Para Bellum
New member
Hi folks,
I live in a (European) Brown-Bear (ursus arctos) area. Recently we have some "problem-bears" which come too close to human settlement.
I carry 9x19mm Handguns 24/7. So I wonder what to bring when going to the woods.
I am especially interested in real experience from those who have hunted brown bear. In terms of ballistic performance I am convinced that especially with big game, penetration is the most important quality of a bullet. So, staying with 9x19mm and 33 Shots in one gun (Glock 9x19mm 33rds magazine) I would go for the Hirtenberger/Fiocci/S&B FL (SB31065) cartridge. It's law enforcement ammunition and an extreme penetrator:
100gr, small soft point, 428 m/s (1404ft/sec), 595joules (438ft/#).
I don't believe in any handgun to end a bear-encounter with only a few shots. So 20 shots with good placement and extreme penetrating ammo from a 9x19mm is what I would go for. I'd stick with the 9x19mm because I practice a lot and successfully compete with this caliber. Placement and speed should not be the problem with my 9x19mms. So what good should a 500-Revolver be with only 6 shots which I couldn't fire with the placement and in the time I'd fire 20 9x19mm FLs?
Or would the bear-experienced guys among us recommend another caliber? I expect that penetration is the only remedy against a brown bear, so I'd only go for
.357 Sig.
7,62x25 Tokarev
.357 Mag.
.44 Mag.
10mm Auto
.50 AE
with ammo like the Hirtenberger/Fiocchi FL the 9x19mm is one of the best penetrators of all...
so what do you think? What would you take to stay safe when she thinks you came to close to her kid?
I live in a (European) Brown-Bear (ursus arctos) area. Recently we have some "problem-bears" which come too close to human settlement.
I carry 9x19mm Handguns 24/7. So I wonder what to bring when going to the woods.
I am especially interested in real experience from those who have hunted brown bear. In terms of ballistic performance I am convinced that especially with big game, penetration is the most important quality of a bullet. So, staying with 9x19mm and 33 Shots in one gun (Glock 9x19mm 33rds magazine) I would go for the Hirtenberger/Fiocci/S&B FL (SB31065) cartridge. It's law enforcement ammunition and an extreme penetrator:
100gr, small soft point, 428 m/s (1404ft/sec), 595joules (438ft/#).
I don't believe in any handgun to end a bear-encounter with only a few shots. So 20 shots with good placement and extreme penetrating ammo from a 9x19mm is what I would go for. I'd stick with the 9x19mm because I practice a lot and successfully compete with this caliber. Placement and speed should not be the problem with my 9x19mms. So what good should a 500-Revolver be with only 6 shots which I couldn't fire with the placement and in the time I'd fire 20 9x19mm FLs?
Or would the bear-experienced guys among us recommend another caliber? I expect that penetration is the only remedy against a brown bear, so I'd only go for
.357 Sig.
7,62x25 Tokarev
.357 Mag.
.44 Mag.
10mm Auto
.50 AE
with ammo like the Hirtenberger/Fiocchi FL the 9x19mm is one of the best penetrators of all...
so what do you think? What would you take to stay safe when she thinks you came to close to her kid?
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