Everything You Need to Know About Bear Protection with Handguns

Tips for carrying a handgun for bear defense while hunting or fishing.

July 21, 2025 By Richard Mann

As a hunter, I’ve killed a lot of bears, but I’ve never had to shoot one that was trying to chew on me. I’ve also done a lot of hunting with handguns and have conducted a lot of terminal ballistics evaluations. However, few things are as valuable as first-hand experience, and Tim Sundles, who owns Buffalo Bore Ammunition, has had a lot of first-hand and up-close experiences with bears and handguns. Anyone curious about protecting themselves from bears with handguns would be wise to hear his thoughts on the subject.

Before I share Sundles’ advice, though, I want to tell you about Ian McMurchy, who had more experiences with bears—black bears, brown bears, little bears and big bears—than anyone I’ve known. Ian retired from the Saskatchewan Department of Wildlife in 1996. While working there, he killed hundreds of bears and interacted with thousands more. Before Ian passed, we talked a lot about bears, and one of the most interesting things he told me was how dangerous a 200- to 250-pound black bear can be. They’re less likely to attack, and not as powerful as brown bears, but they’re lighting quick and can be on you in an instant.

Your chances of surviving a black bear attack are greater than with a brown or a grizzly, but you might have less time to stop it. Also, most hunters are much more likely to encounter a black bear than a grizzly or brown bear. This means hunters could potentially be the target of a bear attack almost anywhere in North America. For those wanting to rely on a handgun for bear protection, however, there are some things to consider.

BEAR-CAPABLE CARTRIDGES

Sundles prefers a powerful handgun for bear defense, like the .454 Casull. But handguns that powerful are big, heavy and hard to carry comfortably. Also, because of their intense recoil, many struggle to shoot them well. This is why .357 Mag. and .44 Mag. revolvers, as well as 10 mm Auto and .45 ACP pistols, are popular choices for bear defense. These handguns are lighter and more compact, which makes them easier to carry, and they recoil less, which makes them easier to shoot.

It might surprise you that Sundles prefers the .45 ACP to the 10 mm Auto for bear defense. Based on his experience, with his Buffalo Bore loads, he says, “Our 255-grain, .45 Auto+P load penetrates very deep. Maybe not as deep as our 220-grain 10 mm Auto load, but deep enough. I’ve shot it through both shoulders on an average-sized black bear.” Sundles also suggests the .45 ACP cartridge functions more reliably in pistols than the 10 mm.

A person loads up a revolver. — Whether using a revolver or a pistol for bear defense, practice until you’re proficient at quickly hitting a small target at 25 feet. (Richard Mann photo)

POTENT PENETRATORS

I remember McMurchy telling me once how ineffective buckshot from a shotgun was at stopping bears. The problem is lack of penetration and the ability to precisely place shots in the stopping spot. However, surprisingly, with the right ammunition and good shooting, a 9mm pistol can stop a bear. Just ask Alaskan bear guide Phil Shoemaker, who had to shoot—stop—an attacking grizzly. He used Buffalo Bore’s 9 mm+P Outdoorsman load that’s topped with a flat-nosed, 147-grain hardcast bullet.

“For handguns, you need ammo that’s non-deforming/expanding,” Sundles says. “Penetration is your friend. Flat-nose bullets displace a lot of tissue and create more damage than round-nose bullets. Hard cast or FMJ bullets with a flat nose are the best. Self-defense bullets designed to upset/expand only deliver about 12 inches of penetration. This might work well on an attacking human but not bears.”

I’ve evaluated many of Buffalo Bore’s hardcast loads. They’ll penetrate as deep as 3 feet in 10 percent ordnance gelatin. The same is true of Federal’s Solid Core loads for the 9 mm, 10 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP.

SHOT PLACEMENT PLAN

Shooting a bear when you’re hunting bears is much different than shooting a bear to stop it. Hunters tend to aim for the heart and lungs for the high-percentage kill shot. They also usually take those shots on unaware bears at distance with a rifle. Handguns can kill bears with the same shot placement, but the bear will have at least 10 to 20 seconds before their brain runs out of oxygen to chew on you. To stop a bear, you want to destroy the nervous system with a head shot.

Sundles suggests you should, “…shoot a charging bear between the eyes, or perhaps one inch up and between the eyes. From the side, hit the bear inside the ear or slightly in front of the ear. The myth that bullets will slide off a bear’s skull come from the days of pure lead round balls.”

My testing has confirmed this. Flat-nose hardcast or FMJ bullets will crack right through a bear’s skull. But even the best bear-stopping bullet will not work if it does not hit the right place. This is where practice comes into play. Practice until you are capable of quickly hitting a snuff can-sized target out to at least 25 feet.

Ryan Beierman knows this better than anyone. In September of last year, he and his son were following up a wounded bear with a tracking dog in Wisconsin, about 90 miles northeast of Minneapolis. Ultimately, and without warning, the hidden bear charged, and Beierman missed it eight times with his pistol. Consistent with McMurchy’s warning about average-sized black bears, the bruin was on Beierman and mauling him, instantly. His 12-year-old son finally managed to shoot the bear dead with a rifle.

Ronnie Dalton was bowhunting in Virginia and learned this the hard way. Just after climbing out of his tree stand, he saw a black bear that immediately rushed him. He desperately tried to climb back up in the stand, but the bear grabbed him and jerked him to the ground. This knocked Ronnie unconscious. Fortunately, the bear left, and instead of losing his life, Ronnie only lost a softball-sized chunk from his leg.

A box of bear defense ammo. — Whether using a revolver or a pistol for bear defense, practice until you’re proficient at quickly hitting a small target at 25 feet. (Photo courtesy of Federal Premium)

Avoidance is of course the best bear defense, but it’s not always an option. Just like Shoemaker, Beierman and Dalton learned, bear attacks can be a surprise. Also, while bear spray can be effective, what if it doesn’t work? Or what if the wind blows the spray in your face? If either happens, other than playing dead, what’s your plan B? You cannot outrun a bear, even a slow, fat or wounded bear.

A hunting rifle, or a shotgun loaded with slugs, is your best option. However, an accessible handgun you can shoot well—loaded with the right ammo—can work, too. Just remember, like Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”