Effectiveness of handguns against bears

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  • Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,156
    Excellent read. A must for anyone going to bear country.
     

    Doctor_M

    Certified Mad Scientist
    MDS Supporter
    Here was the advertisement featured in the article I mentioned.

    KGrHqF_ocE8Vt-g_QkBPSwfZH0cg_60_57.jpg
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    On that note, a high school classmate of my father's killed a mountain lion with a .25acp .( Many year after HS)

    He was there, it was there, and the .25acp was his car gun de jour that time .
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,233
    Carroll County
    I killed a groundhog using a .25 ACP. Took three tries. :o

    I once killed a rabid groundhog with a trenching shovel.









    What it was doing with that trenching shovel I didn't care to find out...






    If you ask nicely I might tell you of the time I shot an elephant in my pyjamas.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,816
    I killed a rabid groundhog with a trenching shovel.









    What it was doing with that trenching shovel I didn't care to find out...
    My groundhog was using the .25 to open beer bottles. Go figure.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
     

    OLM-Medic

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 5, 2010
    6,588
    I couldn't help but notice that a lot of these cases are on black bears or very small brown bears.

    I wouldn't want to trust a small pistol caliber against a full grown 800+ lb brown bear.
     

    Alan3413

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 4, 2013
    16,924
    Was hoping to find some recommendations on best .22lr to use for bears but looks like the information is incomplete.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
    Staff member
    Admin
    Moderator
    May 22, 2005
    122,856
    Thank-you. Enjoyed this read.

    Have no interest in testing the validity.

    Whatsoever.

    I've had two incidents that I could count as being at all close.

    Once was at the Undisclosed Location and I was walking the property when a bear came from the other side of the lot and was going to get between me and the cabin. I had left my firearms on the table in the cabin. Won't make that mistake again.

    The other was hiking on the AT and came across a mama and her cubs in the middle of the trail with me only having a .38spl snub nose with me.

    Won't make that mistake again either.

    Thankfully in both cases, as with most cases, the bear wanted nothing to do with me and took off once I made my presence known.
     

    BigSteve57

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 14, 2011
    3,245
    Off topic (a bit), but this NEVER gets old to me.


    I love that video. I've showed it to all my hunting friends. Last goose hunt some new guys were in the blind and asked "Hey Steve where's that video of the bear & the kayak?" Lots of laughs.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    I've had two incidents that I could count as being at all close.

    Once was at the Undisclosed Location and I was walking the property when a bear came from the other side of the lot and was going to get between me and the cabin. I had left my firearms on the table in the cabin. Won't make that mistake again.

    The other was hiking on the AT and came across a mama and her cubs in the middle of the trail with me only having a .38spl snub nose with me.

    Won't make that mistake again either.

    Thankfully in both cases, as with most cases, the bear wanted nothing to do with me and took off once I made my presence known.

    Considering you're taller than most Black Bears when standing...
     

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