If anything, I think this video shows that the three most important aspects of any chosen bear defense round are 1, practice. 2, practice again. 3, practice some more.
In fact it has some genuine benefits over larger, heavy recoiling magnums. Primarily adequate penetration and lower recoil which allows for quicker repeat shots.
In fact it has some genuine benefits over larger, heavy recoiling magnums. Primarily adequate penetration and lower recoil which allows for quicker repeat shots.
You could have said that on page 1 but I guess we wouldn’t have 5 pages of replies. 😀
I don’t think people fully understand what equals stopping power when it comes to handguns and bears but your input is fairly definitive. 😉
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
What ever you shoot you have to make hits with it, fast hits which usually rules out the really big bores for most guys. It's better to use a lesser caliber with a heavy bullet & get your hits in fast because a bear isn't going to wait once he decides to come & talk to you. Phil Shoemaker is one of the most experienced & respected bear guides in all of Alaska & he stayed in the fight. The bear was focused on the two clients allowing Phil to pound lead into the bear that was trying to find the two clients. I talked to him about this a little bit this summer at Raton, New Mexico & he knew he was in it until the finish. Good bullets in good places carried the day. A bear isn't impressed with shots in the mud! I don't think a 15 round mag has ever saved anyone, that's probably false insurance.
A very close friend was forced to kill a grizzly a few years back up in the Brooks range. He was carrying his sheep camp outfit on his back and the bear closed so fast he didn’t have time to drop the pack.
He told me as he drew his S&W 396 he told himself it had to be a head shot if it came down to time to shoot. Said when the bear came he focused on his head and as time slowed down it looked like his head was as big as a pencil eraser and his paws were the size of frying pans. His first shot at 25’ was a complete miss. The second at 10’ hit right above the left eye and the 250gr Keith bullet shattered the skull and penetrated on into the neck. He was using more or less the Skeeter Skelton load that probably goes 900fps + or - out of a 2” barrel.
Your handgun load doesn’t have to be a fire breather. But you have to be capable of shooting it.
Much more important than the cartridge that is used for bear protection is the ammo that you use. If your using the wrong ammo I don't care what your shooting your odds drastically go down of being successful. Shot placement is also vitally important
Pretty sure that applies to all animals in all hunting and defense situations. Kind of a given, but maybe not.
