Survival and Emergency Preparedness

Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success rate, 37 incidents by Caliber

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... y-caliber/

Handgun or Pistol Defense Against Bear Attack: 73 cases, 96% Effective

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/08/handgu ... effective/

Update: Handgun or Pistol Against Bear Attack: 93 cases, 97% Effective

https://www.ammoland.com/2020/03/update ... effective/

When I went to Alaska I was warned about what to carry. The old salts said "be sure to grind off the sights because when the bear shoves it up your butt it won't hurt so much". Never the less I carried a 44 mag Redhawk with bear loads and felt well armed.

Around my hunting property I usually carry a 357 mag or a 45 auto in case the black bears get frisky. I've been known to carry a 9mm if I forget to change out my EDC for one of my woods guns.

Over in the ballistics section I have several videos from 'Chukes Outdoor Adventures'. He's an Alaskan guide and has some pretty interesting/entertaining videos. He's really big on 10mm in a Glock 20. But he also notes that the 45acp is extremely popular and one of the most sold calibers in his area of Alaska.

It was interesting to note that in the links above there are no reports of 357sig being used. Even .22lr, 38 Special and 9x18 are reported but no 357sig. That caliber just doesn't seem to be all that popular, at least as far as a woods carry pistol.

For me, I'm going to see how the new G35 40S&W works for me. 16 rounds of 180 grain FN FMJ or even JHP would/should work well on any threats in my neck of the woods.

Well I just spent the whole month of October cross bow hunting with my Keltec P17 22 as my backup (carried in a shoulder/possibles bag with all my other out in the field stuff).