Stopping a Grizzly Bear using a 10mm Glock

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  • EGParatrooper

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    Jul 18, 2011
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    One of my military buddies was tracking a downed moose last fall outside of Anchorage when they were charged by a grizzly. Quick reaction, well placed shots, and the power of a 10mm Glock saved the day.

    https://www.ammoland.com/2019/10/al...k-10mm-on-elmendorf-richardson/#axzz62XluLjqV

    Grizzly-Shot-10mm-Jimmy-Cox-18-September-2018-600-600x521.jpg
     

    9mmfan

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    Apr 26, 2011
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    Mishawaka
    Wow, glad that wasn't me. I would have had to bring a spare pair of pants!

    My Glock 20 is my winter carry gun. Glad to know I can take out a bear if needed.
     

    Mgderf

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    I read an article a few years back that a lot of the north country has problems with this exact scenario.
    Bear have learned that a gunshot means dinner, and they come runnin'.

    Hunters are advised to pack out the meat as soon as possible and to have a person standing at ready while the quartering/packing takes place.
    Bears are nothing to mess with, especially if it thinks you are trying to take HIS dinner.
     

    Clarity

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    I had this debate with a guide in Wyoming. Some guys carry .44 magnum revolvers, but have barely shot them. I'd rather trust a semi-auto that I've trained with. The 10mm is a stout round, no doubt, but I'd be more certain of putting more rounds on target with the glock than a DA/SA revolver. BTW, the guide carried a 1911.
     

    DadSmith

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    It's hard to beat a 15rd glock with 200gr WFNGC bullets. They can really penetrate. Underwood iirc has theirs producing 700 ft-lb of energy.
     

    pack-indy

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    Shoshone NF
    I read an article a few years back that a lot of the north country has problems with this exact scenario.
    Bear have learned that a gunshot means dinner, and they come runnin'.

    Hunters are advised to pack out the meat as soon as possible and to have a person standing at ready while the quartering/packing takes place.
    Bears are nothing to mess with, especially if it thinks you are trying to take HIS dinner.

    From all local accounts here in WY, I can confirm this. The bear population (at least in many parts) is getting out of hand. I've had 5 encounters with bears since moving here exactly 1yr ago. Google Gravelly Mountain bear attacks in MT to see what I mean. While we are in their territory, the encounters are increasing. 3 of my "neighbors" on the mountain have had repeated visits of grizzleys getting into hay storage buildings and prints weekly this past month. They seem to be interested in fighting humans for their kills vs finding their own food when the opportunity is present.

    I had this debate with a guide in Wyoming. Some guys carry .44 magnum revolvers, but have barely shot them. I'd rather trust a semi-auto that I've trained with. The 10mm is a stout round, no doubt, but I'd be more certain of putting more rounds on target with the glock than a DA/SA revolver. BTW, the guide carried a 1911.

    I agree. Big bore revolvers definitely have their place, but with dedicated ammo 10mm is a viable option. I carry a 4" .44 with bear spray when not rifle hunting...mostly because I dont own a 10mm, yet.

    The problem in WY extends past the actual bear problem as shooting one here (as opposed to AK) has serious repercussions for doing so. You pretty much have to be mauled BEFORE shooting one in order to be cleared in an investigation. I met a guide who was attacked with a client while on an elk hunt where the client was injured and the guide shot the bear. It took 10mo for it to be determined to be a good shoot. Bear spray is most common for primary defense with a sidearm mostly considered as a backup.
     
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    EGParatrooper

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    I carried an issued S&W 1006 10mm when I was working on the Narcotics Task Force. Gained a lot of respect for the ".40 Magnum" cartridge.
     

    Sigblitz

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    Aug 25, 2018
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    I had one just for this. I trekked around Tennessee a lot and have seen many. I never saw one attack but one stood up and was very angry at someone for taking pictures of her and her cubs. I suspect if you accidentally stumbled on a den you would be in trouble.
     

    leftyM4

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    Oct 9, 2019
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    I never bothered carrying a side arm with me while hunting even though we have a growing cougar population but have yet to see more than just tracks and figure a rifle is all i need. But they brought wolves back and they are growing in population fast I was tracking elk track last year and then saw where a pack started following it. Figured I was outnumbered should I come across them. I know I have heard wolves are more afraid humans and never heard of an attack but I think I would feel better just in case.
     

    two70

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    From all local accounts here in WY, I can confirm this. The bear population (at least in many parts) is getting out of hand. I've had 5 encounters with bears since moving here exactly 1yr ago. Google Gravelly Mountain bear attacks in MT to see what I mean. While we are in their territory, the encounters are increasing. 3 of my "neighbors" on the mountain have had repeated visits of grizzleys getting into hay storage buildings and prints weekly this past month. They seem to be interested in fighting humans for their kills vs finding their own food when the opportunity is present.

    I would have absolutely no trouble believing the potential for bear attacks in WY and the rest of the lower 48 where grizzlies are present is worse than in Alaska. In Alaska bears are hunted and have some fear of man but in the lower 48 they've been protected for over 3 decades. If I recall correctly WY tried to open a limited hunting season last year since the population recovery goals had long since been met but the bunny huggers found a sympathetic judge to stop the hunts.


    I never bothered carrying a side arm with me while hunting even though we have a growing cougar population but have yet to see more than just tracks and figure a rifle is all i need. But they brought wolves back and they are growing in population fast I was tracking elk track last year and then saw where a pack started following it. Figured I was outnumbered should I come across them. I know I have heard wolves are more afraid humans and never heard of an attack but I think I would feel better just in case.

    The wolves are cute and cuddly just like dogs crowd always likes to throw out some version of the statement that "There have never been any documented wolf attacks on humans in North America". Although, it is clearly meant to imply that wolves are harmless the two huge glaring caveats in that statement have always given me pause. Of course now, with one or more documented attacks in Wisconsin, they can't accurately use that statement any more.
     

    Brad69

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    Jul 16, 2016
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    Ray Patton had just let his dogs out when one instantly started squealing in pain.
    He automatically grabbed his gun. "I just instantly started shooting where I knew they were."
    A pack of animals was attacking his dog Kasey and trying to get his other dog.
    "Kasey got about half way up to the house and fell down and my youngest daughter Katie picked her up and put her in the kitchen sink because she was bleeding all over everything."
    But Patton thought he must be seeing things.
    "The first thing that come to my mind was wolf because I knew it wasn't no coyote because they were about waist high standing about ten feet from me," he said.
    "I was expecting to see a collie maybe, a German shepherd, even a lab," said Indiana Conservation Officer Joe Lackey.
    He doubted the "wolf" theory from the start.
    That is, until the animals returned to the Patton house for more. "Something was wrong with the way these things looked," he said.
    Within just a few hours five had been shot and more had been sighted.
    "There's been people up and down the roads since this has happened hunting wolves and that is what we don't want," Lackey said.
    While Patton loves his dog, he's thankful it wasn't his grandchildren out in the backyard that day.
    "He said they shook her pretty hard from both ends and he said the muscles under her skin were just like ground beef, and then she has numerous bite marks on her."
    The animals are currently being tested, to see if they are wolves or a hybrid mix. Residents are hopeful they've seen the last of them.


    This happened in Gatchel, Perry County in 2008 they turned out to be Wolf looking dogs 5 dead in a few hours 2 dead from a 15 year old girl with her shotgun.

    All dogs are dogs and will pack and kill!

    Note:
    I know of none of my neighbors that are not armed with at least one weapon ready at a moments notice.
     

    leftyM4

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    The wolves are cute and cuddly just like dogs crowd always likes to throw out some version of the statement that "There have never been any documented wolf attacks on humans in North America". Although, it is clearly meant to imply that wolves are harmless the two huge glaring caveats in that statement have always given me pause. Of course now, with one or more documented attacks in Wisconsin, they can't accurately use that statement any more.

    On another forum where this discussion of the returns of wolves was being discussed a cuddly just like dogs guy chimed in and argued that wolves only eat rodents that they don't kill deer or elk. Guys were arguing with him trying to convince him otherwise but he had saw it on some some program on it that wolves were as you said cuddly like dogs. When I saw this guy was not not listening to anything anyone was saying and standing his ground on this I simply googled it and found lots of you-tube footage of Wolves attacking and killing elk and I posted it in the thread. None the less he didn't say another word about it.

    I just don't understand why they brought them back other than to ruin hunting and get hunters to hang up their rifles.
     

    SnoopLoggyDog

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    After several months of research, I've decided that a 10mm will be my future handgun, for use at our cabin in Alaska. The cabin is on an island, deep in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. We get a curious black bear on the island, about once every ten years. They usually show up, sniff around the island for a few days, and then swim back over to the mainland. Currently have an 870 and bear spray for venturing off the island. Also have a extra Mossberg 500 as a loaner for guests. Having shot both 10mm and 44 mag, I am more accurate and can shoot faster follow-up shots with the 10mm.

    The three different handguns I am looking at are a Glock 20, Springfield XD or Ruger GP100 revolver. Currently leaning towards the revolver.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    From all local accounts here in WY, I can confirm this. The bear population (at least in many parts) is getting out of hand. I've had 5 encounters with bears since moving here exactly 1yr ago. Google Gravelly Mountain bear attacks in MT to see what I mean. While we are in their territory, the encounters are increasing. 3 of my "neighbors" on the mountain have had repeated visits of grizzleys getting into hay storage buildings and prints weekly this past month. They seem to be interested in fighting humans for their kills vs finding their own food when the opportunity is present.



    I agree. Big bore revolvers definitely have their place, but with dedicated ammo 10mm is a viable option. I carry a 4" .44 with bear spray when not rifle hunting...mostly because I dont own a 10mm, yet.

    The problem in WY extends past the actual bear problem as shooting one here (as opposed to AK) has serious repercussions for doing so. You pretty much have to be mauled BEFORE shooting one in order to be cleared in an investigation. I met a guide who was attacked with a client while on an elk hunt where the client was injured and the guide shot the bear. It took 10mo for it to be determined to be a good shoot. Bear spray is most common for primary defense with a sidearm mostly considered as a backup.

    Reminds me of an old joke...

    The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
    They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
    Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
    It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
    Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper spray.
     
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