Best .45 ACP round for black bear protection

[F. Vaccaro]

Wow! Thread started in 2021- Dec of 24 & the 10mm crowd didn't ruin it! Some good posts here, I live & hunt in grizzly country & am ALWAYS armed when in the hills.
Thanks fellas.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Wouldn’t a 10mm be a better choice in a semi automatic handgun for self defense against black bears ?

 

[colorado]

Or a 45 Super

 

[CoElkHunter]

Or a 45 Super

Nice!

 

[Jack Stevens]

Wouldn’t a 10mm be a better choice in a semi automatic handgun for self defense against black bears ?

Pretty much …. bears. Period. Grizz, brown, black or Polar.

Brownie …. 10mm Glock 20.

Blackie …. 10mm Sig P220.

Unless you throw Water Buff into the mix, but then the 10mm puts those down too.

Razor Dobbs and his 10mm Razorback 1911 say so.

Buff ….

 

[CoElkHunter]

Would anyone happen to know the difference between a .45 Super and the .460 Rowland? I was just reading where the Rowland can send a 230gr. bullet @1340fps. vs. the .45ACP at 950fps. That's a HUGE difference!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Pretty much …. bears. Period. Grizz, brown, black or Polar.

View attachment 662713

Brownie ….

View attachment 662716

Blackie ….

View attachment 662715

Unless you throw Water Buff into the mix, but then the 10mm puts those down too.

Razor Dobbs and his 10mm Razorback say so.

Buff ….

View attachment 662714

Yeah, how does Razor Dobbs get to hunt buffalo in Africa with a 10mm and yet one can't bring a semi auto rifle to Africa to hunt with? I guess you have to be somebody special?

 

[Jack Stevens]

Yeah, how does Razor Dobbs get to hunt buffalo in Africa with a 10mm and yet one can't bring a semi auto rifle to Africa to hunt with? I guess you have to be somebody special?

Depends on the country … I guess.

Some years (decades?) ago, G&A magazine writer Mass Ayoob penned one or two articles detailing a Republic of So. Africa safari where he brought a couple of bolt rifles and a 4” S&W 629 .44 Mag. He popped some animals ‘Dirty Harry’-style with the big .44 wheely. Baboons and hyenas during culls, if I recall correctly.

It surprised me to learn that African countries even allowed foreign hunters to bring handguns there to hunt with, or even just for personal protection.

Then I read later where the owner of MagnaPort brought either a .44 Mag Desert Eagle or a .44 AUTO Mag pistol to Africa to hunt with. Can’t recall which.

So handgun hunting over there is, or was, apparently legal at some point. Semi-autos or big-bore revolvers.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Guess I spoke to soon, I apologize for mentioning the 10.
The topic was what's the best .45 ACP round for defense against a black bear.
NOT which is a better cartridge. Wish folks wouldn't derail a topic with their favorite ctg.

 

[Jack Stevens]

Guess I spoke to soon, I apologize for mentioning the 10.
The topic was what's the best .45 ACP round for defense against a black bear.
NOT which is a better cartridge. Wish folks wouldn't derail a topic with their favorite ctg.

You post with a myopic, 10mm-bias lens. Does your statement above apply to folks posting about the bear-killing merits of the .45 Super or the .460 Rowland?

Because those cartridges aren't the .45acp either.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Or a 45 Super

I had a chance to buy the twin to that pistol several years ago. I didn’t bid because I noticed a buddy bidding on it. I hope he still has it!

 

[HankBuck]

Pretty much …. bears. Period. Grizz, brown, black or Polar.

View attachment 662713

Brownie …. 10mm Glock 20.

View attachment 662716

Blackie …. 10mm Sig P220.

View attachment 662715

Unless you throw Water Buff into the mix, but then the 10mm puts those down too.

Razor Dobbs and his 10mm Razorback 1911 say so.

Buff ….

View attachment 662714

@Jack Stevens - i get your point and no doubt the 10mm has great firepower for a semi auto… I have to question a couple of these photos: The Brown Bear taken “July 5th 2024” and there’s Not one “green leaf vegetation” anywhere in the photo? Also the Elk & “tiny Black Bear” that would more impressive if taken w/a .22LR (kidding).
I would expect a 10mm to be good bear defense, but no better then a .44 mag or other similar calibers including the .45 ACP with full power loads & hardcast bullets. Although the .45 ACP has less impressive ballistics - bullet placement and being able to hit your target “under extreme stress” matters most….whatever a Hunter chooses to carry should be based on confidence & proficiency with that handgun….if I could draw & fire my .44mag or .45 ACP “in my sleep” and hit a 12” circle at 25 feet…that would be my choice (or whatever gun I could do that with).