Handguns 95% effective against bears

[Beendare]

Hat tip to Cooperjd on another site for the heads up on this good article.
Ammoland.com link

This is an incredibly well researched piece on defensive handgun use against bears....turns out pistols work. I think most here will find it interesting.

Two things I find interesting besides how effective even a small caliber pistol is;

1) there is a hint of a bias by game depts for not reporting successful firearms use [I personally know of one case last yr in southern MT that was never reported]
2) there is a reporting bias that would indicate many more of these successful cases of bear defense by handgun that go unreported. And who can blame a guy with all of the red tape involved? Note the one case, guy attacked on his own ranch....the authorities brought out a metal detector to verify shell casings. Guilty until proven innocent....I thought it was supposed to be the other way around?

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[SoDaky]

Good stuff.I agree with your 2 bias points as well.
Thanks.

 

[JWP58]

I think it's a personal choice; however I would much rather have a lethal option for a predatory attack (albeit an extremely rare type of attack).

I always think about secondary exposure from spray. If you've ever been around an OC spray discharge, you know everybody gets to enjoy it.

 

[buzzkillington]

Good stuff. Interesting read.

 

[blkntancj]

I think it's a personal choice; however I would much rather have a lethal option for a predatory attack (albeit an extremely rare type of attack).

I always think about secondary exposure from spray. If you've ever been around an OC spray discharge, you know everybody gets to enjoy it.

FACT

 

[Mike7]

Interesting article, thanks. It fits with what I have observed...and there is definitely a reporting bias when it comes to reporting firearms vs. bear incidents. It is really quite amazing to have that track record, when bullet type and shooting experience are not even being taken into account.

I would prefer to chase a bear off without injuring it if possible and without unnecessarily jeopardizing my safety, but that still doesn't inspire me somehow to want produce misleading propaganda about how much more effective bear spray is over firearms in every situation.

 

[Beendare]

I think the authors of this article did an admirable job categorizing these cases. Its so easy to skew the stats.

Other studies count a handgun as a failure...if one was present but not fired? That doesn't make sense.

What does make sense; in the one case counted as a fail where a guy fired a .357 and missed a bear....then it proceeded to maul him. Another fail was with .22's. A guy can glean some important info from these cases...and then use whatever method makes sense to him. So if you aren't quick and accurate with a handgun...then spray is a better option.

But in case after case a picture materializes on how fast these charges happen and a guy has to be vigilant and prepared.....good to know.

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[mcndrew]

Predatory may be rare but I think, without a firearm, the least mitigable.

That’s the thought that shapes my carry decisions....

I think it's a personal choice; however I would much rather have a lethal option for a predatory attack (albeit an extremely rare type of attack).

I always think about secondary exposure from spray. If you've ever been around an OC spray discharge, you know everybody gets to enjoy it.

 

[jmden]

Great expanded article. I've posted the original article many times since it came out. Thanks for posting.

 

[Beendare]

One take away from this analysis;

The number of guys that fell down while backing up trying to shoot.

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[rileybassman]

One take away from this analysis;

The number of guys that fell down while backing up trying to shoot.

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I've seen and used this article as well for some time and this was one of my takeaways as well... Easy to couch quarterback, but I think a large part of our firearm "training" be needs to include footwork/situation/surrounding awareness. Overall a pretty awesome article.

I think most predators are not used to prey fighting back and causing substantial pain... I once heard somewhere that to be a successful predator you have to know when to move on - predators stand to injure or kill themselves almost every time they attack something... I think they must have a built in "this meal may cost me" alarm. Sharks seem to be similar... fighting back can really detour them... So I'm told lol.

Stay prepared, stay trained, stay safe!

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[Buckfevered]

Interesting and good information when working out your personal bear defense plans.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I’ll apologize in advance because it’s a little off topic, but it always makes me chuckle a bit when I hear or read about the Craig Medred mauling (one of the cases sited in the article). Craig Medred is a outdoor writer for our local paper up here, and prior to him getting mauled by a brown bear (I think it was back in ‘92 or ‘93), whenever he wrote about a bear attack, he always found a reason why the person got mauled. According to Medred, the victims were always doing something wrong. Then low a behold, Medred gets mauled and all of a sudden his opinion changed. Now, he says that a person can be doing everything right, taking every possible precaution, and still get mauled by a bear. Go figure.

Oh, and on a side note, and I know that this has already been discussed, but to reiterate, I believe that there are A LOT of potential bear maulings that are avoided with the use of a handgun, and never reported.


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[MuleyFever]

So my takeaway is a gun, any gun, is way better than no gun. My only handgun on a .40. What rounds are out there that give me the best chance at stopping a bear?

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

What rounds are out there that give me the best chance at stopping a bear?

I think there's about 1 billion threads on that topic already....I think the consensus answer over the past decades has been the biggest round you can competently/accurately shoot. Your .40 will do well if you can empty the magazine into a charging bear sized target. 95% effective apparently!

 

[rileybassman]

So my takeaway is a gun, any gun, is way better than no gun. My only handgun on a .40. What rounds are out there that give me the best chance at stopping a bear?

Hard cast bullets. Underwood makes a 200 grain hard cast at 1000 fps. That's a decent pill. Buffalo more makes good ammo too as does double tap. Verify whatever you get is safe in your firearm.

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[twall13]

I've heard from a couple places now, including one of the instances in this article, where an FMJ round works better as it will penetrate to the vitals. Of course I have no experience to back that up but on some level it makes sense. Several small diameter holes that penetrate to the vitals will be better than larger holes that don't penetrate.

The Huntbackcounty podcast had a guy on that was preaching non expanding bullets if I remember correctly. I'll see if I can find the link.

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[rileybassman]

I've heard from a couple places now, including one of the instances in this article, where an FMJ round works better as it will penetrate to the vitals. Of course I have no experience to back that up but on some level it makes sense. Several small diameter holes that penetrate to the vitals will be better than larger holes that don't penetrate.

The Huntbackcounty podcast had a guy on that was preaching non expanding bullets if I remember correctly. I'll see if I can find the link.

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FMJ or solid/hardcasts? I would take a FMJ over a hollow point... But you still can get jacket separation I would think... I can't imagine it out penatrating a hardcast...

I think a lot of FMJ is loaded on the light end to with the eye towards target practice. I think some of the big self defence companies do make FMJs tho... I would say if your gun has feeding or reliability issues with hardcast then FMJ is a good second option.

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[twall13]

I probably misspoke on that but, as you say, it's probably still not a bad option. I am far from an expert on this subject. Here is the link to the Hunt Backcounty podcast for those interested.

 

[Beendare]

....

Now, he says that a person can be doing everything right, taking every possible precaution, and still get mauled by a bear. Go figure.

Funny^ how a persons perspective changes.

I remember telling my buddy on my first trip to Kodiak in the late 90's that I really wanted to see a Brown bear close up and he said, "No you don't"...he was right.

Oh, and on a side note, and I know that this has already been discussed, but to reiterate, I believe that there are A LOT of potential bear maulings that are avoided with the use of a handgun, and never reported.

No doubt about it^...

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