Black Bear sidearm?

[ElkArcher918]

I carry my trusty 10 MM XDM whenever I go backcountry bowhunting. Carry it in a MR neoprene holster attached to my pack hip belt. Doesn't hinder my hiking, bushwacking, or shooting. Sometimes I forget it's there.

 

[Lowg08]

I actually hunt hogs with dogs and don’t carry a gun.except for a small 380 for emergencies. I think it is cheating to use a gun. I carry a field Bowie. I have poked hogs with sticks to get them out of there little corners. I was rather dumb several years ago. I’ve also eased into standing water to grab hogs by the legs to drag them and dogs out so the catch dogs don’t drown.

 

[ratatack]

I too use a 10mm (G20 or Colt Delta)...

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

Probably fine with anything, BC has one of the highest black bear populations in the world and we spot and stalk bowhunt em here every year with no sidearms allowed.

 

[Islanderflyer]

Either one would be fine. Highly unlikely you will need it but carry whatever you like. If I were Archery hunting I probably would bring the 357 just in case but the glock would work too.

 

[AZsniper]

I would take the 40. In a stressful situation you can pop off a few rounds and miss. That would leave you only with only 1 or 2 to stop the bear if it was charging. I would take the 40.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

I also have a 357 Taurus that I carry. Never used it but I think it would get the job done

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

I see all the bear defense threads and people saying to use hard cast ammo. Generally when we talk about putting down animals we talk about bullet expansion and the internal damage caused. I've never been in a situation where I needed to use a sidearm on a bear so I'm genuinely curious, would a hollow point type bullet not do the trick?

 

[Felix40]

I see all the bear defense threads and people saying to use hard cast ammo. Generally when we talk about putting down animals we talk about bullet expansion and the internal damage caused. I've never been in a situation where I needed to use a sidearm on a bear so I'm genuinely curious, would a hollow point type bullet not do the trick?

Those bullet expansion discussions are about rifles.

I can tell you from experience that a hollow point 9mm will not reliably penetrate large animal skulls every time. A solid bullet will and usually it will do the job with one shot.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

Those bullet expansion discussions are about rifles.

I can tell you from experience that a hollow point 9mm will not reliably penetrate large animal skulls every time. A solid bullet will and usually it will do the job with one shot.

That makes sense. I guess I haven't really thought the whole process through other than I figured I'd just aim for the vitals and let 'er rip. In a self defense situation is it better to aim for the head then?

 

[Tmac]

I see all the bear defense threads and people saying to use hard cast ammo. Generally when we talk about putting down animals we talk about bullet expansion and the internal damage caused. I've never been in a situation where I needed to use a sidearm on a bear so I'm genuinely curious, would a hollow point type bullet not do the trick?

It is more about the flat meplat on a non expanding bullet than being hard cast. Hardcast is just an easy way to do that, as long as it’s not too hard or too soft... There are jacketed and solid options that serve the same purpose. The flat meplat has been shown to excel at straight line penetration. They also create a temporary wound cavity larger than a traditional round nose fmj, nothing like a rifle bullet, but every bit helps. Garrett Cartridges has some good info on the concept. Solids used in Africa (not the hard cast style) have pretty much embraced the concept with good results. Some makers have even gone to a hybrid concept in solids, like Woodleigh Hydro’s & Swift Break-Away.

There are newer designed bullets with a concave tip. Gives an even better wound cavity with penetration vs a flat meplat they say. Not sure how well the concept would work at typical pistol velocities.

So the theory is more straight line penetration ups the odds of severe damage to the animal, vs less penetration I guess. Makes sense to me, I carry hardcast in the woods.

 

[Pulv]

I am in the same situation and am taking the Glock. Being an EDC and having shot it more is my main factor.

 

[nsuok02]

I use a 10 mm

 

[Primetime]

.357 with buffalo bore should work

 

[kid44]

.357 with buffalo bore should work

What are your thoughts on Buffalo Bore? I have heard good and bad, some say it is fine and others say they wouldn't shoot it in their guns.

 

[Primetime]

My buddy has the exact setup and hasn’t had an issue we haven’t had to actually use it on a bear but seems to shoot accurate, and low flashpoint. It does pack a punch though

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

95% of black bears are skittish as all get out. I run into them every year hunting here in California as they are all over the place. Last year a young bear ran into me and he was only the 2nd bear I’ve ever encountered that was so hungry he was almost willing to fight me for what I had at camp.

He was a younger bear likely just removed from his Mom and on his own. He was starving and not willing to back down. I had seen another bear behave like this about 12 years ago so I was more prepared this time.

Yes. Making noise and acting tough gets them to run away almost every single time. Until it doesn’t. Be prepared.

Another situation I got myself into was I ended up between a mom and two cubs. The cubs must have heard me coming and went up two separate trees to hide. I never saw them. About 50 yards further up the trail there was Mom staring at me and huffing. I yelled and banged and she would run away from me about 10 yards then turn back around. This went on for about 20 minutes and I was getting worried. She did a couple very minor bluff charges but never got to within 30 yards. She was acting weird. I knew she wanted to run but she kept smelling the air and looking up past me while making unusual sounds from the normal stomp and huff. That’s when I heard the cries from the tree. I turned around and saw the two cubs in the trees and realized what was going on. I took a long cut around the mom off the logging road into the forest and looped back onto the road after about a half mile detour. Worked out fine, but that could have ended up with 3 dead bears (cubs won’t survive if I shoot mom) if I wasn’t lucky enough to hear the cubs in the trees.

For black bear either of those cartridges will be very lethal if the shot hits vitals. Now a days I’m a big fan of the autoloaders under stress. More rounds and quick follow up shots for me. I run a glock 10mm with hard cast rounds personally.

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

95% of black bears are skittish as all get out. I run into them every year hunting here in California as they are all over the place. Last year a young bear ran into me and he was only the 2nd bear I’ve ever encountered that was so hungry he was almost willing to fight me for what I had at camp.

He was a younger bear likely just removed from his Mom and on his own. He was starving and not willing to back down. I had seen another bear behave like this about 12 years ago so I was more prepared this time.

Yes. Making noise and acting tough gets them to run away almost every single time. Until it doesn’t. Be prepared.

Another situation I got myself into was I ended up between a mom and two cubs. The cubs must have heard me coming and went up two separate trees to hide. I never saw them. About 50 yards further up the trail there was Mom staring at me and huffing. I yelled and banged and she would run away from me about 10 yards then turn back around. This went on for about 20 minutes and I was getting worried. She did a couple very minor bluff charges but never got to within 30 yards. She was acting weird. I knew she wanted to run but she kept smelling the air and looking up past me while making unusual sounds from the normal stomp and huff. That’s when I heard the cries from the tree. I turned around and saw the two cubs in the trees and realized what was going on. I took a long cut around the mom off the logging road into the forest and looped back onto the road after about a half mile detour. Worked out fine, but that could have ended up with 3 dead bears (cubs won’t survive if I shoot mom) if I wasn’t lucky enough to hear the cubs in the trees.

For black bear either of those cartridges will be very lethal if the shot hits vitals. Now a days I’m a big fan of the autoloaders under stress. More rounds and quick follow up shots for me. I run a glock 10mm with hard cast rounds personally.

Interesting how sometimes the big old scarred up warrior boars can come in 100% ready to fight then turn tail and take off like you lit their ass on fire when they see/smell what you are but the youngsters that aren't much bigger than a dog are often the real trouble makers

Did you have to plug the little guy or did he figure things out on his own?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Interesting how sometimes the big old scarred up warrior boars can come in 100% ready to fight then turn tail and take off like you lit their ass on fire when they see/smell what you are but the youngsters that aren't much bigger than a dog are often the real trouble makers

Did you have to plug the little guy or did he figure things out on his own?

He was actually pretty well grown. Probably almost 2 years old. They’ve been hanging onto their cubs for well over a year and a half in some of the areas I hunt. I could tell he was just hungry on adrenaline or rabid. I’ve ran into enough of these things to know when something’s a little off. Like you said, giant black bears come in like they are gonna own the place and then take off at even the slightest noise. This guy had something wrong with him.

I was really close to putting a few 10mms into him when my hunting partner finally got his lazy ass out of his tent. He’s 6’7” and 350 lbs. He also has a much lower voice and much louder voice than me. That’s why he sucks at hunting lol. Once we were standing side by side and both yelling he took off.