It depends if your are able to chew him up with 14-15 well placed shots to the head and heart it's bound to hit something vital. I have a feeling if you put enough lead in something he'll go down. But old legends tell of bears taking a heart shot and living long enough to maul the shooter to death before he realizes hes dead.
power of 45 acp?
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Hey Drewbacca, I would still prefer my Arsenal AK-47 over my Taurus PT1911.
Thanks, Digger Doug
Thanks, Digger Doug
Hmmm... you gave me an idea. Take the mother-in-law hiking with an air tank in her back pack. Bear comes after us... outrun the mother-in-law... wait for bear to start chowing down... shoot the air tank! BOOM! All problems solved! :devil:Drewbacca said:
I think we are all missing a valid point, I don't think many of us here will ever encounter a full on mean-ass grizzly bear in the woods. Sure there is good chance someone might run into a black bear, but unless you live in Alaska, Montana or Wyoming you stand a pretty good chance of going into the woods bear free. Sure, it could happen, and you might see the bear charge. I'm willing to bet if you didn't get between a mama and her cubs a shot in the air from any firearm is enough to scare it off. I have spent time in the woods here in Wa and we are sposed to have bears, and in all my years deer and elk hunting I ave never even come across scat. There was one time I almost ran over a cougar though, but he was in such a hurry to get out of there he didn't say boo. Point is I go gold panning in the cascades all the time, I carry a Kabar and a glock 30, because I'm more worried about the two-legged predators than the four.
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The dangereous 4 legged animals there are plenty of, but as long as one respects the animals normally nasty encounters are indeed rare in most parts of the country while in the woods. Been to Montana back country,spent a great deal of time in the Wisconsin north woods, lived with bears around camp and on the trails. Hunted in the woods in Washington state. Never once did the bears,even mom and cubs, give others or myself a hard time. Not unless messed with by idiots or food was left out.
T
wo legged varmints seem more likely to be what one will have to be prepared for more so than 4 legged ones.
I am beginning to agree with some outdoor writers who have seen little in the way of 4 legged critters causing harm top life and limb. As many years as they put in and with others, there just hasn't been much reason to worry about encounters of the worst kind with nature. Doesn't mean one should not prepare for it. Just that it isn't as common as conventional wisdom might suggest.
If I lived in parts of Canada or Alaska there might be more reason to carry heavy artillery.
Granted, if one likes being in the boonies way far away from everyone then carrying a handgun is going to be needed for just in case situations.
T
wo legged varmints seem more likely to be what one will have to be prepared for more so than 4 legged ones.
I am beginning to agree with some outdoor writers who have seen little in the way of 4 legged critters causing harm top life and limb. As many years as they put in and with others, there just hasn't been much reason to worry about encounters of the worst kind with nature. Doesn't mean one should not prepare for it. Just that it isn't as common as conventional wisdom might suggest.
If I lived in parts of Canada or Alaska there might be more reason to carry heavy artillery.
Granted, if one likes being in the boonies way far away from everyone then carrying a handgun is going to be needed for just in case situations.
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It could never happen to me. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1912480/posts
I carry a Taurus .41 Magnum Titanium Tracker with 250gr SCs when in bear country. Of course I live in bear country so that means that I carry it everyday April through November. My Tracker has taken a bear with one shot. These are black bears. I have read a documented case where a man in Alaska killed an attacking Grizzly with a 9mm. Don't ask me to find it. Believe it if you want. All that said, a 45 is not a good choice for a bear.
You need penetration for bear. You'd actually be better off with 9mm than .45ACP since it will penetrate skin and muscle better. However, no auto caliber is suitable for bear. The magnum calibers are the minimum- .357mag gives you a chance, .41mag, .44mag and greater are better (but far from good). Believe it or not, the best thing for trying to stop a bear attack is bear strength pepper spray.
chaim has a good point. Ever carry bear spray (bear pepper mace)? It's a step up from pepper spray. I've hiked in Glacier NP, Yellowstone, and Banff in Canada (need a permit for it there) and carried bear spray with confidence. After hearing stories of its effectiveness always carried it and felt I could fend off a bear. Even the one I shared a blackberry bush with in Glacier, he was on one side, I was on the other side, with others hikers taking cover. Need to practice with it, just like target practice. It's not long range stuff, but dead on around 30 feet (says 40 feet on the can). Comes in cans 9 inches high and can be found at sporting good stores.
But as Qwiks draw says above, "Two legged varmints seem more likely to be what one will have to be prepared for more so than 4 legged ones." Bear spray works on the two legged kind too.
But as Qwiks draw says above, "Two legged varmints seem more likely to be what one will have to be prepared for more so than 4 legged ones." Bear spray works on the two legged kind too.
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Deep penetration with large holes is the key. It's becoming standard fare on the internet to hear recommendations of 10mm as the minimum for a semi-auto and grizzly bears. I think a Desert Eagle comes in 44 magnum and 50. And smaller bear might be taken with a .357 sig. But revolvers rule the handgun choices for bear, especially grizzly.
I'd prefer a 45-70 lever action or a 12 gauge with slugs but will go with nothing less than 44 magnum for grizzly and 357 or 41 magnum for black bear.
Here's what a charging grizzly looks like:
I'd prefer a 45-70 lever action or a 12 gauge with slugs but will go with nothing less than 44 magnum for grizzly and 357 or 41 magnum for black bear.
Here's what a charging grizzly looks like:
Scary! I bet those duded totally **** their pants on that one, I know I would! The narrator said that the guy discharged his rifle in front of the bear; so good to know they can be scared by less-than-deadly force/noise but if that thing had kept coming those guys might be alive to tell the tale.
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He fired a revolver. I think it was a 44 magnum. Whether the bear was scared off or just worried about the cubs may not truly be known.
mrglock said:
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I have my doubts that he intentionally shot in front of the bear. Yes, it worked but at that speed and distance I'd think that you'd only get 1 shot, after that you're hand to hand (or in this case paddle to large claw/fangs).
I do hope thats as close as I ever get!
Steelheart
I do hope thats as close as I ever get!
Steelheart
I live in louisiana so no bear (that I am aware of) i usually have my TLE2/RL 1911 or my M&P R8 .357 as hunting back up. ever walk up on a deer you thought was dead only to have it try and gore you? Happend to me ONCE. I was using buck shoot that day (lucky) as it was all brush/marsh area and was able to hit him again before he got me. After that +P .45acp or heavy load .357 mag is my minimum.
I also carry a 3" J-frame in .327mag IWB for two legged varmits. its easy to get out and manageable up close and personal.
I also carry a 3" J-frame in .327mag IWB for two legged varmits. its easy to get out and manageable up close and personal.
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Roy Schieder didn't use explosive tips when he went out in the boat with Quint and Hooper, he filled the hollow points with poison then sealed them with wax. The explosion you saw at the end of the movie was him hitting the scuba tank in the shark's mouth with a rifle (looked like a Garand). As a point of interest, Mythbusters tested the "shooting a tank with a rifle and blowing it up" myth and proved it false.Drewbacca said:
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No way a .45 is sufficient, even with a head shot. The skull of a bear is quite thick, I'm guessing a 45acp wouldn't even cause significant head trauma to slow a bear.
The magnum rounds at a minimum and I'd really prefer a .454, .460, 500. You'll likely only get one shot.
The magnum rounds at a minimum and I'd really prefer a .454, .460, 500. You'll likely only get one shot.
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