What caliber would you carry in black bear country

[66chevelle]

I know this is very open ended question. I am going to Tennessee to look at a remote piece of property. Which got me thinking. What would others carry for personal protection and black bears. I have read articles of people killing them(humans and bears) with 22 LR up to a 300 ultra mag. What pistol caliber would you personally carry if you were going tent camping and hiking?

 

[Leo]

What do you have?

If I a scared for my life I would hang the .458 WIN Mag on my back. I do not care how many magazine articles are presented, I would not consider the .22 rimfire the right tool. (220 Swift maybe) .44 mag would be my go to because I sold my .454 Casull.

Note, I have never killed a bear. I had bought a 45-70 Marlin and made a deposit with an outfitter for a bear hunt, but life got in the way and I never went.

 

[WanderingSol07]

I'd worry more about two legged critters, especially those growing and defending certain plots of plants in the remote areas. So 9mm JHP cause it is lighter than .45 ACP JHP.

 

[Mgderf]

If I can't have my .454 I would go with a 10mm, and plenty of ammo.
Whatever you decide, I would go with a repeater, and not one with only 5 rounds.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

What's the consensus on 12 gauge slugs?

 

[KellyinAvon]

What's the consensus on 12 gauge slugs?

Backed up by a .44 magnum or 10mm?? You are loaded for bear!

 

[BigRed]

I know this is very open ended question. I am going to Tennessee to look at a remote piece of property. Which got me thinking. What would others carry for personal protection and black bears. I have read articles of people killing them(humans and bears) with 22 LR up to a 300 ultra mag. What pistol caliber would you personally carry if you were going tent camping and hiking?

If you get some good leads on wild bear hunts, lmk!

 

[spencer rifle]

Black bears aren't the threat that grizzlies are. The actual current advice is to chuck a rock at them.
But...10mm.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I'd carry a .44mag with hardcast, or even just .45acp with hardcast truncated cone. They're black bears, not grizzly, brown or polar; more like overgrown raccoons. Don't get betwixt a mama and her cubs and you won't have anything to worry about.

 

[yetti462]

10mm loaded down with 200gr cast or 44mag.

 

[tscherry70]

For black bear, I wouldn't worry much like others above have said. Now, if I was going to Kodiak island, I would bring a 45-70 lever guide gun with a 500 mag revolver for backup. I don't play around with those.

 

[Leadeye]

I'll add 45 Colt to the list, with a good cast bullet. At close range it's going in and out of something black bear size.

 

[Onebad06vtx]

10mm

 

[DoggyDaddy]

 

[BigRed]

That may have been that kevlar vest some mentally impaired stooge keeps harping about.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I live in black bear country. My edc is glock in 9mm. I bought a 10mm glock for back country carry, but sold it and now carry the 9mm back country or in town.

I can lay down a fair amount of hits in a short time with my 9mm critical duty rounds.

Shooting hot 10mm bear rounds, my follow up shots are much slower.

I dont care for .44 mag, .454, etc for defensive use because they are slow for me to draw and slow for me to shoot.

If you can choose a long gun, then take a 12 gauge with brenneke black magic rounds and you are in a class of shootability and smashing power that shame the .454/.44mag/10mm.

 

[Sigblitz]

I agree 10mm follow up is longer. I have been to Kentucky a lot and seen a lot of bears. I never saw one go after anyone. I carried a 10mm Glock, but I think even that would just **** them off.

 

[66chevelle]

What do you have?

If I a scared for my life I would hang the .458 WIN Mag on my back. I do not care how many magazine articles are presented, I would not consider the .22 rimfire the right tool. (220 Swift maybe) .44 mag would be my go to because I sold my .454 Casull.

Note, I have never killed a bear. I had bought a 45-70 Marlin and made a deposit with an outfitter for a bear hunt, but life got in the way and I never went.

I have handguns from a 22 to 45. I am just curious if other people opinion. I was leaning towards a 40 or 357.

 

[66chevelle]

I'd worry more about two legged critters, especially those growing and defending certain plots of plants in the remote areas. So 9mm JHP cause it is lighter than .45 ACP JHP.

I am more worried about shiners setting up on my property then pot. My cousin lives down around Gatlinburg and finds a still every year on his property.

 

[66chevelle]

I live in black bear country. My edc is glock in 9mm. I bought a 10mm glock for back country carry, but sold it and now carry the 9mm back country or in town.

I can lay down a fair amount of hits in a short time with my 9mm critical duty rounds.

Shooting hot 10mm bear rounds, my follow up shots are much slower.

I dont care for .44 mag, .454, etc for defensive use because they are slow for me to draw and slow for me to shoot.

If you can choose a long gun, then take a 12 gauge with brenneke black magic rounds and you are in a class of shootability and smashing power that shame the .454/.44mag/10mm.

If we buy this place I am sure I will have a 12 gauge or AR10 308 in camp.