9mm vs. bear

[Saym14]

please dont flame me based on just the title. I know 9mm is weak in bear country. but say I happen to be in the mountains hiking and only have a 9mm.
other than throw the gun and run (kidding) am I better off with FMJ or hollow points? it would seem FMJ for better penetration ?

[Rusty_Buckhorn]

unless it's in season and you have a tag, or he's truly attacking you, you'd be better off carrying a can of bear spray(pepper spray).

[SScott]

Hollow point .22 is what you need.

[ScottB]

If you stick the barrel in its ear probably anything will work. Which is good, because that's the only shot worth taking. It would be my third choice after playing dead and thowing the gun and running.

Seriously, you have to really try to pick a fight with a CA black bear, and if you are talking about bigger bears, packing a 9mm is no better than playing like you're that Treadwell character.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Well... 9mm is better than just screaming and dying I suppose. FMJ and pray.

BUT! Personally I think you'd be better off firing in the air to scare the critter away with the noise.

EDIT: Oh yeah and pepper spray specifically made for animal use is probably your absolute best bet.

[Big Jake]

Hollow point .22 is what you need.

This!

[bob7122]

honestly bear spray is extremely effective. if you wish to use 9 mm imo you'll need fmj an an extrmely fast round to penetrate all that bear.

[Charlie50]

Y'll got it wrong carry the 9mm, but be sure to bring your slow brother-in-law and run like hell... "but sis when I came back I tried to save him, shot that bear 17 times and he continued to chew on Jody's ____"

[Saym14]

not hunting. or looking to pick a fight with a bear. just in case.

[zerohour714]

Like quaterborehunter said, you would be better firing into the air....er I would say ground (always shoot in a safe direction) to scare the bear. Bears are pretty big fierce animals, but in my experience CA black bears are more afraid of you than you are of them. That is unless you get between mama and her cubs. Either way, to answer your question, Hollowpoints would be a better choice, you want the expansion factor. The reason why they use FMJ in the military (aside from the geneva convention) is because they wound rather than kill. Also there is less "carnage" for lack of a better term. The FMJ will penetrate better but it will not do the damage a hollowpoint will. Just my 2 cents.

Bear spray is a very affective tool, you just have to make sure the wind is not blowing back into your direction. ha! In short if you must carry a pistol, get a .45 or .44 mag instead lol!

[D.carden]

Also......

Revo's are better in the woods. If a predator gets on you/in your face, and you drive an auto pistol in its side, gut, head, ear or touch it anywhere, you'll knock the slide/barrel rearward and out of battery, thus.........no-bang..!!!!
Just something to think about........

[Clee]

Looks like your in SoCal, honestly I'd be more worried about Mt. Lions than Black Bears. When was the last time you heard about a bear attack in SoCal? Even the ones that terrorized garbage cans in Azusa (or whatever town it was), were not threatening anyone. I've spent alot of time in the field, whether hunting or fly fishing and when I see one and they see me they bolt. I've never felt the need to carry any type "protection" from them. If I were in grizzly country on the otherhand I'd been packing a big bore for sure.

That being said if it makes you feel safer and its legal to do so, pack whatever you have. Just know if you get attacked your most likely done for. A PH (professional hunter), I believe its Andrew Dawson of Chifuti Safaris, carrys a 44 mag on his hip in case his double rifle fails when a cape buffalo charges. He admits, a 44 mag is likely to do absolutely nothing to a buff but it makes him feel better carrying it. His thinking is that at least he'll die fighting.

[DannyInSoCal]

You'll be able to run faster than your buddies if you use that 9mm on them...

[mif_slim]

Wow, and I bet alot of these folks never hunted a bear and only "hear" of how thick a bears hide it...
It's true, kodiak bears and polar bears and such bears.... A 9mm is no match but if your talking about CA bears.... A 22 can kill it if shot placement is percise.

I killed a bear with a 22 my brother killed a bear with a 22. .223rem that is. Dressing the bear takes no more effort them dressing a deer. You don't need a extra sharp extra huge knive to cut thru it's hide.

Bottom line, a 9mm will do if you place your shot right and close range (if it's really attacking you) but like others said before, bear spray first before firearm. Our bears here you gotta be naked, dip you body in honey, tie a steak on your head, arms and legs, salmon meat on your COM coated with more honey with peanut sprinkles on top and you MiGTh attrack a bear... So you don't have to be too afraid of CA black bears.

[mif_slim]

Ops, attack = attract.
Lol, smart auto correct on iPhone! Grrr