hand gun for black bear hunting

Beautiful!!!!!!! handgun or cannon I would go with either .475 or .500 thay will do for anything.

 

44 mag

 

Good a wounded bear falling out of a tree hitting the ground pissed!

 

This might work for you. http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/09/29/massive-homemade-12-gauge-revolver/

 

Why not go with a .454 casull? Plenty of knock down and is also available in the Taurus raging judge magnum. Would allow for use of .410, .45 LC , AND .454 CASULL. Three cartridge options in one package. Would also allow for hotter hand loads for the.45 lc so it can be used to its true potential.

 

Yeah, this and a Casull both seemed snappier than a 500 Mag. Awesome guns, though.

 

Check local laws and go from there. In NV you cannot hunt with any caliber that has a case length shorter than .357mag. I would think a hopped up .357 would get it done, but I would choose .44 mag for bear.

 

44 Mag or one of the 454, 500 revolvers with a 357 mag being the absolute lower limit. I would not attempt a bear with a 45acp in anything but a desperation/survival situation. In an auto I really thing it narrows down to 10mm. You could try with a 357 sig, but you would probably be better off with a 9x23 or 38 Super if you were going to go to a .356/.357 bullet.You would need to handload the 38 super to get a round that would be up to snuff. But again, I would recommend the larger caliber revolvers. Just my .02

 

It takes just a few years of reloading ammo and a basic understanding of ballistics and physics generally to know which rounds are capable of harvesting a black bear safely and humanely. Up until I had posted my comment (from which you justifiably detected arrogance), members had posted rather ridiculous comments that could have misdirected the well intentioned questioner onto a path of embarrasment or a safety risk. These comments evinced a lack of understanding of the difference between self-defense rounds and those designed to effectively take down a bear. For instance, one person indicated that the .40 S&W and .357 Sig were acceptable bear rounds. I do apologize if I came across as an arrogant know-it-all, but.... My God. Come on.

 

101...

 

44 Mag.

I shot and killed a 130# doe with a 357 Mag. once. I would never do it again. Granted it was a pretty far shot, (~50 yards) but hit her right in the heart broadside. No exit wound and not one drop of blood. I found her because there was a trace of snow on the ground. That was no where near enough gun. ...and it weren't no bear......

 

A .357 mag could work if you have good shot placement and load them hot. But I still wouldn't trust it

 

X2

I'm pretty sure the maximum weight bullet for the .357 mag is 158 gr and, at that weight, you get significantly slower velocities and thus less penetration. For that very reason, most LEOs who carried the .357 revolver used the 125 gr bullet, which was (and likely still is) considered to be the optimal personal defense round due to its velocity and resulting hydrostatic shock (immediate stopping power) and penetration of at least the 12 inches in satisfaction of the FBI ballistics protocol developed after the 1986 incident. You can find 300 gr. bullets for the .44 mag. In fact, a person with a .44 mag would have a choice of loads between 180 gr and 300 gr, thereby allowing him to use the same gun for hogs, deer, bear, and elk. Personally I'd throw the .357 out as an option for bear or even deer knowing that the .44 mag is available. Although that S&W 686 is a dream to shoot.

 

No one said 40 s&w was a good bear round, I said it would be better than a 9mm as the op asked. I even said that my cousinshot a hog 8 times in the head with jhp 40 s&w so I wouldn't use it.

 

In the context of discussing ideal bear hunting rounds, you stated -- and I quote, "If you want auto maybe 10mm, 40s&w, or 357 sig."

Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if you stopped denying you stated it, especially when it's documented in your own posting. My God.

 

Hollow points are for shit hunting anyways. Soft tips is what you need or hard cast bullets

 

Fuck you and Tacoma world, I am sick of every one having a pissing contest, I say goodby

 

That makes two of us. I wouldn't even trust a 9mm on a person on drugs. I like stopping power over how much the mag can carry. On the Alaska bear hunting show they use the 500 revolver I think, it's something like 500 grains of powder. I'm sure a 10mm could be used, just ask Razor Dobbs, he uses his Dan Wesson 10mm for just about everything, but I think it's going to take a few shots and when a bear is charging you don't have much time. Even my tried and true Colt .45 would leave me a bit concerned.

 

Jesus this thread. If you're going to bear hunt with a pistol, buy a revolver and buy as much gun as you can afford. If you can't afford a large enough or too large pistol, stick with your rifle.