the stream, while we were walking through dense brush and tall grass, we heard a growl and deep “woof” of a bear approximately 6 feet to our right (behind me in the secondary photo). We had been talking loudly but must have startled a sleeping bear. It sounded like it made a movement toward us, and I shouted loudly and the bear ran back through the brush to the right in the photo. Within 15 seconds, we could hear it growling and charging through the dense brush from the opposite side.

I had my pistol out by then, and the bear first appeared from where the photographer in photo No. 2 was standing. It went straight for my clients; Larry and his wife fell backwards in the deep grass. She said the bear’s face was close enough to hers that it could have bitten her!

The bear was highly agitated and standing within 3 feet of my clients when I decided I could take a shot without endangering them.

My first shot was at its neck, and then it began growling and spinning toward the impact. I wanted to hit the head but the bear was moving so fast I simply began shooting each time I could hit a vital area. I hit it six times before it turned to run off, and my seventh shot was into its pelvis area as it ran. When it dropped within 6 feet of the last shot, I checked my pistol and found I had only a single round left in the chamber so decided against walking in and finishing it.

My pistol was loaded with Buffalo Bore 9mm +P Outdoorsman 147-grain FN hard-cast loads that have a muzzle velocity of 1100 fps. I had previously tested, compared and proven such loads with my .357 and .44 mags., and I was convinced they would work.

[badman]

that's awesome!!!!!! need to find the pics!!

[Ol` Joe]

Phil Shoemaker has been a legend as a bear guide in Alaska for years and is a highly respected outdoor writer.
He has in the past recommended a 357 with heavy bullets of proper construction (loaded by Garret?) as a good choice for carry in bear country and, for years backed up his bear hunters with a 30-06 loaded with 200/220gr Nosler partitions. He is also famous however for having the ugliest 458 Win M70 in the world that he also carries as back up when hunting Browns/Grizzlies..

He is a contributing member and replied to the link I posted from the forum I found the link I posted above at, though not in any length. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...l#Post13228693

[Jwade78]

i planned on carrging .45 +p when i go up north, will that be enough?

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[ChaneyD]

Have taken 2 black bears with my S&W .460. Neither one went further than 30 feet.

[SteveS]

i planned on carrging .45 +p when i go up north, will that be enough?

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Yes.

While it is always good to be prepared, the likelihood you will run into a bear is very slim.

[HemiChallenger]

Phil Shoemaker has been a legend as a bear guide in Alaska for years and is a highly respected outdoor writer.
He has in the past recommended a 357 with heavy bullets of proper construction (loaded by Garret?) as a good choice for carry in bear country and, for years backed up his bear hunters with a 30-06 loaded with 200/220gr Nosler partitions. He is also famous however for having the ugliest 458 Win M70 in the world that he also carries as back up when hunting Browns/Grizzlies..

He is a contributing member and replied to the link I posted from the forum I found the link I posted above at, though not in any length. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...l#Post13228693

Very interesting: https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazi...=75&tocid=1043

I love this thread. Thanks for starting it.

i planned on carrging .45 +p when i go up north, will that be enough?

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I have no first hand experience with results from shooting a black bear but the bear are so skittish where I'm at, any dog or human typically scares them right away. They wont come near a house. So one would reason any firearm just to scare them away is probably effective, even firecrackers. As this thread shows even hardcast bullets in 9x19 works on much larger bears. So I think your fine.

[Smokepole]

Have taken 2 black bears with my S&W .460. Neither one went further than 30 feet.

Exactly what I carry around here when the black bears are getting into feeders.
...That, and a big can of bear spray.