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Is Bear Spray Better Than a Pistol?

Good article.

Living in/recreating in 2 out of the three mentioned states being in "Griz" country is an every-day reality especially since the populations are expanding out of the Greater Yellowstone & Glacier NP/Bob Marshall Recovery areas.

Bear spray as been proven to be very effective, I carry both spray & firearm every time since Griz activity is/has occurred 360 deg. where I live, even in the valley bottoms where 99% of folks live.

What's MIA in this article is how to use bear spray when being charged. One must aim low since a charging griz will run under the spray if you aim like a handgun. Aiming low will make it so the bear will run into the spray as it closes.

If you want to carry a heavy all-steel 1911 that fine but the 10mm XD/XDm line (when will SA reintroduce the 10mm in the 5.25 XDm Elite?) gives you more ammo capacity & can go into action faster since 99% of griz encounters are at very close range.
 





 
Good article, Mike. Thanks.

For me personally, I would prefer to carry .44 magnum in something like a Super Redhawk. I know you have fewer shots, but I prefer the reliability and being able to shoot without worrying about the slide being interfered with. But (and this is a big but), I don’t live in or visit griz country. Just black bears in this area.
 
Good article.

Living in/recreating in 2 out of the three mentioned states being in "Griz" country is an every-day reality especially since the populations are expanding out of the Greater Yellowstone & Glacier NP/Bob Marshall Recovery areas.

Bear spray as been proven to be very effective, I carry both spray & firearm every time since Griz activity is/has occurred 360 deg. where I live, even in the valley bottoms where 99% of folks live.

What's MIA in this article is how to use bear spray when being charged. One must aim low since a charging griz will run under the spray if you aim like a handgun. Aiming low will make it so the bear will run into the spray as it closes.

If you want to carry a heavy all-steel 1911 that fine but the 10mm XD/XDm line (when will SA reintroduce the 10mm in the 5.25 XDm Elite?) gives you more ammo capacity & can go into action faster since 99% of griz encounters are at very close range.
When will they introduce an XDM Elite in a .40 or .45 in a 4.5 or 5.25?
 
It was an interesting video. What I found a bit conflicting was bear spray @ 4 second full discharge at 20-30 ft and if it doesn't stop the attack, drawn (or have at-ready) the sidearm to continue the fight, which the author accomplished in training mode, 7 rounds in 6 seconds on target.

Let’s suppose 20 feet, 4 sec. blast of bear spray, followed up with 6 seconds of gun fire…and likely charging bear speed will cover probably that 20 ft. in - 1 second...and that’s if a bear is applying the Tueller Rule. Time is a luxury.

It’s going to take a good amount of practice… or narrow the choice of the two options?
I don’t know but I think if a bear is already in charge mode at 20-30 ft, it’s a darn good to convince me it isn’t just going to stop on the dime. I wouldn’t want to be in a predicament to guess wind direction and when seconds count, trying to fog it’s snout before it takes a swipe at me.

I don’t spend any time in the backwoods of any bear country but the kids do and have expressed interest in the .44 though never shot one. The only advice I could render is to find so with a .44, then try out (my) .38 spl, .38 +P, then a .357 magnum load for a feel. Then try getting 6 rounds on a 12” bullseye as fast as possible with each of the three loads. Finally while still fresh, try 6 with the .44 magnum.

I forwarded them the article, hopefully it will shed an informative light on situational awareness and training, but also I‘ll bet the 10mm will be the choice.
 
It was an interesting video. What I found a bit conflicting was bear spray @ 4 second full discharge at 20-30 ft and if it doesn't stop the attack, drawn (or have at-ready) the sidearm to continue the fight, which the author accomplished in training mode, 7 rounds in 6 seconds on target.

Let’s suppose 20 feet, 4 sec. blast of bear spray, followed up with 6 seconds of gun fire…and likely charging bear speed will cover probably that 20 ft. in - 1 second...and that’s if a bear is applying the Tueller Rule. Time is a luxury.

It’s going to take a good amount of practice… or narrow the choice of the two options?
I don’t know but I think if a bear is already in charge mode at 20-30 ft, it’s a darn good to convince me it isn’t just going to stop on the dime. I wouldn’t want to be in a predicament to guess wind direction and when seconds count, trying to fog it’s snout before it takes a swipe at me.

I don’t spend any time in the backwoods of any bear country but the kids do and have expressed interest in the .44 though never shot one. The only advice I could render is to find so with a .44, then try out (my) .38 spl, .38 +P, then a .357 magnum load for a feel. Then try getting 6 rounds on a 12” bullseye as fast as possible with each of the three loads. Finally while still fresh, try 6 with the .44 magnum.

I forwarded them the article, hopefully it will shed an informative light on situational awareness and training, but also I‘ll bet the 10mm will be the choice.
10mms of various types are popular in the Northern Rockies for those in Griz country.
 
I used to bow hunt in blackbear country and didn’t (at the time) carry a backup sidearm. I was always concerned about whether or not I could stop or deter a black bear with one arrow! It keeps you alert in the woods!
 





I have luckily never had to defend myself from any bear attack. However, if I had to do so, it would not be spray. Just as humans that are exposed to O.C. spray and chemical agents, some are immune to the effects and can eat the chemical agents and maintain as it has no effect on them.

I would hate to use some "bear spray" and have the bear that has decided to attack me for his dinner be one of those immune to the spray and maul me to death. Especially when I could have been putting some well placed rounds on target the whole time instead of the spray.
My method would be a firearm without question.





 
I can reassure you, I would rather take my chances with a firearm rather than some spray any day of the week. And I am confident if you were honest about it, you would too.
pointing-laughing.gif


I live in griz country, and as I posted earlier in this thread I carry both since I'm covering my bases.

Considering that I've lived in Griz country for 30+ years, and that my former career involved bear management, I'm likely much more familiar with the country and large critters in it than you are. So that's my honesty.

It's any ones' decision what they want to carry for protection for large wild animals.
 
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Hunters get chewed on every year during hunting season since the bears get into hyperphagia, and are out trying to fatten up as much as possible.


They've learn when they hear a gun shot that can be like a dinner bells so they bee-line towards the potential dead animal, then the hunter may have an close encounter. But bow hunters going for elk often run into trouble also.
 
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