Bears: best shot

[-hanko]

Though grizzley's haven't lived in CA for a while...

interesting way to stop a brown bear attack...

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/sep/18/gutsy-wrangler-huge-horse-save-boy-from-charging/

Yeah, i know it's ot from the firearm standpoint...

-hanko

[Quickdraw Mcgraw]

Bear spray for sure! $30 is pretty cheep for some piece of mind. Get the kind that comes with the belt holster!

It works amazing well on the two legged predators also! I've seen it clear a whole Bar!

[redcliff]

Aim for the nose of the bear if hes charging. The sinus cavity provides a fairly large openning to the brain and a miss can hit the spine or other tender places like his eye.

And although no one would recommend a 9mm for bear protection, Grizzly bears have been killed by them before..so if luck is on your side you might survive. On the other hand they've been known to survive 8 hits from a 30-06 or larger and live for years.

[sequoia_nomad]

Bear spray for sure! $30 is pretty cheep for some piece of mind. Get the kind that comes with the belt holster!
!

Better hope it's not windy. If a 9mm is all you have, 115 grains will fly a lot truer through a breeze than a vaporized liquid, which could just as well get blown back into your face or onto your companions.

[osxgp]

This is not an easy question to answer because a 9mm would most likely only piss a bear off, regardless of shot placement. Your better off playing dead and saving your ammo.

[pacifico23]

I don think there's many places in California where bear spray wouldn't be a better option. Pluse persboally i think it would be tragic to kill the animal if there was a non lethal weapon like the bear spray that worked more effectively.

But if you live near like huger freaking brown bears and grizzlies. I would to carry one too. Alaskan Super Redhawk .454 Casul would be my choice. I think that is one of the most awesome revolvers. One day I shall have.

[7x57]

Yeah, well, thanks guys. 8 replies & every one missed what was said in the introductory post:

...

So I guess I never will find out where, in what part of their body, is the best & most effective place to shoot a bear.

You missed what every one of those replies was telling you...you can't hit any particular spot on a charging bear anyway.

7x57

[Sleighter]

I understand your question and limitation of owning only a 9mm, and not being able to purchase another caliber. But from my research it seems that bear spray has proven to be far more effective at stopping a bear attack than almost any firearm.

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/grizzly/bear%20spray.pdf

http://news.byu.edu/archive08-mar-bearspray.aspx

The BYU study is by a well respected bear expert and draws upon the largest sample of data available. It shows that bear spray is effective 92% of the time while guns are effective only 67%.

If bear spray were only $30-40, I would invest in that before the ammo needed to carry your 9mm for bear defense.

You've mentioned that bear spray is "part of your plan" and that you're saving up for it. I would suggest you make it your primary plan and only draw your 9 once the can is empty. If money is really holding you back from buying the spray I'm sure enough Calguns members would paypal gift you enough funds to protect yourself.

Although your hypothetical is interesting, you've asserted that it isn't hypothetical, but a real situation. In that case, take the realistic advice and use the spray. Until you can reply with why that isn't feasible, it's hard to provide better advice about target area selection.

[skyscraper]

Yeah, well, thanks guys. 8 replies & every one missed what was said in the introductory post:

"Yes, I'm fully aware that 9mm is far from being a good choice for bear."

"What I'm asking is when one doesn't have the choice, has only 9mm,"

So I guess I never will find out where, in what part of their body, is the best & most effective place to shoot a bear.

Thanks anyways! I'll keep searching....

No, you received good advice (bear spray) you just failed to accept it.

[starsnuffer]

The trick to surviving a bear attack is to always travel with a fat friend. You don't have to be fast, just don't be the slowest in your group.

-W

[Remaxman]

Aim for the nose of the bear if hes charging. The sinus cavity provides a fairly large openning to the brain and a miss can hit the spine or other tender places like his eye.

And although no one would recommend a 9mm for bear protection, Grizzly bears have been killed by them before..so if luck is on your side you might survive. On the other hand they've been known to survive 8 hits from a 30-06 or larger and live for years.

Aim for the eye or nose of a charging bear????????????
You must be joking, right?
Get the damn bear spray and be done with it.
At least with that you'll stand a chance for survival.
Hitting a 2 inch target at 25 yards is hard enough when it's on paper in a range and not moving. Put that 2 inch target on a charging, bears head running at you at 35 miles an hour w/teeth chomping, your hearts beating outa your chest and your about to Sh_ _ your pants? Forget it! Try that...and your gonna die...

[JeremyS]

Main reason I never asked this question before, though I really need the answer: because I knew lots of guys would roll out with nothing but scathing insults about my gross ignorance, incredible stupidity, amazing lack of knowledge about ballistics & firearms, plus extremely lame brain about bears in general....

I framed the first post to make it clearly known: there's absolutely no possibility of any other choice in personal defense under the circumstances. I will invariably find myself continually exposed to possible attacks on a daily basis. By your answers being the only answers, which are impossible to accomplish, then I'm supposed to leave the 9 in the house and forget about self defense!...

You aren't accepting the advice you're being given. Nearly everyone in the thread has told you that bear spray is more effective than a firearm unless you're packing an extreme magnum caliber. You want to use your 9mm, even though people are telling you that there is a cheap, easily-carried, and superior alternative.

If you really want to shoot at a bear, this ammo from double tap would probably be my first choice, followed by this from buffalo bore.

Unless it was actually in the process of charging me, I'd give it a few warning shots if I felt threatened. Most black bears aren't aggressive and will run from you if you scare them or often just open noticing you.




...you could always be like Bella Twin (do a google search) and kill a record grizzly with a single shot .22:

[epcii]

The trick to surviving a bear attack is to always travel with a fat friend. You don't have to be fast, just don't be the slowest in your group.

-W

Lol, shows where your loyalty lies.

[Spirit 1]

Too many replies now to answer individually.

To those with further helpful advice, thank you. Also thanks especially for the offer of assistance, Sleighter. The best spray runs about $60-$75+ with shipping. I believe this one is best, and an interesting website with info, pics & exciting video:

http://www.udap.com/product.htm

For what it's worth I've lived in California bear country much of my life, which is many years. Entirely familiar with size, speed, temperment and a lot of bear's habits. Friends who hunt bear with handgun told me where to shoot, IF you are hunting and can pick an easy bullet placement. What I was never told is where is best to place a bullet in a frontal attack, to disable quickly or kill. Simple question, very simple question. I innocently thought I could find out from more experienced friends here.

To those who simply piled on more insults, the joke's actually on you. Instead of wisdom or cleverness or experience all you really showed was inability to read & comprehend the simple facts & question I wrote out plainly in my posts. I asked for information, not opinions.

The insults are a real shame on the community here, which is supposed to be like minded friends gathered together for like minded discussions. Because that was the majority of replies here I won't be taking member Sleighter up on his offer, but thanks very much anyway.

[Jasonaspears]

Too many replies now to answer individually.

To those with further helpful advice, thank you. Also thanks especially for the offer of assistance, Sleighter. The best spray runs about $60-$75+ with shipping. I believe this one is best, and an interesting website with info, pics & exciting video:

http://www.udap.com/product.htm

For what it's worth I've lived in California bear country much of my life, which is many years. Entirely familiar with size, speed, temperment and a lot of bear's habits. Friends who hunt bear with handgun told me where to shoot, IF you are hunting and can pick an easy bullet placement. What I was never told is where is best to place a bullet in a frontal attack, to disable quickly or kill. Simple question, very simple question. I innocently thought I could find out from more experienced friends here.

To those who simply piled on more insults, the joke's actually on you. Instead of wisdom or cleverness or experience all you really showed was inability to read & comprehend the simple facts & question I wrote out plainly in my posts. I asked for information, not opinions.

The insults are a real shame on the community here, which is supposed to be like minded friends gathered together for like minded discussions. Because that was the majority of replies here I won't be taking member Sleighter up on his offer, but thanks very much anyway.

I think you've missed all of the helpful advice you've been given. Sure, if you only have a 9mm available there have been a number of posts outlining where to shoot but if your life is really at risk as you are inferring, get the bear spray or a larger caliber weapon. Odds are much greater that if you keep the 9mm, you'll end up being bear poo.