Protection from Bear-Kahr PM9

[Guest jcramin]

Well this is not totally hunting related but it is a question for hunting season.

Well I will be backpacking with my son and a couple other people on the Eagle Rock Loop in the Ouachita Nat. Forest AR. The ranger has sent me the hunting seasons during the time we are going which is Oct 9 - 13 and Archery Bear season is open, which tells me there are bear in the area.

The only light gun I have is a Kahr PM9.

SO my question is:

Is this better than nothing ??? OR will it just make a bear mad ???

Thanks,

J

[Guest clsutton21]

Depends on what kind of ammo you are using of course. You'll probably just make him mad, I'd suggest picking up some bear mace.

[TripleDigitRide]

Just about anything is better than nothing, but a 9mm wouldn't be the best choice. Shot placement will be slightly more important.

If that's your best option, I wouldn't leave it at home.

[DaveS]

Not a good choice at all. Just make sure the 9mm is legal during archery season.

[ShaunM]

Yeah I would make sure what is legal to carry during their hunting seasons. Here is the website, I would call and find out. Also I would try and get a ranger stations number and call them to. Arkansas wildlife ? Arkansas outdoors ? Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

[Hidalgo]

Just about anything is better than nothing, but a 9mm wouldn't be the best choice. Shot placement will be slightly more important.

Shotplacement ... on a BEAR with a 9MM ?!?!?! I got news for you: 9mm is totally useless on a bear. Head-on between the eyes, with a 90* angle on the skull "might" stop one. But I wouldn't bet my life on it.

Original question: NO. A 9mm is NOT a defensive option for a bear. I would much rather borrow a .357 or even a 44Mag. And the .357 is iffy.

Bottom line is this: If the bruin is ticked off and dead set on having your hide, and you have a handgun, you're in deep poop ... unless you have a very LARGE handgun.

Bears are like wild hogs ... they require more penetration, rather than expansion. Whatever caliber you take along, load it with FMJ roundnose bullets. Hollowpoints in a handgun won't even get close to penetrating into a vital organ.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Shotplacement ... on a BEAR with a 9MM ?!?!?! I got news for you: 9mm is totally useless on a bear. Head-on between the eyes, with a 90* angle on the skull "might" stop one. But I wouldn't bet my life on it.

Original question: NO. A 9mm is NOT a defensive option for a bear. I would much rather borrow a .357 or even a 44Mag. And the .357 is iffy.

Bottom line is this: If the bruin is ticked off and dead set on having your hide, and you have a handgun, you're in deep poop ... unless you have a very LARGE handgun.

Bears are like wild hogs ... they require more penetration, rather than expansion. Whatever caliber you take along, load it with FMJ roundnose bullets. Hollowpoints in a handgun won't even get close to penetrating into a vital organ.

What he said, you either need the .40 death ray lazer or the .45 freight train that will leave nothing but the paws. Seriously, you need something bigger...9mm is better than no mm, though, IMO.

[nightrunner]

minimum i would take is a .44mag. .45colt if your in a pinch

.44mags can always be turned around. Id try to get one used, then sell it when you get back if you cant swing buying another gun right now. preferrably a 4" version.

[Guest jcramin]

minimum i would take is a .44mag. .45colt if your in a pinch

.44mags can always be turned around. Id try to get one used, then sell it when you get back if you cant swing buying another gun right now. preferrably a 4" version.

Well I also have Ruger SP101 .357 mag and I have a couple 1911s in .45

But they are much heavier than my PM9

I guess its time to start looking for a better backpacking gun since I will be doing a lot more backpacking.

J

[Guest SUNTZU]

I generally leave the bears alone and they leave me alone. They don't want anything to do with you til you mess with them. That's been my experience anyways. When I'm backpacking the bears take off like I'm twelve feet tall and breathing fire.

[nightrunner]

YouTube - Bear Attack Easton Bowhunting TV

think about it.

your .357 is the best that you have right now, but id look at a ruger redhawk 4" or similar

[Guest jcramin]

WOW now that would be scary

[nightrunner]

Yea. Me personally, Id probably just have a heart attack and die.

[KahrMan]

If that is all you have, it definitely better than nothing. We are also talking about black bears, not grizzlies. While they can be dangerous, most black bears will give you a wide berth.

[Oh Shoot]

Around 50 people have been killed by black bears in all of North America (including Canada) in the last 100 years. Your odds are pretty good.

However, your odds of being killed driving to and from the mountains are millions of times higher!

- OS

[DaveS]

The whole idea is to pull a handgun big enough to cause the bear "to have a heart attack and die". After hunting bear in Alaska, a 220 in 30-06 is too small!!

[Guest Patty]

Hmmm, lets see, they kill'em with a bow and arrow, hmmm. 9mm yeah without a doubt. But can you do it, with that small pistol. Yeah if you can let the bear get in close, lol.

You might find out that firearms are not allowed during that season. Some WMA'S still don't allow hangun's now.

[TNTitan]

My BIL is a big game guide in Alaska. He has a saying about using handguns on bears...

"make sure you file off the sights from that there pistol so it wont hurt so bad when the bear shoves it up your @$$"

[mousegunner]

Davey Crockett only needed his Bowie knife!

[Oh Shoot]

Davey Crockett only needed his Bowie knife!

And he was only three!

- OS

[Guest Muttling]

Get some bear spray, it will be more effective than 9mm. If you want a side arm, go for high penetration (.357 or .44 mag).

All this said, I grew up in the woods of Tennessee and have met many black bears. Don't mess with them and they won't mess with you.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Get some bear spray, it will be more effective than 9mm. If you want a side arm, go for high penetration (.357 or .44 mag).

All this said, I grew up in the woods of Tennessee and have met many black bears. Don't mess with them and they won't mess with you.

What Muttling said. I've yet to see a bear that didn't want anything more than to not be around where I'm walking. The only nuisance bears are in areas where people can't use a damn trash can in car camping areas or backcountry spots where people leave trash everywhere. Talk to your ranger before you go...they'll tell you if there are nuisance bears. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it. I'd be more concerned with the two legged critters.

[Guest Bluemax]

The 9mm is not something I would want to face a bear with but it is better than throwing rocks if thats your only alternitive. Make sure the bear is gonna come after you before you react, then wave your arms above your head and shout at him to try and scare him off. If this doesn't work and the only defense you have is your 9mm, keep it loaded with the heaviest fmj load a Kahr will handle and go for a head shot, preferably in or near the eyes. Lastly pray this guy isn't serious about eating you and the Good Lord is on your side

[Warbird]

9mm is insufficient. The argument about shooting them with a bow and arrow so it is sufficient with a 9mm is a poor analogy at best. Bow hunters have an advantage, they sit in tree stands above bait in most cases. More often than not the bear never sees the hunter.

In a scenario like this the bear sees you and may have the advantage on you for any number of reasons. If it attacks it is because it is highly agitated or protective, its running on instinct. A bow and arrow in this kind of circumstance would be insufficient as well.

Would a 9mm kill a bear? Maybe with a perfect shot. Now make that shot on a charging large animal with your pucker factor at an all time high. My bet is 99% of people couldn't do it.

This is a shot that will be very close, maybe the animal on you. The minimum sufficient round is a 357 magnum. The solid, hot 357 will go through the engine block of a car and will penetrate a bear well. A 44mag would be better, but you have a 357, so use it. My protective sidearms are a 357 4" and a bowen 454 Casull.

By the way you mentioned a 1911 after someone talked of a 45. The 45 acp is way insufficient. They were talking about the 45 LC, which is still too light IMO.

You never know when you will come across a bear and certainly never know when they may have a cub or two. If the cub is small the sow may get protective. Usually as others have said they will run and will always run to keep their cubs out of any situation, unless for whatever reasosn they sense they have no escape.

I myself was standing less than 50 yards from a grizzly sow and her 2 cubs just last week. It was unexpected and I wasn't thrilled to have them in my way. She stood checked us out, then took her cubs out of there.

Best of luck and safe hiking.

[strickj]

The minimum sufficient round is a 357 magnum. The solid, hot 357 will go through the engine block of a car and will penetrate a bear well.

Ok,maybe if,and only if the round is an Extreme Shock,but all other rounds don't stand a chance