FMJ or JHP for Bear Protection? Opinions!!!???

J

Jcervo

Inactive
Hello I had a quick question... Whats yalls opinion on this topic? I have been told a couple times that FMJ rounds have increased penetration for larger predators such as a bear. Although more than once I have also been told "Hollow points and Head shots!!!" :D So what you think???
 
First pick a suitable cartridge ,44 mag minimum.If you can handle it a 500S&W or some others. A bears head is curved so bullets may deflect easily. A good premium bullet Barnes all copper , Swift A-frame etc, or a hard cast keith type bullet.
Bring a dog as an early warning system. Try not to look like a ham sammich !:p
 
Revolvers like the Super Redhawk and The Alaskan come in .44 and .454 mostly because those are what work best; the S&W500 would also be an obviously adequate choice as well :D I'd agree with Mete; stick with a hard-nose bullet, because bullet deflection is a serious concern. Don't cheap out if you're afraid you're going to run into a bear :p Just out of curiosity, is this going to be specifically for hunting bear, or more of an 'oh sh!t' back-up while you're in the woods?
 
When beginning to hike the WA CAscades, ...

trolled the forums I viewed and contacted a major reloading phone number.

It was recommended that for reloading I consider the heaviest FMJ bullet i could launch and control, to do the most damage in a BLACK BEAR. {not Brown /Grizzly).

I decided on the the FEDERAL hot cast 180gr SWC for my .357M and for my .45 use a dwindling supply of Hornady 230gr FMJ-FP (flat point, no longer made) ammo.

I also keep a good situational awareness, which helped the first time a came across a bear, was able to slip behind a tree and observed the bear was feeding
on a down log. next head drop I walked back the way I came and logged it into the trail register as to time and location.

Hope this helps.
 
I carry 10 mm loaded with 200 gr hardcast semi-wadcutters loaded to 1300 fps from Doubletap anytime I'm in blackbear territory. The wadcutters seem to be a good compromise between HP and FMJ. I'd use a good HP as a 2nd choice.

First pick a suitable cartridge ,44 mag minimum
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You don't need a 44 for black bear. If that is what I had I'd use it, but a good 357 or 10mm is more than adequate. Black bear ain't that big, nor hard to kill.
 
Hardcast is the only way to go for bear protection in a big enough caliber. JHP are for two legged defense, hardcast for large furry creatures with claws, fangs and big bones. Only the hardcast bullets will stay together and smash through hide and bones to reach the vital organs. My woods gun is a Ruger SRH in .44 magnum. I tried the .454 but it turned my hand numb for 5 minutes, so I decided to go with high powered, hard cast .44 magnum which actually gets close to .454 power in the case of Buffalo Bore +P+.

When it comes to bears, you are better off with a good rifle like the Marlin guidegun.
 
Thanks a lot everyone! This is strictly the oh shat gun for when I am hiking and camping. I have a Ruger GP100 in 357. and a 6 inch barrel so thats what I will stick with is probably good ol FMJ rounds.

PS where I live it is only black bears and I have only seen a few so its very rare I will need this
 
With furry critters you should use FMJ or wadcutters. You have to first get through fur, then hide, then muscle etc. Also even small bears have pretty thick skulls, best bet is body/neck.
 
Jcervo
Junior Member

Join Date: July 28, 2011
Location: Southern CO
Posts: 5
Thanks a lot everyone! This is strictly the oh shat gun for when I am hiking and camping. I have a Ruger GP100 in 357. and a 6 inch barrel so thats what I will stick with is probably good ol FMJ rounds.

PS where I live it is only black bears and I have only seen a few so its very rare I will need this
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Buffalo Bore makes a great 180 gr hardcast bullet for the .357 that I use in my two .357's. It was designed for a black bear woods gun.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=100
 
Thanks alaska444, I will be investing in some of these for those long hikes in the woods in case I need some real bang! :)
 
Wild life bioligists in WA State have just confirmed sightings of Grizzly in the northern part of the State forests!! No comment if the little bells and smell of pepper spray was used to confirm the sightings or it was DNA in scat....

OK lame attempt to be funny on the pepper spray but the confirmation of Old Epp being back in state is for real.
 
Buffalo Bore makes a great 180 gr hardcast bullet for the .357 that I use in my two .357's. It was designed for a black bear woods gun.
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My wife has this ammo in her S&W Model 60 when backpacking. Absolute winner of a .357 load IMO.
 
My wife has this ammo in her S&W Model 60 when backpacking. Absolute winner of a .357 load IMO.
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My wife has the S&W Model 60 with a 2 1/8" barrel, and I wanted to know if the recoil is increased with the Buffalo Bore 180gr ammo? Also, would this ammo shoot straight with the 2 1/8" barrel?

She can barely handle the .357's recoil as it is, but when we're camping in black bear country here in Arkansas I sure would like for her to be carrying this heavier load.
 
Hardcast or FMJ. I've read about 44 mag JHP taking black bears cleanly and I've also read where they didn't penetrate the hide of some bears. Pepper spray is a great tool against bears, just would hate to be that close and need to use it!
 
Let's be perfectly clear here.........there is a HUGE difference between your garden varity FMJ and a well designed hardcast lead bullet. For the most part FMJ's are crappy ass round nose bullets and are for plinkin or for the military where treaty dictrates. They pretty much suck anywhere else.

And not all JHP's are designed a like. To call all JHP's only for 2 legged protection is ignorant.

What's with all this bear protection crap anyway? Swear to god it's like the boogie man at this site.

LK
 
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You don't need a 44 for black bear. If that is what I had I'd use it, but a good 357 or 10mm is more than adequate. Black bear ain't that big, nor hard to kill.
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Not necessarily true; it depends on where you are. In the Cascades in WA for example, Blacks averaged 275#s. In the western NC mountains, they're only about 200#s. Go to the coastal swamps in NC, and they jump to the 400+# range. The largest North American black bear recorded was about 880#, taken in the Carolina swampland.
Even a small bear has thick hide, dense muscle, and heavy bone. If the average weight in your area is < 250# or so, I'd be comfortable with a .357 and hot hardcast loads. Much bigger than that, and I'd want to step it up to 10mm or .44 magnum.
 
I was just questioning the FMJ or JHP because I have carried both into the woods. As for caliber, I am comfortable with a 357 for the size bear I have seen, however I understand how some like the concept "The bigger the better". My younger brother carries a 44. mag Taurus Tracker and that thing is incredible for a backwoods gun. I just happen to have the ruger at hand and thats what I have backpacked with since my pappy got it for me as a 18th bday gift... If I see a larger bear in the area I may consider a 44. mag though :)
 
What's with all this bear protection crap anyway? Swear to god it's like the boogie man at this site.
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More folks die every year from bee stings than bear attacks. I'm surprised we don't see more "what gun for bees" threads.:D

This from the North American Bear Center......

"What if I see a black bear?"

This is probably the most common question we hear.

The standard answer nationwide is, "Speak calmly and back away slowly." This is good advice. It identifies you as a person, shows that you are non-threatening, and gives the bear space.

Is following this advice necessary to avoid an attack? No.

Those are polite actions that respect a black bear's comfort zone and help ease its anxiety. It is the gentle way to separate. More aggressive action would be more likely to increase a black bear's anxiety and send it running.
Which action is safest? If a black bear is more than a few yards away, it hardly matters. Attacks are extremely rare despite what people do. Fearful, unnecessary advice about what to do, or not do, when a person sees a bear is often given by well meaning people.
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I agree that avoiding the bear is probably the best defense against an attack for sure. I carry a firearm strictly in case I end up with a predator that is not there just to meander by and ignore me but to actually try and cause me or any family harm.
 
Sorry, anyone the thinks bear safety is overdone hasn't watched the news in the last month with about 6 or 7 bear attacks across our country with 2 or 3 deaths. I will have to check. One lady attacked a month ago I believe in AZ just died a day or two ago from an infection that they couldn't control. The common factor of all these attacks was no firearms for any of the people. If folks wish to go in the woods with only bear pepper spray, so be it, but I believe as do many that you should have both pepper spray and firearm as back up.
 
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