Self-defense From Animals?

[CB Jones]

The best defense for bear is a hiking partner that is much slower than you...

 

[Urban Trekker]

The best defense for bear is a hiking partner that is much slower than you...

If people are serious about this, I don't think it would really go down like that. I think one guy will try to trip or push the other guy down before running, and the other guy will be thinking the exact same thing. So now you've got a stationary struggle, and they'll both get mauled.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

A gunshot tends to work to scare things off

I doubt that with an animal intent on attack, or rabid (the two you said you didn't trust spray for).

 

[CB Jones]

If people are serious about this, I don't think it would really go down like that. I think one guy will try to trip or push the other guy down before running, and the other guy will be thinking the exact same thing. So now you've got a stationary struggle, and they'll both get mauled.

A new Martial Art.....Bear Judo

 

[CB Jones]

How about hiking with a mannequin.

Paint a scary face on it in case bears can recognize facial signs. Have the mannequin in in a threatening body posture. Maybe have a speaker with threatening sounds.

Leave it behind while you slip away.

 

[Urban Trekker]

How about hiking with a mannequin.

Paint a scary face on it in case bears can recognize facial signs. Have the mannequin in in a threatening body posture. Maybe have a speaker with threatening sounds.

Leave it behind while you slip away.

Yeah, that might buy you an extra 5 seconds, maybe 10 tops!

 

[Steve]

A new Martial Art.....Bear Judo

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I was wondering when this would join the thread.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

I raise you all:

(i think thats the right one, yes its meant to be for comedy value)

 

[Urban Trekker]

I raise you all:

(i think thats the right one, yes its meant to be for comedy value)

Even if we're only talking about black bears, and not grizzly bears, I'm not sure I'd want whether I live or die to ride on a .357 mag. Mostly because that's a caliber that's commonly used against other humans, and by people who feel that the .38 sp or 9 mm isn't enough to get the job done. If the .357 mag becomes the "acceptable" caliber that's necessary to put a man down, lord help you against a bear with that same caliber.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Even if we're only talking about black bears, and not grizzly bears, I'm not sure I'd want whether I live or die to ride on a .357 mag. Mostly because that's a caliber that's commonly used against other humans, and by people who feel that the .38 sp or 9 mm isn't enough to get the job done. If the .357 mag becomes the "acceptable" caliber that's necessary to put a man down, lord help you against a bear with that same caliber.

There's some sentiment that the .357 mag overpenetrates in humans. Which would make it more suitable for something larger. Whether that makes it suitable to that task, that's outside my area of knowledge.

 

[Deleted member 39746]

Even if we're only talking about black bears, and not grizzly bears, I'm not sure I'd want whether I live or die to ride on a .357 mag. Mostly because that's a caliber that's commonly used against other humans, and by people who feel that the .38 sp or 9 mm isn't enough to get the job done. If the .357 mag becomes the "acceptable" caliber that's necessary to put a man down, lord help you against a bear with that same caliber.

.44 Magnum was the cited calibre at least in my general conversation. .357 and .44 magnum both in revolvers and in rifle form are pretty common carry for animal defence, configerations change though, you tend to have longer barrels for animal defence due to no concelability requirement and the increse in veolcity barrel length brings, as well as cofnigeration of cartridge. (that meaning, no jacket, hollow points, soft points, hollow points etc)

You choice does tend to be based on waht you own, and what the biggest thing you will find is/more probble threat. Somone may go into the woods with a .45 ACP just in case they need to shoot animals, or people so they sort of comprimise as opposed to carry a long barreled .44 or pocket pistol. (bears are sort of a poor example, they arent really pradatory as far as i know, or at least commonly that way towards people, but they are the biggest or one of the biggest things that could take annoyance with you)

(.357 is nothing to be scoffed at though, its pretty powerful)

Also, for the record some media folks belive a .223 Remington is a "squirrel" gun.
Its the same calibre as 5.56x45mm (roughly) and its used for shooting about fox/dog sized animals at probbly within 500meters. Its common where i live for that reason, and the fact you can supress it fairly easily and efficently. (basically a fox gun for intermediate range)

There are many reasons to choose a 9mm or a .357, and thats if you have a choice and you cant afford to buy a new one and you just inherted one. One of the selection crtieria is trust, if you have only fired 9mm semi auto, you may not want to switch to carrying a revolver in .357 and vice versa, its what you know, and its what you have. Dont get that mixed up with saying 9mm and .357 are the same, THEY ARE NOT, but there are many round sout there, many overlap in what they were designed to do so it leaves it to be a prefrence, economic and avability choice more than soley performace. I will just say, its better something over peneratreates than doesnt at all, the saying is always more is better, not less. (this is not to be taken to the extreme, what if it goes through 6 people, a house and a dog, but rather if it stops at the skin, or goes straight through your choice would be straight through)

Best way i can explain it, there are many pitfalls to fall in and i tried to avoid them which made it a jumbled mess, its kind of hard to explain the most popular rounds are largely avaiblity and trust in it, rather than others being inferior, while also not making it sound like i view the .22LR and .50BMG as the same round.

 

[dvcochran]

There's some sentiment that the .357 mag overpenetrates in humans. Which would make it more suitable for something larger. Whether that makes it suitable to that task, that's outside my area of knowledge.

Fully agree. It is more about the round at this point. While the same diameter, I was always of the impression the 9mm was the 'slip through' round more than the .357. because it is about 300fps faster.
We used both in my LEO days. I would argue that the .357 definitely does more damage to soft targets like body mass.