Black bear sidearm

[tgomez]

@tgomez

Im just curious:
Why stack FMJs in your 45?
I'd think some quality hollow points or hard cast lead would always be more destructive. 

Also, 13+1 in your 45 isn't enough for wolves or cougar defense?
What do you carry for that?

* I alternate rounds so I have a round for prenetration followed by one for expansion throughout the entirety of the 13 round magazine.
* I carry a sidearm more for wolves and cougar rather than black bear is what that means. Not that I carry even more ammunition.

[boneaddict]

Yowza! There is a first person horror story!
I bet you go over that in your mind occasionally? So many things could have gone wrong with it ending in a different outcome.
Details!
Cub’s? Berries?
What do you think provoked the attack? Or was there anything?

It was pure luck I had my gun with me.   I was photographing elk, it was the first part of September.  As I left my truck and started entering the woods, I saw a pile of very fresh bear crap.  I thought, hmmmmm so I went back and grabbed it and stuck it in my pack.   I so often dont carry.     Reading the bears body language, I immediately put down my camera and got the gun out.

He had a big tear in his lip where he had been fighting.   I was dressed in camo and even though I talked, then yelled at him, I think all he saw was red.   It turned out there was another bear behind me. I wasnt aware of until it was all over.  I walked back to my truck and he was standing with his front claws on my hood.   He was a beautiful red bear and had left a nice set of scratch marks on the hood of my truck.   I joked that if I knew he had done that I would have shot him too.   I am guessing he had smelled that bear.

[boneaddict]

I personally think 9mms are probably good for making noise.   Most of it anecdotal from growing up, shooting frozen milk jugs and stacks of magazines.   Mostly watching my Dad with all of his experiments.   He too alternated hollow and fmj.    From a blood bankers perspective with all these gang bangers popping each other over the years, what most of my patients have in common are they are shot with a 9mm or .22.   Generally speaking, those shot with anything else dont make it to the table.   Not that I would want to be shot by one. 

[boneaddict]

Cats are thin skinned, but their muscle is as hard as rock, especially when tensed up.   

[tgomez]

Yes sir boneaddict I agree 100%. As a Sergeant Juvenile Corrections Officer, I see gang banger kids come in the juvenile all the time for shootings. Most of them from Grant County(Norteno) and Adams County(Sereno). 95% of them use a 9mm or 22. Every person that was shot has survived except for one. The one that didn't was executed. He was shot at point blank range in the back of the head with a .22 magnum.
Sounds like your father and I have the alternating FMJ and hollow points in common throught the magazine. I like my Glock 30s .45 auto for woods defense. Hopefully I never have to use it a day in my life. Crazy story about you and the bear that attacked you, glad you made it out safely and in one piece. That's definitely an experience to share.

[Dan-o]

@tgomez

Im just curious:
Why stack FMJs in your 45?
I'd think some quality hollow points or hard cast lead would always be more destructive. 

Also, 13+1 in your 45 isn't enough for wolves or cougar defense?
What do you carry for that?

* I alternate rounds so I have a round for prenetration followed by one for expansion throughout the entirety of the 13 round magazine.
* I carry a sidearm more for wolves and cougar rather than black bear is what that means. Not that I carry even more ammunition.

Got it. 

Thank you, sir.

[Stein]

9mm is a tale of two guns, self defense hollow points behave like a completely different projectile compared with fmj.  The latter has proven almost useless for self defense and the former has worked well.

That said, I don't carry it for anything other than people.

Personally, I've never understood the alternating round idea, especially with FMJ.  I can't think of a situation where 9mm FMJ would be the best solution other than making holes in paper with factory ammo for the least cost possible.

[highcountry_hunter]

Are you strictly hunting bears with your bow?


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Using a .270 win I picked up a few years ago, liked hunting in the past as a kid (would just follow my dad while he was bear hunting) so I figured I would give it a shot. Can't really take much time off work so I have not really had much luck with deer season and limited time I get can out there during the season.

Looking forward to being able to go for a little longer during the season and possibly eating a bear.

I see…well considering your packing a rifle then packing a pistol around also just seems like extra weight and more gear to fumble around with and bump into. I’ve never been too concerned about black bears but I’ve spent some time in grizz country. Anytime I was in a low visibility area where there was a chance of bumping into a bear at close range I just carried my rifle in a semi ready to shoot position.


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[KFhunter]

I'd carry a grouse popper if I had a rifle already

[buckfvr]

most guys carry scoped rifles that are in most cases a late deployed club.  Close range charging anything will be near impossible to engage successfully with a rifle.  Hand gun only marginally better.  Slow, quiet, and watch your 6.

[hunter399]

Back when bear baiting was legal.
It was pretty common to carry a pistol ,when checking bait before the season started.
If I have a rifle ,no need for pistol.
That's just me,if you feel it may come handy to have one.
Not gonna hurt to carry it.
Never know when you may need it.
Four leg or two leg protection.

[Wazukie]

Well Ima gonna chime in here.  We do have a lot of bear, cats and now wolves were I live.  In fact we had to take a bear right in town this year, was getting to close to people.  Anyway, when Im in the woods, and even when Im in my truck, its my Glock 40 10mm, 200grn Hornady leaving the barrel at 1300fps.  Hot rounds that are hand loaded.  15 in the gun and 15 on the web.  I dont really worry about bear to much or really even cats.  But wolves thrill kill and so do 2 legged critters.  I've never had to draw my weapon, but it makes me feel good to have it on m,y chest, although sometimes I do have my trusty old 30-30 along for the ride.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Well Ima gonna chime in here.  We do have a lot of bear, cats and now wolves were I live.  In fact we had to take a bear right in town this year, was getting to close to people.  Anyway, when Im in the woods, and even when Im in my truck, its my Glock 40 10mm, 200grn Hornady leaving the barrel at 1300fps.  Hot rounds that are hand loaded.  15 in the gun and 15 on the web.  I dont really worry about bear to much or really even cats.  But wolves thrill kill and so do 2 legged critters.  I've never had to draw my weapon, but it makes me feel good to have it on m,y chest, although sometimes I do have my trusty old 30-30 along for the ride.

Very solid advice! We need to arm and protect what we can while we can ............

[ghosthunter]

Well Ima gonna chime in here.  We do have a lot of bear, cats and now wolves were I live.  In fact we had to take a bear right in town this year, was getting to close to people.  Anyway, when Im in the woods, and even when Im in my truck, its my Glock 40 10mm, 200grn Hornady leaving the barrel at 1300fps.  Hot rounds that are hand loaded.  15 in the gun and 15 on the web.  I dont really worry about bear to much or really even cats.  But wolves thrill kill and so do 2 legged critters.  I've never had to draw my weapon, but it makes me feel good to have it on m,y chest, although sometimes I do have my trusty old 30-30 along for the ride.

+1

[ghosthunter]

I do some bear hunting. Only blacks. If I had a wounded bear to find I would take my 10mm or 45 revolver as back up. Up front would be my KSG 14 rounds of buck or slugs.
If I am just camping or scouting in an area with snakes , or any other predator. KSG all the way.