357 vs. 9mm for hiking Grizz country

[Bezamaelee]

I have a Glock 17 with a KKM barrel and I have a Ruger GP 100 with 6 inch barrel and these are the only two handguns I have. With some good buffalo bore type ammo which one would you carry as backup defense while RIFLE hunting in grizzly country?

Maybe this could be an excuse to buy a new handgun?

I have a cow elk rifle hunt lined up in a grizzly area.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Whatever your comfortable with. Unless someone here has had to shoot a charging grizzly with both then all you’re going to get is opinions.

My opinion, someone who has never had to defend myself against a grizzly with anything but have read the one big article about all the different pistols being successfully used in defense against grizzlies and both the 357 and 9mm being used successfully, I’d take the 9mm. I shoot semi auto better than revolvers, myself and everyone else on the planet will put more rounds on target faster with a 9mm than a 357, and the capacity is at least double even if you have an 8 shot revolver, three times as much if it’s a 6 shot and the Glock has flush mags, more than 5 times as much with an extendo. So for me more rounds on target > marginally better penetration.

If you’re not opposed to buying a new gun I don’t think a 10mm would be a bad idea, but you’ll probably be just fine with a 9mm.

I’ve been within a few feet of huge grizzlies in captivity and held a few day old grizzly cub as a volunteer and they’re big motherfuckers but pistols are pistols and the differences are marginal IMO.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Whichever one you shoot the most accurate and the fastest.

Could be a great reason to grab a 10mm. I picked one up recently even though I don’t have grizzly bears here.

But no matter what practice your draw and getting a first shot CNS hit.

 

[FLATHEAD]

.357 w/180 gr. hardcast.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I would take the semi auto over a wheel gun all day long. I started this thread a few weeks ago and I thought it the videos were interesting:

Charging Bear - 10mm vs 44mag

Just watched this and thought this guys results were pretty eye opening.

www.rokslide.com

 

[z987k]

Doesn't matter much. You're bringing a rifle. Use that if you have to defend yourself.

 

[DLIP]

.357 has a ballistic advantage but either one will kill a bear. You should carry whichever one you shoot the best.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/d...tols-97-success-rate-37-incidents-by-caliber/

No flies on the 9mm, wish we could carry up here.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

98.27% of the shooting public will be able to deliver multiple shots in quick succession more accurately with a semi-auto than a revolver.

 

[BIGBUCK247]

I have the same two caliber options and when hunting I tend to carry the 357 with 180 gn hard cast hand loads that I load with h110.

 

[USMC-40]

I have carried .357’s, 10mm’s, and .44’s in griz country. Thankfully I’ve never had to use anything in defense of a bear. That being said, I’ve been relatively close (inside 50 yards) with my pistol in my hand (.357 at the time) and honestly felt under-gunned, and it was only a 400ish pound Montana timber griz. Since that time I have relentlessly practiced with my .44 and for what it’s worth I feel ‘better’ with the .44.

With bears and pistols its one of those ‘sub-optimal’ situations. I’ve never shot a pistol that I’d shoot a griz with by choice.

By the way, my bear encounters have all been on rifle hunts, with my rifle strapped to my pack…so unless you’re smarter than me you can’t always count on your rifle in these situations.

Don’t rely on a rifle unless it doubles as a walking stick or will be I. Y

 

[Dave C.]

Only carry the 9mm if you're planning to use it on yourself.

 

[CoStick]

Only carry the 9mm if you're planning to use it on yourself.

I can’t imagine it has enough stopping power for most of the big mountain men on this forum…

 

[Thinkingman]

I have never had a confrontation with a bear however I archery elk hunt an area with a grazing lease.
A pissed bull thought I was too close to his cows and came toward me with bad intentions.
I drew my 357 with BB 158gr hardcast but my hands were shaking so bad that if I had to shoot, it would have gone anywhere.
That thing was MASSIVE and the sound he was making was rumbling the ground.

 

[Dave C.]

If you're going to carry a 9mm, make sure and file down the front sight.

 

[long hunter]

Never been a 9mm fan, nothing but a short .38. never faced down a charging bear grizzly or black, So with that if I ever was in grizz country I would want at the minimum a 40 cal. and yes the autos are good but given murphys rules and they usually tag along with me I would go to the revolver, You will maybe only get two or three shots off in a really bad situation no time to clear a jam. Besides that the idiot in the white house is going to ban the dreadful 9mm or so he says.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Just a heads up, underwood has the 147gr +P hardcast on sale for 30% off right now and $7.95 flat rate shipping.

 

[Thinkingman]

If you're going to carry a 9mm, make sure and file down the front sight.

I love these posts.
Tell that to This Guy

I'd rather have a 9mm with +P hardcast than a 40something with lightweight expanding HPs.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I don't carry a sidearm when rifle hunting, figure that rifle is gonna be the best bet anyway.

 

[Mark.c]

The .357 with BB 180s is ballistically equivalent to a 10mm loaded the same. However, take whichever one you shoot better. Ammo choice is the key and test it in your particular firearm. At some point you will be out of reach for your rifle. Nice to have a back-up if nothing else than piece of mind.