Bullet proof bear?

[cdf41]

Read this over on Reeders forum, might want to take something a little bigger when out hiking in bear country.


fieldethos.com/bears-are-bulletproof/?utm_source=Field+Ethos&utm_campaign=e06dfcf649-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_08_25_11_47_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-af9e48f91c-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=e06dfcf649&mc_eid=8330cab1b1

[marlin35]

I think we’re all packing something bigger than 9mm for bear and some (most?) of us pack something bigger than 9mm for anything at all!

[nicholst55]

A lot of people are currently convinced that 9mm is adequate for Alaskan brownies, after a couple of guides killed bears using 9mm handguns to defend clients. If I'm limited to a handgun, it will have to be chambered for a cartridge beginning with a '4!'

[marlin35]

Apr 13, 2024 17:50:46 GMT -5 nicholst55 said:

A lot of people are currently convinced that 9mm is adequate for Alaskan brownies, after a couple of guides killed bears using 9mm handguns to defend clients. If I'm limited to a handgun, it will have to be chambered for a cartridge beginning with a '4!'

That leaves me asking, does anyone read “Sixguns” by Keith anymore?? It should be required reading in school!! Elmer talks about the 9mm quite a bit in the book, all of which applies still yet.

[cdf41]

Whoever tried that 9mm needs to carry a bigger stick! Lol

[bigbrowndog]

That is the poroblem with social media, news, and such. Someone sees someone else do something and they feel they are capable of the same performance. Be it kill a deer at 800 yards or successfully defend yourself from a bear with a 9. Many many many people feel they are “good enough” with firearms manipulation and accuracy and can do anything they see. The truth is very few possess the skills and mental capacity and awareness to successfully survive such encounters, accuracy wins almost every time, but there is a lot to be said for situational awareness and willingness to act.

Trapr

[kevshell]

It could be a weapon of opportunity like the story I posted recently with the guy who was treed by a bear and he had a 38. People like to talk about how the 10mm is not adequate and the 9 is no 10. Then there's always those who just don't understand anything about ballistics.

[aciera]

Apr 13, 2024 20:46:09 GMT -5 kevshell said:

It could be a weapon of opportunity like the story I posted recently with the guy who was tired by a bear and he had a 38. People like to talk about how the 10mm is not adequate and the 9 is no 10. Then there's always those who just don't understand anything about ballistics.

Exactly
And knowing the anatomy of a bear. Phil Shoemaker does. And carried a 9mm (with appropriate loads) when he whacked a grizzly
His daughter, who also guides, carries a 357 last i knew.

[foxtrapper]

Could have lobbed that round from 100 yards away. Who knows! Can’t believe that at attacking distance say fifteen yards or closer that that bullet wouldn’t do more damage.

[bula]

Bare minimum gear fails more often. 

[kevshell]

Apr 13, 2024 20:45:44 GMT -5 bigbrowndog said:

That is the poroblem with social media, news, and such. Someone sees someone else do something and they feel they are capable of the same performance. Be it kill a deer at 800 yards or successfully defend yourself from a bear with a 9. Many many many people feel they are “good enough” with firearms manipulation and accuracy and can do anything they see. The truth is very few possess the skills and mental capacity and awareness to successfully survive such encounters, accuracy wins almost every time, but there is a lot to be said for situational awareness and willingness to act.

Trapr

One of the guides at the ranch where I hunt and I had this discussion last year. He's originally from NC but is now part of the ranch family. He's been there for 2 decades. Seen a lot guiding. 2 years ago he was walking his horse in sage brush guiding a couple (giving his horse a rest). His client saw a large grizzly that had some leftovers of someone's elk. The bear already saw them. As he put it, if the bear was in a bad mood he'd probably already have been dead. Depending on what I'm doing I always carry a 44 with copper solids, a 500L or a Glock 10mm. The Glock if I'm cutting firewood, or doing something I don't want to be at the revolvers to death. He was being an instigator saying the bear had the advantage and I wasn't that quick. I agreed with him but also explained how stupid a man would have to be to not bring a fighting chance. Bring the right equipment, stay alert and practice. Confidence and level headedness goes a long way. We saw 7 grizzlies in one day in our hunt last year. One was in the trail. None were are a distance where you shouldn't still be alert. I only think of 3 things when I'm hunting in Montana - the scenery, glassing for elk and where the grizzly might be. Some hunters are so oblivious they aren't doing any of those things and they are completely reliant on the guide.

[contender]

I want to know HOW the taxidermist (or any of them,) knew the .9mm round was traveling at 1200 FPS??

I know they may just used some factory info on a known round,, but still,,,! And as noted,, at what distance was the bear hit? 5 ft, 100 yds? etc??

Lots of variables in such things.

Heck,, I once killed a nice 7-point buck,, that when I was cleaning his skull plate,, I found the remains of a .30 cal bullet. I recalled how a local guy, (known for exaggeration, and lots of BS,) had told me of how his son had shot at a 10 pointer,, in the head, and it got up & run off,, with the kid using a 30-30. I kinda guessed the 7-pointer was the same deer, (same area,) and the kid just made a bad shot from too far away.

[aciera]

Apr 14, 2024 10:01:23 GMT -5 contender said:

I want to know HOW the taxidermist (or any of them,) knew the .9mm round was traveling at 1200 FPS??

I know they may just used some factory info on a known round,, but still,,,! And as noted,, at what distance was the bear hit? 5 ft, 100 yds? etc??

Lots of variables in such things.

Heck,, I once killed a nice 7-point buck,, that when I was cleaning his skull plate,, I found the remains of a .30 cal bullet. I recalled how a local guy, (known for exaggeration, and lots of BS,) had told me of how his son had shot at a 10 pointer,, in the head, and it got up & run off,, with the kid using a 30-30. I kinda guessed the 7-pointer was the same deer, (same area,) and the kid just made a bad shot from too far away.

Well……well ……. No deformation………good point.

[bigbrowndog]

Yep, I found a .357 bullet in the shoulder of a small spike. I could tell it was fired from a Marlin because of the micro groove rifling. Good placement, as my 45-70 bullet track almost shoved it and my bullet through the deer. Just missing by and inch or so. All the meat and tissue at the impact site was yellow, so the entire deer was never utilized. I figured either to far or small tree impact just before deer impact. I still have the bullet, and it’s not expanded much so could easily have been a long shot. Bullet was at the shoulder but never really broke anything, deer looked to be getting around normal when I shot it.

Trapr

[ideal]

I have been assured by experts on other boards that 9mm is a perfectly adequate defensive round for bear. If it weren't, why would companies like Federal and Buffalo Bore advertise their ammunition as being so? I was saddened to find that these companies, as well as others really do advertise their ammo this manner, with Buffalo Bore even bragging about being the load Phil used on the grizzly.

www.federalpremium.com/handgun/premium-handgun-hunting/solid-core/11-P9SHC1.html

www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=389

And the less savvy readers simplify actual accounts to read "9mm is adequate for grizzly bear".