Opinions on 10mm in Grizzly country?

[MarvB]

Sheez with that weight you might as well wear body armor

 

[Dan O]

I carried a S&W 1006 10mm for a duty gun. It has a 5 inch barrel and night sights. I put down a injured Muley Doe one night. Two Winchester 175 silver tips through the front shoulders. I recovered one under the hide on the off side the other went through. She was DRT. This caliber is very easy to control for fast multiple shots. I chrono'ed it at 1200 FPS. This load would IMO fail as a bear load. I would recommend going with a hard cast LBT style load. Then practice a lot as most folks just buy a hand gun shoot it a few times and think they got it figured out. Wrong mentality to have.
It could work just fine to save your butt then again it might not. There is no guarantee for any caliber. One thing for sure if you don't practice a lot and learn your handgun don't depend on it, go with bear spray as first response.

 

[Dunning Kruger]

That guy has a lot of stuff strapped on him. Wow. mtmuley

Thats how you know hes a serious operator

 

[3855WIN]

OP, will you be bow or gun hunting? If I have a rifle, I’m sure not carrying a pistol.

 

[geetar]

OP, will you be bow or gun hunting? If I have a rifle, I’m sure not carrying a pistol.

Rifle mostly.

 

[TXLonghorn]

Has anyone read the statistics on bear encounters where pistols were used as defense? That information is out there. If Im not mistaken, 357 mag has the credit for successfully ending the most bear encounters. Believe it or not the 9mm has accounted for a number of dead bears itself. It could be because these are the most carried pistol calibers and are the ones there when a bear is encountered.

 

[MTLabrador]

My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that for any handgun to save you from a grizzly you need to hit it in the CNS, or it will likely be able to kill you or at least mess you up before it dies. Choose whatever handgun you are most comfortable with and that gives you the greatest opportunity to make that shot. A 10mm will break a bear’s skull.

A Glock 20 is what I carry, but that’s because I carry a Glock every day and I have a lot of training with it. I think that objectively a revolver is probably a better choice, and a mid-sized .357 would be hard to beat. If I’m already carrying a rifle I don’t bother carrying a handgun.

 

[TXLonghorn]

Statistically the .44 mag was successful in ending an encounter everytime it was used except one. In that case the victim failed to or was unable to deploy it successfully.

 

[belshawelk]

The 10mm is the 6.5 creedmore of pistols...lmao

I carry a 329pd, 44 with penatrators as a everyday gun in grizzly country, i doubt anyone here any actual experiance other than just carrying a 10mm in bear country. Carry what your comfortable with, load with good ammo(i dislike buffalo bore, like hsm) but most ammo in my guns are handloads. Great excuse to buy new gun!
Good luck

Huh? 10MM is 6.5?Your killing me.

Thats like the 44 spl to your 44Mag, or a .45LC to my .454 Casull.

My 10mm are screaming at you. 6.5 is not in the same catagory as full power......well anything. That's why we now have the 6.5PRC, 6.5 WTHY Mag, 6.5-300, 26 Nosler.


Just having fun with ya.

 

[BWALKER77]

OP, will you be bow or gun hunting? If I have a rifle, I’m sure not carrying a pistol.

I am of the same opinion. Most people cant hit chit with a pistol. Especially under duress.

 

[belshawelk]

its fine with right ammo. I carry one many times int eh back country. I have a .454 Casull I prefer on power standpoint. But its got 5 rounds and my my 10 has 10.

 

[Doublecluck]

We were charged by a sow griz this season in the gravellies, cow calling from the timber, stepped in to a opening and looked to my left and she was at what I would describe as a mid level bear sprint our way 80 yards out, I drew my Springfield 10 mm and yelled bear, my buddy in shock took a second or two longer but still managed to draw before she broke 50. About 40 out she realized we were humans and veered off in to the timber. It took me longer to write this post than the time it took for the whole encounter to occur, and 20-30 yards/1/2 sec more and a whole mess of 140 gr extreme penetrators and 200 gr Buffalo bore would have been flung her way. No idea what would of happened. Personally I choose the 10 for capacity and the extreme penetrators are solid copper at 1500 FPS , they carry the same energy as a hard cast but will punch right through anything. I saw a YouTube video where a guy shot right through bank level bullet proof glass with a 10 and the XP’s

 

[TXLonghorn]

Personally I choose the 10 for capacity and the extreme penetrators are solid copper at 1400, they carry the same energy as a hard cast and will punch right through anything.

Same here.

 

[mtmuley]

If I have a rifle, I’m sure not carrying a pistol.

Why? mtmuley

 

[HandgunHunter]

Like 99.9% of people I have not shot a griz with a 10. But I can tell you the 10 preforms under the 357 magnum on tissue.
Years ago I use to make long slide 10mm in the shop quite a bit....and hunted with them as well.
It’s better than a sharp stick...but it is not anywhere near a big bore handgun.
I would pick any 357 revolver over the 10mm. If you can handle it go bigger. You have about a 3” target to hit on a moving bear while you shit your pants.
Bullet choice is also important. Many will say you want non expanding.....from killing everything with a handgun for over 15 years I can tell you expanding gives you a better chance of upsetting the nervous system and causing more damage. Bullets are not going to “bounce off” the skull...

 

[Straight Arrow]

I need to buy a gun to tote in grizzly country ...

Yet another redumdant grizz country gunslinger thread ... will there ever be empiracal proof of the right answer?

 

[PsRpOiGrRiAtM]

I have a Glock 20 that I feel comfortable with, and I know I'd get more effective rounds on target with that than I would with a .357 or .44, 454, etc. Others may be better with revolvers than I am, so more power to them.

But lest we forget...

-only need a .22lr......to shoot your friend in the knee, so you can outrun him!
-better file the front sight off so it doesn't hurt.....when the bear shoves it up your butt!
...I'm sure there are more, and better, responses, but I haven't had enough coffee yet.

 

[MTTW]

I carried a Ruger Security six .357 for many years. Had a couple of encounters but never had to shoot a bear. So I figure I batted 1000 with it. After the last encounter which had me thinking I was actually going to have to kill the bear left me feeling kind of puny, I bought a Smith & Wesson .44 mag. The 44 fits in the same holster as the 357 and just weighs like 4 ounces more. It is the 5 shot combat mag 4 inch. I carry it on its own belt on my hip below the back pack belt. I am batting 1000 with it also.

If I am carrying a rifle the pistol stays home. I would put a can of spray in a convenient location, but personally I am using the rifle unless I feel comfortable enough to play games.
The only time I have wished for the pistol was camping in a tight 1 man tent that I couldn't turn the rifle around in. That for me, would be a consideration.

As for empirical proof of the right answer, when I buy insurance, I don't ask for empirical proof that it is the right answer.

 

[brymoore]

If you’re carrying a rifle, I would only take bear spray. I don’t see the need for the extra weight. My buddies who have been bluff charged say unless you have it in your hand ready, it won’t matter anyways.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Has anyone read the statistics on bear encounters where pistols were used as defense?

See the link in reply #10 - it's about as useful as I have found.