• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

9mm VS a Bear

Status
Not open for further replies.
I shot a black bear in Fryeburg, ME with a .44 Mag revolver. 1 round in his right front shoulder, 2 rounds in the chest. The first one pissed him off, disabling that shoulder, The second one semi-dropped him, but I was already pulling the trigger on the third round before I saw him go down mid charge.

This was at the dump. I think he knew I was there, at least knew there were a ton of people around and wasn't afraid of any of us and doing his own business (eating) on the other side of a trash pile until he popped his head up, looked at and smelled me about 30 feet away from me. That was the first time I knew he was there, with all the noise and commotion. I started backing away and he charged. I wasn't taking chances, as other people were unaware and I was armed and in the way.

I don't think a 9MM would have worked. I think human smarts (stay clam and outsmart the bear) would work better. By standing ground and trying to shoot the bear you're committing to that action instead of staying fluid. Granted you may have a chance against a bear here, as the 9MM may be load enough to scare the shit out of it, but if it's enraged and charging, it's committed. A bear will typically "present" itself, by standing on it's hind legs, to look bigger and more threatening. They are also trying to figure out threat... I've read instances where a bear's presented itself and run the other way (against a bigger bear). In some instances, making yourself smaller and slowly walking away (backwards) without looking the bear in it's eyes will be enough to mitigate the situation. If they don't move off, they will charge and it's FAST. I probably couldn't pull and fire that fast now. Reflexes are much slower and I don't do the Western shoots anymore.

Counter point, I was walking along Franconia Notch Park in late September about 10 years ago and saw a smaller bear about 35ft away. I screamed like bloody murder (more like a little girl!) and raised my arms above my head, waving all about he it took off like a rocket.

It all depends on circumstances. Bears are not dumb. They will not fight unless they think there is no other option which is usually when they can't think.
 
CmdrFenix said:
I think this one sums it up:

grizzly_bear_warning_sign.jpg


-Jon
cmdrfenix.org
Click to expand...

[laugh2][laugh][rofl]
 
Grendel said:
In some instances, making yourself smaller and slowly walking away (backwards) without looking the bear in it's eyes will be enough to mitigate the situation. If they don't move off, they will charge and it's FAST. I probably couldn't pull and fire that fast now. Reflexes are much slower and I don't do the Western shoots anymore.

Counter point, I was walking along Franconia Notch Park in late September about 10 years ago and saw a smaller bear about 35ft away. I screamed like bloody murder (more like a little girl!) and raised my arms above my head, waving all about he it took off like a rocket.

It all depends on circumstances. Bears are not dumb. They will not fight unless they think there is no other option which is usually when they can't think.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I've seen black bears in the wild at least a dozen times, usually at a distance, but I've had two close encounters with them and you're right, they are FAST. It's almost unbelievable how fast they are when you see them run at full speed up close and personal. Luckily both times the bear ran AWAY from me and not towards me!

One time it was the Smoky Mountains, I was backpacking and unarmed, I was on a seldom used side trail right off the AT in heavy woods. I came around a corner and there was a large black bear standing in the middle of the trail, probably 15 feet away. I froze immediately and while trying to think whether to make noise/get big or walk backwards, Mr. Bear took off like a shot away from me up the trail. It was shocking how fast he was and how muscular he was, you could see the muscles ripple under the fur as he ran like hell.

Second time was in the Allagash up in Maine. Very similar situation probably 30-35 feet away in a field. This encounter I had a small canister of bear pepper spray on my belt, but Bear took off without any prompting from me.
 
when i go camping up in Maine i keep can of bear spray with me. it looks like a mini fire extinguisher. this year i'll have the 45 loaded with hollow points. i"m more worried about a moose than bears tho...
 
nickortizzle1035 said:
when i go camping up in Maine i keep can of bear spray with me. it looks like a mini fire extinguisher. this year i'll have the 45 loaded with hollow points. i"m more worried about a moose than bears tho...
Click to expand...

Moose are a very valid concern. Just as, if not more dangerous as bears.
 
Blitz1 said:
I was watching an episode of Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment this past weekend. One of the guy tripped and fell, somehow his bear spray went off in his face, he didn't seem to enjoy it very much.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that wasn't Rob87?
 
Blitz1 said:
Moose are a very valid concern. Just as, if not more dangerous as bears.
Click to expand...

Two and half years ago I got woken up in the middle of the night in the whites (a poached/unofficial campsite just north of lafyette on the AT) by a moose. The moose wandered by and got spooked when I got spooked. Keep in mind, I wasn't in a tent but a bivy sack. I do sleep with my head under a fallen tree/branch and up against a tree for just the reason that if I am going to get stepped on, I want it to be an extremity and not my melon. It took hours for me to get rid of that SOB. I did get some sleep eventually though but not much.
 
thebusinessend said:
So I was out drinking last night with a few friends. The topic of our next camping trip came up and we began discussing bear attacks. But only bears indigenous to the northeast so mainly black bears.
I said that you could kill a bear with a 9mm pistol. My argument was if you could put 3-5 rounds in a 5 inch grouping from 25 yards you could hit the bear either in his eye/face, throat or heart and the bear would either leave or be dead.

The scenario then changed to a charging bear. Everyone said even if you had a 15 round clip and put all 15 into the bear it wouldn't stop it. I couldn't swallow that.
I would assume a 357. would be able to penetrate the bears skull and get his attention. Aside from the S&W Mag 500. which would be ideal. I would only have a 9mm on my person. Because when i go camping next time that's what I will be carrying.
so do you think any certain type of ammo would help, maybe +p+ teflon coated rounds? or would you be better off with bear mace.
Click to expand...

Without reading the thread...mostly because I know the answer to the question already...I'm adding my 2¢: You could kill a bear by tripping it and having it hit it's head on a rock. You could kill a bear by kicking it in the nuts, providing of course it is a male, and having it roll off a ledge to it's death. You could drop your draws and let the bear watch you empty your bowels in fear and have the bear laugh itself to death. You could have your friends dress like a picnic basket and a jar of honey to attract the bear to them so you can run. You could throw the 9mm at the bear and hope it chokes on it. You could empty 15 rounds from a 9mm into the bear and probably at least save your friends as the angry bear punishes you. Or you can shoot and hope for the best (juvenile bear, old bear with little energy, etc) but only as a last option. Now I'm going to read everyone elses replies.
 
edirtyfour said:
Big +1

To the OP and others who would carry a small caliber handgun and that's it go hang out on some Alaska forums for a while and then come back.

At 25-35mph running speed at a distance of 25-30ft (where a bear usually decides whether to make a full charge or not) you have exactly one second before you are mauled. Good luck getting 15rds. of 9mm off. Not that they'll do much anyway unless you shoot it in the eye.



It works awesomely. IANAL but I would be concerned about using a can explicitly labeled "bear spray" on a human due to federal law concerning aerosols. Purchase a can that is labeled "defense spray". UDAP makes some like this.

In NE when I hike I bring spray for the bears and a pistol for the two legged critters. In Northern Idaho I take spray, a 12ga. 18" loaded with 3" Brenneke slugs (you don't want Foster or regular deer slugs, they mushroom too easily) and a large caliber handgun. The spray is the first thing I would reach for.
Click to expand...

If your taking slugs into the woods during anything but shotgun season for deer your violating laws in some states...like Massachusetts.
 
holyroler said:
great point.

but....its the meth heads in canada that I'm most worried about.

should I still scrap the blank? but I'm afraid of hitting someone with the 00buck.

The thing is this...if someone drives up the road to my cabin, theres not reason to be there other than to try to steal stuff. I'll be the only one with a gun, however, I want them to know RIGHT AWAY that i am not messing around.

thoughts on how to stack for bear and human protection?

my idea now

blank - 00buck - slug - 00buck - slug - 00buck
Click to expand...

protecting the cabin from bi-peds? replace the blank with rocksalt or rubber balls.
 
terraformer said:
Two and half years ago I got woken up in the middle of the night in the whites (a poached/unofficial campsite just north of lafyette on the AT) by a moose. The moose wandered by and got spooked when I got spooked. Keep in mind, I wasn't in a tent but a bivy sack. I do sleep with my head under a fallen tree/branch and up against a tree for just the reason that if I am going to get stepped on, I want it to be an extremity and not my melon. It took hours for me to get rid of that SOB. I did get some sleep eventually though but not much.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it is a busy place to sleep! I was camping along the east branch with my bride once, far away from the designated sites. In the middle of the night we were suddenly awoken by something large, probably a mid sized deer, running right into the tent, bouncing off, and running away. I was glad we had a tent that day, as I could have had a hoof in my mouth as a wake-up present.
 
Magnum Force. I favor 357 out of a longer barrel, 44 magnum out of a longer barrel (although my shot placement sucks with the 44mag). I agree with most posters, handgun is a poor choice for bears. But it beats no choice. And the blast/sound of a magnum round hurts my hearing, it must dissuade a simply curious animal...

never having been in the situation I cannot attest to that though.
 
Well, here's a grand old thread.....a classic.

I have a question that was never addressed.

I have a Glock 26 9mm (which is the most I want to carry when hiking).

If I ever actually have to shoot a black bear I'm sure the shot will be a head shot at the range of 15 feet to three feet (probably emptying the mag on head shot attempts as the bear covers that distance).

I figure that to actually STOP a bear you have to penetrate the skull and you want a flat-nosed FMJ for that.

My question is this: Does anybody have experience carrying alternating FMJ and JHP in the Glock and did it negatively impact reliability???

Odds are that I will far more likely be hit by a meteor than be attacked by a black bear, but I'm still keeping the possibility in mind.
 
Last edited:
Frostbite said:
Well, here's a grand old thread.....a classic.

I have a question that was never addressed.

I have a Glock 26 9mm (which is the most I want to carry when hiking).

If I ever actually have to shoot a black bear I'm sure the shot will be a head shot at the range of 15 feet to three feet (probably emptying the mag on head shot attempts as the bear covers that distance).

I figure that to actually STOP a bear you have to penetrate the skull and you want a flat-nosed FMJ for that.

My question is this: Does anybody have experience carrying alternating FMJ and JHP in the Glock and did it negatively impact reliability???

Odds are that I will far more likely be hit by a meteor than be attacked by a black bear, but I'm still keeping the possibility in mind.
Click to expand...

The gun is meant to be used against yourself in the event you run into a bear. I .22 should be fine .
 
Frostbite said:
Well, here's a grand old thread.....a classic.

I have a question that was never addressed.

I have a Glock 26 9mm (which is the most I want to carry when hiking).

If I ever actually have to shoot a black bear I'm sure the shot will be a head shot at the range of 15 feet to three feet (probably emptying the mag on head shot attempts as the bear covers that distance).

I figure that to actually STOP a bear you have to penetrate the skull and you want a flat-nosed FMJ for that.

My question is this: Does anybody have experience carrying alternating FMJ and JHP in the Glock and did it negatively impact reliability???

Odds are that I will far more likely be hit by a meteor than be attacked by a black bear, but I'm still keeping the possibility in mind.
Click to expand...

You'd be taking the bear out of season and without a license. Nope. You've no choice, just let the bear maul you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Bear Creek Arsenal
2
Replies
31
Views
831
greencobra
greencobra
Civil War-era cannonball found in backyard of Virginia home: 'Could still be a live ordnance'
Replies
9
Views
283
Dennis in MA
Dennis in MA
post trump, covid vax family relations: conservatives vs liberals
2 3 4
Replies
99
Views
2K
rewster
rewster
Holosun 510 vs Holosun AMES
Replies
6
Views
222
PappyM3
PappyM3
Cheap vs Expensive Red Dots
Replies
8
Views
481
johngalt2
J
Back
Top Bottom