.45 acp vs a bear

[eastershawn]

im going camping in mammoth lakes area and bringing my full size 1911 just in case of bears. what bullets should i bring? 230 grain fmj or 230 grain hollow points? Will the fmj have deeper penetration but not enough damage? will the hollow points have greater damage but not enough penetration? i realize other guns would be more effective against bears, but i only want to bring my 1911. thanks

[1911Operator]

im going camping in mammoth lakes area and bringing my full size 1911 just in case of bears. what bullets should i bring? 230 grain fmj or 230 grain hollow points? Will the fmj have deeper penetration but not enough damage? will the hollow points have greater damage but not enough penetration? i realize other guns would be more effective against bears, but i only want to bring my 1911. thanks

use the search, look it up because theres already a existing thread about this. I think on it ppl were saying 45acp is not good enough. im not sure about this either but I think they were talking about 44mag being the weapon of choice. dont quote me on it though.

[maxit]

.454 Casuel (sp?) would be the starting point.
Bears are very thick boned, fat,hide. Don't get caught short. Even that is far from sufficient IMHO
disclaimer: no experience.

Good luck, and happy camping,

Max

[D53]

bring a GSG-5, because with a .22LR its all about shot placement















but my honest answer is, FROM WHAT I HAVE READ in most of the threads, most people say a .44 mag atleast, if not the .460 or .500

[pdq_wizzard]

if all you have is a .45 I guess that is better than nothing, I would have at lest 3 mags and FMJ I think is what I whould have and mabey a few JHP mixed in.

[J-cat]

If you are using the 45 ACP, use FMJ. JHP penetrates only a third of FMJ does and you need all the penetration you can get. JHP penetrates 12" and that is not enough on a bear.

[JosephP]

Don't try to shoot the bear with .45 If it is not a life threatning situation.
You at least need 44 mag for black bear.
And avoid HP ammo. It will not go in to the bear's organ and not able to do the critical damage to the bear which will make you much more danger.
If there are no choice of other caliber.... use FMJ with full powder.
Has more penetration.

[WTSGDYBBR]

When going hunting my side arm is a Sig p220S . I alternate the rounds from full metal jacket to then hollow point. I have been told that animals skin is not like us humans and its very tough . I was also told that a hollow point would not be as good as a round compared to a full metal jacket. I have a Smith & Wesson' 460 magnum performance center Revolver. I have shot a 500 mag and its not fun to shoot. I could image the 460mag is no different. I may take the 460mag and just load it with 454 Casuels . Tell you the truth I don't look forward to shooting it at all . But if I have to blow my ear drums out then be eaten so be it. The 460 mag is a snub nose so I'm not sure how much range I can get on it.

[feelinducky]

To quote my brother-in-law a Trooper in Alaska.

"Be sure to file the front sight off before you go. Make sure there is nothing left of it. That way it won't hurt as much when the bear shoves it up your *****."

[robcoe]

You might be able to kill a bear with a .45acp, but the track record is not very good. Its kind of like trying to kill a linebacker in full pads using a .22lr. Possible, but not likely.

[Corbin Dallas]

im going camping in mammoth lakes area and bringing my full size 1911 just in case of bears. what bullets should i bring? 230 grain fmj or 230 grain hollow points? Will the fmj have deeper penetration but not enough damage? will the hollow points have greater damage but not enough penetration? i realize other guns would be more effective against bears, but i only want to bring my 1911. thanks

You'll be dead if you shoot a bear with a 45ACP.

But on the bright side...

[Casual_Shooter]

The other day, I watched the video posted in another section here on Calguns about the guy and his wife who live in Alaska in the middle of nowhere. He has many guns. When he needs to kill a bear, he takes a 12 ga with slugs.

[buffybuster]

The other day, I watched the video posted in another section here on Calguns about the guy and his wife who live in Alaska in the middle of nowhere. He has many guns. When he needs to kill a bear, he takes a 12 ga with slugs.

BINGO! We have a winner. A pump action shotgun with 18" barrel and ideally Brenneke type slugs.

[novaman64]

If your insistent on yoru 1911, get one of these kits... http://460rowland.com/1911-conversion-kit/...

If not, I would recommend bear spray, but if you try and shoot a bear with a 45 ACP the only thing you are gonna do is piss him off.

[Cali-Shooter]

.45 ACP is NOT the weapon of choice for bears of any type (except teddy bears). I once read an article about a man who used a .45 to fight off a bear, and he got mauled, and his gun got bitten. He survived, and both his gun and himself walked out with battle wounds.