What round is best for bear defense?
Posted by micahbell0456@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 73 comments
No I don’t live near bear country, used to but not anymore, but I could never get this question out of my mind, what pistol round would be best in case of a bear attack, would it be something on the larger end of the spectrum? Like 357., 44., hell maybe 454 or 500? Or would it be something you could hit accurately and quickly like 10mm or 45, I’ve heard online that some people say that you’ll only have one chance to shoot so you might as well choose something big, but then I’ve also heard that since bears have the ability to shake off rifle rounds, it’s best to get something you could fire quickly and accurately? Figured yall would know, this question has been bothering me since I left lol.
-playboi-@reddit
My only ever encounter with a bear i had nothing on me and had to walk backwards for a while until i had a good enough distance and snapped a photo. I have a 9 at home but i dont think it would have saved me from this dude. I want something that is gonna stop this motherfucker instantly
chupacabra5150@reddit
Accept my fate, make peace with my God, pop the flare and call it in. The round used will be up to the pilot or gunner
RnotIt@reddit
Napalm sticks to bears, right? 😁
Traditional_Juice702@reddit
You can all keep your 45-70 5 round lever gun or hand cannons. I'll take a reliable ar10 with 308 soft points and a Glock 20...
the_morbid_angel@reddit
It depends on the size.
Someone on the group should have a .45 and a shotgun and the other should have a .308.
ThickBlueberry2115@reddit
Probably smith 500 magnum
Candid_Loquat5883@reddit
Grizzly territory - 308 in a semi auto with 20-25 round mags.
Black bear- 10mm
Annual-Art4408@reddit
For 10mm fmj or soft core?
FedVayneTop@reddit
for big bear hard cast flat nose, nothing soft
beaddy82@reddit
I had a 50 Desert Eagle. I fired it on the range, but didn’t like it because it kept jamming. Not gonna have a lot of time to clear a jam. But, like most things, that’s just opinion. I sold the gun.
Best_Airport9892@reddit
Anyone saying 9mm is wrong. Has it been done? Yes but at the cost of spending so many rounds
ascillinois@reddit
Please dear god do not try to use a .410 if you try you will die painfully.
ilikerelish@reddit
A slug might be ok, probably not buck or birdshot though.
ascillinois@reddit
Idk 410 isn't known for its amazing FPS on its shotgun rounds.
ilikerelish@reddit
Tend to agree, though we are talking danger close with a ~40 cal slug moving at shotgun velocity... I think it would do.
ascillinois@reddit
I personally wouldn't want to test it out.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
I was wondering that lol, I saw some labeled as bead defense rounds for the Judge the other day, had like 3 or 4 slugs in it but i didn’t know if it would be any good
ascillinois@reddit
If you want a shotgun use a fullsize 12 gauge with slugs I'd personally recommend that you dont get smaller then that.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
Don’t you have to have a rifled barrel for slugs btw? I’ve heard so many different answers idek anymore, my dad says you do because you’ll blow the choke out of them (that sounds true), some people say as long as it’s smooth bore its ok, and some say that it’ll ruin even a smooth bore
Tommygun1921@reddit
Its the choke size you have to be careful with
ascillinois@reddit
My shotgun I can fire slugs through no problem. Im sure with some you can't and your milage might vary. As far as im aware you fire sabbot slugs out of rifled shotguns.
Agammamon@reddit
The best round is the one in the gun you have with you, not the one you left back home because it was too heavy.
Bears have been killed with a single .22LR.
Generally, from what I've seen, you want something that can go deep so +P 10mm and the like. Deep is more important than diameter.
armedsquatch@reddit
I can tell you that 10mm is otw to being the #1 choice for Alaskans in bear country. Not sure if it’s the “best round” but a mag full of 200gr rounds would make me feel safer
TacTurtle@reddit
A big part of that is 10mms are way cheaper than revolvers. You can snag a solid 10mm autoloader for 1/2 the price of a good revolver.
armedsquatch@reddit
I think that’s sound logic.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
That’s what everybody has been saying, I don’t really even know anything about it though, hell I’ve never even seen the round myself lol, I’ve liked guns my whole life but just recently I’ve been really trying to get into the specs and stuff, is there anything unique it does better than the rest?
Pariah6-4@reddit
Proper 10mm Auto is basically 40 S&W with way more ass behind it. Hornady’s bear load is 180 grains at 1275 FPS out of a 5 inch barrel.
Ornery_Secretary_850@reddit
You have it backwards. The .40 Short and Weak is the 10mm for wimps.
One of the rare occasions where the full power round came first.
Pariah6-4@reddit
I know the chronology of the cartridge development, I just figured I would say it that way since I hear about .40 way more than I do 10mm
Material_Victory_661@reddit
The traditional hikers companion has been a .44 Magnum. 10mm is a bit lower power, but not much. Of course you can go bigger.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
I gotcha, I was wondering that since most 44s are revolvers if you’d be limited to low ammo capacity
TacTurtle@reddit
What is the likelihood you will get more than 2-3 shots? Bears are fast bro.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
Yeah, the only reason I really said that is I was on a few hunting websites with people that had encounters with bears and they said something along the lines of that
Beni_Gabor@reddit
Low ammo capacity? How many bears are you planning to shoot? If that bear ain't dead by the 3rd .44 mag shot, it is sure as hell limping away.
TacTurtle@reddit
IF you hit it. Most folks won't practice enough with a 44 Mag to become proficient due to cost / recoil
ilikerelish@reddit
Unless you are amped up on adrenaline because you are about to die, and you shoot a flyer or two in a moment of fear, desperation, and excitement. There is never an inverse benefit for having more capacity. You may only need 1, but it sure is nice to know you have 5 more in reserve if it doesn't work.
Material_Victory_661@reddit
From the 1950s to the mid 80s the .44 was the Boss. Then .454 Casul, Linebaugh .475, and .500 came along. Also, the Automag, but that was only 7 rounds of .44. The Linebaughs were only 5 shots. Not much later, Smith made the .460 and their .500. I don't know where .50 AE ranks in power.
Outrageous-Basis-106@reddit
50 AE is about that of some 454 Casull. Like a 300 grain 454 Casull is a little faster then a 300 grain 50 AE.
454 has greater range of loadings, cross sectional density, and stuff like that to have the edge.
ilikerelish@reddit
The 50AE is really an underrated cartridge.. I like it. The real problem with it is the gun that it is used in.. Overpriced, bulky, gives you 1 less shot in a semi-auto than you can get in a .454 revolver. It's also not nearly as flexible or versatile (gun, not cartridge). Semis tend to be finicky if you change the load, cycling is never a concern with a revolver and any non-defective ammo. Then there is the one cartridge gripe.. With the 50 no versatility. You basically get what you get.. while the .454 can be pushed beyond factory load magnum velocity with handloads, or you can swap in some old cowboy action .45LC ammo, or even lighter practice ammo. I've even fiddled around with BP Sabot that shoot as low as 86gr 380 slugs in an approximate 38 call interior, 45 cal exterior sabot.
Material_Victory_661@reddit
He wants an Auto. That's why I even thought of it.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
The only reason I thought that was because it’s a semi, can hold a few more, and I want one so bad lmao
Material_Victory_661@reddit
I would get the 10mm. Just check around for the hottest load. Odds are pretty good you'll never need it. So you have something you want to have.
Ornery_Secretary_850@reddit
There's a HUGE difference between the 10mm and the .44 mag. 10mm comes close to the .357 mag.
Outrageous-Basis-106@reddit
Going with hell no to the 410, maybe some round out of a full length shotgun is acceptable.
Anyway its like people rules on steroids. Has to penetrate deep enough, hit something important, and cannot rely handgun rounds beyond that.
Mostly anything up from 9MM with a proper bullet (hard cast, large Meplat, higher weight) although 10MM and 357 Mag are likely more reliable (Anecdotal evidence can say otherwise) to penetrate home. Shoot for the head and mag dump bassically.
44, 454, 460, 500 and those rounds have the higher risk of the individual not getting enough rounds out. If they hit the right spot? Is there a major difference between it and something weaker? Add in higher crimp jump risks.
I figure I'll just do the Glock 20 with 220 Grain
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
I was wondering that, bigger round means that you’ll only get one or two off which doesn’t sound like a good idea lol
TacTurtle@reddit
Placement is king, excess power is largely wasted and slows follow up shots.
Outrageous-Basis-106@reddit
2-3 of something weaker normally trumps 1 stronger round. Unless its getting dramatically different like a handgun vs dangerous game rifle.
TopShelfSnipes@reddit
Smith & Wesson 500?
ilikerelish@reddit
My pat answer to this is the biggest and most powerful that you can handle, and accurately shoot. I stopped on a Ruger Super Red Hunter model in .454 as a sidearm for the back country. 6 shots, ability to use a speed loader, .454 power. Easy to aim and shoot even with loads that have punishing recoil. Double action. For a danger close engagement with a bear it's a great piece. My brother went all the way up to 500 S&W, that's a bit bulky, and heavy for packing into the mountains for me on the off chance I am unable to avoid a bear or mountain lion.
One-Challenge4183@reddit
In a pistol? General consensus is 10mm is the preferred backup caliber in bear country.
906Dude@reddit
What makes this question difficult is that probably none of us has had to defend against a bear, so we have no personal experiences to draw from. Also, there is no magic caliber.
Black bear where I live often weigh in the range of a large or overweight human. I'm comfortable carrying my 9mm with either hardcast ammo or Underwood Penetrator ammo. I practice weekly with that firearm and can draw it and shoot it with confidence.
I've also invested time in reading Stephen Herrero's book. I highly recommend it. Quite a bit of common wisdom around bear seems to be wrong. Herrero's book was eye-opening. For example, Herrero says that Black Bear are not super defensive about their cubs in the way that Grizzly are. Herrero also points out that in the rare event when a Black Bear does attack, that the attack is more likely to be predatory than a Grizzly Bear attack. He talks about pre-attack behavior as well. The book is a good read. I recommend it.
Comfortable-Mix5988@reddit
12ga with Brenneke solid slugs
Additional-Tackle-76@reddit
.45-70 lever with a .454 revolver just as the Lord intended
Standard-Dish8384@reddit
The gun you train with the most and shoot the best. Shot placement>caliber every time.
MessaBombadWarrior@reddit
Selective Fire SIG XM7 Spear NGSW-R in 6.8×51mm XM1186
MyMainMobsterMan@reddit
.45-70 or a 12 gauge slug.
Ohbuck1965@reddit
Several. Keep shooting!!!
gyoung1986@reddit
10mm or 12ga
Lvgordo24@reddit
I carry Glock 29 when in the woods.
Illustrious-Fact1014@reddit
I carry hard cart full strength 10mm for bears.
dmharvey79@reddit
I spend a lot of time in ‘bear country’ and carry a 10mm, Glock 29sf with a full-size magazine.
No-Cherry6123@reddit
I like to use 30-06
Terminal_Lancelot@reddit
I'd say 10mm or 357 for most people, stepped up to 44 Magnum or 454 Casull if you actually practice with them.
I'd lean 357 because at contact distance, the last thing you need is your semi auto to be pushed out of battery against a bear.
cowboy3gunisfun@reddit
Glock 20, underwood ammo
AspirantVeeVee@reddit
45-70
SniperSRSRecon@reddit
44 mag or 10mm are the most common in Alaska. Recommend buffalo bore solid lead for both.
Dragonnuttz@reddit
I took a brown bear in canada with a Ruger Redhawk 44mag using a 300gr hard cast bullet but it wasn't charging.....one shot took it down.......but if the bear was charging I would definitely prefer my Glock 40 with 15rds of Underwood's extreme penetrator for more shots while shitting my pants.
LongRanger264@reddit
Most pistol cartridges (9mm, 45ACP, 40 etc...) can kill a grizzly with either a hard cast lead or monolithic copper bullet. They aren't great. (Yes, that includes 10mm). A full sized shorter barrel rifle or a shotgun with slugs is the only real answer.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
I gotcha, the main reason this question popped back up is I saw this meme a while ago about how some state park was issuing the rangers an “emergency bear defense” 454 revolver with a yellow handle, been looking for the image forever lol, what about one of those single shot rifle pistols that Howdah makes?
LongRanger264@reddit
I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect bear gun. The reality is that there's little on the earth more terrifying than a charging grizzly and the best gun is what you can shoot accurately and fast with some serious energy behind it. I planned out my perfect bear gun a while ago but I haven't pulled the trigger yet on building it. Specs would have been as such:
Lone Peak Fuzion SA
300WSM 16" SS barrel
McMillan M40 stock
Aimpoint T2
TBAC Ultra 5 suppressor.
Planned on running 200gn monolithic copper bullets out of it at what should be 2600fps or so.
micahbell0456@reddit (OP)
Man I wish I was into guns enough to build them lol, I feel bad because my buddies go into stores and look at different AR brands, models, and in my head I’m like “they all look the same to me 🥹” it doesn’t help that I’m more into pistols
ArgieBee@reddit
Whatever is the most powerful thing you can shoot effectively.
shoturtle@reddit
10mm