Y’all obviously haven’t seen how the gold dots penetrate and expand lately.
I shot a feral pig in the side of the head at 5 - 6 feet with a 9mm 124 Gold Dot and it ricocheted off the skull. At the same distance, 45 ACP with 200 grain XTP penetrated deeply and made a hole the size of a golf ball.
Was on a black bear hunt in Georgia and one of my pards shot a 400lb boar with a Nosler BT. It ran off into the swamps, so the guides fired up their hounds and went after it. Found it holed up in a burrow and shot it with a .45 ACP at 5 feet to finish it off. That damn bear took off so fast he couldn't pull the trigger a second time. It died from the initial wound shortly afterwards.
When I went to pick up my skull from the taxidermist, he asked about the hairline fracture on my buddies skull.
If you think a 45 is any better than the 9mm in this instance, be my guest, but after my experience with a black bear, I think I'll pass.
To the OP: If you are basing your decision to use 9mm bullets for Grizzlies off of the talents of Phil Shoemaker, carry a 9.3x62 to keep the szhit in your pants at a minimum, if you want a blow out try a handgun in a 44.
BTW, Phil Shoemaker is one of the few people when it comes to bears that merit the "Do as I say not as I do" adage!
You'd be much better off putting your life in the hands of a 44 Mag with 300-325 grain load in a Ruger single or double action sure fire revolver. $600-$800 is a not a lot of money to spend when your life is on the line. Using a 9mm pistol would be irresponsible in my opinion, but its your hide. Using a pistol a 10mm 210 grain bullet would be a minimum. Years back some guides and backpackers carried the L.A.R Grizzly pistol (now discontinued) in 45 Winchester shooting 230 grain FMJ at 1500 fps. I suppose today a pistol in 50 AE would somewhat suffice. The 9mm is a peashooter.
Don't go for the head shot. Classic rookie mistake. The skull is pointed, towards the nose, and the bullets will glance off. You need a chest shot. Good luck.
Elmer Keith speaks of shooting a Griz with a .35 Whelen. He didn't stop it until he had hit it 3 times and he used the third shot to break it down by taking out its shoulders.
At the impact of my 275-grain bullet the bear spun partly away from me. Immediately I fed him another bullet right between the shoulders, and he turned back toward me. Then, as he lurched forward, I shot him through both shoulders. The grizzly fell dead at my feet.
On my mothers' side of the family there is a guy that did just that. He stuck one hand/arm in the mouth and went to cutting, it was a California grizzly and I'm not sure how they compare in size. I saw a picture of him one time and his hand looked a little gnarled up.
For the OP. I would use hardcast bullets like Shoemaker did if I was sticking with a 9mm.
I sure a 9mm will kill any bear in a world where everything goes just right and you have a bit of luck or Devine Intervention, but save the last bullet for yourself........it will be less painful than the next events if the bear is still moving.
The question isn’t IF it would kill a Grizzly. The question is, will it die before it mauls you to death, eats you, and [bleep] you out?
My friend tried using his 9mm to dispatch a wounded Whitetail, instead of taking his .308 Win., as I suggested. I didn’t go (was cooking dinner at camp), but when he came back, he wasn’t happy, and said it took several headshots at close range before the Deer succumbed. Hold a 9mm parabellum cartridge next to a 30-30 Win. cartridge.
some years ago, i dispatched a pretty good size mule deer buck for a woman, that had shot it improperl. one roundof 357sig was all it took.
I see lots of advice from eastern tenderfeet who have never seen a grizzly or set foot in grizzly country. Too funny.
Carry on.
it's kind of funny in a way. I had a up front and personal confrontation with a black bear. it ended peacefully on all sides. I had a hi cap 9mm with me which i knew would eventually kill mr bear. eventually is the key word when you are at 15 feel. That experience is what led me into big bore handguns and the marlin guide gun.
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