Can you do it while a Griz is coming at you from 30 yards away at 40 mph is the question.
Gonna guess if you can't, with a 9, then you can't with a 10 or a 45 or a 44 or one of the stupid big rounds either...
So if you manage to get a round or two off and hit the beast there will be no apparent difference being hit by a 124 grain .355 dia. at 1,100 fps vs. a 410 grain HC .470 dia. at 1,300 fps. One may just slow him down a bit more affording the next shot. Only one mans opinion.
I"m gonna say if you get a round or two off of either, and they hit the CNS, then the results will be the same.
Like I said, if you can shoot the boomers well, go for it. There is ZERO doubt in my mind that the 10mms we carry are more than enough IF we hit CNS. If we don't, there will still be damage but to stop any animal you have to hit CNS.
I'm actually overly impressed with non bear rounds on deer from the 10mm. I"ve yet to see a deer make it out of sight, and none have gone more than 35 steps.
Now I'm not inclined to carry the 9, because I can handle the 10 and the wife can too. But the stuff bigger than a 44.... I can't deal with accurately repeatedly. The fact the 10 penetrates so well and has 16 rounds before reload, vs the 44 having 6... well my mind is made up.
That said, if the OP asked about a 9, I'm just going out on a limb here and thinking he or she may be smarter than most and KNOW what they can or can't handle and asked a question so related. I'd rather have the 9 with hard cast heavies than nothing at all. And to be honest I'd rather have the 9 than the 500 S/W as I'm 99% my first round out of the smith would be close to the bear but no more confident than that as much as that round hurts to shoot. Now if we are talking hunting, where I can take my time and aim and squeeze I've no issue using the 500. Though it still isn't going to be my favorite choice.
