Best 45acp ball ammo for bear?

[Chipperxd]

I bought 6 boxes last week in Washington... it's out there.

yeah if you are willing the pay the cost and buy at a gun store for an arm and a leg.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Buy Bear Spray.

 

[Gunner3456]

Here's the only way I'd trust a .45 against a bear.

 

[tlfreek]

By nature, any handgun load is weak compared to a large center fire rifle. I wouldn't count on instantly stopping a bear with any handgun.

I had to shoot a rottweiler dead on in the chest as he raised up at me, and it was the lucky but perfect heart/lungs hit. That was a S&W .40 JHP. That dang dog turned and ran, barking/crying all the way (how I don't know) for about 100 yards before he dropped stone dead.

Heck, I've seen a deer run about 100 yards before dropping dead after a sideways heart/lung shot from a 30-06.

I'm not so sure that there's any handgun that would drop a bear before he got you if that was his intention.

$.02

I think the key point is the dog ran in the opposite direction. I often wonder if you have a raging grizzly and nail him twice in the head with either a 9, 32, 38 , 40 , 41, 44, 45 my hunch is even tho he may not be dead he's goin the other way. I wonder if the sound of the gun wont scare them - if it were me tho, I would have a rifle slung over my back for this one, but like the OP stated a 45 is what he has to work with.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Here's the only way I'd trust a .45 against a bear.

Wait, It's not a pedal powered, right?

 

[Chee-to]

 

[Key-Hay]

Carry whatever you but bring your Bear Spray. Just talk to folks in Alaska who deal with this stuff all the time. Shoot a bear any you will most likely escalate the situation.

This is most likely based from folks who are not to thrilled with guns (US Fish and Wildlife) but their data is hard to argue.

"based on investigations of human-bear encounters since 1992, persons encountering grizzlies and defending themselves with firearms suffer injury about 50% of the time. During the same period, persons defending themselves with pepper spray escaped injury most of the time, and those that were injured experienced shorter duration attacks and less severe injuries."

 

[revjen45]

In a conversation with Jack Huntington (<broken link removed>) I asked him what bullet shape works best to penetrate a bear's skull. Answer: ogive with about 80% meplat. Since Jack has killed lots of big dangerous critters with a handgun I would take his word on it.

 

[1911er]

I would second using Double Tap Ammo's 255 gr SWC +P. Not all guns cycle LSWC, you would have to try to find out.

As for the lead in your gun, I might be wrong but I'd bet if you only fired a mag or two and then did a good cleaning you would be OK, and then just used LSWC if you had to it would not hurt anything. Thats just my opinion and I am sure some experts will give us more info on the subject.

Carry a large can of bear spray for your first-line defense, and make noise while walking in bear country. :bow:

The best thing to do if in Bear country is put some small jingle bells on you pack frame so they can hear you coming (and you don't suprise them) and carry Bear spray. Also be able to read some sign watch for Bear Scat black Bear scat has seeds and small bits of fur in it Grizzley Bear scat is full of little bells and smells like Bear spray.!!!

 

[Scott F]

I would use a hard cast truncated cone bullet for bear defense. The large metplat will do a better job than a ball round.

 

[mjbskwim]

In a conversation with Jack Huntington (<broken link removed>) I asked him what bullet shape works best to penetrate a bear's skull. Answer: ogive with about 80% meplat. Since Jack has killed lots of big dangerous critters with a handgun I would take his word on it.

They have recovered 44mag slugs from skulls of grizzlies and the scientists said the slug wasn't the reason for the bears death.

So maybe Jack has killed a few bears with hand guns,but I bet he didn't do many head shots.

I love 45 ACp's for a manno e manno gun but I don't think it's the best caliber for animals.Maybe a light fast load for some penetration?


On here and other places,you just never read much good from Alaskans about hand guns and bears.Shotguns and marlin guide rifles in 45/70 and such seem to be the favorite

 

[1911er]

They have recovered 44mag slugs from skulls of grizzlies and the scientists said the slug wasn't the reason for the bears death.

So maybe Jack has killed a few bears with hand guns,but I bet he didn't do many head shots.

I love 45 ACp's for a manno e manno gun but I don't think it's the best caliber for animals.Maybe a light fast load for some penetration?


On here and other places,you just never read much good from Alaskans about hand guns and bears.Shotguns and marlin guide rifles in 45/70 and such seem to be the favorite

Magnum Research 45-70 BFR Big F-n Revolver - YouTube

 

[Ding]

FWIW I knocked a 400+ pound black bear down with 1 shot from a 45 loaded with 185 grain JHP reloads @1050FPS.(mine) Lucky shot,,,,maybe,,,point is a 45 will work and it sure is easier on the mind if ya are packing one,45 or not than to be out there without anything..

 

[revjen45]

Reply to Post #31: Anybody with good sense would prefer a big bore rifle for an aggressive Grizzly bear. A handgun is for inflicting contact wounds rather than playing dead while it chews on you.

 

[nitestocker]

Ballistics : 960fps/ 471 ft./lbs. - 5" 1911 double tsp 230 gr fmj

 

[Asp]

The USP manual should say something like this,

NOTE: In compliance with NIJ Standard-0112.00, currently there are no known
ammunition types that meet the general guidelines set forth in this section that
are not compatible with the USP series pistols. All USPs are approved for use with
+P and +P+ ammunition as it applies to the specific caliber. The use of +P and +P+
ammunition accelerates wear and reduces the service life on the component parts of
any pistol, including the USP series pistols.

NOTE: There is currently no existing SAAMI specification +P or +P+ ammunition in
caliber .40 S&W