I'm not going to argue that the 9mm is the best carry gun for protection against bears. It certainly wouldn't be my top choice against grizzly/brown bears. However, from a fairly recent study that I read, it stated that the 9mm had killed more grizzly/brown bears in defense situations than any other caliber in recent years. I found this a little surprising, but then again, I guess I shouldn't be surprised as 9mm's are super common, easy to carry, and tend to be easier to shoot accurately than larger caliber handguns. If given a choice between not having a gun on me and having a 9mm, I'll take the 9mm every time! In this video I'm just out having some fun with a new Smith&Wesson Shield Plus, and my youngest son, who is only 18, offered to video and edit a short video of it. I mean who can pass up a teenager offering to work??? Besides, I think he is pretty talented and his video editing skills far exceed mine, and frankly that of many other adults. Pretty talented kid if you ask me.

If I was a Shasta Cola, I wouldn't want you to be shooting at me!

Seriously, very talented kid you got there.

I call it diabetes management. 😉😁

Well done! Your son has talent and an artistic eye ( spent casings hitting dirt). Even made it look like you never miss.

I can’t say I never miss, but I can say I don’t make a habit of it. 😁

Most excellent !!!!

Great vid work, by the young fella, too.

Nice video troy, how's it going?

Damn nice video. Thanks for posting it and your kid has talent.

The epitome of bear handhuns...

Montanabadger, it's going well. How are things in the northeast part of the state?

Nice job !

I seriously doubt the 9mm Para has been in numerous self defense skirmishes against brown and grizzlies, at least in meaningful statistical numbers. Maybe one or two were used but there's no way that the 9 has been used enough on these bears to form any type of determination of how effective it is. Even with a perfect cranial shot it may or may not be enough.

Nice video and nice shooting but that shooting range is literally a dump. I hate seeing places like that because it makes all shooters look like the slobs that we are made out to be by the media and anti-gunners.

drover

Smith and Wesson would want to use that as one of their ads.
Very professional production. What software and camera did he use?

Wellllll.....OK then Old Timer.

Again, nice work with the video.
Take care.

There’s video of some guy taking down a feral hog with a gamo pellet gun on YouTube. It’s more about aim and the grace of God

"...fairly recent study..."
Do you really want to be just another guy saying stuff? A name for that study could make you The World's Foremost Authority.

Maybe this. The 9mm did well but the .44 mag reigns supreme.

Handguns for bear defense.

I know a guy that killed a nuisance black bear with a 9mm, don't know how many times he hit it but he emptied the pistol on it. I'll take my 10mm over that 9mm all day long.

Calling Phil Shoemaker!

NVhntr...thanks. Following the links gets you to the Ammoland piece which has links to the local news reports. You are now The World's Foremost Authority.

No problem, it was easy.
Even you could have done it.

I figured a few people get a little wound over what the article claimed. I’m pretty sure that is why the author wrote it. As for me, I prefer bigger calibers than 9mm for bears. I was just surprised by the results in the article. Actually I’ve killed a pretty fair number of black bears and at close range the 9mm will work. In Utah all I carry is a 9mm. In Montana I don’t have nearly as much confidence in the the 9mm as bear protection regardless of what the article said.

Lastly I didn’t put that junk out there. I cleaned up the bottles I took out, but I agree that it’s sad people trash public land like that. The only thing good about that place is that it’s a target rich place to burn a little ammo. This winter I plan to go out there and pile up anything that will burn and torch the pile. If I ever catch who is dumping all that junk they will get turned in immediately!

Maybe a combination of large magazine and controllable recoil. I had better be right first time with a .44 blackhawk. That said, all we have here is black bears. If I went to gruz country I would take ( from current guns) a .41 da, .357 da, .40 cap pistol, or .357 sa, or a 12 ga.

There is a lot of truth in what you said about being right the first time with a 44 mag. I’ve killed a number of bears and I’ve never been overly calm while doing so. I can only imagine what my adrenaline and heart rate would be if I were being charged. I shoot handguns relatively well, but I’m not so sure that would be a true statement under extreme stress. I personally do not enjoy shooting a 44 mag a whole lot.

I was a Black bear guide carried a S&W 44 mag. most of the time sometimes a 12 ga with buck shot ....one day had my 45 ACP had to use it shot a 200 lb. bear at 2' it had smoke coming from its head.....
For me a 9mm is just not enough 45 ACP would be the minimum....

For all matter, there is anti-matter.

Go check the video with Wade Boggs and a Gamo pellet gun hunting hogs. Lost count how many times he shot this one poor hog he chased across creation.

Lol.

It's going, I'm about to head south to salt lake city for a bone marrow transplant. Wish me luck, a few prayers wouldn't hurt.

10 mm would be a better bear gun but it is on the lite side too. People who live and work in bear country have a much better idea of what to carry. Like a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with slugs. Nice video by the way.

I'm not Big Sky, but since you asked and are going down for some serious stuff, you've got mine.

Kick its ass!

Thanks Big Sky. Great video.

Have you tried to work with the local branch of the agency that presides over that place? Besides burning, they may be able to come up with funding for a dumpster for the non combustible stuff.

And I haven't been involved in quite awhile, but in the mid 2000s I participated in a cleanup day on some checkerboard ranch land that was mostly organized by some sportsman's organizations and outfitters. Helps with maintaining access to places like that you were shooting at.