Bear protection handguns?

[Cfrey]

I second the gunfighter Kenai chest holster, having easy access to your sidearm is probably more important than caliber. 10 mm is a good round, definitely wont treat you badly as long as you choose the right ammo & avoid the home defense stuff that wont penetrate anything.

Here is a good article compiling 37 separate encounters where a handgun was used on a bear (brown/black) from Ammoland.

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents

Using a pistol to defend against bear attacks seems to be a viable option.

www.ammoland.com

 

[HNDLDR]

Like a lot of the others I'm in the 10mm crowd. It is my do everything round including concealed carry. I have a Super Redhawk in 454 Casull but it's more weight then I want to carry and I'm much faster with a follow up shot or two with a 10. I have an XDM and a Kimber Black Ice and wouldn't feel under gunned with either. When two legged predators are my only concern I use 165gr hollow points loaded to 40 S&W velocities. In bear country a 200gr WFN loaded warm gets the nod. Some of the others are right in that you will probably never ever need it, but it always makes me feel better having it. Nothing wrong with the 44 and up crowd if you can shoot them well and feel like carrying them. I've just found more utility in a 10mm for my "Bunnies to Bears" sidearm.

 

[bls8433]

I am in the 10mm camp and carry a Glock 20 in the Kenai Chest holster when bowhunting out West in G.bear country. Even with stout 200gn loads it is very manageble for me to shoot.

 

[Schroedernd]

I lived in remote Alaska for a few years and saw black bears dang near daily. They remind me of scared dogs when yelling at them unless it was a sow with cubs. I carried a 44 mag super redhawk that I shot well with good ammo.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

Gone Ballistic - just laughing at the thought of spraying myself to make me less tasty... Thanks for the chuckle.

JeffreyJWilliams - what are you using to hunt deer? Most deer rifles are fine for black bear as well.

Regards, Guy

Somehow I pictured that in my mind before I commented. Probably would work!

 

[del2les]

Arkansas black bears? Bear spray, a 4 inch 357 with 160-180 hard cast, 1911 45 Super with 230 TC hard cast, G31 in 357Sig 150 cast, a 10mm auto, etc, etc will work - with shot placement. However, Southern blackies have been known to run from from a good switch.

 

[bamban]

So ya, I personally in those mountains would hunt deer with a light carbine ar-15 with an lpvo optic and offset red dot, and at least one spare mag, and a glock 22 or 35 with a spare mag for backup. Unless there are some large fields or power line cuts, the opportunity for long range will likely be limited. Even then, there are some great bullet options for .223 that will take out white tail out to 300 yards without issue.

Spot on, 77 TMKs make for good short range deer sleeping pills on 223 velocity. Two bang-flops last season convinced me. They behaved like Berger hunting VLDs' terminal ballistics.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I carry a Glock 21 in a keni chest holster under may bino pack. I was after a 10mm but if you can't get the job done with 12 rounds of 45 acp+p you may loose anyways. I carry for Grizzly Bears blacks are normally not much of a threat

13+1 in Mod. 21 I like my Glock 21 but I bought a Glock 20 couple months ago to carry while hunting and a Gunfighter shoulder holster. Can carry either with it. Just bought a Springfield XDM 10mm few days ago. I kind a like it. Problem is it doesn't fit in the same holster . Would have to buy another .

 

[freddiej]

Hello
Next season I plan to hunt deer in Arkansas. I am told that from time to time bears pass through the lease. With this in mind, what is a good, dependable handgun (that won't break the bank) to carry for protection? I hear that the Glock 20 (10 mm) is a solid choice. Any other guns to consider?

with the black bears found there I would use the 44 special/44 mag revolver. S&W 629 or 624 will do the job. the 10 MM G-20 will do it too. what people forget is the 45 Colt does a really good job as well. the 454 Cassul is no slouch. then you have the 460 and 500 S&W mags. I used to use a 41 Mag in a 6" blackhawk. a wonderful round. I would not turn down any of the rounds listed except the 460 and 500 due to the size of the revolvers they come in. a pumped up 44 SPL is nothing really to scough at. I have had a 44 SPL with 240 grain slugs to within 100 FPS of the 44 Mag without the recoil. killed a few bears with that S&W. the current bear protection I have are 41 Mag and 45 Colt-Blackhawk/S&W 625 respectively. the 300 grain 45 colt does a better job than the 44 mag that I have observed. 210 grain 41 mag does a very adequate job of putting down blacks and a few browns I have witnessed. My first line of defense is acutally bear spray with a 25 foot stream. I find it did a better job than anything in MT, CA, VT, ME, WI and BC.

 

[skipglo]

Black bears are not close to their counterparts Grizzly or Brown bears, and are much easier to kill. I took a 6 1/2' boar with a. 357 Mag and 158gn round nose Speer bullet over 20 years ago. I've also taken one with a. 243 Winchester. It has been my experience that boar bears bluff charge you then turn and run but if you get between a sow and cub, your butt will pucker just as she begins biting the daylights out of you. It happened to a buddy of mine so fast one time when we were elk hunting that the other two of us couldn't get a shot before she was gone with her cub. He was packing a S&W Model 29 and never got his hand on it. I believe bear spray today is the best thing to carry. If nothing else, you can spray it on yourself to make you less tasty!

Or more! I know I prefer pepper on my food! Just spray it at the bear....worst/best case is if the bear is UP WIND....you will probably never see the result either coming or going!

 

[Critter Picker]

I personally shoot a wheel gun better than a semi auto (just me) and prefer 6 hits to 15 misses.

I love my SA 45 LC , its a 4 5/8 barrel. With a 270 cast SWC , it hits pretty hard and is quite accurate. I've actually put more meat in the freezer with my DA 41 than my DA 44 (they are identical) , just like the 41 with a 210 cast.

 

[hunter0528]

While black bears tend to be less aggressive than G bears they certainly can and will take after you. For years I've studied bruins and have many years seen/watched 40 plus of them. As well I've guided a fair number of spot and stalk hunters on rifle hunts for them.

Twice I've had them come after me (after they'd been hit and we were following them up). The first one came at me in a creek bottom from 9' away, when our eye's met he came fast. I put his lights out with one round from my clients 25/06 with a shot under the chin. After that one I started carrying when guiding. The second time the bear came at me from 15'. He didn't come near as fast as the first one but he came with a definate intent. I took him out with one round under the chin from my 22/250.

Now in both cases the bruins had been shot and had the right to be po'd. In most all, note I said most all the bruins not going to want anything to do with you. But, when they do come with intent to do harm they come fast and can do a lot of damage really quickly!

To my point, I strongly feel that a fight with a bruin isn't a 13 or 15 shot affair. It's about being calm and cool and putting a well placed round into the CNS. You want that bear down right now! It's almost always going to be a one or two shot affair.

Black bears dont' come to attack very often but when they do they come to kill. Here in Montana we yearly have people beat up or killed by G bears. It's a rare thing that it happens and they prove for sure that it was from a blackie.

I heard, years ago, that a Black Bear is like a Case of dynamite. They are just waiting to explode, and you never know when this might happen to you.

 

[longgun505]

Black bears are not close to their counterparts Grizzly or Brown bears, and are much easier to kill. I took a 6 1/2' boar with a. 357 Mag and 158gn round nose Speer bullet over 20 years ago. I've also taken one with a. 243 Winchester. It has been my experience that boar bears bluff charge you then turn and run but if you get between a sow and cub, your butt will pucker just as she begins biting the daylights out of you. It happened to a buddy of mine so fast one time when we were elk hunting that the other two of us couldn't get a shot before she was gone with her cub. He was packing a S&W Model 29 and never got his hand on it. I believe bear spray today is the best thing to carry. If nothing else, you can spray it on yourself to make you less tasty!

Bears are scary fast, and even faster when their adrenaline switch gets flipped. Situational awareness is a must when in bear country. I do not however agree on the bear spray. I live butt deep in grizzly country, and yes, we do have bear spray that comes along on every trip. However, herein lies my issue with bear spray. If you've ever attempted to deploy bear spray in a charge you know EXACTLY where I'm going with this. My 629 will skin from my Bianchi cyclone 110 one heck of a lot faster than bear spray will come out of its pouch, and it has no safety to fumble with! That 44Mag is also oblivious to wind at spitting distance...bear spray, is not. If you're friend had no time to even touch his 29, then the bear was danger close without detection, which happens to more than one hunter. Nothing would have made a difference at that distance, especially spray. If we have an encounter and time permits, one of us goes for the spray. The other is on a bangstick immediately, regardless of use of spray or not. And they stay on it until the threat is long gone.
The key is to be aware, and predator wary when approaching danger areas. Defilade, or heavily vegetated areas etc. My family members never hunt alone. Whomever is hunting concentrates on the stalk and prey. Whomever is security concentrates on immediate surroundings 360°, nothing else. When game is on the ground one skins while the other pulls security with gun in hand. Wide open areas are a little different, but in dense areas constant security is a must. The ground bears can cover at a full run is phenomenal! The practice has served us well, with zero scars to prove it

 

[WYO300RUM]

Bears are scary fast, and even faster when their adrenaline switch gets flipped. Situational awareness is a must when in bear country. I do not however agree on the bear spray. I live butt deep in grizzly country, and yes, we do have bear spray that comes along on every trip. However, herein lies my issue with bear spray. If you've ever attempted to deploy bear spray in a charge you know EXACTLY where I'm going with this. My 629 will skin from my Bianchi cyclone 110 one heck of a lot faster than bear spray will come out of its pouch, and it has no safety to fumble with! That 44Mag is also oblivious to wind at spitting distance...bear spray, is not. If you're friend had no time to even touch his 29, then the bear was danger close without detection, which happens to more than one hunter. Nothing would have made a difference at that distance, especially spray. If we have an encounter and time permits, one of us goes for the spray. The other is on a bangstick immediately, regardless of use of spray or not. And they stay on it until the threat is long gone.
The key is to be aware, and predator wary when approaching danger areas. Defilade, or heavily vegetated areas etc. My family members never hunt alone. Whomever is hunting concentrates on the stalk and prey. Whomever is security concentrates on immediate surroundings 360°, nothing else. When game is on the ground one skins while the other pulls security with gun in hand. Wide open areas are a little different, but in dense areas constant security is a must. The ground bears can cover at a full run is phenomenal! The practice has served us well, with zero scars to prove it