Which of my handguns would be better for bear defense?

[Hobbs4421]

I do not yet have the funds to purchase a 44 Mag, but at some point I will have the funds and purchase one. For the time being, I have 2 handguns to chose from. The primary purpose would be for protection against bears and other animals here in PA while I'm archery hunting, turkey hunting and /or hiking.

My 1st option is my S&W M&P 45. I have an extended mag for it so I can have 14+1 I believe. I will have it loaded with 230 grain hard cast ammo(not sure which brand yet. I am a real good shot with this gun since I've had it a while . It also has night sights, Crimson Laser grips and Crimson Lightguard installed on this gun.

My second option is my new Charter Arms 357 Mag. It only holds five shots, and since it's not a real expensive gun, I don't know how it would hold up if I were to put heavy duty Buffalo Bore ammo through it.

I may carry them both with me, but I think my go to will be the 45 unless you guys push me in the other direction

Which gun would have more power/KE? The 45 ammo is beefy but short, and the 357 Mag is longer but not as robust looking.

Thanks in advance for your help, Isaac

[swack]

Which one makes a louder noise when you throw it? Pick the louder of the two and you are good to go for bear defense in pa. Bear attacks in pa are so unbelievably uncommon that there aren't even any recorded fatalities in the past century. My buddy ran into one while turkey hunting, threw a can of bug spray at it and it bolted like a spooked deer.

[ColtShooter]

Can of bear spray and some comfortable running shoes?

[Hobbs4421]

Not exactly the answers I was looking for, but thanks anyway. I understand bear attacks are very unlikely in PA, but they are not unheard of, and it could happen. I like to be prepared. I know someone who was mauled by a bear in Susquehanna County PA less than 10 years ago. She nearly died, so it is not out of the realm of possible. My wife and I were charged by a mother bear with cubs once while hiking, and it was pretty scary. We did not have a gun on us at that time, but if we did, we would have felt more comfortable.

Again I ask, which gun would be more effective for a bear attack?

[unclejumbo]

I'd go with the .45 for capacity alone. Whether it's a bear or a bad guy. A .45 with some solids would be more than sufficient for our black bears.

[Marcus99]

Although the .357 will probably outperform, I would probably go with the 45 based on capacity and that you seem to be more comfortable with it. Bear spray is always a good idea too.

I carry a 5 shot SW 340pd with 158gr fusion bullets and the recoil is brutal. I own a .454 casull but I'm not that concerned with PA bears and its a big heavy gun.

To quote an old saying from guys out west. "whichever one you decide to carry make sure that you file down the front sight so it doesn't hurt as bad when the bear shoves it up your ass"

[dannyb]

Not exactly the answers I was looking for, but thanks anyway. I understand bear attacks are very unlikely in PA, but they are not unheard of, and it could happen. I like to be prepared. I know someone who was mauled by a bear in Susquehanna County PA less than 10 years ago. She nearly died, so it is not out of the realm of possible. My wife and I were charged by a mother bear with cubs once while hiking, and it was pretty scary. We did not have a gun on us at that time, but if we did, we would have felt more comfortable.

Again I ask, which gun would be more effective for a bear attack?

I'm sorry that you don't like the answers; a can of bear spray is far more likely to be effective than a pistol. You can even get them with holsters. Here is advice from the
National Park Service:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm
From The Art of Manliness:
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/0...a-bear-attack/
The Fish and Wildlife Service reports that firearms use is only about 50% effective in deterring bear attacks:
https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie...ar%20spray.pdf
The results of a research study indicate that bear spray is 90% or better effective in fending off bear attacks:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/bear_coug...prayAlaska.pdf

So, if you think that you can draw and fire ACCURATELY at a charging bear in order to stop it before it barrels into you (even a dying bear with momentum can damage you severely), you have every right to be disappointed in the responses. On the other hand, the data available suggest that you significantly increase your chances of coming away without major injury if you use bear spray.

[Tim Ault]

I'll beat this dead horse a little , LOL . The way I see it if a big ole black bear is pissed off enough to charge you , you got to either hit the brain or the spine somehow ! Any other spot won't stop it even a heart/ vitals shot look how far a little 80 lb deer can run with a hole through its heart or lungs . What it boils down to is either of your choices will work given loaded with a bullet that will smash the skull or reach the spine . That is IF and that's a very big IF you can hit those two body parts as it's running towards you . As others have said bear/ pepper spray works its doucumented numerous times . I honestly don't worry about bear when I'm out , but if I did have to carry your two choices to put my mind at ease the 357 would be 158 gr hard cast FN or SWC the 45 a hot loaded 230 gr FN jacketed or cast bullet but again gotta be able to hit it where it's gonna actually stop it not just hit the big black pissed off blob of fur .

[bortle]

As a life long hillbilly roaming the woods for 50 years bears are the least of my worries. But if I had to choose I'd take the .45. More fire power.

[IronButt]

While neither is likely to stop a bear in it's tracks, unless the bear's already really pissed off at you, the combination of noise & more capacity from the .45 MAY make a blackie want to go do something else. Of course, the same could be said for, say, 18 rounds of 9mm from a G17.