Bear load for 45lc

J

JLK

New member
I have Ben looking in to getting a gun for bear defense, getting a lot of the in the neighborhood specially on tras day.
Is a 45lc in a strong frame like a Ruger Redhawk. Good for bear.
And what is a good load , and what type head is best.
Thanks
 
What I've read:

Heavy cast bullet at 1100+ FPS in a 44 Mag, or 45 Colt (Ruger only level load) for black bear. Perhaps something like a 454 Casull or bigger with a heavy hard cast for grizzly or brown bear.

I can not speak from personal experience.
 
This always raises a ruckus, but I can tell you my "bear buster" load for my Ruger Blackhawk is a Cast Performance 360 over H110. You can check Hodgdon's website for their "Ruger only" loads, but mine goes 1,172 avg out of a 7 1/2" barrel. It's not the max load, either.

Of course, I'd rather have a rifle, and my first thought would be bear spray.
 
I carry a 325 or 350 grain hard cast lead bullet that has a wide flat nose when hiking in black bear and mountain lion country. I have fired these rounds in a Blackhawk and in my Redhawk. Recoil is very manageable. I would highly recommend reloading your own ammo with a .45 Colt. It will save you a LOT of money.
 
That sounds like a reasonable load but YOU must be able to handle it .Accuracy is # 1, .If iron sights maybe 60yds more for scope. pick an accurate load then practice, practice ! The wide flat nose will slow quickly.
 
While a stout .45 colt load outta a Ruger could make for some good bear medicine, iffin one can't hit the bear where you need to in quick order, odds are you're just gonna pizz him off, and make things worse. IMHO, someone having to ask basic questions about a proper handgun and load for bear, probably cannot shoot a handgun proficiently enough to justify it. Odds are you'd be better off with bear spray or slugs in a shotgun you already have.

Unless you are just looking for a reason to get the Ruger.......
 
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I would very much like to have a Ruger Redhawk or Super Redhawk in .45 Colt or .454 Casull. If I had to use bears as a justification I would shamelessly do it.

If I could swing it though I'd really like to get the X-frame S&W .460. The previous poster could give us the pros and cons. Myself...I'd just like it. Disclaimer: I've never even shot one yet.

All that said there seems to be a contingent in the 'bear' community calling for the Glock 20 in 10mm.

To me, it seems like a good time to be in the gun buying frame of mind.
 
All the fire power in the world isn't going to help unless you can hit it.... I went to some bear spray training awhile back. We started with our back to the 'bear', and when the bear came out of the trailer, and down that track at speed and you had to turn around and your fumbling for the bottle off your belt, pulling pin, and trying to aim.... An eye opener for me! That bear seemed to be 'really' moving... Took me a second time to get it right. Anyway, as for me, I carry loads that propels 255g SWCs at around 1050fps. Linebaugh calls it a load for 'big game'. Haven't 'proved' it yet and hope I never have to. I carry it either in Vaquero or Blackhawks. Not for hunting, but just for close encounters of the wrong kind...
 
I am considering a 44 mag. But lean towards the 45 LC because I have the loading
Dies . This is a discussion forum and appreciate the people that share there knowledge
and positive feedback. Just have to ignore those that choose to be negative
 
Personally, i'd settle for a 5.5" barrelled redhawk in 44 mag but the 45 would do.
My reasoning is quick access. Some of those long barrelled monsters weigh a ton.
 
Let's be clear, you're talking black bear, not grizz or Kodiak max, right??

There is a huge difference between hunting bear, and STOPPING an attacking bear. A 240/250gr SOLID bullet at 11-1200fps is plenty to do the job, but YOU have to get it in the right place. And, if you're talking about stopping a charging bear at short range, count on only getting one shot at a small (vital spot) moving fast and not in a straight line.

Plus, the bear's vitals are NOT where most think they are. Study their anatomy, and you'll see what I mean. Mr Bear wears a baggy suit, covered in fur, which frequently leads to misidentifying where the vitals actually are.

I am not a fan of uber heavy bullets. Despite them being all the rage on the internet, I don't have any use for 300gr+ slugs in either .44 or .45 pistols. Get them up to speed and yes, the energy and penetration numbers are awesome. BUT, there's no free lunch. Recoil matters, and matters a lot if you're hoping for a fast second shot. And, black bears aren't buffalo. You don't need 3 feet of penetration capability before reaching the vitals. nothing wrong with a bullet that does that, but if it does it at the cost of being able to rapidly fire a second shot, its not a good choice for DEFENSE.

The best bear defense is the Miyagi defense ("no be there"), but failing that, your brain, using your eyes and ears, and FEET to avoid a confrontation. There is no "stand your ground" rule with bears unless you are protecting someone else. NO amount of property is that important, only human life. Retreat. NEVER RUN!!! (it just attracts their attention).
Bears are not impressed by the caliber of your gun. they are not usually impressed by a gun, at all. No bear thinks "oh my he's got a .500, not a puny .45Colt, I better leave...."

Many decades ago, Elmer Keith wrote about how any "decent" handgun would kill a bear, if you kept your nerve. He was referring to .38 cal and up as "decent" handguns, and the keeping your nerve part was vital. Every bear opens its mouth when it attacks. Shoot through the mouth to break the bear's neck. Elmer never claimed you wouldn't get clawed or "chawed", only that if you kept your nerve (made the shot) you would kill the bear, and win the fight.

Get that Ruger .45 or what ever it is you want, and be happy. Learn to use it well, and you'll be safe. The gun and load are important, but they are much further down the list than it seems at a glance. Too much gun is just as bad, maybe even worse than not enough.
 
AMP, I've been around a long time and say little. Not just on this forum! I felt the need to say that your response to the "bear gun" question was the most well written I have seen. Thank you! Also, I hope this helps the OP and anyone else looking for direction on this issue. AND, I know we all have our own opinions. I respect them. Vince
 
Make sure it is legal to shootem in your neighborhood.

It ain't in mine.

Not too long ago, a guy got fined for killing a rattlesnake. Turns out, it was a protected species.
 
Paul Harrell did a video about 10mm vs .45 ACP 230 FMJ for bear and he concluded that the extra weight of the .45 made it the better choice. After that, I don't think velocity matters much, just weight. A 250 grain .45 Colt with a large meplat is sufficient for self defense against bear imo.

Best just to avoid them if you can. If your seeing a lot of them on trash day, drop by the town hall and see if bear season can be started early.
 
For black bear any good deer load will work. For brown bear i want no less than a 325 grain hard cast at 1100ft/sec or a little more. Anyone who thinks a regular 250 grain bullet will do the job on an 800 pound bear has never shot anything of any size with one.
 
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