Going Camping and Cant Find Heavy FMJ's

go with cor-bon DPX. the HP shouldn't clog on bear fat and fur and you will get maximum penetration or maybe see if your local shop can order buffalo bore ammo for you. POA should be below the nose if you hope to have much effect so hold your fire till the bear charges (not joking)
 
POA should be below the nose if you hope to have much effect so hold your fire till the bear charges
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Oh believe me I plan to. Black bear will often do a false charge and see how you react. Often times if you hold your ground and holler they will eventually leave.
 
First, on topic, Double tap 9mm +P 147g Flat point.

Second, off topic, if a bear appears to be a threat, take your shirt off and put it on your walking stick or a tree branch and raise it above your head, they think that you are bigger than you actually are. I heard that somewhere.

I'm not sure if it would work.:confused:
 
Will you be in an area where snakes are known to live? If so, you might want your first round to be a CCI shot cartridge
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Maine has no poisonous snakes. Snakes really are not an issue in any of the Northern states. Thats one of the things us Yankees hate about going to the southern woods. You have to watch were you step.

I have a similar issue as the OP. Going hiking/camping in NH (next to Canadian border). I have 9mm and 22 handguns. I am wondering if a 9mm is worse than no gun if I encounter a Bear issue. What I have concluded is that I am better off with Bear spray for anything that I may encounter. On the up side my buddy is checking the area to buy property. Cant wait to hunt up there.
 
Oh, and to add to redhawk's advice. If tee-shirt doesn't work, take your undies off and place over partners head. He / she will be so distracted that the bear will get them and you can run like hell to safety
 
It sounds to me like you're planning on carrying a smaller 9mm with you into the woods. Most full sized 9mm pistols are 15 or more +1. If its a smaller gun you're also talking about a shorter barrel which means you'll have lower muzzle velocity and of course that translates to lower energy.

However if its the only gun you have then carry it. Of course you have a 12ga. too but you don't want to carry it. Personally I'd carry the 12ga. but that's me and not you.

You've posted supporting information about being able to kill black bear with a 9mm but really you have to think of it this way - sure you CAN kill a black bear with a 9mm but what if you're not hitting vitals? A human being can be shot several times with a 9mm heck even with a .45acp and not be killed or stopped before they manage to do some damage. Bears are considerably tougher than humans. Why would you NOT want to go out there with the most gun you can carry and shoot? The whole idea is to decrease the chances of the bear not being stopped by your shots. Bear spray won't help you if you've already shot the bear up and its still coming - you won't have time to deploy the spray before it gets you.

I'm not saying that you need a .44mag for bear. What I'm saying is that a .44 mag or at least a .357mag is more desirable and more effective on bear than a 9mm. So much so that most shooters will agree that if given the choice they'd go for the magnums before the 9mm. The other thing to look at is of course your shotgun. A shotgun loaded with buck shot will be loads more effective on bear than a 9mm. A shotgun loaded with solid slugs (not a foster slug) will be really tough for a bear to get up from.

All that said some of the hardest hitting 9mm FMJ that I've shot is Winchester 9mm NATO in 124gr. I don't shoot 9mm much though, preferring my .45acp especially when it comes to FMJ.
 
You might want to rethink carrying a 9mm for bear defense.
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Naaah, a good pistol in 9mm or .45 has its place. You can use it to finish yourself off if the pepper spray doesn't work. :D
 
I don't know the characteristics of bear (Black or brown), but shooting multiple 9mm shots at it, wouldn't it maybe just decide to turn and run away from the pain and the noise?
 
It is true that BBB's will usually run unless... unless they don't. I have shot a few with buck and ball and have seen them run. They are larger in life than you would think from the pics.. and very well muscled. I would be in near-final extremis before popping one with a 9mmP. In the woods/mtns it is my custom to carry either .357 or .44mag solids I handload to near max. Have also carried a .45acp more times than I care to admit, handloaded solids in a Combat Commander. Then again I generally have a centerfire rifle handy to deter human predators.
Black bears are a bit of a problem in Colorado, in part due to misguided but well-meaning people who have pressured to abolish Spring bear season and insist upon trap and move problem bears. Bears are territorial and will work hard to get back to their territory... We can hope that the bears will eat those folks first.. :D
 
I don't think you need any heavier bullets than the Nato 124's, or even regular 115 or 124's. The 9mm has always been known for good penetration, if little shock in RN full jacket type loads. Penetration is the name of the game for shutting down a large animal up close, breaking large important bones, spine, or brain shot. I don't buy the "skid of the skull" line often repeated, unless it's a very shallow angle. One consideration, bears brain pans are very narrow. The area between the eyes in brain pan, outside the eyes isnt. Up the nasal passge is thin, but it isnt easy to get a straight on, up the nose into the brain pan shot.

Flat point bullets are generally considered better at penetrating in a straight line, but I wouldn't rule out the Nato or regular RN loads if that's what was available.

I wouldn't even consider an expanding bullet in 9mm around bears.

There are very few problems with black bears, however it isn't unknown. When they do choose to be frisky, I see no reason to to be entirely defenseless, or rely only on pepper spray. Pepper is great stuff, but not 100%, and has issues if the wind is blowing, especially towards you. I keep some around (I live in grizzly country), but it isn't my only, or even first choice option.
 
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