The 10mm is increasingly popular as a wilderness defense gun in Alaska. Fully loaded it’s as light — and a bit more powerful than — a loaded, small frame .357 magnum. The GLOCK 20 holds 15 rounds versus five or six for a .44 or .41 magnum revolver. In this case near Homer, Alaska, on the Kenai peninsula, it did the job.
From homernews.com:
A Homer man shot and killed a charging sow brown bear at Humpy Creek last Friday. Kim Woodman, 57, shot the bear five times with a 10mm handgun before the bear fell about 6 feet from him. While backing away from the sow, Woodman fell and accidentally shot himself in the left foot . . .
Park Ranger Jason Okuly and Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Jason Herreman went to the scene and found that the sow died from two gunshot wounds, one below the right eye and one in the chest.
Backing away from an attacking animal or person is natural and can be effective. But without eyes in the back of your head, falling down while backing away can be a serious danger. To clarify, consider this . . .
You’re backing away as an 800-lb bear is charging you at close range. You’re firing a 10mm handgun. You trip, but you stay focused on the threat, firing as you go down. As you press the trigger, your foot flies up into the line of fire as your back goes down to the ground — a case where over-penetration could work to your ultimate advantage.
It’s not uncommon for people in self defense situations to inadvertently wound themselves or others. The action is often fast and chaotic. The trick is to keep your eyes on the prize: survival.