What Caliber for double duty?

Which CALIBER for double duty?

  • .38special +P

    Votes: 3 3.0%

  • 9mm

    Votes: 29 28.7%

  • .40S&W

    Votes: 20 19.8%

  • .45ACP

    Votes: 49 48.5%
  • Total voters
    101
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I chose the .45 auto.....

Why? Because it can be loaded down and loaded up! I carried one for over 27 years, from Alaska(with KTW's as a back up to Remington 870 with Brenneke Slugs), to hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail, Mountain Warefare School, 4 years as a Jarhead, 4 in a large NE city doing disaster ops, 10 in south Florida, and many campouts and climbing trips in many places. It is rather familiar to my hand and comfortable to my mind!!
Not gonna run into many bears in Vegas, but I hit the hills any chance I get and I will take a .45 over all the others...including the .357(I met a feral dog that was not impressed with the pair of 158 gr JSP's I had just put into it's chest!)! I load mine with 45 plus p's now, and if I was going into bear country for an extended time, I would buy a 460 Rowland Conversion kit from clark custon guns(.com) for a government model. The idea of ten 45 caliber bullets at .44 magnum velocities make me all warm and fuzzy!
And YES!!!!! to a good flashlight! Found myself in a burnt out building with no electricity in the Bronx at zero dark thirty, walked in an apartment and my bulb in my maglite burnt out!! Much more danger than bear country, them two legged's! But I pulled out my 'back up'(a mini mag) and switched bulbs...all was well in my world!(the Officer's model sure felt REAL comfortable too! Ooops, how did that get there?).
Surefire, Streamlight and the ASP tac lite(on the end of my expandable baton) are all great products!
Jercamp45
 
my 9mm self-defence load will penetrate 3/4" bulletproof glass and will crack ballistic steel plates on occasion. Bear skull isn't a problem, john.
Click to expand...

Alot of people make this mistake. A bear skull, covered with meat, gristle, hair, etc. is considerably better protection for the bear than a single layer of stronger, but more brittle material, like glass or steel. Add to it the angle of entry (how does you 9mm do when the glass is angles back 60 degrees) and you end up with a low likelihood of penetration.

I do happen to think that a 9mm might penetrate better than a .45, but both are like shooting marbles out of a sling shot. My earlier point was only that the more penetrating combat calibers might suck less.
 
I'd worry less about caliber and more about bullets. If bears and big dogs are on your list, I'd take a hard look at 147 JHPs in 9mm, 230 JHPs that expand slowly (XTPs come to mind) and 158 LSWCs in the .38.
 
10mm

The 10mm is the only option, preferably a Glock 29 for double duty. I would load it with 165GSHP @ 1425fps for CCW and I would load it with 200FMJ/FP @ 1270fps for hiking and trail duty. Both are available through DoubleTap Ammunition, my company!
-Mike
 
I chose the 45ACP.

Its concealable, for those times when two-legged animals come and attack.
Its also entirely suitable for fox, wolves, mountain lions and bears... okay... koala bears and panda bears, not grizzlys :D
 
Yup, angle of incidence is way more important than the thickness strength of the material.

A 9mm will almost certainly shoot through a bear skull if you can take a shot where the bullet goes straight into the skull.

The guy who recently killed a bear with a 9mm got really lucky and put one into the shoulder socket which incapacitated it long enough for him to line up and shoot it in the head at an angle sufficient for penetration.

However, when they're coming at you, the skull is at a really bad angle for penetration unless you happen to get into an eye socket.
 
I don't know much about balistics but I am curious if using +P .45 ACP out of a full barreled 1911 would be of sufficient power to stop a bear or mountain lion.
 
Posted by MCNETT: ... I would load it with 165GSHP @ 1425fps for CCW and I would load it with 200FMJ/FP @ 1270fps for hiking and trail duty ...
Click to expand...
Mike, I saw your ad over at the S&Wforums (where I also moderate) and was actually planning on placing an order around Thanksgiving. I was thinking of getting the 200gr XTP/JHP (1250fps/ 694ft./ lbs.) and the 180gr Golden Sabre Hollow Point (1330fps/ 707 ft./ lbs.) and alternating them every other round in my S&W 1006 ...
f32.jpg

... what's your opinion on that choice?
 
I voted .45 ACP because its what I shoot, almost excusively. On occasion I'll shoot my .38 or a rental, but all of my primary guns are .45.

bear or lion, i'm going back in the house for some real firepower.
Click to expand...
The only choice I have is more ammo, but I 'd be going inside as well.
 
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The correct answer to this question is .357 Magnum for a wheelgun and 10mm Auto in a semi-auto.
 
I can't believe what I'm reading here

Fellows, if you are afraid of being eaten by something like a grizzly or a pack of coyotes, you need a lot more at the party than any handgun. I'd sling at least a .270 before I went out. On my belt I would go with a big magnum revolver instead of any semi-auto. If the rifle failed, it would be a very close shot, probably while I'm being mauled, and I don't want to chance pushing the slide of a SA out of battery.

Better yet, run away if you can like mad.
 
I doubt the improved penetration of a smaller caliber will be much help; more than likely that means the bear/lion bleeds out after he's done eating you.

I'd rather impart as much energy as possible into the animal with the hope of stopping the charge in its tracks. Of the list, I'd choose +P 45 with tough JHP bullets, like the Hornady XTP. We know these will stop the two-legged varmints.

Bells on your shoes and whistle while you work. Most attacks are caused by surprised animals. If they hear you coming, they'll likely vacate the area.
 
I'm going to say try them all and shoot the one that you control best. Some control the slower .45 well and some like the faster and more snappy 9. There are good defense loads in just about all calibers. I won't vote for what you should get, but I like .45 auto...

Unless it's against the bear, then you're SOL
 
If you're worried while taking out the garbage after dark why limit yourself to your CCW? Grab a good 12 gauge pump with at least six shots of either Slugs or HeaviShot 00 Buck slung muzzle down over your left shoulder (if you're right handed) for quick access. A tac-light on it would be a good idea as well. You should be ready for anything you might encounter.

Of course you could just carry a ham with you and if you run across any four legged critters just throw it at them and while they're gnawing on it run like hell.

You could get a dog and have it walk with you at night. It will see/hear/smell danger long before you will.
 
None of the above although the 45 acp with +P ammo gets the most power. Stick with a 44 mag mountain gun or bigger for woods carry in bear areas.
PAT
 
Hmmmm,

Well, for now, I picked the .40 for the penetration and mag capacity. Sometimes you may have to deal with more than one or two thugs, and my .40 saves me reloading downtime. If bears are on the list, then I want a strong .45, change over to something like .45 Super/ .400 Corbon, and hope it works.

Tomorrow I may pick my favorite Hi Power, and not worry about bears.:what:
 
Of those choices I chose .45 ACP, but in the real world I'd want at least a .357 Mag. I'd much prefer a 10mm or .41/.44 Mag....

Not that I have any desire whatsoever to try to bring a bear down with a handgun.....:D
 
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