Quote:
Originally Posted by HardDrive
I have very rarely carried while hiking, and it was always a small 9mm.
Shooting a bear with a pistol is a fool's errand.
I'm more worried about meth heads than bears.
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I have seen a great many bears while hiking/backpacking. Lots. They have never presented any danger. I would agree with HardDrive that two-legged critters present considerably more danger. But we might have different perspectives on the efficacy of pistols against bears. A 9mm is not the right tool, I would agree. Bears in my area are not particularly big. Typically around 400#. There are pistols which would work.
I think it's just personal preference. In the very unlikely event that one would need to protect oneself from an attack, then what would be your preference? There will not be time for a two-pronged approach. With bear spray, the shot would need to be at closer range but the spray might eliminate the bear's ability to see or smell. Two or three well placed lead balls would cause the bear to stop moving altogether. Or one. Personal preference, I say. And again, a bear attack is darned unlikely, at least in my area.
Now....with grizzly bears, that's a whole different ballgame.