Can A 357 Magnum Kill A Grizzly Bear?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can a 357 magnum kill a grizzly bear? 357 Magnum or other similar-caliber load, a well-placed shot with a good bullet will certainly kill a bear, but it’s not recommended .

What will a 357 magnum kill?

357 was regarded as the ultimate in handgun hunting cartridges by many nimrods. It was effectively employed for taking elk, moose, deer, antelope, giant Kodiak brown bears and even some African game animals .

What caliber will stop a grizzly 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 .

What gun will kill a grizzly bear?

Look for the biggest caliber you can shoot well in a rifle with a controlled-feed action like the Winchester Model 70 Safari Express, or the Ruger Guide Gun . While big bore rifles are ideal, even a . 308 will work.

Will a 357 stop a bear?

357 Magnum or other similar-caliber load, a well-placed shot with a good bullet will certainly kill a bear, but it’s not recommended .

Can a 357 Magnum kill a elephant?

357 Magnum will not kill an elephant , but it will successfully kill a deer, wild boar, or bear. This is exactly the difference between this cartridge and the . 500 Smith and Wesson.

What is the best pistol for bear protection?

Big-bore revolvers are the classic backup gun in bear country, and one of the most popular options is Smith & Wesson’s six-shot . 44 Magnums . The Model 29 and Model 629 are built on S&W’s vaunted N-frame and pack enough punch that, with the right bullets, they’ll stop even the largest bear.

Where do you aim at a charging bear?

But with a close, fast-incoming bear, don’t waste time with a warning shot. Aim for the deadliest point you can find. On a close-in, charging bear, this will probably be the face or upper chest . Often full-attack grizzlies lower their heads as they come in, so that’s about all you have to aim at.

Will a 44 mag stop a grizzly?

44 magnum revolvers were used. The grizzly bear was killed . In total, there were 8 defenses against black bears and 27 defenses against grizzly bears. One pistol failure out of 35 cases translates to a 97% success rate for the use of handguns against bears.

Can a 12 gauge take down a grizzly?

It is a common misconception that shotgun ammunition is a good way to chase away a bear. In reality, target or bird-hunting shot is an ineffective solution that often leads to unnecessary outcomes . Bears have relatively thin skin and shotgun ammunition can be extremely harmful and even lethal.

What is the best gun to carry in bear country?

  1. Glock 20. If you’re used to toting around a 9mm Glock 19, you might be more comfortable with that. ...
  2. Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. The Ruger Superhawk Alaskan is a relatively small wheel gun, but it’s chambered in . ...
  3. Marlin 1895 SBL. ...
  4. CZ 550 American Safari Magnum. ...
  5. Remington 870 SPS SuperSlug. ...
  6. Mossberg 500.

What is the best rifle to kill a grizzly bear?

  • Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan (. 375 Ruger) ...
  • Winchester Model 70 Alaskan (. 375 H&H) ...
  • Marlin 1895 (. 450 Marlin) ...
  • Remington Model 700 (. 375) ...
  • Remington 870 (12 gauge) ...
  • Taurus Tracker (. ...
  • Glock 20 (10mm) ...
  • Ruger Super Redhawk.

Is a 357 Magnum more powerful than a 9mm?

The 357 Magnum round loaded with a 125-grain projectile reaches almost 1,500 feet per second and strikes targets with 585 foot-pounds of energy. Needless to say, ballistically, it outperforms the 9mm . The 357 Magnum also has no problems reaching the FBI standards and even exceeding them.

Is a 357 a powerful gun?

Both the . 357 SIG and . 357 Magnum offer a powerful cartridge good for target shooting, hunting and self-defense. Both shoot a variety of bullet weights at high speed for a flat trajectory.

Will a .45 stop a bear?

In general, the . 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.

Will a 357 kill a deer?

357 Mag. is reliably lethal on deer as long as your hunting strategy is realistic , as I will explain. The . 357, in this image the Smith & Wesson Model 686, has plenty of knockdown power within 50 yards to take down deer and possibly further if you’re confident with your abilities.

Can a Smith and Wesson 500 kill a bear?

500 Smith & Wesson Magnum handgun produces 2,254 ft. -lbs. of energy, and it takes a big grizzly to weigh 1,000 pounds. Even the very biggest brown bears are 1,500 pounds.

What caliber is a elephant gun?

620 inch caliber and velocities around 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s) they possessed vastly improved trajectory and penetration over their black powder forebears. Within a few years the mighty bore guns of the previous era largely disappeared from the gamefields.

What is the best bear caliber?

Best Pistol Caliber for Bear: .

44 Magnum . This pistol packs a powerful punch while still being small enough to fit in the hands, which makes it a popular choice for people who want a sidearm when they take to the field for a bear hunt.

Would a 9mm stop a grizzly bear?

The 9mm can kill bears but is considered underpowered by experienced woodsmen . The 9mm has 350 to 450 ft/lbs. of energy, while 1,000 ft/lbs is considered the minimum for a bear hunting gun. Proper 9mm bullets yield sufficient penetration in soft tissue, but it may not stop a bear quickly enough to avoid being mauled.

Will a 10mm stop a grizzly bear?

If you body-shoot an attacking bear front-on, those 10mm bullets must be chosen for extremely deep, straight-line penetration to compromise as many vital organs as possible, and they must shrug off any bone—no matter how massive and dense—encountered along the way.

Can a Taser stop a bear?

There is evidence of police in Washington using a Taser on a small black bear, and while it certainly deterred the bear, it didn’t have the desired effect : Chandler said a police officer used a Taser on the bear. “If you Tase a human, they usually say, ‘I give up! ‘ and stay down,” he said.

Will pepper spray stop a bear?

The personal-defense pepper spray some people carry in their cars or purses will not work on a bear , Servheen says. You need bear spray—also known as bear deterrent—which is a product made specifically for bears. Bear spray contains different active ingredients (capsaicin and related capsaicinoids) than pepper spray.

What smells do bears hate?

Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners , but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.

Whats better .357 or 44 Mag?

Unless you’re comparing an unusually weak 44 Mag to an absolute monster of a 357 Mag, the 44 Mag is always going to benefit from an energy advantage . Even at 100 yards the 44 Mag’s bigger, heavier bullet is going to transfer substantially more energy to its target than the 357 Mag could have at the same range.

Is 357 or 44 stronger?

As for bullet energy, the 357 comes out at 566 ft-lbs while the 44 creates 832 & 904 ft-lbs. This indicates what we already knew: The 44 magnum is much more powerful than the 357 magnum . When he changes things up to compare the most commonly-used bullet weight for each cartridge, you can really see the difference.

Is 10mm better than 357 Magnum?

Velocity/Penetration

However, the 357 Magnum will typically have a slight velocity advantage over the 10mm as the 357 can fire lighter bullets . You can find 357 Magnum loaded with a 110 grain bullet, screaming out of the muzzle at 1,295 FPS. For the 10mm round, the most popular loads are 170 and 180 grains.

Can a 308 take down a grizzly?

Despite what you might have seen in the movies, the . 308 Winchester round can take down a grizzly bear . In fact, it’s even been used by hunters in Alaska to take down this big, brown bear for years.

Will a warning shot scare a bear?

Can a bear survive a headshot?

Sure, the bear may die, but not before the victim is dead . The best bet to immediately stop an attacking bear is to turn off its central nervous system, which requires a brain shot or a shot which severs the spinal cord.

What is the best defense against a grizzly bear?

Lay flat on your stomach with your hands clasped behind your neck. Spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn you over. Remain still until the bear leaves the area . Fighting back usually increases the intensity of such attacks.

Where is the best place to shoot a grizzly bear?

What gun can kill a Kodiak bear?

Most experienced hunters consider a . 30-06 rifle with a 180 grain soft-nosed bullet to be the smallest effective caliber for Kodiak brown bears.

Is a 357 more powerful than a 9mm?

The 357 Magnum round loaded with a 125-grain projectile reaches almost 1,500 feet per second and strikes targets with 585 foot-pounds of energy. Needless to say, ballistically, it outperforms the 9mm . The 357 Magnum also has no problems reaching the FBI standards and even exceeding them.

Will a 357 stop a hog?

For a hunting handgun, the . 357 is suitable for small and modestly sized game — javelina or feral hogs , most whitetails, perhaps nutria tunneling through dikes along the Mississippi.

Can a 357 Magnum kill a deer?

357 Mag. is reliably lethal on deer as long as your hunting strategy is realistic , as I will explain. The . 357, in this image the Smith & Wesson Model 686, has plenty of knockdown power within 50 yards to take down deer and possibly further if you’re confident with your abilities.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.