Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bear protection: 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP?

For protection from bears you don't want, or need, any expanding bullet. All you need is one you can shoot well and rapidly as you will need to poke a hole through the brain or CNS. Your 357 setup is perfectly suitable for that purpose. I know for a fact that it works on our much larger brown bears. If you prefer some brand of 9mm, Buffalo Bore makes a heavy, hard cast 147 gr bullet that gives 1100 fps from a 4" barrel and I personally wound not feel the least bit inadequate in grinning down any black bear with a magazine full of those.