Handguns for Bear Defense: Lessons from Real-World Attacks

By popular request, we take on the topic of using handguns for self-defense against bear attacks, drawing on 162 documented cases collected by Ammoland. We explore the effectiveness of warning shots, performance of various calibers, and stats on the likelihood of bear attacks by location.
Ammoland's collection of handgun bear defenses (May 2024 update): www.ammoland.com/2024/05/bear...

[@DEK45120]

Shout out to the one dude using 9x18 Mak

[@paleoph6168]

8:08

[@lonememe]

That gave me a chuckle. Also in that "other" list is the people out there carrying 500S&W in the woods. Because at least if you don't hit the bear, you'll blind and deafen them (and yourself) when you miss. I don't imagine that people are able to get their ear pro on when these encounters happen so...ouch.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

@@lonememeI looked it up and with the biggest, baddest, buffalo boreiest ammo out of an 8” barrel you’re getting 2500 ft/lbs at the muzzle. At what point does a shotgun, slugs, and a sling become more practical?

[@8mmmauserman]

What a boss.

[@davidpyle7333]

It was probably Brandon Herrera.

[@kcmt01]

Pro tip from Montana... It's easy to tell the difference between black bears and grizzlies. Clap your hands and yell. If it climbs a tree, it's a black bear. If it eats you, it's a grizzlie.

[@vidiupload4174]

Moving south, a similar thing applies to alligators and crocodiles: If it sees you and moves away from you, it's an alligator. If it sees you and moves toward you, it's a crocodile.

[@ywr969]

I'm from MT. We used to say, "If you want to know what kind of bear is chasing you, climb a tree. If it follows you up the tree before eating you, it was a black bear. If it shakes the tree until you fall out before eating you, it was a griz."

[@oak815]

@@vidiupload4174 and down there if the water is wet it has gators in it

[@blackie1of4]

Here in Pennsylvania.. A guy said to me awhile back.. Do you even know what the differences are between a black bear and a grizzly bear? Of course.. I started off with characteristics.. He interrupted me.. saying.. If it climbs a tree and eats you.. it's a black bear.. If it knocks the tree over.. and eats you it's a grizzly bear 😮

[@wisenber]

If it takes a bow, it was an escaped circus bear.

[@frankthompson9119]

Thanks. Recently came back from a trip to Alaska. While talking to friends and hunters up there, they stated , make no mistake when you kill a game animal you are now the hunted. The bears and wolves see your kill as theirs. Pack the game out as quickly as possible. There will probably be a contest for your kill.

[@wirebrush]

They did a study here in Montana a few years ago. They had hunters carry gps trackers and they overlaid the hunters tracks with those of collared grizzly bears and found that the bears frequently followed hunters without ever being noticed by the hunters.

[@lancecluster]

I have seen several videos on "guns and bears", this is the first to actually have any data to back up the video. Always amazed at your research and approach to videos. Thanks

[@whatsmolly5741]

I found the list a while ago but no one wanted to hear that 9mm had a 100% success rate....... and the sole failure (at that time) was a with a .357

[@JohnB-dr8sk]

Good going Lucky Gunner! He just continued a longtime Left-wing anti-gun myth that Ammoland spent the last 7 years trying to undo- that bear spray is as good as guns. TOTAL LIE. Bear Spray is NOT as good as guns, and in fact, has caused a number of people to die during predatory attacks over the last 15 years. The bear spray vs bullets study was based on a cooked study by Left-wing Biology Professor Tom Smith. He finally admitted to it in a 2019 Outside Online Magazine article which you can Google. Bear Spray is has terrible failures with highly aggressive bears and predatory bears. Ammoland has killed themselves trying to expose this since 2018, and now, as a GUN CHANNEL, Lucky Gunner just sent things back to 2010 where Canada used this bear spray myth to justify banning handguns from wilderness areas with bears. GREAT GOING LUCKY!

[@pete7178]

When I was young (before the Dirty Harry movies) every bear hunter I knew carried a .357 magnum for a backup. First movie came out, suddenly it wasn't enough gun. I'm just glad Harry didn't use a S&W 500.

[@BrockOBauma]

Ralph Flowers may have killed more black bears than anyone else when he was hunting and trapping bears for the timber industry in WA. His backup was a .357. His book is "The Education of a Bear Hunter."

[@Neomalthusiano]

Truth be told, 357 back then was considerably more powerful than nowadays, just look at maximum pressure specks

[@vlogfriendsutopia]

@@Neomalthusiano the original 357 Magnum load was a 158 SWC projectile at 1525 FPS from an 8 inch barrel. Buffalo Bore is pushing a 180 grain projectile at 1500 FPS from a 6 inch barrel. Modern Magnums can be more powerful, you just have to get loads that aren't down-loaded.

[@Neomalthusiano]

@@vlogfriendsutopia buffalo bore is an extreme loadout that has as the unique trait being "the most powerful to a point it isn't even safe for some guns". I'm talking everyday stuff. Of course you can load bb "just in case" if you feel so, but unless you are up to it, chances are that that Remington (or any average brand) box you find at your local store is watered down. Ditto for 10 mm. In my area I can basically get Federal, Magtec, Sellior and Bellot, Fiocchi and that's it. Want something else? Too bad.

[@vlogfriendsutopia]

@@Neomalthusiano That's not true. They're safe to shoot, even in J frames. I would know, Buffalo Bore is what I carry in my 3" Model 60. If they weren't safe, Buffalo Bore would've gone under from lawsuits. And, what do you mean by every day stuff? Is there a price limit, a commonality limit? What are your conditions?

[@TheDarksideFNothing]

Man this channel puts out some bangers. This is great info! Thanks for the summarization!

[@LuckyGunner]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheDarksideFNothing]

@@LuckyGunner always excited when LuckyGunner shows up in my notifications!

[@LFDNC]

@@TheDarksideFNothing I know right? Definitely don’t get enough. This is a great channel.

[@JohnB-dr8sk]

Good going Lucky Gunner! He just continued a longtime Left-wing anti-gun myth that Ammoland spent the last 7 years trying to undo- that bear spray is as good as guns. TOTAL LIE. Bear Spray is NOT as good as guns, and in fact, has caused a number of people to die during predatory attacks over the last 15 years. The bear spray vs bullets study was based on a cooked study by Left-wing Biology Professor Tom Smith. He finally admitted to it in a 2019 Outside Online Magazine article which you can Google. Bear Spray has terrible failures with highly aggressive bears and predatory bears. Ammoland has killed themselves trying to expose this since 2018, and now, as a GUN CHANNEL, Lucky Gunner just sent things back to 2010 where Canada used this bear spray myth to justify banning handguns from wilderness areas with bears. GREAT GOING LUCKY!

[@peternorton5648]

Agreed, it’s always well produced and concisely put together.

[@DK-gy7ll]

"If you're more concerned with the best gun for bear defense than keeping from getting lost in the woods you might be doing it wrong". Absolute Truth. I hike all the time and it's unbelievable how many other people I encounter who are completely unprepared to spend more than a few hours in the woods. News stories of people who got lost or died from exposure far outweigh those from wild animal attacks.

[@dancooper6002]

Maybe on a national scale yes. But in areas that actually have Grizzly bears there is at least one fatality a year which actually outpaces the rate of death at the hands of the elements.

[@Chiller11]

@@dancooper6002I don’t think I’m buying that statistic without a reference. It just doesn’t add up unless your geographical definitions are severely skewed.

[@henryrodgers1752]

@@Chiller11: “References? References?? We don’ need no stinkin’ References!! It’s true ‘cause we said it” So there😊

[@peternorton5648]

⁠@@henryrodgers1752 😆😆😆 we don’t neeed no steeling references! Nice reference there. 😆😆😆

[@SleepyHapa]

What I am hearing is 44 Magnum attracts bears. #statistics

[@LuckyGunner]

Plausible.

[@SPIKESPIEGEL1969]

Or the people who choose 44 magnum (or are capable of handling 44) dare to venture into the most dangerous terrain?

[@BrokenBarBox]

@@SPIKESPIEGEL1969 that’s actually a really good theory. Does the armament make you over confident and thereby lead you to situations a rational person would normally avoid?

[@DirtyMike_n_theBoyz]

The people with 44mag survive and won’t shut up about it.

[@trvrfx5]

Also silly to compare between calibers without normalizing the data. Do more bears die to .44s because more bears get shot with .44s?

[@vlogfriendsutopia]

Fun fact, that Buffalo Bore 357 Magnum 180 Grain hard cast load out-penetrates the sister load in 44 Magnum, at least in every test I've seen.

[@mitchchartrand]

Buffalo bore 200 grain 10mm for me.

[@vlogfriendsutopia]

@308_holes Put the buffalo bore 180 hard cast against literally any standard pressure 44 Magnum round you want. Put them through wood, ballistics gel, etc. then get back to me with the results.

[@toddwebb7521]

180 grains is a very long and heavy bullet for a.357 similar to a 300 grain bullet for a .44 mag or .45 colt +p Ruger load. A 180/185 grain is a very short and light bullet for a.44/.45 similar to a 90 grain bullet for a .357 A heavy relative to its diameter bullet is generally going to have better penetration than a lighter bullet of similar energy level and amount of expansion.

[@JohnB-dr8sk]

The main problem with hardcast 357 is diameter. At only 36 caliber and not expanding, it does less crush damage than a 10mm at .40 caliber or a 44 Mag at 44 caliber. That being said, a 357 with hot hardcast is still a great backwoods gun, but I would carry a speedloader with extra rounds for it for bears.

[@Jordan-ql6tm]

​@@vlogfriendsutopiahe said a HOT load, he's not comparing standard loads.

[@showtime1235]

my brother lives in coastal alaska and have traveled there a bunch of times and although he carries a gun (like most alaskans) in the woods he always stressed how important bear spray is along w the firearm so it was cool for you to mention how actually rare a bear attack is

[@mitchchartrand]

Bear attacks are rare. But bear encounters / confrontations are fairly common in The Yukon, aka Alaska's canadian little brother. Pepper spray is good only if you have it at the ready. So many people get in trouble because the spray is in their backpack. Guns are good because people are more confident and young bears back down a lot easier if you aren't terrified.

[@meta45354]

A guy survived a bear attack in WY recently because he shot the bear spray onto himself.

[@MrDRSMAX]

@@meta45354 haha, I guess the bear didn't like spicy food

[@SmokesKwazukii]

bear spray has a better track record than firearms. It’s incredibly effective if deployed correctly. Doesnt mean a gun isnt a good backup, but with bear spray you are deterring the bear by removing its senses and causing confusing discomfort that frightens them instantly. Firearms hurt the bear and if you are already being charged, mean a commitment to fighting the bear to the death with however many shots you have. Considering the spray is proven to effectively divert a charging bear, the gun really starts to look like more of a backup plan/noise maker for scaring them away from a distance or signaling your location.

[@SmokesKwazukii]

bear spray has a better track record than firearms. It’s incredibly effective if deployed correctly. Doesnt mean a gun isnt a good backup, but with bear spray you are deterring the bear by removing its senses and causing confusing discomfort that frightens them instantly. Firearms hurt the bear and if you are already being charged, mean a commitment to fighting the bear to the death with however many shots you have. Considering the spray is proven to effectively divert a charging bear, the gun really starts to look like more of a backup plan/noise maker for scaring them away from a distance or signaling your location.

[@ifly64s]

There's a good video from years ago about an Alaska hunting guide who uses a bear silhouette pulled by a snowmobile to simulate a charging Grizzly Bear. He is an expert shot but only got one hit with his 44 magnum and 4 to 6 hits in the face and head with his Glock 20 10mm. The harsh recoil of the 44 magnum along with the more cumbersome draw just didn't give him enough time for accurate follow-up shots before the bear was on him. He recognized that the 44 mag round was potentially more lethal per shot but he preferred the four to six hits of the 10mm to the one hit of the 44 mag. He now carries the Glock 20.

[@MandoWookie]

That's my logic behind my 'woods gun' being a 40S&W G22 using 200gr hardcast. Recoil is only marginally worse than my G17, it's reliable(unlike most 10mms with anything more potent than 40S&W level loads) it's setup identical to my carry gun so my reps carry over. For a gun I only have cause to use seasonally, with available, relatively affordable ammo, in my area that black bears & mountain lions are my biggest threats( besides locals doing questionable chemistry in the backwoods) it just doesn't make sense or justify anything else.

[@justlooking2902]

Glock jams if pressed against something. Like if you’re under a bear for instance.

[@paleoph6168]

​​@@justlooking2902regardless of such shortcomings, it is best to not let a bear get that close to you in the first place, as Chris advises at 6:24.

[@kirk2767]

"...a bear silhouette pulled by a snowmobile..." now all I can think of is a bear getting pulled by a snowmobile.

[@paleoph6168]

​@@kirk2767on skis!

[@VFRSTREETFIGHTER]

Two legged predators in the wilderness are far scarier than anything on four legs.

[@chrisyungeberg6978]

That's the primary reason I carry in the woods. Miles from the road with no cell service is a bad time to cross paths with someone meaner than you

[@757jlhood]

That's why women keep choosing the bear

[@mitchchartrand]

You must not live in Alaska or the Yukon. Come face to face with a Polar bear or grizzly and we'll see if your statement holds true.

[@VFRSTREETFIGHTER]

@@mitchchartrand Most people don't live in Alaska or the Yukon.

[@VFRSTREETFIGHTER]

@@757jlhood Your mother told me you were funny.

[@raytribble8075]

I lived in Wyoming for 29-1/2 years. We outfitted and hunted the high country on horses every year. In that time “we” (me and others in my group) had 13 grizzly encounters in the Yellowstone country outside the park. I carried a handgun with me always up there, but 10 of those 13 false charges, I had my rifle in my hand. The other 3 I was handgun hunting with a single shot XP 100 in .358 Winchester I built and you are going to be lucky to get one accurate shot anyhow. A grizz can outrun a horse and at close range… and I can confirm 20-30 yards goes by fast. There is an old saying we had about carrying a handgun for bear… we would tell “Flat Landers”… “you might want to file that front sight off of the pistol”… after asked “why?” I would say “that way it won’t hurt so much to remove it after that bear shoves it up your a$$” that being said, any gun is better than a rock or stick. My good freind Jim Odem who was the Bear biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish out of Cody, WY. was fond of saying this about bear spray… “you know, if you spray that $hit all over you now, that bear won’t chew on you nearly as long” (albeit this was 1988) I can tell that story now as Jim passed away a few years back (R.I.P.). I have bear spray, I never have had to use it, but I get a new can each year when I go back home to hunt… like your ammo… you may not want to trust your life to old expired product. Great video and talking points to those who have not experienced watching 500-800 pounds of pissed off bear ripple across a meadow at you.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@raytribble8075 I thought Yogi and Boo-Boo only wanted picnic baskets? 🐻🧺

[@mattw7949]

Damn... you beat me to the front sight suggestion.

[@grantgillum8768]

Phil Shoemaker killed a charging brown bear with a 9mm handgun, running hardcast ammunition. Don't sleep on handguns for bear defense.

[@JJ_SDWR]

​@@grantgillum8768and some native has no doubt speared a grizzly to death at some point in history, should we rely on pointy sticks as good enough too?

[@casey9464]

Yes​@@JJ_SDWR

[@J-Bibble]

I'm a bear and I disapprove of this video.

[@sideshowbilly3755]

🤣🤣😂

[@JoseyStranded]

We are outside bear country. You have no rights here.

[@Cuccos19]

We bear it in mind.😄

[@jk07ist]

@@Cuccos19 this thread is unbearable.

[@randalthor6872]

Bear Lives Matter! Bear Lives Matter!

[@Ineeadifferentusernamelol]

That ammo advertising at the end was soo funny and smooth lmfaoo

[@petesheppard1709]

Especially after using a competitor's data for the video! I'm NOT complaining: A positive shout-out to Ammoland for good information that could save lives. BUY FROM BOTH!!

[@mkh8076]

Don't forget about the good ol' air horn. Won't work everywhere, but it's worked for me more than once in the Sierra Nevada.

[@Scientist_Salarian]

Agreed. I live in the high Sierras. The black bears up here are skittish to the point of hilarity. Not that you shouldn’t take them as a potential threat, but I’ve had a handful of encounters with black bears that made me laugh pretty hard. The way they tripped over themselves trying to run away from me (after being caught nosing around the trash can), you’d think I was the bear and they were the puny humans lol.

[@mitchchartrand]

Some brown bears are "immune" to noise makers in places near communities or campgrounds. Those in the bush are much more skiddish. Speaking from the Yukon.

[@mcpr5971]

This is probably the reason that warning shots work. Their hearing is super sensitive.

[@thinman8621]

Information rather than conjecture. Thank you, Lucky Gunner.

[@septembersurprise5178]

"Supposing is good, but finding out is better." - Mark Twain

[@BrokenBarBox]

This is kinda radical thinking for a gun video comments section. I’m sure some really helpful ‘sheepdog’ will be along any minute to point out how wrong you are 🤣

[@biggtoe90]

I love Lucky Gunner. Facts only. It's refreshing

[@JohnB-dr8sk]

NO- Lucky Gunner just continued a longtime Left-wing anti-gun myth that Ammoland spent the last 7 years trying to undo- that bear spray is as good as guns. TOTAL LIE. Bear Spray is NOT as good as guns, and in fact, has caused a number of people to die during predatory attacks over the last 15 years. The bear spray vs bullets study was based on a cooked study by Left-wing Biology Professor Tom Smith. He finally admitted to it in a 2019 Outside Online Magazine article which you can Google. Bear Spray is has terrible failures with highly aggressive bears and predatory bears. Ammoland has killed themselves trying to expose this since 2018, and now, as a GUN CHANNEL, Lucky Gunner just sent things back to 2010 where Canada used this bear spray myth to justify banning handguns from wilderness areas with bears. GREAT GOING LUCKY!

[@Florkl]

Underwood Xtreme Defense is NOT designed for penetration, or rather, it is designed to fit the FBI’s penetration criteria and stop within 18”. The Xtreme Hunter for .357 Magnum has more penetration, but if you want maximum bear penetration from Underwood, you want the Xtreme Penetrator.

[@WartimeFriction]

Pass all that and go with Buffalo Bore extreme penetrators. Bears are dense as hell.

[@AncientMorbidity1991]

⁠​⁠@@WartimeFrictionI hear more people say the complete when it comes to choosing Buffalo Bore over Underwood, but imo Underwood is flat out better and they have a better overall selection.

[@kentwilliams3326]

@@AncientMorbidity1991Yes sir, I am in full agreement. Bear defense will be a 99% frontal head shot. (Also, if one shoots high then the probability is that the bear will be hit in the spine.). That means to me that Underwood's Extreme Defender 90 grain in 9mm and .357 Sig, or Underwoods Extreme Hunter in .357 Magnum are the best choices. IMHO

[@JohnB-dr8sk]

Yeah, this Lucky Gunner guy is completely full of it. He also LIED and said bear spray is as good as firearms, when Ammoland's ENTIRE point with their documentations is that bear spray has a HIGH failure rate against aggressive and predatory bear attacks compared to firearms. He needs to stick with civilian firearm videos because he's doing a great disservice spreading Left-wing bear spray lies with this video.

[@peternorton5648]

@@JohnB-dr8sk Actually the bears up in Alaska paid him to do this video and spread disinformation for them. Basically it’s a bear conspiracy.

[@kelly2105]

I just assumed this was a Manny Mansfield video based on the title.

[@LuckyGunner]

Manny Mansfield was once arrested for shooting a bear. At the zoo.

[@MangetsuSAMURAI]

​@LuckyGunner I believe the military would call that a "target-rich environment." THIS IS A JOKE. Before any algorithms com crashing down on me, this is a joke.

[@kianbisschop367]

I think we'd all love to see that video 😆

[@ddegn]

@@LuckyGunner There's a video about people petting tigers here on KZbin. A cop had to shoot a tiger which was chewing on a guys hand. The cop felt really bad about it. It was an amazing tiger. It's really sad some dumb guy caused the tiger's death.

[@BillHimmel]

@@LuckyGunner😂😅

[@DaleWesley]

I’m really glad you started the video with talking about how rare a bear attack is and how you very rarely need to actually shoot to kill the bear. Bears are very curious animals and are usually just checking you out to see what you are and whether you are or have food. People on the Appalachian trail encounter bear all the time and they just yell at the bear until it goes away.

[@LuckyGunner]

Yeah, Appalachian black bear attacks are extremely rare, even by bear attack standards. Personally, I'm more concerned about feral hogs in the Smokies.

[@KP-ty9yl]

@@LuckyGunnerI think more man-hours have been lost debating proper firearm caliber for bear attacks than the resulting advice has ever saved 😂

[@dylanholbrook6239]

Black bears in the Appalachians are less violent than a racoons

[@roaringsteelmedia]

The gun companies that make revolvers aren't gonna like all of us knowing there are only 6 bear attacks per year. Half their business is people thinking you need a 454 Casull wheelgun to take a walk in the woods or else you'll be devoured alive like in The Revenant.

[@peternorton5648]

@@LuckyGunneragreed. I live in the Ozarks and I’d be way more likely to have issues with feral hogs than any bears we have around.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

You have the right to carry a gun in the woods and to defend yourself from a bear with it. THAT SAID: Bear spray and simply being bear aware are incredibly effective

[@DefaultUser1790]

100% agreed

[@SPIKESPIEGEL1969]

What if one is just barely aware?

[@TinkeringOP]

​@@SPIKESPIEGEL1969.... Bearly?

[@Stroke2Handed]

Depends on where/which woods you're walking in.

[@michaelstorm8578]

If the wind is blowing from the bear to you spray would not be my first choice.

[@bryonslatten3147]

I read an article that theorized that brown bear attacks are more common in National Parks because hunting is not allowed and bears don’t fear humans and some people even feed them against the rules.

[@spaceranger3728]

Over several generations it might become hereditary as well. The bears you encounter in parks are descended from protected populations that never learned to fear humans.

[@mitchchartrand]

@@spaceranger3728 Bears, despite being highly intelligent, don't have as strong inherent knowledge as other species. Otherwise, they'd all be fantastic at fishing. Bears that see other bears fish fare much better. However, within their lifetime, you're 100% right. Those living near campgrounds are the worst at being desensitized to human interaction. Things like noise makers are useless on those animals. But in the deep woods, they'll scatter much more easily.

[@sleepteam]

Man, what a great video. Straight and to the point. Thank you.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Thank you for putting bear attacks & caliber in perspective. As a professional hiker for over 10 years, i spend time understanding what i might encounter & preparing accordingly. Your statistics don’t surprise me, but are much appreciated. So is the depth of analysis you did (caliber, # of shots, warning shots & comparison to other hazards). As always, your rational, data-supported info is always worth watching.

[@llkj7944]

50 year Avid Hunter and outdoorsman here in British Columbia , lived on the coast, interior and long time Kootenay resident. We aren’t allowed Hand guns, I have shot many hand guns competition and military experience. A handgun would not be my first choice, sight picture, shot placement and terminal energy all factors especially under stress. Most people can’t shoot a handgun well enough but I would choose one over a sharp stick. Good quality bear spray and a short barrel 12 gauge is my preference ( I have carried my sxscoach gun many times, fast and two guns in one for reliability if you will!), close second would be short barrel 44 mag rifle or 45 colt loaded hot with heavy hard cast or monolithic bullets, my little Rossi 45 colt with 315 gr hard cast @ 1600 fps is good medicine also, always room for my 1886 or Marlin 18inch 45-70 as well!

[@henryc7548]

Important correction, underwood extreme defense fluted copper bullets and similar are designed to not over penetrate. Underwood makes a separate, similar extreme penetrator round.

[@petesheppard1709]

What first impressed me was Chris' willingness to share information from a competitor and give appropriate credit. Such cooperation is pure class! I was a bit surprised that .44Spl was not on the list. While not really common now, it was prior to its baby, the Magnum. I've seen 10mm mentioned a lot, for the combination of power, compactness and capacity. AIUI, the hot 10mm loads edge up into magnum territory.

[@LuckyGunner]

Glad you enjoyed it, though Ammoland is not really a competitor. We sell ammo and create content on the side. They are purely a gun news/content site.

[@petesheppard1709]

@@LuckyGunner Ah. With a name like that, it was an easy connect. Still, mutual support is wonderful for our sport!

[@gcvrsa]

.44 Spl isn't in the list because firearms that only fire Spl and not Mag are relatively rare, and you would be ill-advised to carry Spl in brown bear country. .44 Mag is considered to be the lightest calibre that is reliable against brown bears. The great thing about .44 Mag is that if you aren't in bear country, it can also chamber Spl and you can get a matching lever rifle for it, too, that can also chamber .44 Spl, and .44 Spl is an excellent personal protection/home defense calibre.

[@petesheppard1709]

@@gcvrsa Indeed! Nowadays, the venerable .44 Spl is considered lacking for the big critters, but I believe that it was pretty popular in the pre-Magnum days. That's why I thought it would have made the overall list.

[@sideshowbilly3755]

As an avid mountain trail hiker/camper, I bought a Smith and Wesson .460 mag XLR revolver about 15 years ago specially for bear defense. But never had to use it on bears while hiking, and it gets heavy and uncomfortable af after about 4-6 miles into a hike. So now my hiking sidearm is a Glock SF-29 10mm with hard cast ammo, and my 460 is retired to a deer hunting tool.

[@daviddemand6856]

We went into the highest population density of Grizzly Bear country of NW Montana for an Oct/Nov backpacking hunt. We all had spray, all had firearms, set perimeter traps around camp at night, hung food bags in strategic locations at the appropriate height and distance from the trunk in the trees, kept camp clean and as odor free as possible, harvested an elk, and still seen zero sign of any bear. Seen a moose and three gray wolves is all.

[@jasonshults368]

Interesting. I saw a big grizz boar about 4 miles from my house a couple weeks ago. I'm in south-central Montana.

[@Kelly-oq9nh]

Your videos are so well done. Always appreciate you and your commitment to excellence.

[@EricDaMAJ]

I will bear this information in mind.

[@jasonshults368]

I can't bear the puns.

[@EricDaMAJ]

@@jasonshults368 They are ursinine.

[@jjkkllqaswqdqasqwd]

You have the right to bear arms

[@PikeyScott]

Excellent video, thanks very much. I have a cabin in NW Alaska. It's one of the only places on earth that you can run into a Polar, Grizzly or a Black bear. Just depends on the season. I've never needed it, but I always carry a .357 along with everyone else in my family. There's always more than 1 gun.

[@tylerallred9453]

Thank you for what you do. Your content is always insightful and a little fun!

[@perspicacity89]

Amazing video, Chris. Thank you. Thanks for providing context for bear attacks in the beginning of the video!

[@ikazukison2]

"If you spend more time thinking about a bear gun . . . instead of how to survive in the woods, you might be doing it wrong" Dude I feel so called out right now, you just destroyed me in that moment, I constantly pretend I'm going to get into a shootout against a team of armored bears, so I prepare for that scenario and it makes me feel like John Wick, in reality I have no idea how to start a fire or find shelter

[@shibasaurus322]

Typically armored bears carry maps to their armored bear hideouts/armories. Those hideouts tend to be full of porridge of varying temperatures, and beds of varying softness. So if you just focus on winning the fight, your other problems should solve themselves.

[@zacharysearing3904]

@@shibasaurus322😂

[@BrokenBarBox]

Hats off to you buddy, seriously. I get so tired of the seemingly endless number of tactical experts on gun videos who explain how they would handle a certain situation perfectly. Honestly it’s refreshing to read an honest comment like yours. You just summed up most of us

[@baronc252]

​@BrokenBarBox especially when they're massively overweight and have never trained against humans. Like dude, you're gonna roll your ankle the first time you try to run to cover. Then you'll flop on the ground in a panic, screaming for a diet coke lol.

[@greencertifiedweb]

Here's a little trick for starting a fire... In your first aid kit, you've probably got Neosporin and either cotton or gauze. Put the Neosporin in the gauze and light that, build your fire from it... You can even light it with a striker or flint.

[@beverlychmelik5504]

Remember the gun needs to be on you. When I lived in Alaska, I carried a 4" S&W 629. It was always on my hip, or close to me in my tent at night. The problem with the hand howidzers is that they are heavy, bulky and the tendancy is to take them off when not hunting. Some friends have a story about that.

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

The best gun that you can have is the one you have with you. -unknown source

[@mattw785]

A cool change from the usual subject! Great stuff as always

[@biggtoe90]

Every time I see a Lucky Gunner vid in my feed, I click on it. I wish it happened more often. Chris, I love your presentation style and accountability to stats and your desire to prove everything you read. We need more people like you in the KZbin atmosphere.

[@davidsisson5976]

Another thoroughly researched, logical, and well produced video from Lucky Gunner. Thank you.

[@sehirgezgini3876]

always accurate, and it is pleasure learning somethings from you. thank you.

[@deplorabledave1048]

Years back, These guys brought my ammo purchase to a gun show in Fort Lauderdale so I did not have to pay for shipping. They got my business! Awesome company.

[@sickmak90]

I only hike/camp in WV and KY and carry a shield plus in 9mm. I’m much more worried about humans than black bears or mountain lions (very very rare).

[@brandiwynter]

A week ago they found a black bear had broken into a womans home in California and then killed and ate her. Not long ago a man in Arizona was killed by a black bear and partially eaten. A biologist once told me that in most cases a brown bears attack to make a point. Black bears kill to eat you. He said you play dead when browns attack you because they will most often leave you alive. If a black bear attacks you fight it as hard as you can because usually that bear plans to eat you. Black bears may be statistically less aggressive but they usually intend to eat you so it kind of balances out a little. Awesome video, I love watching bear defense videos, it's either entertaining or informative and this was informative. Thanks LG!!

[@Gameprojordan]

Where I live there's basically only black bears, and our conservation cops carry 10mm Glock 20s to use against them incase

[@brandiwynter]

@@Gameprojordan that would be my preferred caliber if I had one.

[@hurricaneaquatics]

@brandiwynter Thanks for the info, confirms my choices. If I ever encounter a black bear, it's either me or him. 😅

[@brandiwynter]

@@hurricaneaquatics lol

[@zachscott4867]

Aren’t black and brown bears the same thing at different times of year? Grizzly is different I know…

[@roel.vinckens]

Thanks for your time and energy. This was very well documented.

[@thomasadkins7159]

Super well-done presentation! Thanks!

[@EireGenX]

Great video I really enjoy your content and go back over order videos a lot. Thanks

[@languagesource355]

That which doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Except bears. Bears kill you.

[@chuckhaggard1584]

Excellent video Chris, well done

[@mattedward6155]

As someone who literally lives right down the road from y'all and is a fairly avid hunter, I'm gonna continue with my 10mm. I know it's overkill, but generally, I'm small game hunting. So, at best, I've got a semi 22LR rifle. And if I've got my shotgun, number 4 is the biggest allowed, as far as I know. The problem in Appalachia, at least, is that it isn't just bears. From what I know, we've got a few mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and boar. And for all of those, especially the hogs, I want something that if I'm back against the wall, I know I will have enough umph. I just feel the best overall, and I have a nice 10mm that has to be good for something. Keep up the great work! God Bless

[@fjb4932]

Scariest of all, 2-legged nar-de-wells . . . ☆

[@mjbartending]

03:57 For a second I thought the monologue would go "Out of 162 bears interviewed, 130 mentioned trying to avoid getting shot, most of the time".

[@frankr5443]

Good video! The nugget about the success of warning shots was alone worth the price of admission.

[@ericbergfield6451]

Yay, Lucky Gunner content, thanks Chris

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

The "You drowned, you didn't get 'et by a Bar" thing works just fine for almost everyone. I don't feel confident it would be so for me, as just about every animal I come in line of sight to, instantly channel's their inner Begby. Not dogs, dogs love me, but just about everything that walks, flies or crawls spots me and goes in for the kill. Made the 8 years I lived in Australia a whirlwind of dodging, swatting, and visits to the hospital.

[@MrShivshank]

I cant imagine being able to accurately aim while a bear is charging. its a good thing warning shots are somewhat effective

[@ConradSzymczak]

Excellent as always!

[@dash8465]

So 44mag attracts bears. Got it. I live in Idaho, I carry a Glock 29 loaded with Underwood solid copper. Carry method is either a Hill People Gear snubby chest pack with spray slung underneath in a Mystery Ranch can holster, or I carry in a Gunfighter’s Kenai if knowingly venturing into thicker woods/brush where predatory ambush is a far greater risk. I have a 629 44mag, but its twice as heavy, half as fast, holds half as much ammo and its a bit hard to conceal around mixed company in places like Glacier.

[@TheTrombonism]

Excellent video. Thanks for making it.

[@ATLAS-_-.]

When I'm out in the forest I usually carry either my 357 Magnum whatever on hand for ammo, my 9mm if I'm going light and generally just Underwood Xtreme Defender, barrier blind and good penetration while having hollow point ballistics

[@spookytoof8]

I live up in Northern Montana and been wanting to go trail running and hiking and camping, but we do get some big bears and mountain lions and carrying a rifle or shotgun isn’t really all that feasible in those situations. So I’d prefer something like a hand gun in the wild case of emergency I may encounter one of these animals. I appreciate videos like this to really help me figure out the best options for my safety.

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

I remember there were two people out in the countryside of Canada and there was a bear that started to approach them. They knew that they couldn't outrun the bear and so they sat down and one of them shot it right between the eyes with a .22 rimfire rifle and droped it. It turns out that bear was the second largest grizzly ever recorded in Canada. Thankfully the RCMP saw that this was 100% self-defense and didn't charge the person who shot the bear with illegal poaching.

[@tcup3946]

In 1990 I was near bearclaw mountain MT with my great uncle. We were traveling to Red Lodge. I had no choice but to stop and relieve myself. I stepped off the roadway. There was some sort of government or shed building, most likely used for hiway work. I went to the left of it so travelers wouldn't see me relieving myself from the road. I came face to face with a blackbear.. it was about 35 ft from me. I froze. Remembered My 45Long Colt revolver was in the car. The bear sniffed at me. Stepped a couple steps towards me. Waved it's paw toward me. Kind of swipping it in the air. Luckily, it just kept sniffing along the ground . I just steeped back slowly. I got away from it enough to be out of sight of it and got back to the car. My great uncle was not surprised. Apparently he grew up in the area and said it was not uncommon.

[@lightningdriver81]

And, thing is, you didn’t have to drop your pants at all, though doubtless they had to be emptied.😂

[@Chaz31358]

Yeah black bears are kinda like big raccoons out here. They can definitely be dangerous but you get used to them. Griz are a different story, luckily I've only run into them at a comfortable distance so far *knock on wood*

[@Jason_pv]

Fantastic information, as usual. Thanks!

[@K103-ak]

"I'd probably want a 12 gauge and a 44 magnum and a couple of buddies with the same." I'm past bears, this is solid life advice.

[@mcburcke]

Excellent discussion of the statistical facts. Should help anyone decide what to carry. And, you're also right about carrying the 12ga. plus a handgun, both with penetrator loads. I use Brenneke 12ga. "Crush" 1-1/2 oz. slugs and Steinel .44Mag 255gr. hard cast lead in a DEagle, or Underwood 340gr. hard cast flat nose in a Ruger Redhawk. Makes me feel fairly ready to deal.

[@rogerairborne]

Very good video. Highly informative. Well done! Bravo!

[@DefaultUser1790]

All the dudes I see making videos about carrying 10mm or 44 mag In bear country can't even lay down consistently accurate rounds while chilling in front of a camera making KZbin videos, let alone while being charged by a Grizzly bear. I had a 10mm and a 44 mag for awhile, but when doing drills surrounding one handed, laying or crawling shooting I could not get myself to where I felt comfortable with them. It was either a ton of misses or feeding issues because of poor grip in those compromised positions. The gun I can shoot very well, regardless of grip or position is my Glock G30. I got a KKM barrel for it and when in black bear country I carry 255gr +P Hardcast from a small (but awesome) company called "Lost River Ammo" based out of Idaho and when I wander a little further north into grizzly country I carry bear spray and the same G30, but with either 45 Super or 450 SMC hardcast rounds from Underwood or Double Tap. Sure, there are more ideal rounds for big animals but when my anxiety is through the roof I can go into auto pilot with my G30 enough to give me some kind of chance of making an accurate shot.

[@g54b95]

Ouch. But they can nail the shit out of that bill drill.

[@DefaultUser1790]

@@g54b95 hell yeah 🤣🤣🤣

[@chip6954]

In Colorado, seems like mountain lions are the bigger threat and those feline ninjas give little to no warning.

[@REXOB9]

Fascinating video, thanks!

[@darrenvanderwilt1258]

Great video. The point about more things in the wilderness that claim a higher body count than bears is spot on. Living in Alaska, even in an “urban” area such as Anchorage or Fairbanks, no-man’s-land is less than thirty minutes away in any direction here.

[@ecv03]

Great advice. God bless you for sharing your knowledge.

[@EvilRailroad]

Well, well, well, if it isn’t Chris Baker with some well-researched and practical information about firearms.

[@Miss-Stephanie-Night]

best bear video i have ever seen... love the opener with "protect your self againt the weater before you worry about a gun". i keep comming back to this channel for you rational data driven content.

[@jimreed6875]

Great information.

[@secrityforcemarine]

I believe I heard the Danish army uses 10mm glocks ad self defense against polar bears

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

The Danish Navy patrols Greenland, which is a protectorate of the Danish crown, with a special ops capable unit called the Sirius Sledge Patrol. These men are a cross between paramedics, park rangers/game wardens and elite soldiers, who are also expert in wilderness survival. They go out in teams of two men plus dogs and sledges, for months at a time. They resupply from air drops or pre-positioned caches. Curiously, rather than use a modern design of rifle, they still use military-surplus M1917 30-06 bolt-actions as their primary long arm. Black-tip (armor-piercing) rounds are their chosen bear medicine for the largest polar bears. Their sidearms are Glock 10mm pistols. The current King of Denmark, Frederick X, was once in the Danish navy and may have been a member of the patrol. Not sure, I'd have to check....

[@gilvietor1918]

Used to fish where there were a lot of bears in Alaska around the area of Paxon Lake. They almost always ran off, we had a 45 long colt for a bear gun and never had to fire it. They really don’t like people and run off. That said when I was little some people had shot at a bear and it went bonkers and ripped a ladies arm off. They state troopers got a gob of people to go after it and they got it. I know a guy who was attacked by a big brown but he was cooking bacon and he lived. When I started flying it was required to have a gun for your cross country flights and I just carried the same gun, never needed it. Now I live in Wyoming and I carry a 10mm with 2 mags and the animals here seem more aggressive. I don’t worry about it honestly but moose seem annoyed and do bluff charges from a LONG ways away. I choose the 10 cause it just is what I am quite proficient with. Great video

[@user-bt6py7zl4c]

The Bears in my area always steals my picnic basket

[@peternorton5648]

It’s all that bad behavior learned from Hannah/Barberra cartoons. 😆

[@navseal345]

The bar graphs & the graphics being used, * chefs kiss * 👌.

[@plflaherty1]

Neat subject! Thanks

[@1nfamyX]

7:30 if youre carrying a .357 get a KazTac Wrapid loader. Nothing else compares, biggest technological advancement in revolvers since the swing out cylinder. Hoping they make some for .44 soon.

[@LuckyGunner]

It looks promising, and I look forward to testing them out when they become available. Until then, I'll remain cautiously optimistic.

[@garmbeliblis]

All I'm saying is It's about time we had a Lucky Gunner video on the Right Bear Arms. 💪

[@rotaman8555]

I’ve lived in Alaska for over 16 years. I hunt, hike, camp and fish extensively and get into the bush as much as I can in the summer and fall. I have never been charged by a bear. I have only ever seen bears while actively glassing for game. That said, bears can be anywhere at anytime so I always carry both bear spray and a gun. I prefer a long gun, but at a minimum I carry a handgun. I have recently switched from a revolver to a 10mm semi-auto. The auto is flat against my body and much more comfortable to carry. Although revolvers offer more raw power, autos allow for more shots down range more quickly. I would prefer not to shoot a bear if it can be helped, so bear spray is always my first option.

[@maxdriffill1423]

Nicely done!

[@patrickfort4467]

I live and hike daily in AK in a valley with resident brown and black bears. Usually the people I see carrying guns are either newcomers or tourists. While I own both a .44 revolver and a short-barreled 12 ga, why would I want that weight when I can put bear spray in my back pocket and hardly know it's there. This morning I passed three men, all packing big sidearms. They looked silly, like tourists or at least people who don't spend too much time in the woods trying to look like they do. I have pepper spray cannisters in my truck and by my front door, and I carry one when I walk the quarter mile to the end of my road to check my mail, because I live in bear country. That said, in my 31 years living in this valley I've seen bears on the road, up on the mountain sides, and even on my deck, but I've never seen one on or near the trail I hike. Last winter I was charged by a moose, who was pissed at my dog, and had to duck behind a tree. If you think bears are scary, you should see how fast a moose can move in over 3 ft of snow.

[@fleatactical7390]

Bear spray can be ineffective, especially with wind. So yeah, I'll take my chances at looking like a silly newbie or tourist and carry a big heavy sidearm.

[@rameylewis7730]

@@fleatactical7390 me too. I've lived in bear country my entire life. I'm a fish and game officer and I work near the Canadian Border and I carry a firearm. I respond to these bear attacks and seldom is anyone injured who had a firearm. Only two times that I can remember. Over a dozen folks injured who had bear spray. One can easily look up fatal bear attacks in Alaska and Canada and see many of those folks died used bear spray. On a few occasions they had firearms as well. Call me a "silly newbie" too.

[@randlecarr3257]

@@fleatactical7390amen looks are secondary

[@RodMuniz1981]

@@fleatactical7390 exactly, me too.

[@charliecochran3035]

I was excited to see this, as the timing is perfect, and that was a great presentation. I'm doing an ultralight pack in/float out in the Montana wilderness this September and have been digging for info for a while. I came across some stories about this Ammoland reaearch. It's hopefully being read by some of the guys who post some version of "grizzly bear bellies are full of pistols". Im going to carry one of my 40 s&w with 200 grain hardcast by Doubletap. It'll either be OWB or on my backpack atrap. I'll also have bear spray.

[@seanomeirs8362]

I'm pretty sure that my snoring dissuaded a Polar Bear from eating me, when the guy whose job it was to stay awake and guard the camp in Svalbard, Norway. It circled the camp several times before we woke up.

[@yukloop]

I can attest to this theory. I believe my dad has kept my group when we are camping deep in the great bear wilderness in Montana. We make my dad sleep about 100 yards from everyone else so we can sleep and he will scare off any bear by his horrific snoring.

[@MCBard-ru7yu]

As an avid solo hiker in the Rocky mountains, thank you for a great informative video.

[@roykiefer7713]

Thank you for an excellent video. As ALWAYS, the best way to win a fight is to avoid it. I have fished a LOT in bear country - ConUS and Alaska - and I’d respectfully remind other viewers to put their catches in a sealed container promptly. In my inexpert opinion, many bears love fish and having a few on stream side or in a creel just might provide a “here’s dinner” invitation to bears.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

@roykiefer7713 - Your advice about getting your catch into a sealed container is sound. Bears have a sense of smell stronger than that of a blood-hound.

[@Brucey69]

Thanks for providing references

[@greylocke100]

Be me, fishing on the St. Francis River in S.E. Mo. Just south of Babler State Park, reel starts to take out, I've got a bite. pull in a nice sized catfish, get my hook out of it's mouth, notice something in my peripheral vision. It's a black bear about 250-325 lbs, taking my stringer with the other 3 fish I caught earlier and hauling butt back up the river bank with it. I almost stained my shorts, and then I got very upset with myself, because besides my pocket knife and filet knife , I only had my tackle box .22 LR, and it was IN my tackle box, not on me. Next weekend I went out, I had my 1911A1 in a chest rig, but didn't see any bears.

[@jamesalles139]

valuable lessons learned, no one can argue with that!

[@jfruser]

Maybe a 1911 on hand is spiritual bear repellent, just like carrying an extra car key in your wallet ensures that you'll never misplace your keys while out. Not as applicable nowadays that we have moved away from keys to horrifyingly large tumor-fobs.

[@SPIKESPIEGEL1969]

and the bear mumbled ‘Thanks for all the fish’ as it eloped with your catch…

[@jamesalles139]

@@SPIKESPIEGEL1969 funny, I thought I heard *_"So Long,_*_ and Thanks for All the Fish"_

[@chrish.4067]

Makes sense to me. Here in the Southern Appalachians black bears commonly walk around in our neighborhood. I think it's a good idea to be prepared even at home.

[@Mnada13]

The 2 cases with 500 S&W was scott from kentucky ballistics.

[@thedownwardmachine]

I assume the 50AE isn’t represented because everyone who tried to defend themselves with a Desert Eagle ended up eaten

[@WayStedYou]

considering people used 9x18 in the stats I doubt it

[@klasodeth]

​@@WayStedYouI'm pretty sure the joke is that a Desert Eagle isn't reliable, not that .50AE is somehow lacking in power.

[@LuckyGunner]

No, the round vaporized the bears, leaving no evidence, and the shooters suffered a TBI from the muzzle blast so they can't remember what happened

[@empireoflizards]

@@LuckyGunner "Hey, I see a cloud of bear mist rolling over that hill...somebody must have used .50AE..." lol

[@klasodeth]

@LuckyGunner "I hate this gun. Every time I take it with me hiking, I come back missing two bullets and a left sock."

[@KD-lb9bg]

Excellent video, thanks. Sent from Eagle River Alaska.

[@yukloop]

Appreciate this one. About to go into the Bob Marshal Complex (great bear wilderness ) in Montana. Had a cinnamon black bear follow us around for a week last year but have been lucky after almost 20 trips. Fingers crossed.

[@trenton6621]

Love you Chris

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

I wish there was a comparative study in the lower 48 to find the correlation between people who carry a hand cannon against bear attack but also play golf during storms.

[@sherlock1895]

Here’s the best response I’ve ever read about this topic. This was in a hunting magazine many years ago. The question was as follows. What is the best caliber to use to protect yourself from a grizzly bear attack. The answer was priceless. It doesn’t make any difference what caliber you use. What is important is to choose one with the shortest barrel. This is so it won’t hurt as much when the grizzly takes it from you and sticks it up your arse. So ends today’s lesson. Cheers!

[@robinatorm8013]

This kind of goes against what I have always been told: It’s incredibly hard to kill a brown bear. That if you mess with a brown bear, you need a 12 gage shot gun or very large caliber rifle. I get that the bear was probably mostly scared off with warning shots or a few hits. But even still.

[@Rangergeo85]

Good info

[@jiminalaska]

There are way more self defense cases here in Ak than are reported. I have talked to quite a few who had to shoot a bear but it was never recorded. Some didn't say anything others had a tag so it was considered hunting. I have sprayed 8 Black bears and they keep coming back. (trash) some just run around and come back. They really doesn't seem to bother them too much.