[mchl]

Are .44 mag fmj fn rounds good enough for black bear defensive head shots with a revolver?
Michael

 

[memtb]

Better than a JHP.....which minimizes penetration! Better yet, a hard cast, wide metplat, running from around 270 grains to 320 grains! memtb

 

[jonesy814]

The heavier, the better

 

[Oldbrass]

Dispatching critters is all about shot placement . A good hit from your 44 will do well

 

[guido4198]

That's likely one of the worst choices you can make. The ONLY thing that might allow that bullet to "get the job done" with a head shot would be the fact that it's coming out of a .44 mag at max velocity. Head shots on bear are a very poor choice to begin with, with any round. The shape of the skull makes it difficult to get penetration at any but an optimum impact angle and using an fmj just makes it more difficult still.

 

[Breakaway500]

Black bear around here can be handled by tossing a handful of berries at them. If pissed off I'm not sure any handgun would stop them. I hope to never find out..

 

[bruce]

Get good hits and your .44 load will do fine. Get good hits, you'd do fine with a proper .357 load. Get good hits. That's the key to any hunting and killing of any game animal. Sincerely. bruce.

 

[memtb]

Dispatching critters is all about shot placement . A good hit from your 44 will do well

Only “if” you get adequate penetration. Read a story of Larry Kelly’s up close and personal encounter with a bear. Larry was a handgun hunter that has taken pretty much everything you can hunt with a handgun. He had deer loads and bear loads....he was pack’n deer loads at the time of the encounter. He emptied his revolver at very close range, while the guide was “poking” the bear with a .375 H&H. The bear turned at the last moment, and expired a 100 or so yards away. The autopsy results showed that “none” of the .44 mag bullets penetrated deep enough to be fatal.....at least not anytime soon!

A few days later, and perhaps after an underware change , he killed a pretty big Alaskan Brown with one shot! Yes, placement is paramount.....but, so is penetration! memtb

 

[jonesy814]

Read an article about handgun use against bears. A few people in desperate situations got the job done with a 22, but there were also a few where the 22 didnt do the job and the human lost. One case where it worked, the guy was up a tree with the bear right behind and he got a couple shots right down its throat, followed shortly no doubt, by a change of underwear

 

[Rule3]

Of course when being charged by a pissed off bear, you will remain cool ,calm and collected and be able draw and squeeze off the perfect "head shot"

Bear threads are GREAT!

 

[Bob K]

Well.....if you don't stop a bear attack....you got nothing more to worry about!!! Bob

 

[Bob K]

I always heard that a heavy lead cast bullet... LSWC is the best for penetration, when loaded heavy to stop a bear. JHP will never penetrate the muscular body of a bear.....even if it's a .44 Mag. Bob

 

[SidecarFlip]

Black bear around here can be handled by tossing a handful of berries at them. If pissed off I'm not sure any handgun would stop them. I hope to never find out..

They like day old jelly filled doughnuts too. Preferably cherry or strawberry.....

 

[gearchecker]

The best defense against a bear attack is to have a friend with you that you can outrun.

Now seriously, when I was out tromping in the forests out in Northern Idaho and Montana, I loaded my .14 and .44 magnum pistols only with Buffalo Bore ammo. It is the one constant that can be trusted to give you the greatest opportunity to stop the bear, and make a way for your escape.

 

[Forester]

In the northeast, the most effective defense against black bear attack is the ability to stand up, wave your arms and yell.

 

[Bob K]

Luckily, Northeast Black Bears aren't very aggressive. We were camping at a Mass. State Park, out in Charlemont, MA., and it's pretty wild around that area. We had several bears 'visit' us, during daylight hours, and at night, you could hear them prowling around outside the tent.

In the day light hours, everybody just banged some pots and pans, to make some noise. While they did saunter away, it didn't bother them, very much. Just out looking for something to eat. No doubt, they ate pretty well.....courtesy of the campers feeding them, and leaving their food out. Stupid 'Flat-Landers'!!!!

GearChecker, The trouble is......I'm the one who can't run too good!!!!! 😁 Bob

 

[BonitaBob]

Of course when being charged by a pissed off bear, you will remain cool ,calm and collected and be able draw and squeeze off the perfect "head shot"

Bear threads are GREAT!

Like any other critical encounter, stay focused.