I know what you're thinking. "Handguns can't stop a bear." Well, either that's true, or you've been looking at the wrong data. You've got a decision to make.
Posted on 03/31/2020 5:34:58 AM PDT by marktwain
The criteria for inclusion in this study is a pistol had to be fired to defend against a bear or bears. If a handgun was not fired, the incident was not included. If the use of the handgun stopped the attack, it was a success whether the bear was killed immediately, or left the scene, as long as it stopped attacking.
All methods of defense against bears have similar problems of access. A failure to use a handgun or bear spray in a pack, or a rifle slung over the shoulder without a round in the chamber, should not be counted as a failure of the method to defend against bears. All of the methods can be carried for easy access. It is not a fault of the method if the user did not have the item available for use, or if the attack was too quick to allow use.
I and colleagues have searched for instances where handguns were used to defend against bears. By the time of the original article, I and my associates found 37 instances that were fairly easily confirmed.
By March of 2019, our renewed efforts had found another 26 instances. The 63 incidents had 3 failures, for a 95% success rate. The incidents are heavily weighted toward the present. The ability to publish and search for these incidents has increased over the years.
By August of 2019, we have found ten more cases, making 73 cases, with three failures, for a success rate of 96%.
As of March 2020, we have found 20 more handgun cases, for a total of 93 cases, with three failures, for a success rate of 97%.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
.454 or .500 best
Why would anyone in bear country have a rifle slung over your shoulder without a round in the chamber AND the safety off. A bear can come out of “nowhere”.
The .44 magnums seem to be the most commonly used.
That’s why I always carry my S&W model 500 on my ankle. (j/k)
I do not recommend it.
And that is why you’ve developed a limp.
Uhh...a pistol is a handgun and vice versa.
Thanks to Dean and colleagues for the study. It will probably save many lives and save many from the stress of dealing with misled authorities.
“AND the safety off”
It’s not like a safety is like entering a safe combination. It’s a flick of a switch.
A 5 lb gun ankle carried. That, there, is funny stuff.
I suspect you really need a compass since you are likely to go in circles out in the woods.
If you are ever out there without a compass just change ankles every 1000 steps. You will sinusoidal curve to your destination.
Thanks for posting. I do not spend much time in bear country but a 44 mag will bring down a large boar that is having his way with your dogs
Presumably not so much for the bears.
5 rules of a gun fight (extrapolated to bears)
1) Gun beats no gun
2) A hit beats a miss
3) Fast beats slow
4) Big holes beat little holes
5) Two holes beat one hole
Not much extrapolation needed
1) No gun means you can’t shoot the bear
2) A hit will cause pain. Pain makes most animals leave. Dont worry about “pissing it off” because if the bear is coming after you - it is ALREADY pissed off
3) Get the gun into the fight quickly - allows you to shoot more
4) Bigger holes cause more damage and allow a faster bleed out
5) Two holes cause more damage and allow a faster bleed out
Around 60 years ago, I read an article by Russel Annabel, an old Alaska sourdough. He told the story of he and his pack mules being attacked by a she wolf and her 5 yearling cubs.
He was saved by his Colt Woodsman .22.
At the end of the article he said they should make a monument to the lowly .22LR.
Anecdotal /s
We use metal rakes, banging against boulders. Combined with Sasquatch roar. 100% success.
Black bears. East coast.
I’ll let u know when it fails.
I know what you're thinking. "Handguns can't stop a bear." Well, either that's true, or you've been looking at the wrong data. You've got a decision to make.
That would make sense since it is a common round and widely available.
I’m going to guess the effectiveness is actually even higher.
We will always hear about bear attacks where the human was injured or killed. We will not necessarily always hear about attacks where the bear was stopped.
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