357 Magnum for bear…?

[FireFlyFishing]

Another bear handgun thread.

 

[3chester]

If only had 357 caliber to choose from, would even rather take along a 357 SIG handgun over just any old can of bear spray.

 

[sp6x6]

I went up a mountain to recovery a elk.We had 3 horses and I didn't pack a pistol.Friends brother had a long heavy single action 44,said I should take it.I almost didn't but thought oh well.Got to elk and bunch of ribs busted off and piles of bear scat,felt better with that ol hog leg then.

 

[wilkup]

Interesting Q for this thread is, did the OP intend us to chat about Black bears or G Bears which are generally two different critters in many ways..........

Let's say grizzly and the really big monster blacks from back east and the fish eating coastal monsters of the PNW.

 

[HARPERC]

Wil I don't think it matters.

 

[wilkup]

Let’s stir the pot some more…
How about hardcast vs soft cast vs JSP?

 

[HARPERC]

Apples to apples I'll take hard cast. The old Sierra 180 FMJ would be good, but discontinued.

The 180 XTP is possible, personally the XTP's expand too much and penetration is reduced.

 

[wilkup]

Ive killed several black bear using 158 grain jacketed soft points loaded to an max charge of a Lil Gun and using the 140 grain XTPs with a max charge of H110. None of the shots were past 75 yards and I got complete pass through on all of them except where the xtp was lodged in the off side hide. In a levergun I can push these loads to substantially more juice than I do with a wheelgun. The xtp will expand to .70 caliber when pushed to 1400+ fps.

I just spent some time looking through load data with the Hornady 140gr XTP and the Barnes 140gr XPB and am a little blown away by where loads top out!
19.0gr H110 - 140gr XPB or Hornady 140gr XTP —> 1762fps in a pistol!?
UNREAL!
That’s completely stomping the 10mm! I had no idea there was so much potential from the dusty old 357 mag!

 

[wilkup]

Now I’m real curious about how that XPB mono from Barnes does as a hunting round, especially at that wicked velocity.
@wvbearhunter do the XTPs maintain much weight running those top end loads and pancaking to .70”?

 

[del2les]

One thing to always remember when considering loads for handguns in bear "defense" vs "hunting", is that usually, the bear is charging you head on vs a broadside shot when intentionally hunting them.

Bullets that work well on a softer rib side shot, may not always be the best when needing to penetrate skulls and frontal shoulders on a charging bear. There is a lot of heavy bone, muscle being presented before your bullet will reach the internal vitals. Of course, a CNS shot doesn't require the bullet to make it to the heart/lung area, but if your slightly off target on a charging bear with your panic mode turned to 11, a shot or two may miss the head and strike those front shoulders.

Just look at a few photos or paper bear mockups that are in a frontal running charge position and you will see a different target presentation than a side shot.

 

[highfinblue]

I cannot imagine a thousand pound brown bear running 35 miles per hour to eat you. I’ve always been calm in emergencies, but I’m thinking hardly anyone could remain calm during that. Give me something big, 375 or bigger with really good iron sights or 1-4 power red dot.

 

[wvbearhunter]

I cannot imagine a thousand pound brown bear running 35 miles per hour to eat you. I’ve always been calm in emergencies, but I’m thinking hardly anyone could remain calm during that. Give me something big, 375 or bigger with really good iron sights or 1-4 power red dot.

I had a 1400 pound Simental bull charge me once.....that was sufficient for me

 

[del2les]

I had a 1400 pound Simental bull charge me once.....that was sufficient for me

I had to laugh, for as a kid growing up on and around farms, I've had a couple of bulls charge and chase me up trees and over fences.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

...NO, NO, NO....a .22lr will kill one also, why risk your hide for it.