Author Topic: Black Bears in Ohio  (Read 17831 times)

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Offline wdyasq

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2012, 02:43:28 pm »
I went to the gun store and really don't know what I'm looking for.  I want something
the missus can handle.  The guy was showing me a .357 revolver but I think I would
like something with a clip so I could have extra clips with me for ease of reloading.

Mike

I consider the .357 about as light as I would want for a bear pistol. I have an M58 S&W in .41Mag with a 4" barrel I would carry if I were in bear country. I might carry a .44Mag, as I have two, and one is a Titanium Taurus that is quite light and a real fun gun if you like recoil.

For bottom feeders, my minimum would be my 1911 in 10mm with hard cast bullets. In fact, that's ALL I would carry for bear in any pistol. I don't think the .45ACP is suitable for bear. I think I would want a lot more penetration for carnivorous creatures looking at me for a next meal.

I know of several women who weigh less than 120 pounds who shoot .44 Magnum revolvers with full bore loads quite accurately. If you take them to a range and want to shoot some .44 mag rounds, you had better shoot your rounds first or hide a box so you will have something to shoot. These little girls will run through free ammo quicker than a fraternity can go through a keg of beer!

Any automatic I carried would have to have been exceptionally reliable with the rounds I carried. Shooting at a charging bear would not be a time to have a malfunction drill.

As far as recoil goes ..... IF one had the opportunity to avoid being mauled by a large bear by perforating it with pistol projectiles, I doubt they would notice the recoil. I doubt they would count the number of rounds fired until well  after their heart rate settled back down and maybe changed their pants.

Ron

Offline Norm

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2012, 06:54:09 am »
Any automatic I carried would have to have been exceptionally reliable with the rounds I carried. Shooting at a charging bear would not be a time to have a malfunction drill.

Yeah I remember watching a movie (fictional but basically fact) where on a lion hunt one of the
men had an untested weapon.....resulting in a couple of the natives mauled and killed by a
man eating lion, because his untested gun failed to fire.......

The leader of the team asked dumbfounded, "What ? You brought an untested gun with you? "

Point well taken !

Norm

Offline tomw

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2012, 12:42:19 pm »


As far as recoil goes ..... IF one had the opportunity to avoid being mauled by a large bear by perforating it with pistol projectiles, I doubt they would notice the recoil. I doubt they would count the number of rounds fired until well  after their heart rate settled back down and maybe changed their pants.

Ron

I have read that "post incident reports" tend to indicate most folks do not recall much of the sensation of even firing the weapon. No clear idea of how many rounds they popped off or other details. I am sure even a .454 Casul in a skinny six shooter would not even be felt at the time (by the shooter).

I find that revolvers "seem" more reliable but things can go wrong there, too, especially in the artillery size pistols. Things like bullet pull out jamming the cylinder from cycling the next round.  Granted this is mostly a reloaders issue but can happen with factory full house loads.

I have seen what a 1911 in .45ACP can do to a man but not anything bigger. Considering 3 rounds passed completely through a magazine pack in front, the clothes, the body and the backpack with hard military ammo from a distance of 6 or 7 paces that it would penetrate deep into a large animal. When that happened I was walking point on a patrol, rounded a bend in the trail and I was surprised by an NVA soldier standing there reading a map and I happened to have the .45 in hand and to this day I swear I only fired one round but the evidence showed it was three in a pattern about as big as a pack of Luckys. In 1970 I was young, dumb and quick as a cat.

Ok, enough with the war stories.

I would prefer to avoid bear country on foot these days because I am slow and somewhat lacking in situational awareness. If it was necessary the .44 Magnum Colt Anaconda would be on my hip.

My choice for day to day proof against 2 legged predators is the 9MM in a shorty auto that has never had a failure since I got past the 200 round break in period and did the fluff n buff on it with good lubricants. It beats hell out of the web of my thumb at the range, but I doubt I would notice the kick in a life threatening situation.

Tom
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Offline ghurd

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #18 on: July 08, 2012, 10:34:07 am »
Norm and I are not too far appart in the grand scheeme of things.

One got hit on the road locally a week or so ago.
There are a few south east of Middlefield that are seen daily, but its not common knowlege as to where they are to keep the morons away, so I'm not posting exactly where they are.

Super Blackhawk and Super Redhawk can take .454-class loads if the loader knows what they are doing.
Nothing I want to mess with.
Lots of .454's for sale in perfect shape... only fired once.
Once was more than enough for me.

Super Blackhawk, if I was worried about black bears.
But having shot bear, I think 1911 in 45ACP would be adaquite in good hands.

I wonder if anybody makes a Contender barrel in .50BMG?  ;)
G-

Offline DBCollen

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #19 on: July 08, 2012, 10:58:02 am »
Just sent my Raging bull 454 into the 'smith for a checkup, everything was well within spec, I have over 1000 rounds of 300gr XTP Mags @1750fps through it, and those are full 65k PSI loads. I love my 454.
Dustin.

Offline tomw

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #20 on: July 08, 2012, 11:02:19 am »

I wonder if anybody makes a Contender barrel in .50BMG?  ;)
G-

Yeah, nothing like a dislocated shoulder(s) to make the critter go away.

I have fired a Ma Duece (M2 .50 BMG) on a ground mounted tripod and it beat hell out of me on a mount. I seriously doubt I would get past the first round from a Contender. The muzzle flare would singe the bear clean at 30 feet I bet.

This thing shoots sausage size cartridges @ 400 + rounds / minute. Budda Budda:



The cartridsge it fires the far left one :



I blew the cylinder out and stretched the frame on a Ruger Super Blackhawk trying to build some artillery grade rounds for it.  Happened to be wearing leather gloves so no real damage but my right hand felt like it had been hit with a sledge hammer.  Got a fresh cylinder and only then realized the frame had stretched.  Good money after bad.. Story of my life.

I am confident a .45 ACP in competent hands could kill anything on this continent. Not counting zoo critters like Cape Buffalo, Rhino but maybe an elephant, The .44 Magnum is even more capable.  Anyone who wants to give away their 1911 in .45ACP because it is too wimpy for bear contact me and I will give you the shipping costs and my FFL guys address to send it to  ;D

Tom
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Offline 97fishmt

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2012, 12:12:37 pm »
Hi
I have shot a .44 mag and it was way more than I would like to carry around.
I really liked firing my neighbors M1. A 9mm is kind of where I'm at. Maybe a .40
I like the Sig.

I'm going to take the woman with me next time and that will decide what I come home
with,  what fits in her hands.

Mike

Offline hiker1

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2012, 11:37:53 am »
just do it

Offline tomw

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #23 on: July 15, 2012, 01:30:08 pm »
Gotta love
Quote
"I wished I had a gun"

Losing the fear of man is deadly for the bear as well as any unarmed humans it encounters.. Seems they usually have to euthanize those bears eventually.

Tom
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Offline hiker1

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #24 on: July 23, 2012, 01:13:41 am »
heres another....eagle river is a small town-about 12 miles away from anchorage....
     http://www.adn.com/2012/07/22/2551812/man-mauled-by-bear-on-eagle-river.html
just do it

Offline ghurd

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #25 on: July 23, 2012, 06:15:51 pm »
In the Alaskan tourist shops they sell these signs...
Something like:

Wear a 'bear bell' so the bear can hear you approach.
Watch for bear sign.
Black bear poop has berry seeds, feathers, and rodent hair in it.
Grizzly bear poop has 'bear bells' in it.

I am not afraid of black bear, within reason,
and actually ate a fish dinner below one in a tree watching us eat.
(have a pic, can't find it)

And took a nap on a 100' wide x half-mile long peninsulla in the QC bush, with one close by.
(woman I am still married to didn't get any sleep at the time)
Can find that pic, just before my nap, with a severely smashed toe and pain makes me sleep easier, FYI.
I got a hair cut since then, also FYI.
G-

Offline hiker1

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just do it

Offline Watt

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #27 on: July 25, 2012, 12:39:13 pm »
In the Alaskan tourist shops they sell these signs...
Something like:

Wear a 'bear bell' so the bear can hear you approach.
Watch for bear sign.
Black bear poop has berry seeds, feathers, and rodent hair in it.
Grizzly bear poop has 'bear bells' in it.

I am not afraid of black bear, within reason,
and actually ate a fish dinner below one in a tree watching us eat.
(have a pic, can't find it)

And took a nap on a 100' wide x half-mile long peninsulla in the QC bush, with one close by.
(woman I am still married to didn't get any sleep at the time)
Can find that pic, just before my nap, with a severely smashed toe and pain makes me sleep easier, FYI.
I got a hair cut since then, also FYI.
G-


If that is you Glen, I sure never would have thunk it. 

Just not who I would have expected to see after reading your posts for years. 

Hope the toes don't keep you up just before bad weather anymore.

And no, I don't have any idea of who I would have expected to see.
CEO of this Dis-Organization....

Offline tomw

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #28 on: July 25, 2012, 03:15:33 pm »
Yes, Mister Hurd is one salty lookin dude!

I suspect there is a very red neck under that hippy hair!

Sorry, Glen, could not resist.

Tom
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Offline WooferHound

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Re: Black Bears in Ohio
« Reply #29 on: July 25, 2012, 10:15:58 pm »
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