# Handgun vs. Bear story



## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

As we enter the summer camping/fishing/backpacking season, and although our Utah black bears are smaller and less truculent - here is an interesting article that illustrates that most any decent gun-in-hand that you can use well (and a flashlight) in a somewhat proven manstopper caliber beats no gun at all - and quite nicely in this case despite what armchair theorists may say - at least this guy, if not ideally equipped, was obviously somewhat in the ballpark with caliber and ammo:



> *GLOCK STOPS A GRIZZLY ATTACK*
> as told by by B.K. - Anchorage Alaska
> 
> My wife and I did not think there was a burglar in the house, rather, I was sure that our cat was on the kitchen counter knocking things over.
> ...


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Right ON!!! I don't know if you need a 40 cal., but he certainly did the right thing by not trying to scare the bear away. Shoot to kill whether it's a bear or a person. It's in YOUR house, it's 2:30 a.m., it's there to HURT YOU! Gun in hand....Don't play around! Shoot!!!! Empty that gun and reload quickly. There maybe more of them.


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## IcatchEm (Sep 11, 2007)

The rule that handgun calibers Really should start with a 4 (Four) for self defense applies again. I do have a 9 handy most of the time though :?


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I know the self defense hollow points are excellent rounds for a person charging at you, but I have heard that when protecting yourself against wild animals such as bears that you should use FMJs. Could it be reasonably assumed that had he been using a smaller caliber, such as a 9mm, 38, or .380, that an FMJ would have produced similar results? Had he shot the bear in the head with those hollow points, would they have maintained enough velocity to punch through the skull plate, not just the eyes or ears?


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Anonymous story from an ad. :roll: 

Still, FMJ rounds make bleeder holes. On the other hand, if a hollow point doesn't penetrate, (which is highly unlikely), having all that energy focused at one point will likely shatter any bone it hits and stop movement forward. To keep it in the realm of experience, I'd never use an FMJ round to hunt big game, so why use it for self defense?


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## Surfer Coyote (Jan 14, 2008)

You could always stagger the loads in your magazine. HP, FMJ, HP, FMJ, etc....


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I guess the assumption that deer and elk have thinner hides than bears would be the reason to use FMJs vs. hollow points. Just something I heard. I guess the logic is that you would want more penetration on a bigger animal like a bear.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

At point blank range, it isn't going to matter.


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## FROGGER (Oct 1, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> At point blank range, it isn't going to matter.


+1 which is why i keep saying at 10-20 feet my 9mm has plenty of power


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Wouldn't know myself, but does anybody hunt bears with FMJ rounds?

I'm hunting in grizz country this Fall. Outfitter requires all hunters to wear a side arm. I figure my .44 Mag loaded with 220 grain hollow points should be sufficient protection. It doesn't matter if the round doesn't penetrate his hide or his skull because his head will be rolling across the tundra behind him anyway. :lol:


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

While I have never hunted bear with a hand gun, I have several friends that have. The general consensus it that penetration is much more important than expansion. A hard cast bullet with a wide, flat nose has been shown to provide the most penetration of any bullet type. If I were to take that trip, my 44 would be loaded with some 310 grain Garrett Hammerheads and I would shoot their 1325 fps load.
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/products.asp

Some additional info.
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/44mag.asp


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

+1 on the above advice.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

See that's what I had heard before- the penetration is most important.


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