well.. I lived in alaska for many years and to be honest a bears head is slow sloped that bullets tend to bounce off lol ... you always want to solve a bear issue without violence, blow whistles, shout loudly when walking, clap your hands etc... when all else fails, 12 gauge double ought buckshot slug double ought buckshot as to drive them back.If you have to use a handgun, would'nt that have to be awful close? Imean if the bear is far enough away, then he is not interested in you.. but I always carried a s&w 44 mag. with ahollow points when camping and fishing on my person. Just saying... not meaning anything bad. ear attacks are horrible. god bless and be careful.
i've read that a 9mm fmj can possibly b as effective as 45 fmj... doesn't seem right to me. maybe if it's +p? anyone know? i want to pick up something i can carry all day eyen in the woods. i think a pistol would b more comfortable than a revolver, but i'd only go that route if i can get a pistol that will do the job. would u recommend a glock 19 loaded with 124+p fmj's a glock 30 loaded with +p fmj's?
Science discussion, forgive me!
As we've all heard, shot placement is critical, as is bullet type (solid core, not JHP). That being said, if you have to shoot a bear, you are in fact shooting to kill it, as it will kill you if it is attacking, and will not stop until stopped dead once it begins.
ok, lets throw out suggestions of using a rifle or shotgun. being realistic, i'm not going to lug something like that around through hiking trails with my family all day. i'm looking for enough comfort to carry, but enough energy to drop a bear. if at all possible, i'd b going for the head, so i need only penetrate the skull and go another few inches in and it's lights out. regardless the bullet, if it penetrates the brain, emptying the clip won't b necessary. (note: as mentioned above about circumstances with the .22, if a bear's attacking, i can't see there being a problem going for the head. I'd think the head would be well within range and visibility)