Will a .45 ACP kill a bear at 4 feet.

[Daveinthebush]

It got interesting yesterday. I was in the stand and had to take a pee. As I was zipping up, I looked to my right and a boar had snuck in from behind a tree and was within 20 yards. Really broad in the back. He came right to the tree, looked up and proceeded to climb a tree 6 feet from me. He looked at me almost face to face and huffed. Pretty cool close up. He then went to the base of the ladder stand. Hand on .45. He walked to the back side of the tree the stand was attached to and again came part way up the tree. .45 now aligned with his head. His head was now at 4 feet, and I was a little uncomfortable with his aggressiveness. He then walked to the bait and laid down on the back side of the barrel exposing a foot and his head once in a while. He ate popcorn for about 30-40 minutes and then walked strong quartering away and never offered a shot. Maybe today I'll take the .44 mag.

It was a good day, saw three. The last one was 60 yards out just browsing around and not interested. It was as if he did not know the bait was there. Now he looked like a sure shooter.

 

[sea2summit]

Yes.



Recommended? I'd take the .44.

 

[Daveinthebush]

It was the better option than the bow at the moment.

 

[SmokeRoss]

Of course it would. But why would you have a .45 on you while hunting bears when you own a .44 magnum? Unless the .45 was a Long Colt in a Redhawk frame with a stoked up load.
OTOH, I had a big black boar (wounded) charge me years ago in the PNW. I head shot it at spitting range. Drove it back but it came again. Head shot again. It rolled over on it's back and I put one under the chin. That did it. 44 Magnum SBH.
Always pack enough gun.
My uncle killed one with a single shot .22 when he was a kid. It had charged when he got between it and the cubs. He said he knew his only chance was to shoot her in the eye which he did. Said he never remembered whether he shouldered the rifle or shot from the hip. He was a high school age kid on his way to man a lookout tower and had the 22 along for small game, but he got BIG game.

 

[4merguide]

Yes.
View attachment 2784924
View attachment 2784925

Recommended? I'd take the .44.

One of the first bear stories I heard some 40 years ago was about a big bear trying to break into a house. This gave time for the lady inside to get herself and a couple little kids up into the loft. The bear came in and started climbing the ladder up to them. Supposedly she pushed the barrel of a 22 down the throat of the bear and fired. They say the slug found its way to the heart and that one shot was all it took.

 

[Daveinthebush]

Of course it would.

First time in 20 years of bear hunting that I have had one get aggressive. There are just black bears out there. I feel comfortable with the .45. A little more with the .44. I need a new holster that I can sling on the outside of the jacket, and I can still draw the bow without interference. Being right-handed I carry the bow in the right hand by habit, even though I shoot left-handed, so I like to cross draw. It has been so cold that my insulated pants are screwing things up.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

I think i would have been shooting as soon as it decided to climb up my tree. At 4 feet i couldnt imagine a bear being able to take a 45 to the dome and stay attached to the tree.

 

[urbanhillbilly]

Dave, if you have the hottest hard cast that you’re .45 can handle I think that you would have been fine if you had fired.

Either way, you’re one heck of a ballsy dude!! One of the best reads I’ve had in a while, glad you stayed safe. That’s a successful hunt in my book

 

[SmokeRoss]

I'm going to have to see the video.

 

[Daveinthebush]

I'm going to have to see the video.

Video or .45 in hand. It wasn't much of a decision. I'll be back in that tree tomorrow.

I sat in a differentr stand today for 4 1/2 hours and saw nothing. It had hardly been hit. So, another garbage bag of popcorn freshly popped and back at it tomorrow.

The stand today had a larger platform, I carried the insulated pants in and put them on up there. So today I had Smith & Wesson with me.

 

[Daveinthebush]

Either way, you’re one heck of a ballsy dude!!

The most scared I've ever been, was sitting on an APC with my hands on twin 50's. It was so dark you could have covered your eyes, had your head in a paper sack in a room with the lights out. It was that dark out. That scared me being responsible for everyone on that side of the berm. Kind of hard to come down from.

 

[urbanhillbilly]

The most scared I've ever been, was sitting on an APC with my hands on twin 50's. It was so dark you could have covered your eyes, had your head in a paper sack in a room with the lights out. It was that dark out. That scared me being responsible for everyone on that side of the berm. Kind of hard to come down from.

Were you a gunny? My brother was a tc back in desert storm.

Thank you (and all other soldiers that read this) for your service and sacrifice!

 

[Daveinthebush]

Were you a gunny? My brother was a tc back in desert storm.

Thank you (and all other soldiers that read this) for your service and sacrifice!

Just a combat engineer in Nam serving two tours back-to-back at 23+ bases plus Cambodia.

 

[s_crockett]

Will a .45 ACP kill a bear at 4 feet?

Noop. …. That’s why the 10mm AUTO was invented.

Save your .45acp for urban carry.

 

[Patsfan54]

Noop. …. That’s why the 10mm AUTO was invented.

Save your .45acp for urban carry.

Well as long as you shoot it enough times, and you shoot yourself in the foot...
https://www.homernews.com/news/hiker-injured-in-kachemak-bay-state-park-bear-attack/

 

[Daveinthebush]

Obviously the guy didn't know that you're supposed to shoot your buddy in the foot.

 

[SmokeRoss]

Well as long as you shoot it enough times, and you shoot yourself in the foot...
https://www.homernews.com/news/hiker-injured-in-kachemak-bay-state-park-bear-attack/

10mm fanboys think they will be able to manage a mag dump on a charging bear. I have news. If you have time for a mag dump, you weren't in danger.

 

[kenaibow fan]

10mm fanboys think they will be able to manage a mag dump on a charging bear. I have news. If you have time for a mag dump, you weren't in danger.

Well caliber has nothing to do with how fast you can mag dump. I disagree with the assertion you aren’t in trouble if you have time to mag dump.

Yes I own a couple guns chambered in 10mm, do I think it’s the greatest pistol round or carbine round, nope. Goes back to why do you want a gun/ what are you going to do with it. If your answer is everything, good luck!

 

[s_crockett]

10mm fanboys think they will be able to manage a mag dump on a charging bear. I have news. If you have time for a mag dump, you weren't in danger.

LOL! Don’t need a “mag dump” of the most-awesome Best Meter rounds to put down a charging Grizz or Moose. Noop.

Big critters like those have been stopped with much less. In one case, a quick double-tap, properly placed, put the beast to sleep.

Alaskans Stop Grizzly Bear Charge with Glock 10mm On Elmendorf-Richardson

A charging grizzly bear attack was stopped with a 10mm Glock pistol on Elmendorf-Richardson in September of 2018.

www.ammoland.com

The real key is choosing the right 10mm ammo to load up with when you head out into “bear country.” Heavy polycoated hard-cast slugs, launched at speed, is what you want, like Underwood’s stuff: 200gns @1250 fps, or 220gns @1200fps. Result? Dead bear, right there.

All. Day. Long.

Charged by a Grizzly: A 10mm Glock (and Serious Practice) Saved My Life

Sam Kezar fired seven rounds amid a split-second grizzly charge. Those shots, plus one from his buddy, saved him from being mauled.

www.outdoorlife.com

The guide dude in the story below definitely didn’t pack the proper 10mm ammo for a “bear fight,” but he and his Glock 20 still prevailed …

10mm GLOCK Stops Horrible Grizzly Bear Attack In New Mexico – Concealed Nation

On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was working out his dogs for the upcoming bear season in New Mexico near the Colorado border. Petrini purchased his professional guide service eight years ago from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would open in less than three weeks...

concealednation.org

Take away lesson:

But he’s alive and and thinking about heavier, deeper-penetrating bullets in 10mm cartridges designed for bear defense, to carry in his GLOCK.

Good idea.

Live & learn, my dudes.

 

[SmokeRoss]

LOL! Don’t need a “mag dump” of the most-awesome Best Meter rounds to put down a charging Grizz or Moose. Noop.

Big critters like those have been stopped with much less. In one case, a quick double-tap, properly placed, put the beast to sleep.

Alaskans Stop Grizzly Bear Charge with Glock 10mm On Elmendorf-Richardson

A charging grizzly bear attack was stopped with a 10mm Glock pistol on Elmendorf-Richardson in September of 2018.

www.ammoland.com

The real key is choosing the right 10mm ammo to load up with when you head out into “bear country.” Heavy polycoated hard-cast slugs, launched at speed, is what you want, like Underwood’s stuff: 200gns @1250 fps, or 220gns @1200fps. Result? Dead bear, right there.

All. Day. Long.

Charged by a Grizzly: A 10mm Glock (and Serious Practice) Saved My Life

Sam Kezar fired seven rounds amid a split-second grizzly charge. Those shots, plus one from his buddy, saved him from being mauled.

www.outdoorlife.com

The guide dude in the story below definitely didn’t pack the proper 10mm ammo for a “bear fight,” but he and his Glock 20 still prevailed …

10mm GLOCK Stops Horrible Grizzly Bear Attack In New Mexico – Concealed Nation

On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was working out his dogs for the upcoming bear season in New Mexico near the Colorado border. Petrini purchased his professional guide service eight years ago from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would open in less than three weeks...

concealednation.org

Take away lesson:


Good idea.

Live & learn, my dudes.

Well I have been charged by bears on 3 occasions. Twice while unarmed on a logging job and once while hunting and I was armed, with a SBH in .44 mag. The bears hide hangs on my wall. I dropped it at my feet with the 44. No mag dump. It all happens faster than you can ever imagine.