.45 not enough for protection in the wild?

[GRUNDEL]

This is how Anchorage PD goes after Bear. My Buddy Kevin is the bald guy in the middle of picture #3. Knowing Kevin he is not real happy about getting his picture taken.

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[terrylf72]

Im sorry, But it is my intent to Preserve my life by any means necessary. Especially against an animal that could eat me like a twinky!

 

[tkdguy]

Last June on the way to Yellowstone I read in the local paper that a fisherman was malled to death by a Grizzly about 1 week earlier. He was belived to be on a trail in Eastern Idaho when he may have surprized a Grizzly feeding either on or off trail. The man was malled and killed. In this case, he did not have time to reach for either his bear spay nor his 44 mag on his belt. Young man too.

Super lucky for this Alaska hiker with his girlfriend. Maybe next time he will be smarter and either not hike in Grizzly Territory or pack something much larger.

One of the gun mags had a story of an Alaskan resident who was also a fisherman and while returning from the stream he was challenged and rushed by a Brown Bear. He had though in advance that he needed to purchase a sidearm and got one of the Ruger 2.5 inch barreled 454 Casuls. When the bear charged he shot the bear dead a few feet from where he stood, however, the 5th round in the cylinder "locked" up on him and would not rotate into position. He spent 4 rounds of the 454 and the gun locked up! What he later learned, but he should have known this before hand, is that he used 454 "handloads" from a friend who cooked up the loads only to find that the 5th round primer was not fully seated and "locked" up on him. The story closed when he indicated he now obtains ammo from Buffalo Boar in Montana.

 

[motoman98]

My "Grizzly" .45 win mag is aptly named!

 

[bradley]

i have two really close friends in the flathead valley of montana, Both of them have said they carry a 12 gauge slug/buckshot and one a 41 mag and the other a 454 c Both have told me that the pistol is reserved for the bear being on top of them. They have also say aim for the mouth. The scalping thing is true....they have a very thick angles skull and lead bounces off of it. However Grizzly have alot of fat and really thick skin. Trying to hit vitals with a pistol is hard to do, but without a jaw they will more than likely run off and die and they cant bite you.

 

[kerbyj]

One of the things to consider is that even though our resident Black Bears are nowhere near as resilient as Alaska's Grizzlies, there is a tendency among Black Bears to kill when they attack, where as other bear species are sometimes satisfied with hit and run tactics.

I think in either case, a pistol is always going to be a last resort. (But a .45 or .357 seems like a good choice among the common calibers).

I guess the morale of this story is that you should always carry a rifle or a 12 loaded with slugs with when in the woods.

 

[GRUNDEL]

This one was taken out of the woods I played in as a Kid. The shooters Uncle "Dan" was my Army recruiter back in the 80's. Not that that is too relevant other than these are local guys, hunting local land, and took a monster animal.

Does make me rethink the .45 on Black Bears issue, but its still much better than nothing.

NOTE: if you want some good laughs read the comments at the bottom of the article.

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