bear country firearm loads

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diymirage

diymirage

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i will be heading up next weekend to a cabin out in bear country
im not planning on seeing any bear and im not shooting on any either

but if i had to....full metal jackets or hollow points?

(it will have be a 9MM because thats all i have)
 
A 9mm will piss most adult bears off. I would suggest the S&W Bear Survival Kit. Complete with snub nose S&W .50 caliber pistol. One shot, one kill.

SW BEAR SURVIVAL KIT.jpg
 
Look into penetration results for whatever you can get your hands on. I would guess you want a heavy for caliber bullet and a truncated cone typically will deliver good energy and wound diameter with penetration. Buffalo Bore is well respected for hot ammo that works. I would be buying that 147 Hard cast and running a mag through the gun to make sure it functions and then pray that you don't need to use it. The +P+ Penetrator round would probably be a good option too.

9mm Luger (+P) And (+P+) Pistol & Handgun Ammunition
 
Make sure your pistol has a "melt job" (smooth all the sharp edges) and bob the hammer - it's supposed to hurt less when the bear shoves you underpowered pistol up your kiester! ;-)
 
diymirage said:
(it will have be a 9MM because thats all i have)
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You may as well carry a stick, lol.

If I were going into bear country, one of two things come to mind.

1) Carry a .44 Mag (minimum) with hot loads.
2) Take someone with you that runs slower than you do.
 
Bad Sport said:
You may as well carry a stick, lol.

If I were going into bear country, one of two things come to mind.

1) Carry a .44 Mag (minimum) with hot loads.
2) Take someone with you that runs slower than you do.
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Yup. Always good to carry bait.
 
Thanks guys
I got an email this morning stating they cancelled my reservation, so I may not be going into bear country at all

As much as I would like to buy a new handcanon for this trip, that is just not in the cards right now, so I just have to make due with what I have
 
A nine is certainly better than nothing, but, IMO, woefully inadequate for an angry bear.
 
Unless you're a great shot with very hot rounds, you and whomever else is with you will probably be bear attack statistics with a 9mm. You probably should really think about that. I'm not sure even "woefully inadequate" is a good enough description. "Stupid" comes more to mind. No offense. I would either borrow at least a .44 Magnum from a friend, or not go until I could afford one. A .357 Magnum would also work with the right load. There are some nasty shmasty rounds for a 357.
 
How do you tell a bear that lives in hiker country? Its skat smells like pepper spray and contains little bells.
 
I think I'd rather shoot myself if I was stupid enough to get into a situation where I had to kill an animal I couldn't eat.
 
Its really not that cut and dry. A responsible outdoors-man will have a combination of defenses against bear and other wildlife. #1 is knowing the animal's behavior. Bear spray will definitely work in a situation when the animal is not in attack mode. If the animal is in attack mode, the largest gun you can handle would be your best interest. HoneyBadger™ | Product categories | Black Hills Ammunition
 
If I were you, 147 Gold Dot or 147 grain RNL from Buffalo bullet. Just say no to Hydra Shok. Penetration or expansion, hmmm... A hot 9 is well under 500 lbs at the muzzle, but it sure beats the whole "yell or roll in a ball, I don't remember which!" You need a bullet that will penetrate the hide, break bones and still blast through the heart/lungs. A 9MM Jacketed Hollow Point may just expand and stop before it reaches any vital organs depending on the bears age, and where you tag him. Don't ever assume you will penetrate his skull. There isn't any sure bet since you don't have a .44, so lets just hope the bears are not where you are!
 
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all you need is a K- bar and killer instinct. lol just jump on it's back and have at it.
 
City boys should stay in the city. lol me and my buddies would party all night in bear country with nothing more than a pocket knife and a keg. lol
 
Bears are not malicious. They are a lot like humans but more predictable.
 
Just bring a ham sandwich. If a bear shows up, drop it on the ground and walk away.

Black bears don’t bother me much, I tent camped around them for years.

Grizzlies are a whole different thing. Bring a cannon.
 
I used to carry a 9mm archery hunting. I called it "Bear repellent" cuz it wasnt gonna kill one.
The only part of a black bear I ever see is its *** ! They are running away before you even know they are there.
 
Ddaddy said:
Just bring a ham sandwich. If a bear shows up, drop it on the ground and walk away.

Black bears don’t bother me much, I tent camped around them for years.

Grizzlies are a whole different thing. Bring a cannon.
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This is dead on. The black bears we have in Georgia are docile to the point that it's dangerous to them as well as people. Kinds gives you a false sense of security. Since the OP is in Michigan, I took for granted we were talking about Grizzlies. They'll mess you up just for the sake of entertainment.
 
I carried a 45ACP last year on a hiking trip in the Beartooths, still didn't feel like it was enough but we were on a long hike and I was being conscious about extra weight. Anyway I was getting some sideways looks from a few folks about even carrying a gun, week or so after we left a guy got mauled by a grizzy right by one of our camp spots.
 
A408Cuda said:
I carried a 45ACP last year on a hiking trip in the Beartooths, still didn't feel like it was enough but we were on a long hike and I was being conscious about extra weight. Anyway I was getting some sideways looks from a few folks about even carrying a gun, week or so after we left a guy got mauled by a grizzy right by one of our camp spots.
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I believe the 45 would at least knock a grizzly down and give you some escape time. They have incredible power with the right load. Anybody that looks at you sideways for carrying a firearm in the wilderness, probably doesn't need to go into the wilderness.
 
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