Bear w/ 9mm?

[DoubleJ]

We went mushroom picking today and came across some bear poo.  Seemed about 3 days old.  2 more piles close by were a week + old.  All I had was my 9mm.  I did have FMJ's loaded in it.  Had we come across it, do you think I'd have had a chance to bring it down with that caliber or just piss it off?

[jason stevens]

In theroy you can kill anything with a well placed bullet but I wouldnt recomend it.

[JJB11B]

9mm Ball ammo has surprisingly deep penetration but as already stated, I would only shoot a bear with a 9 if I HAD to. I.E. Defensive

[DoubleJ]

Strong enough to get through the skull?  Never seen a bear skull up close so I don't know how thick it is

[JJB11B]

I believe it could on a black bear at a 90 Degree shot. I wouldnt hesitate to take that shot. I have killed full grown hogs that way, when I was too cheap to buy a .22 pistol

[DoubleJ]

Through the temple I am assuming?

[NW-GSP]

You should get some hard cast lead bullets, otherwise you should file the front sight post off your pistol.

[JJB11B]

Dead square in the forehead just above the eyeline

[DoubleJ]

You should get some hard cast lead bullets, otherwise you should file the front sight post off your pistol.

I had looked into the Buffalo Bore 9mm Penetrator FMJ-FN ammo before but never did buy any.

[NW-GSP]

9mm is a great penetrating round, in reality it has issues with over penetration on human targets. With bears you are wanting bone breaking shots.

[j_h_nimrod]

Not my first (or second, or third...) choice. I have seen penetration of 40 S&W and.45 ACP ball ammo on game and it is lackluster at best. As a defense round 9mm works but it is nothing much more than adequate in ideal circumstances with good ammo.  I have a buddy that took a nice whitetail with a 10mm last season with great performance but that round is a large step up from a 9mm.

[Jingles]

Gonna claim / show my ignorance here but would a 9mm meet the State minimum for hunting big game?
Page 78 Washington's 2014 Big Game hunting Seasons and Regulations
Handguns:
"Big game, and cougar, may be hunted with handguns with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches per manufacturers specification and fire a minimum .24 caliber centerfire cartridge. The minimum for cougar is a 22 caliber centerfire handgun. Rimfire handguns are not legal for big game."

[RadSav]

Oregon State Police approved 10mm for game officer carry after too many traffic wounded animals were shot repeatedly with 9mm and 40S&W while horrified citizens watched.  One of my close friends just retired from the OSP game division.  Said he dumped a complete magazine into a wounded calf elks head and only got one clean round into the brain.  "Thank God no one was around to see it!", he told me, "I felt terrible."  He never carried a 9mm again.

9mm is better than nothing.  But if you want a semi-auto for bear protection I'd want something more.  I carried both the 45ACP and the 10mm when I guided (along with a 444 Marlin).  Never did use the 10mm on a bear, but I did use the 45 twice.  At 3' it was enough, but I did put those rounds right under their chin and not in the head (clients would not be too happy with holes in the skull I imagine).  The 444 was devastating inside 5'.  It's fun when you can see their eyelashes   

Most of the BC guides I hunt with carry a 3.5" Mossberg 12 Gauge.  Some carry ammo for it...some do not

[pianoman9701]

Gonna claim / show my ignorance here but would a 9mm meet the State minimum for hunting big game?
Page 78 Washington's 2014 Big Game hunting Seasons and Regulations
Handguns:
"Big game, and cougar, may be hunted with handguns with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches per manufacturers specification and fire a minimum .24 caliber centerfire cartridge. The minimum for cougar is a 22 caliber centerfire handgun. Rimfire handguns are not legal for big game."

A handgun with a 4" barrel and 9mm is within regs for big game. Doesn't make it right. For self defense if that's all you had, that's one thing. Hunting a bear with a 9mm pistol would not only be unethical IMO, it would be stupid.

[DoubleJ]

To be clear, in no way was I considering hunting with the 9mm.  I just don't want a bear headed my way with no way to bring it down if needed.  Looks like I'll grab some bear spray before next weekend.  Hell of a lot cheaper than a new gun