9mm vs 10mm for Bear defense.

z987k

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
1,766
Location
AK

A pretty interesting video. My vote goes to the 10mm. Fatrascal.
The bear died in every shot with both the 10 and 9 in the ballistics gel.

On the moving paper target, there were more cns hits with the 9. Everything but a CNS hit is a miss on a charging bear.

I like 10mm. I've carried 44 for a long time. 9mm won that test hands down.
 

Houseminer

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Messages
109
The Underwood 124 grain 9mm +p Jacketed Flat Nose and the same in 147 actually penetrate better than their hard cast 147s. That being said, it is not just about penetration, the impact of the round has to be significant enough to deter the charge
On average a 10mm has double the impact force of a 9mm, that is SIGNIFICANT.
 

z987k

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
1,766
Location
AK
The Underwood 124 grain 9mm +p Jacketed Flat Nose and the same in 147 actually penetrate better than their hard cast 147s. That being said, it is not just about penetration, the impact of the round has to be significant enough to deter the charge
On average a 10mm has double the impact force of a 9mm, that is SIGNIFICANT.
Those impacts are irrelevant if they're not CNS hits. CNS hits either make the lights to out instantly or sever nerves to limbs making them go down like a sack of potatoes. Everything else at that range with a charging bear means the bear is on top of you. You can put 6 though it's heart with a 44 at that range and you're still getting mauled. It'll die a few minutes after it gets done tearing you a new one.
 

IDVortex

WKR
Joined
Jan 16, 2024
Messages
1,227
Location
CDA Idaho
I don't believe in big calibers, so packing a 22lr.


In seriousness, I'm packing my FN 9MM, Have a 1911 in 45. But I've got more rounds in my 9mm, and have practice with it more lately considering it's my daily. Even if I bought a 10mm right before season, ill take my 9mm, at the end of the day, I'm taking the gun I know the most of, and shoot the best with. And I do plan to have hardened lead rounds or the g9 ammo.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
829
Location
N. CO
I roll either with a 10mm or if it's a long hike in a lightweight 357. You know the saying, "Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."" Lotta of moose where I hunt, black bears not much a problem as long as camp is kept clean. Anybody try shooting a moose in self-defense with a 9mm? It's not gonna end well for the shooter.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,888
I roll either with a 10mm or if it's a long hike in a lightweight 357. You know the saying, "Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."" Lotta of moose where I hunt, black bears not much a problem as long as camp is kept clean. Anybody try shooting a moose in self-defense with a 9mm? It's not gonna end well for the shooter.
I put wild broke leg cattle down with a TCP 380 and p365 9mm.

9mm with underwood penetrator is pretty impressive.
 

Luke S

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 7, 2019
Messages
234
I once walked up to a wounded caribou and finished her off with a 10mm to the head. It drilled a perfectly neat 10mm hole through the skull, same on the exit side. She was dead but you could barely see the hole. Later I finished off a caribou with a head shot from a .358 Winchester. That was dumb, it blew chunks of bone back at me and it was too gross for a photo. So a 10mm is nowhere near what a rifle will do to an animal. I just sold my 10mm before seeing this video because I figured it my 10mm was only going to make neat (but long) holes through animals I might as well go with my old Glock 19 that I'm more comfortable with. I doubt a moose will know the difference if we are talking hardcast bullets.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,981
Location
Corripe cervisiam
The penetrating ammo is a game changer in these semi autos- penetrating monsters. . I shoot it in both my 9 and 10. Depending on where the hunt is.

The HC ammo turns a 9mm into serious business.

A G20 is a pretty tame pistol really.

For fun, Shoot a G20 next to that light weight SW 329 PD or the short barrel SW500….most will get 3 accurate shots in the same time as one from those powerful revolvers.

.
 
Joined
Mar 11, 2024
Messages
15
I have seen polar bears killed with 22lr and brown bear take 340 w to the dome and come back the next year. If your on this website you probably arent john whick. Bring bear spray.
 

Tmac

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
900
Interesting info. They were closer in terminal results than I’d have guessed. Much like a 77 gr. TMK is very close terminally to larger bullets of similar construction.

I shoot my G20 about as well as I do my G19 or G43X. The size of the G20 seems to fit my hand and feel the best of my Glocks, possibly a combo of hand fit and overall size? Not sure. I also shoot my M&P Shield in 40 S&W equally well, it also fits my hand and feels good. That may be a key variable to consider.

If you study bear shootings there are a number of instances where a charging bear is shot, turns and runs off. It’s sometimes later found dead or nearly so. So a CNS hit is not required to stop a charge according to actual data. Not saying you should count on that any more than a CNS hit, it’s just something to consider. So volume of reasonably accurate fire could be a thing when considering a semi-auto vs big wheel gun.

Lastly, if the wind never blew, I might carry bear spray, but I’ll never not carry a gun. The only exception is where I can’t bring a pistol, like on a Moose hunt in Canada this Fall.
 
Top