45 ACP on Brown Bear.????

[Don Titus]

And some Alaskan fishing guides sling a short barreled 12 Gauge pump shotgun around their shoulders.

I have fished on streams in AK where there were brown bears in the stream fishing with us; one guide carried a .500 S&W and the other a .460; both had bear spray canisters too…the bears did their thing and we did ours…"no harm and no foul"

 

[BillLarson]

I saw a 1911 for sale at a Gun Show with a documented story behind it. It was in a display case with pictures and the story. It showed a young Airman in the Airforce standing next to a big Brown outside the Air Base in AK. The bear was dead and the young Airman was holding a 1911 .45. He killed the Brown that was charging him. Government .45 Ball ammo.

THANK YOU...very much for some good info....
I wish all the comments made on this subject were as worthwhile as yours...
Other people reply with comedy...on a life and death situation....

 

[Crusty Buck]

44 Mag or bigger. 45ACP was designed to stop humans, not angry bears.

 

[rewiltshire]

I carry a .45………..70. The marlin 1895 type. I'm much better at snap shots with it over a pistol. And a 500 grain slug will sit them down for a second or two.

The only government I trust is a 45-70 Government!

 

[PredatorSlayer45]

The only government I trust is a 45-70 Government!

Thumper

 

[rewiltshire]

44 Mag or bigger. 45ACP was designed to stop humans, not angry bears.

The " bear' people say that the 10mm is the minimum(!) round for bear country. I would prefer a lever gun in 45-70, 444 Msrlin or a good 12 pump with slugs.

 

[morgkj]

Although I don't have experience with a brown bear. I do with black bears, I killed a decent sized black bear with a .45 acp and it took 3 shots. He wasnt pumped full of adrenaline like a charging bear would be either. I was using the fmj bulk stuff. Brown bears are a lot bigger than black bears so i wouldn't trust my life on a .45 acp vs a brown bear.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

The OP is looking for info on the .45ACP and Brown Bear. There are a lot of members chiming in on using other calibers and also some dismissing the power of a .45ACP.
I carried a .45ACP while in the marines and still have several for carry and home defense. It is very effective. When the US Government changed side arms away from the 1911 - .45ACP to 9mm & 10mm a lot of Operators in the Special units still kept the .45 ACP and even purchased on their own despite Government change.
Must be a reason why someone combat would still use the .45ACP!

 

[AZ Wildcat]

I used to pack a Glock 21 with heavier spring and guide rod installed to shoot the Buffalo bore 45 Super hard cast loads. Ballistics are pretty impressive on it. I now pack a 10mm just for the additional magazine capacity

That's exactly what I do, although I only have to worry about black bears. I thankfully have no direct experience but I'm pretty confident with this setup (for black bears). I would definitely want more in brown bear territory.

 

[Ol' Red]

Phil Shoemaker killed a big Alaskan Brownie at a few feet with a 9mm and some Buffalo Bore 147 grain hardcast in Alaska a few years back, while guiding some fishing clients. While neither a 9mm nor .45 ACP would be my first choice, if you put some stout Hard Cast loads in your .45 it will do the trick. Its more about shot placement and penetration than overall Kinetic Energy. But hear me loud and clear: I don't recommend either a 9mm nor .45 ACP for brown bear Defense. 10mm in a semi auto or a .44 Mag wheel gun for a MINIMUM in my opinion. .454 Casull even better.

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/alaska-man-kills-charging-brown-bear-with-a-9mm-pistol/

Phil Shoemaker and the late Ed Stevens have more experience and nerve than the average hunter.

 

[cherokee5425]

Seriously??? please list me as your beneficiary.

 

[warboar21]

The OP is looking for info on the .45ACP and Brown Bear. There are a lot of members chiming in on using other calibers and also some dismissing the power of a .45ACP.
I carried a .45ACP while in the marines and still have several for carry and home defense. It is very effective. When the US Government changed side arms away from the 1911 - .45ACP to 9mm & 10mm a lot of Operators in the Special units still kept the .45 ACP and even purchased on their own despite Government change.
Must be a reason why someone combat would still use the .45ACP!

There is a very BIG difference between a human and a bear.
A handgun, any handgun is a poor choice for defense whether it be for defense against Humans or wild animals. Handguns are compromise weapons and are poor choices for defensive situations.
There are several studies out there that show data where, depending on the study, 70-80% of all gunshot victims will survive. That number drops to about 20-30% for rifle and shotgun victims. This is nationwide studies that involve all gunshots. Handgun shootings are only a few percent higher than knife wounds.

The 45ACP isn't a magical round anymore than a 9mm, 40S&W, or anything else. People shot will more than likely survive from their wounds unless they receive a CNS or Heart shot.
A handgun is best used to fight your way out of the bad situation and get to a long gun or used as a last ditch weapon.

My best friend from the Army was a drift fishing guide up on a river in Alaska. He started out carrying a 6" Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag as it was all he had at the time. The next season he had Bear spray, a S&W scadnium frame 44Mag, and a short barreled stainless/nickel Mossberg model 500. The few years he guided the river he never shot a bear with either of his guns. He did however spray several with the bear spray when they tried to go after a clients fish when they were close to the boat. He always said that the first time he got close to those Brown bears he thought that the 44Mag that was on his chest was like carrying a 22lr.

 

[mrbb]

I always find threads like this with a lot of WHAT IF's
if we can be honest, about any caliber can kill a bear , and yes even big brown bears and grizzlies and??
the thing that kills is shot placement
a little old .22 has been know to kill about every critter om the planet!
NOT the ideal tool or caliber of choose I am sure for most of us when dealing with dangerous game! and I fully agree
but the CALIBER has done it!

a .45 I am sure has killed bears
just like some folks win the lottery, it happens, like it or not, some times luck out win skill and caliber!

BUT if one was actually going to carry a .45 for bears
I think the bigger debate should be on what bullet load to use, and not just say, will a .45 work

as there is a huge difference in bullets and how they preform on impact
just as there is a big difference IMO< in what bullet one would want for self defense against a 2 legged predator, and a say a 4 legged extra large bear!
so, before saying "X" caliber is the better medicine, maybe one should really consider the bullet in "X caliber just as much.

if you get into so called EXPERTS(and I ain;t claiming to be one)
when you get into specialty ammo designed for dangerous game in HANDGUNS
, quite honestly most hand guns are not made to handle the added stress
if you follow hand guns, over the decades you will find dozens that had weak links, when shooting heavy loads
, due to they were designed around shooters shooting more mild loads!
you get into say 10 mm hand guns, and FACTORY ammo, you find very very little FULLY loaded factory ammo, minus the more custom ended stuff
due to most 10 mm handguns won;'t hold up to repeated shooting of it, not a bash on the 10 mm, I own several and even carried one in AK many many times for BEARS or ???

but the truth is, many folks don;t know as much about handgun ammo and bullets and what works best on "X"
they read a lot of internet blabber(and some might call this some too, its ok if you do)
with just a lot saying, you need "X" caliber,
but never get into what actual ammo to use in it
which can be very misleading IMO

lots of experts on rifles and reloading
but handgun info seem to be missing from a lot, and NO bash meant!

 

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

watched recent videos on charging bear..... he used a 10mm....
wondered if anyone uses or has had or experience with a 45 acp for self protection...???

if its all you have use it