Charging Bear - 10mm vs 44mag

[MattB]

Has anyone done any work around determining the average number of shots that are fired in a bear defense situation? It seems like guys are increasingly using high capacity as the primary criterion, but in lots of cases I have read about only 1-3 shots are fired. There are cases where guys dump an entire magazine, but anecdotally that seems less common.

 

[Wrench]

I carry a 9mm more than my 10's or 44's now if I'm in black bear country. After last months griz encounter I will probably be sporting the g23 vs the 43x now. My issues with the g20 and full size 1911's are the size and reciol makes shot recovery difficult. The 40 and especially 9 are just easier to shoot. I give up 200fps to the 10 with the 40, but 16" of penetration and lots of bone damage on the trip told me I could throttle back on hp and use the reduced recoil for follow up if necessary.

 

[Wrench]

Care to elaborate?

Who's actually killed a charging bear?

First off, I don't want to start a pissing match between 10mm lovers and wheel gunners, but welcome opinions from those who have been present during a charge. Im curious, for those who have, what caliber was used to stop the bear and how fast did it stop? In their tracks with a single shot...

www.rokslide.com

 

[jdmaxwell]

Wife and I will carry ultralight 44 mags with hard cast in August in Alaska.
Buddy going along will have 10mm.
Let's hope we don't get to compare..

 

[Wrench]

Has anyone done any work around determining the average number of shots that are fired in a bear defense situation? It seems like guys are increasingly using high capacity as the primary criterion, but in lots of cases I have read about only 1-3 shots are fired. There are cases where guys dump an entire magazine, but anecdotally that seems less common.

You're going to be lucky to get more than one off. My suggestion is less focus on volume and more on accuracy. I remember talking myself through the process when I shot the bear. I also remember thinking about how I'd clear a jam or ftf as quick as possible....along with 8,000 other things. Time slows waaaay down when it gets western.

 

[grfox92]

I briefly owned Taurus Tracker in 41 Magnum, so very similar to a 44 mag.

I put two rounds through that gun. The first round I ever fired I thought something happened, I thought something maybe went wrong, because of the pain I was experiencing in my hands. I fired the second round to confirm my suspicions. And yes it is just that unpleasant to shoot a lightweight magnum revolver. I put the gun back in its case and got rid of it. I have no interest in shooting a lightweight magnum revolver ever again.

I have shot several 10 mm and the recoil is not noticeably different than a 9 mm to me when it's coming out of a full size pistol. Obviously it's a little heavier but it's by no means unpleasant to shoot.

I carry spray and a pistol when I hunt. Since grizzlies are always at the top of my mind when I'm hunting i'm very often making the observation of what the wind is doing and whether I would deploy spray at the current moment or go for my pistol. I've done this exercise so many times that I believe if the time came that I needed to deploy one of the other I would just be able to do it naturally.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Wrench]

A 10mm tossing a 200 at 1300 is most certainly different than a 9mm+p. The nastiest revolver I've owned is the 450ti. It's 19oz vs the 329pd's 28. The 450 is 45lc+p rated. It will pull the bullets with 365's in it.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

The .44 vs 10mm caliber argument is bovine excrement. Either will save you or get you killed depending solely on your ability to hit the CNS. That's why I switched from a S&W 329PD to a G10. I practice at the range with someone holding the toggle switch to bring the target towards me (using a cardboard target so it doesn't fly in the wind) and my accuracy with the semiauto is far greater than the revolver. When a bear is charging you his head is going up and down by 4' or more so having more rounds and getting em downrange faster is a definite advantage.

 

[Crowmangler]

Always save 1 round for yourself at the end lol

 

[rayporter]

Has anyone done any work around determining the average number of shots that are fired in a bear defense situation? It seems like guys are increasingly using high capacity as the primary criterion, but in lots of cases I have read about only 1-3 shots are fired. There are cases where guys dump an entire magazine, but anecdotally that seems less common.

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents

Using a pistol to defend against bear attacks seems to be a viable option.

www.ammoland.com

 

[Deaver25btb]

Crazy

 

[MattB]

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 Incidents

Using a pistol to defend against bear attacks seems to be a viable option.

www.ammoland.com

Thanks Ray. I actually looked at that article before posing the question. While it outlines specifics in most cases, it doesn't for all nor does it provide summary data. For those situations where it does specify how may rounds were fired, it looks like the mode is 1 and the mean is in the 2-3 shot range. There are a few clip dumps, but those seem to be pretty rare cases.

 

[hypnolope]

Just shot my 357 sp101 this weekend - woke up with my hand numb. Normally a Glock person but wanted to try a wheel that matched my lever.


Definitely not 'carry in the woods' satisfied, so more pain to come!

 

[rayporter]

there are just too many variables, and the bear has a vote in many of them.

 

[journeyman713]

After reading though, my take away is -
Carry what you are comfortable shooting.

A little surprised, but you can’t argue facts.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I had my mind made up on a G40 once I could afford it, but after watching this video its apparent how the shorter barrel sped up his draw. I think I'll be taking another look at the G20 or possibly the new S&W 2.0 full size 10mm

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I had my mind made up on a G40 once I could afford it, but after watching this video its apparent how the shorter barrel sped up his draw. I think I'll be taking another look at the G20 or possibly the new S&W 2.0 full size 10mm

If it fits your hands, the XD-M Elite Compact shoots pretty darn well. It’s recoil is pleasantly tame (at least to what I was expecting).

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I had my mind made up on a G40 once I could afford it, but after watching this video its apparent how the shorter barrel sped up his draw. I think I'll be taking another look at the G20 or possibly the new S&W 2.0 full size 10mm

I carry the glock 29 in grizz country. I feel like it is the perfect size. My buddy just picked up the S&W - he really likes it.

 

[zion zig zag]

I carry the glock 29 in grizz country. I feel like it is the perfect size.

Same. I have a 15 round mag with the x-grip combo, but I also sometimes just carry a ten round with the Pearce extension.

 

[Neverenoughhntn]

Thanks Ray. I actually looked at that article before posing the question. While it outlines specifics in most cases, it doesn't for all nor does it provide summary data. For those situations where it does specify how may rounds were fired, it looks like the mode is 1 and the mean is in the 2-3 shot range. There are a few clip dumps, but those seem to be pretty rare cases.

One point of consideration, based on my personal experience… 2-3 shots may be the mean; however, if events unfold to where you feel the need to fire rounds to haze a bear, you won’t regret opting for mag capacity…. I live and hunt in grizz country. Got bluffed in the dark while hunting solo a couple years back, and have never been so glad to have a full mag…. I couldn’t imagine trying to reload a wheel gun in the dark with a bear testing you.. or trying to determine when to reload a wheel gun (after 3 shots? 4? Etc.).