What caliber handgun will stop a black bear?
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For a bear cartridge anything equal to or more powerful than a . 41 Magnum or . 44 Magnum will be fine. Oldtime black bear hunters say that any load that throws at least a 200-grain or bigger solid bullet at 1000 fps or more will take any bear in the woods.
What kind of gun does a black bear use?
For black bears, in country where there is no grizzly presence, the popular deer and elk cartridges will certainly work very well; a . 308 Winchester or . 30-06 Springfield loaded with a 165- or 180-grain spitzer bullet will handle black bears.
What is a good pistol for bear protection?

Hunters have successfully used Smith & Wesson Model 629 for bear defense for years and this is probably one of the more common choices for dealing with a bear attack. Chambered in . 44 Magnum, the stainless steel 629 is a potent and versatile handgun.
What rounds will stop a bear?
44 Magnum is the minimum for charging bears, many others have opted for a Glock 20 in 10mm Auto and, interestingly enough, passed right by the . 357 S&W Magnum. Several folks have even successfully killed bears with a 9mm. While a well-placed shot from a 10mm can no doubt do the trick, the .

Will a .45 stop a bear?
45 acp is a poor choice for bear defense. The round is slow, fat, and has fairly poor penetration on tough-skinned animals; however, some people carry . 45 acp with modern +P ammo and hardened bullets for bear defense. There are many better options, but it can work.
Will a 380 stop a bear?
380 fired with the muzzle pressed into a bear’s chest as it is mauling you is going to do a hell of a lot of damage, even more if you can press it into any area of the head and get a shot off. If I was being mauled I would sure rather have a .
What is the best round for bear hunting?
30/30 is not just a proven bear killer, it is probably the most-proven bear killer. Select a quick-expanding bullet for this kind of hunting.
Where do you aim on a black bear?
Aiming towards the center-mass of the body cavity is important, I like to shoot about 4 to 5 inches back from the shoulder on a broadside bear. Bears have soft skins and the rib bones are fairly light. The biggest threat to penetration is the front shoulder—stay away from it.
Is a 10 mm good for bear protection?
From its excellent sights to its 15-round capacity to its good ergonomics, the 10mm XD-M is a great choice for predator defense. Next, there’s the power factor. I will be carrying a load throwing a 140-gr. deep penetrating bullet at 1,500 fps.