40 S&W good enough for mountain lions/black bear?

P

pacerdude

New member
Out of curiosity, my significant other and I, like to enjoy the outdoors from time to time, hikes,walking through the woods and whatnot. Here in Georgia about the only animals (other than the two legged type) that i am concerned with are mountain lions/cougars/panthers/pumas/big mean fast cat etc... and perhaps the occasional black bear. Is my 40 cal pistol big enough to protect us if the need arises?

For the record, I have a pacemaker so Rifles/Shotguns are out due to the recoil.;)

Thanks in advance
 
Better than nothing. But seriously, pepper spray should be your first line of defense - for bear - with your 40S&W as back up.
 
I always carry OC spray with me, no matter where I am... Honestly I am more worried about the cougars than the bear.
 
For the kitties, yeah, any decent manstopper will do pretty solid work. The kitties of north america just aren't that big and while they're fast as hell, they're relatively thin skinned. They're also easier to dissuade - the cougar/puma attacks that do happen are because kitty looks at you as dinner. When dinner fights back, it's no longer worth it. A good 38+P JHP can suffice.

Black bears can soak up a lot more damage and keep coming - and they'll do so if they're ****** off. They do also once in a while see us as dinner but most of the time it's mama with cubs tries to kill you if they attack at all...and in that case, they'll keep on coming until physically unable to do so. 40S&W is seriously marginal. Best bet is a 180gr solid going as fast as possible with as flat a nose as possible, such as:

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=117

Aim dead on it's nose. You're trying to punch through the snout or cheekbones to get at the brain set low and rearward in the head (not like us!). The "forehead" is a solid lump of bone anchoring the jaw muscles, you will NOT break it with a 40 or 10mm or 357. On a black bear, you might knock it out with a 44Mag but it may still get up with a headache and attitude. With the nose shot, too low and you get it in the chest, and penetration deep enough will be iffy with anything hollowpoint. Off in windage, you can hope for the "break the shoulder shot" and yet again, for that you need deep punch hence the heavyweight solid. All of this is marginal in 40 but with the smaller black bears of 400lbs or lower, not impossible per my BOOK learnin' on the subject (no personal experience shooting bears!). And every once in a while you see a 600lb black, and I suspect by then you'll wish you had more gun. Bigtime.

In 357 I'd be using a 180gr solid in hardcast lead, which would be going a lot faster and packing more energy. Buffalo Bore's version packs over 750ft/lbs energy while the 40S&W listed above doesn't hit 500ft/lbs.
 
Bear spray 1st like everyone else said. But IMO .40 is more than enough for black bears or cougars. Black bears are not big bears, and are rarely aggressive, and with a mountain lion its gonna be whether or not you notice it, but I watched my buddy shoot a black bear about 40 yards away with a 6 inch gp100 .357 and it dropped like a rag doll, no twitch or anything.
 
There are mountain lions in GA? I'm originally from Rome up in Northwest GA where the mountains are but I've never seen or even heard of a mountain lion in GA.

I would definitely want more punch to stop a black bear though, I would say no less than a .357 mag, maybe graduate to a really big bore revolver like a .454 Casull or a .460 XVR, one with a shorter barrel since you want to be able to point it quickly.
 
Most people weigh over 150 lbs, I know they are thicker skinned but I would bet my life on one to do the job. Don't get me wrong, I am actually not a fan of .40 s&w, I just think its more than adequate for the job the OP would be using it for. The problem, like you said, is that a cat that is going to attack you is going to sneak up on you
 
I live in GA and I think a 180gr. .40 is adequate for cats and blackies. I dispatched a black bear in FL years ago with two LSWC Remington .44 Specials. I think those were 200gr factory loads if I remember correctly.
 
A lot of black bears are down around 200lbs. That's more or less just a big dog :). But 400lb class aren't that uncommon and every once in a while they're bagged at 600lbs or more.

And THAT is a dangerous critter.
 
If my/family life may depend on what size caliber gun to use given a chance to pick caliber beforehand, I`m not going marginal. IMO the 40 is plenty for the cat but no so sure for big sow blackie with cubs. Your planning for a chance encounter. Don`t go marginal!
 
Not nearly...

While an automatic with .40 S&W may be fine for self defense against two-legged predators, I wouldn't trust anything less than .357 Magnum for encounters with a puma or black bear. While some bears do weigh as little as 200 lbs., and pumas may weigh 150, they have superior strength and speed.

Carry the OC spray, but a Ruger Blackhawk makes a good gun to be carried in a hip holster. A hot loaded Blackhawk in .45 Colt is a good side arm.

Black bear sows can be very aggressive when protecting cubs, and a puma could be too quick to shoot, especially if it gets close before you see it.

Most of all, make sure you're aware of your environment. Your in their world, not yours.
 
Long Guns STRONGLY reccomended

:eek:Do NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT try to use a .40 S&W on a bear. You will lose life

and limb. I would suggest a NATO .308(7.62x51mm) magazine fed semi-auto

(sorry safety says no bolt action here) or larger high powered rifle. It has

been noted .44 Magnum and CUSTOM loaded .357 Magnum has been used

to kill bears in certain controlled instances. However, better safe than sorry!

Use a high powered semi-auto rifle or TRIPLE ought buck shot in a good

shotgun. Again if you use a shotgun use one that holds at least six rounds

in the tube. A pump will work but I reccomend a semi-auto shotgun. Above

all else be careful, wild animals don't give a @##t
 
honestly, i would not put much faith into defending against mountain lions. like some have mentioned b4 they get you from behind, in which case, realictically your best shot is someone with you getting the cat off you. i would never go in cat country alone if i could help it.
 
Do NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT try to use a .40 S&W on a bear. You will lose life

and limb. I would suggest a NATO .308(7.62x51mm) magazine fed semi-auto

(sorry safety says no bolt action here) or larger high powered rifle. It has

been noted .44 Magnum and CUSTOM loaded .357 Magnum has been used

to kill bears in certain controlled instances. However, better safe than sorry!

Use a high powered semi-auto rifle or TRIPLE ought buck shot in a good

shotgun. Again if you use a shotgun use one that holds at least six rounds

in the tube. A pump will work but I reccomend a semi-auto shotgun. Above

all else be careful, wild animals don't give a @##t
Click to expand...
Way to read the original post. He said he has a pacemaker so rifles/shotguns are out of the question due to recoil.

I would think a good 180gr would be sufficient, but then I'm certainly no expert.
 
If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't even begin to think of carrying a gun chambered in .40SW. Most common semi-auto cartridges are a poor excuse for true self defense on animals you state. Even if there's an occasional bear, I'd still prepare to take anything down without question. In other words, I'd stop thinking "what may be good enough" and start thinking "what is good enough".

.44Magnum is what would be at my side. If you can't handle the recoil, you can still shoot .44Special out of the same gun depending on the firearm.
 
this is black bear, not grizzly. for grizzly or kodiak i would be with a .454 but black bears are generally alot smaller, not aggressive, and they supposedly scare easily even when they are aggressive. in all honesty, (i know you guys will flame me for this) when i am hiking in northern az where the biggest predators are cougars and black bears, i carry my p22 with cci mini mags
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top