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Check with the local park rangers and/or game wardens to see if bears are a problem and if so, what they would carry for bear defense. Personally, I wouldn't carry anything smaller than a .44 mag if bears were a concern.
Would you go against a black bear with a 9mm? Ok, new to the forum, and relatively new to handguns. Had a Glock 22 about 13 years ago when I lived in Louisiana, but got rid of it when I moved out of state.
Anyhow, I now live near Los Angeles. Recently my father gave me a Hi Point C9 9mm. I do a lot of hiking in the mountains around here and have never seen a bear, but didn't care since I was single and figured I could deal with it. But, now that I have a wife and 2 small children, and a 3rd on the way, I'm thinking ” what if we do meet a bear and he ain't happy?)
So, figured I could get a CCW and carry my 9mm with me just in case. But, would a 9mm be enough to stop a bear? If not, what would you recommend? A .40SW like I used to have?
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Check with the local park rangers and/or game wardens to see if bears are a problem and if so, what they would carry for bear defense. Personally, I wouldn't carry anything smaller than a .44 mag if bears were a concern.
YES - I second WV_Ray. (PS - I'm originally from WV too.) The only pistol calibers that I'd feel remotely comfortable with as bear defense would be .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, or .50 S&W Magnum.
Even with those...you stand a really good chance of inflicting a less-than-lethal wound on the bear and pissing it off. Wild bears are built a bit more sturdy than humans, and can keep going for a while even WITH a mortal wound. So - high caliber...multiple shots...accurate placement...fast reloading.
And bring a change of pants and underwear. For the hike home. :P
S&W M&P 45; Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum; Charter Arms .38 Undercover
From what I hear Bear Spray (basically a big can of pepper spray) is what ranger in Nevada recommend.
Do you mean a grizzly bear?
I have black bear in my area (Pennsylvania), but they tend to stay away from people and for the most part, are not that large (relatively speaking!). Unless there's a food and one gets between the food and the bear, they tend to not be a problem. I think the chances of running into a deer with a car are much greater than walking into a situation with a bear.
There was a thread recently that was posted about someone killing a boar with a .380. The other interesting comment that was made on that post was that full metal jacket ammunition would be more effective given the animal's thicker skin.
First...ditch the Hi-Point. My first gun was a Hi-Point C9 9mm, and they are unreliable, a chore to clean and field-strip.
I know...some swear by Hi-Points. They have a lifetime guarantee, just send it back it there's a problem, blah, blah, blah.
The fact is that no other handgun has as many negative reviews as Hi-Point. Why trust your life to anything that has so many speaking ill of it?
Spend...the...money. Get a decent, reliable weapon with a good reputation. Just do it.
Ditch the Hi-Point.
Thanks for all the advice. So seriously? Even a .40S&W or .357 magnum would not be reliable? I never knew bears were that tough.
Again, I've never team into one. I just have started thinking about it now that I have a family.
The Anti Sheepdog
Get a great big can of UDAP and you'll be good
Flip 'em the bird and die like a VIKING
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Originally Posted by Malachi
I think the last post was making the point of having a reliable hand gun, not just a specific caliber. I don't have the ballistic numbers on hand, but 9mm FMJ might be all you need in an angry bear sitation, depending on shot placement.
Thats a good one-- change of pants
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