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<blockquote data-quote="Pdvdh" data-source="post: 2213687" data-attributes="member: 4191"><p>Dissertation time: This post is about the lack of penetration of a 44 Magnum soft lead factory bullet on the skull of a 130lb black bear.</p><p></p><p>I was with a friend in ~1981, who shot a black bear in the head with a 44 Magnum S&W revolver, from about 20yds. This was a nuisance bear that had been marauding a small house on the Kenai Peninsula, about 35 miles from where I live. The lady that owned the house had moved out until the bear could be dispatched. She called the complaint into Fish & Game multiple times. My friend worked at Fish & Game at this time. Bear season was open. The lady wanted the bear killed. My friend and I went out to kill it. </p><p>The homeowner said the bear showed up at 7:30 every morning. We showed up for a 6am hunt. Sure enough, the bear had worn a path down around the house, and claw marks were visible on the siding. One of the windows had been broken, and was covered with plywood. We could tell the bear had gained access into her house at least once. The bear was a regular visitor trying to get back into this house.</p><p>We climbed on top of a small shed about 20yd from the house. Like clockwork, the bear showed right on time. When it walked around the corner of the house where we could see it, it saw us and stood on rears and looked at us on the shed roof. My friend shot and the bear dropped. We could hear labored breathing in the tall grass but couldn't see it. Still labored breathing 5 minutes later. I had a 338 Win Mag. We approached the bear and found it unconscious, but alive. Finished it with a 44 round thru the lungs.</p><p></p><p>The 44 Mag bullet had impacted the frontal area of the skull next to one of the eyes. That's where the bullet was found, against the skull. A soft lead factory round of some sort. 220gr or 240gr as I recall. The bullet flattened out on the skull, never punching into it. Bullet was well expanded. It cracked the skull and caused enough brain trauma, the bear was comatose. I hadn't had much experience with revolvers at that time. Figured that was about normal for a 44 Mag slug on a bear skull.</p><p></p><p>40yrs later, I know more. A hard cast lead bullet would have been the more appropriate bullet. </p><p></p><p>This same friend later worked as a policeman for the City of Soldotna. He had the need to dispatch many moose that had been hit by cars on the local roads. When he started, the standard issue firearm was a 45 Auto pistol. He said those 45 bullets commonly required multiple skull shots to kill a moose. Many wouldn't penetrate the skull. Later the standard issue firearm became a 41 Mag revolver. He said no problem braining a moose with one shot from the 41 Magnum. There was also a period when they were issued .357 Mag revolvers. I don't remember him saying anything about the .357 Mag on moose skulls, so they must have penetrated moose skulls, or he would have said something.</p><p></p><p>I was present 15yrs ago when a City of Kenai policeman finished off a car struck moose. He grabbed a 12ga Rem 870 and put 2 slugs into its skull. Never used his sidearm.</p><p></p><p>No more moose skull trivia. Other than I can say the 338 Win Mag will clear out the inside of a moose's skull.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pdvdh, post: 2213687, member: 4191"] Dissertation time: This post is about the lack of penetration of a 44 Magnum soft lead factory bullet on the skull of a 130lb black bear. I was with a friend in ~1981, who shot a black bear in the head with a 44 Magnum S&W revolver, from about 20yds. This was a nuisance bear that had been marauding a small house on the Kenai Peninsula, about 35 miles from where I live. The lady that owned the house had moved out until the bear could be dispatched. She called the complaint into Fish & Game multiple times. My friend worked at Fish & Game at this time. Bear season was open. The lady wanted the bear killed. My friend and I went out to kill it. The homeowner said the bear showed up at 7:30 every morning. We showed up for a 6am hunt. Sure enough, the bear had worn a path down around the house, and claw marks were visible on the siding. One of the windows had been broken, and was covered with plywood. We could tell the bear had gained access into her house at least once. The bear was a regular visitor trying to get back into this house. We climbed on top of a small shed about 20yd from the house. Like clockwork, the bear showed right on time. When it walked around the corner of the house where we could see it, it saw us and stood on rears and looked at us on the shed roof. My friend shot and the bear dropped. We could hear labored breathing in the tall grass but couldn't see it. Still labored breathing 5 minutes later. I had a 338 Win Mag. We approached the bear and found it unconscious, but alive. Finished it with a 44 round thru the lungs. The 44 Mag bullet had impacted the frontal area of the skull next to one of the eyes. That's where the bullet was found, against the skull. A soft lead factory round of some sort. 220gr or 240gr as I recall. The bullet flattened out on the skull, never punching into it. Bullet was well expanded. It cracked the skull and caused enough brain trauma, the bear was comatose. I hadn't had much experience with revolvers at that time. Figured that was about normal for a 44 Mag slug on a bear skull. 40yrs later, I know more. A hard cast lead bullet would have been the more appropriate bullet. This same friend later worked as a policeman for the City of Soldotna. He had the need to dispatch many moose that had been hit by cars on the local roads. When he started, the standard issue firearm was a 45 Auto pistol. He said those 45 bullets commonly required multiple skull shots to kill a moose. Many wouldn't penetrate the skull. Later the standard issue firearm became a 41 Mag revolver. He said no problem braining a moose with one shot from the 41 Magnum. There was also a period when they were issued .357 Mag revolvers. I don't remember him saying anything about the .357 Mag on moose skulls, so they must have penetrated moose skulls, or he would have said something. I was present 15yrs ago when a City of Kenai policeman finished off a car struck moose. He grabbed a 12ga Rem 870 and put 2 slugs into its skull. Never used his sidearm. No more moose skull trivia. Other than I can say the 338 Win Mag will clear out the inside of a moose's skull. [/QUOTE]
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