best ammo for bear protection?

[38-40]

I live in Grizz country the 10mm load of choice is 200gr hard cast around here. As stated above shot placement is critical so a load you can shoot the best in my thoughts is better than a hot load that you can?t.

[blaster]

this Tuesday I am leaving for Alaska. so needless to say, I have been following this thread and other similar info here and other places. I am flying so space & weight are a concern. I am not going hunting so my only firearm will be for bear protection. I was torn between my .44 mag S&W 629 and my 10mm. XDm.  after doing some rapid fire drills, the 10mm won. more hits on target quicker. although I am deadly accurate with the 629 firing single action and the energy per hit is greater, the capacity and better control during rapid fire of the XDm gave it the advantage. (in my opinion) add the advantage of lighter weight (in luggage & carrying) plus the ease of concealment (for those times when I might have to) made me choose the XDm.  I know most grizzly & brown bear charges are bluffs and I don't want to have to kill one so I plan on getting some bear spray when I get up there. (can 't fly with the can of spray I already own) God forbid I have to actually shoot a bear but if it happens I know it will be up close and things will happen fast. so I'm betting on that the chance that a bunch of little 10mm bullets in the bear's head will equal or better one maybe two hits with the .44mag. if I were hunting with a pistol and it wasn't a charging situation, the .44 would have been my choice. just my $.02

[Markwell]

     For those interested here's a bear drill to compare your guns and your performance...

    Place  8"or 10" paper plates on stakes, about thigh high off the ground, at 15, 10, 7. 5 and 3 yards; 5 targets

    Start with your gun of choice (and your heavy bear loads) in a ready position.   

    On the beep of the  shot timer place one round on each plate as fast as you can guarantee a hit on each.
     
    Any miss is a failing grade.

    Record your time or times and you'll have a good idea of your performance with your gun of choice or a comparison of two or more weapon's efficiency in your hands.

    The first run is the one that counts BTW.

[Markwell]

    The above drill is designed to simulate a charge, so shoot the targets far to near.

[RedTeam98]

Yes it certain areas the Mountie?s carry G20 in Canada.
Here in Alaska black bears because of huge numbers are much more aggressive on camp sites and a danger to the public. Remember Black Bears will eat you and Grizzlies will maul you.
Incident sites after black bear attacks most often the victim will pass out and regain conscious finding leg calf parts eaten down like a chicken leg.

[RedTeam98]

Bear Spray is for Democrats that voted for Biden.
The Glock 20 is very popular here in Alaska.
For factory loads the Underwood 200 and 220gr Hardcast are hard to beat.
I always carry my G20 slightly modified with KKM barrel and NDZ 22 pound spring and stainless rod to help with the addition pressure of these real 10mm loads.
For years carried big bore revolvers but when the G20 was introduced I bought one and liked them so much sold all my revolvers in favor of the G20. Underwood is the only factory ammo I would suggest in the 10mm Auto.

[Kenk]

Absolutely, Kevin and his team know their stuff

[heldfast]

Good thread; where we live we can watch black bear and dall sheep across the river valley from us with 8x binos, while the browns and moose pass through our yard. Modified Glock 20s are super popular. I carry a stock XDM in a Diamond D Denali everyday on the property, walking to the post office, etc. 200-220gr cast is typical. We've not had a mauling in a few years thankfully. One morning this June our neighbors to one side started shooting at around 7am, then on the other side about 1/2 hour later. A brown sow and her cubs came up to their cabin; sow did not respond to the first two rounds in the dirt at her nose, but ambled off after her cubs just before the next round (rifle) went into her. Fortunately our dog was inside, because they passed through the woods behind our house. Did not appreciate until we moved here that bear become habituated to noise, spray, and warning shots. Spring and early summer, the non-lethal are probably more effective, but once they get habituated, nothing left to do but put them down. USFS had to put a few down a few miles down river from us this year.

I wince when I see tourists hiking one of the trails near here, and all they have are bells and spray - there is no guarantee the bear you meet hasn't already been sprayed enough they no longer care. When we moved here a sourdough informed me that bear spray is for after you've shot the bear dead, so the Trooper can smell it and check the right box on the Defense of Life and Property report.

[Kenk]

You never quite know what they are going to do, that?s the scary part for me

[Jim Bridger]

I HAVE LIVED IN BEAR COUNTRY MOST OF MY LIFE.  THE BLACK BEAR IS VERY LIKELY TO ATTACK.  HOWEVER IT IS RARE THAT THEY WILL KILL HUMANS.  THE GRIZZ IS AN AN AGGRESSIVE BEAR AND A KILLER.  I HAVE KNOWN MANY WHO SURVIVED GRIZZ ATTACKS.
AN OLD FRIEND WAS ATTACKED WHILE ELK HUNTING HERE IN THE WIND RIVER MTNS OF WYOMING. HIS FRIEND SHOT THE BEAR 5 TIMES WITH A .270 AND SAVED HIS LIFE.  THE VICTIM SPENT MONTHS IN THE HOSPITAL GETTING RECOVERED.
THE NEWS OF BEAR ATTACKS IS COVERED UP BY THE GOVERNMENT.  IT CAN COST THE NATL PARKS MONEY.  THE TOURIST TRADE IS IMPORTANT TO THE POLITICIANS.
THE 10MM LOADED WITH 200 GR. BULLETS HAS PROVEN TO PUT GRIZZ DOWN.  MOST OF US ARE HANGING OUR OLD .44 MAGS ON THE WALL. 

[Kenk]

a good friend of mine told me this years ago, if brown, lay down, and if it?s black, fight back. If this is accurate or not I couldn?t say, but he has survived in bear country for many years

[sqlbullet]

THE BLACK BEAR IS VERY LIKELY TO ATTACK.

Not sure the source of this information, but this is very not accurate.

Black bears avoid humans and rarely attack.  Attacks are almost always motivated by hunger and not territorial defense.  Usually they will just run away.  In some cases, such as defending a cub, they may make a mock show of aggression huffing, growling and slapping their front paws on the ground.

It is true that there are many more black bear attacks per year than grizzly bear attacks.  But, the population of black bear in the lower 48 states is 500 times larger than grizzly bears (450,000-500,000 black bears compared to less than 1,000 grizzly bears).  The grizzly bear range is also limited to the north west edge of the US in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington.  The black bear ranges across a far larger expanse and into far more population dense sub-regions of the US. The extreme population and range difference means even though black bear attacks are less like per capita of bear, there are more attacks because the black bears are so much more common in human habitat.

KenK, because black bear attacks are almost always motivated by hunger, playing dead won't help you.  The bear wants to eat you, so your only shot at living is to get away.  This should not suggest that an unprepared human is likely to successfully fight off a hunger motivated black bear, or that the bear will disengage if you fight back.  The advise is really more of "he gonna eat you anyway, so make his meal count".  Because attacks are usually motivated by hunger, it would be wise if you spend time in bear country to know when conditions are right for food scarcity and adjust your behavior accordingly.

Brown bears are very territorial and their attacks are far more less likely to be motivated by hunger, so once they think you are no longer a territorial threat (dead) they will usually leave you alone.  As long as you are resisting you are a territorial threat and the fight will continue.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear#Attacks_on_humans

https://bear.org/bear-facts/black-bears/bears-and-humans/

https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/profiles/mammals/brown_bear2/brownbear_population_distribution/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_bear

[Kenk]

Thanks, my friends suggestion that playing dead when a brown / grizzly comes after you seems to fit what you said, (it?s typically about territory and not for a tasty dinner) instead of the black bears motivation that wants a  tasty dinner. Like I said previously, these were my friends tactics, if and when he was put in that position. I personally have no idea either way other than listening to other peoples responses that have been in that situation

[Jim Bridger]

I live in active "Grizz", country. As posted 2 locals were attacked by a Grizz last week. My close friend shot his attacker 7 times with a 10MM Glock pistol.
One bullet hard cast hit the victim in his lower left leg. The handgun is used in close combat. The 10MM High Cap pistols are proving their value in
Bear country.
Anyone living in or near "Grizz", knows the Bear has you very fast..  Carry a High Cap 10MM in a Cross-Chest holster Rig.

[Alaska]

Glock 20 in 10mm Auto
KKM Barrel
NDZ 22 Pound Recoil Spring and Rod
NDZ stainless Firing Pin Channel
Wolff Extra Power Springs in Magazines
Glock Adj Rear Site
Talon Grips
6 pound Wolff Firing pin Spring
The only factory ammo I use is Underwood 220gr Hardcast for Bear defense