45 ACP on Brown Bear.????

[Core781]

I live in black bear country: I use a .45 Auto with hard +P+ projectiles. I already have an upgraded operating system in my 1911A1 so it can handle the pressures and the modern stainless barrel. I couldn't tell you if it could stop a brown bear: however, it has similar energy to 10mm. Personally I would not use a .45 or 10mm for brown bear. I would carry a 44 magnum revolver with 6" barrel or a 12 gauge pistol shotgun with a 16" barrel.

 

[SteveO]

I definitely fall in that category, in regards to griz.

Beautiful 1911. Love shooting my SA 1911 Rowland. I'm curious as to your reasoning for picking the 1911 over the glock. My simple mind gravitated go the glock for almost double the capacity. Since which, I've became far more confident in hitting my target with it. I do admit, the 1911 is a pussycat as far as recoil goes, so getting back on target my be a tad quicker.

Familiarity mostly. I'm not a pistol guy but being a simpleton, I have a few 45, a 9mm, and a couple .22 and they are all 1911s so no matter what I do shoot it builds my experience with that one platform.

And Glocks are ugly as sin.

I do not subscribe to the "high capacity" theory when it comes to bear protection. A lanyard is more important imo…

 

[VLD Pilot]

I definitely fall in that category, in regards to griz.

Beautiful 1911. Love shooting my SA 1911 Rowland. I'm curious as to your reasoning for picking the 1911 over the glock. My simple mind gravitated go the glock for almost double the capacity. Since which, I've became far more confident in hitting my target with it. I do admit, the 1911 is a pussycat as far as recoil goes, so getting back on target my be a tad quicker.

If Glock EVER came out with a 1911 style grip, it'd be tough to beat. My 43X is close but the main issue is capacity. Glock is known for being generous in mag capacity. My G20 is not for everyone's hand size.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Familiarity mostly. I'm not a pistol guy but being a simpleton, I have a few 45, a 9mm, and a couple .22 and they are all 1911s so no matter what I do shoot it builds my experience with that one platform.

And Glocks are ugly as sin.

I do not subscribe to the "high capacity" theory when it comes to bear protection. A lanyard is more important imo…

I'd probably agree mostly with the non-subscribing to high capacity mags for bear protection. Let's face it, how many rounds would you truly get off on a full charging bear ? 5-6 max. All semi auto's carry at least that many including the auto mags

 

[3chester]

Most 1911 guys , remember laughing back in the 80's, the first time somebody bragged about his new Glock being a hardened battle weapon. Today, Glocks have earned, quite the respect from most users. That coyote paint just helped even more!

 

[jessej]

And Glocks are ugly as sin.

I do not subscribe to the "high capacity" theory when it comes to bear protection. A lanyard is more important imo…

Agreed On both.

An ugly girl's not as likely to run off on ya
And normally work harder

 

[VLD Pilot]

Yep the Glock has been Fugly since the day it came out. Every family member has been just as ugly since.

 

[xsn10s]

I carried a 4" M29 stoked with 300 gr wide metplat hardcast bullets in Alaska. I gave that revolver to a friend so now I'd carry my 4" 686 or G23 as a sidearm and my 45-70 as my primary.

Edit: I forgot to add this Phil Shoemaker article. https://www.wideopenspaces.com/alaska-man-kills-charging-brown-bear-with-a-9mm-pistol/

Context is everything.

The first line from the Wide Open Spaces article on Phil Shoemaker. "It's a miracle this Alaskan fishing guide and his clients lived to tell the tale.".

 

[xsn10s]

If Glock EVER came out with a 1911 style grip, it'd be tough to beat. My 43X is close but the main issue is capacity. Glock is known for being generous in mag capacity. My G20 is not for everyone's hand size.

I've been debating getting a 43XMOS or 48X MOS. I've read the grip angle isn't that bad.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I've been debating getting a 43XMOS or 48X MOS. I've read the grip angle isn't that bad.

Not your typical Glock grip on the 43X. Haven't had a 48 in hand

 

[xsn10s]

Not your typical Glock grip on the 43X. Haven't had a 48 in hand

My G23 is my EDC, a slim pocket pistol would be nice. But the slimmer 43x or 48x would probably work well for me.

 

[VLD Pilot]

My G23 is my EDC, a slim pocket pistol would be nice. But the slimmer 43x or 48x would probably work well for me.

My 43X is my EDC. I run the shield 15 round flush fit mags in it. My duty gun is the G17 with a 43X backup

 

[L2land]

I was going to carry my S&W 460 but is heavy as heck. 5 shots. Maybe get one maybe two shots off. At least you could hit it in the head with it. Same thing with my Ruger Super Redhawk 454. Thought about Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. Light. But not thrilled about single action. Thought maybe my Glock 21 45 auto with hard cast. 14 rds. Maybe. I bought a Glock 20 10mm and Springfield XDM 10mm. Didn't like grip safety on XDM , why I never considered my Colt 45 auto with a 10 rd. mag. I shot same load on paper at 15 and 25 yds. 16 rds. The Glock 20 10mm had half the size group. Done deal. I put a 3.5 trigger bar in it like I do in all my Glocks. Lowered to 5 pds. My Glock 21 lowered to 3.5 lbs. All I carry now is my Glock 20 with one in pipe and 15 rd. mag in a Gunfighter chest holster. I carry bear spray also on hip. I don't want the confusion of which to use first though and have always wondered. If I have time I'm pulling both. If no time I'm pulling pistol. My Chesapeake gives my more warning than my deaf ears. It's Scary hunting in North Fork when alone and some places in South Fork. You get an elk or deer down your head is on a swivel and cut up as fast as you can and haul ***.

There was a hunter that walked up on a den last fall over here in the Gros Ventre and fended off the 700 lb grizz that came out at him from 10 feet away. He wound up shooting it from his back with his feet on its face and also shot himself. If memory serves he dumped the better part of a 10mm Glock mag into it. Fortunately the bear left and his son was able to load him on a mule and get him out.
I can't imagine how terrifying a point blank encounter would be but I think I'd want spray and something with a magazine that is easy to handle. Even if it's not a killing round it's a deterrent. If you saw one coming from 60 yds and could get a big revolver ready, yeah it's superior. Having to do a quick draw in close, I'm not sure.
Back in 2007 some guys I worked with got charged by a sow and put three into her with their elk rifle. He started shooting at 25 yds and it died on his feet. Afterward the amount of forensic investigation was probably more detailed than if it would have been a human. You might have a hard case to make with G&F if you start putting rounds into a bear any further away than that.

 

[VLD Pilot]

There was a hunter that walked up on a den last fall over here in the Gros Ventre and fended off the 700 lb grizz that came out at him from 10 feet away. He wound up shooting it from his back with his feet on its face and also shot himself. If memory serves he dumped the better part of a 10mm Glock mag into it. Fortunately the bear left and his son was able to load him on a mule and get him out.
I can't imagine how terrifying a point blank encounter would be but I think I'd want spray and something with a magazine that is easy to handle. Even if it's not a killing round it's a deterrent. If you saw one coming from 60 yds and could get a big revolver ready, yeah it's superior. Having to do a quick draw in close, I'm not sure.
Back in 2007 some guys I worked with got charged by a sow and put three into her with their elk rifle. He started shooting at 25 yds and it died on his feet. Afterward the amount of forensic investigation was probably more detailed than if it would have been a human. You might have a hard case to make with G&F if you start putting rounds into a bear any further away than that.

Read that story too. Shot himself in the foot. Guy got super lucky as well. Sounded like a cluster f_ _ k story to when I read it.