What's the best hand gun for black bear defense?
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What's the best hand gun for black bear defense?
Revolver or semi?
I'm thinking a 10mm or 44 mag. Others with actual experience will chime in.
revolver
The gun you have at that moment you need it.
But how about 10mm, 44mag, 357mag, or larger...
Maybe a Hi-Point in .45 acp? ;) It has at least put down one bad acting bear.
Glock 20
Consider the nose the 10X and hit it with a 125 grain Hydra-Shok .357 Magnum or larger caliber. They hate that.
Go big or go home in pieces
.44 Magnum ( revolver and semi )
.460 Rowland ( semi )
.454 Casull ( revolver )
.460 S&W ( revolver )
.500 S&W ( revolver )
Or really big ( size ): BFR 45/70 revolver ( May be a little too big to get into action quickly, unless your Paul Bunyun )
I know you asked about a gun, and I'll get to that, but for black bears in PA, the best defense is just letting them know that you're there. They eat berries, not people. Recent attacks involved either getting too close to cubs or startling the bear.
That said, I carry a .44 Taurus Tracker in a Hill People Gear chest bag when I'm hiking or backpacking alone in bear country. Additionally, I carry bear spray as my first line of defense. Most bears in PA will take off when they see you, and still even more will take off when sprayed. The gun is my last line of defense if I find myself having to actually fight a bear..., or 2 legged creatures.
Justin
Yell & make noise, yeah. Bear spray as a backup & whatever handgun I have on me at the moment - usually my normal self defense gun, an XDs 45.
My feeling is that a human attack is more likely than one from a bear, but I do carry spray when going in thick woods.