U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- In January, 2018, I published some original research on the efficacy of handguns in stopping bear attacks. It started with this observation:
On the Internet, and in print, many people claim that pistols lack efficacy in defending against bear attacks. Here is an example that occurred on freerepublic.com:
“Actually, there are legions of people who have been badly mauled after using a handgun on a bear. Even some of the vaunted magnums.”
OK, give us a few examples. As you claim “legions”, it should not be too hard.
I never received a response. I believe the claim was made in good faith. There has been much conjecture about the lack of efficacy of pistols for defense against bears. A little searching will find a plethora of fantasy, fiction, mythology, and electrons sprayed about the supposed lack.
In the original article, there were 37 instances of bear attacks where people attempted to defend themselves or others from a bear or bears, with a handgun. Of the 37 attacks, there was only one failure, giving a success rate of 97%.
The criteria for inclusion in this study is a pistol had to be fired to defend against a bear or bears. If a handgun was not fired, the incident was not included. If the use of the handgun stopped the attack, it was a success whether the bear was killed immediately, or left the scene, as long as it stopped attacking.
All methods of defense against bears have similar problems of access. A failure to use a handgun or bear spray in a pack, or a rifle slung over the shoulder without a round in the chamber, should not be counted as a failure of the method to defend against bears. All of the methods can be carried for easy access. It is not a fault of the method if the user did not have the item available for use, or if the attack was too quick to allow use.
I and colleagues have searched for instances where handguns were used to defend against bears. By the time of the original article, I and my associates found 37 instances that were fairly easily confirmed.
By March of 2019, our renewed efforts had found another 26 instances. The 63 incidents had 3 failures, for a 95% success rate. The incidents are heavily weighted toward the present. The ability to publish and search for these incidents has increased over the years.
By August of 2019, we have found ten more cases, making 73 cases, with three failures, for a success rate of 96%.
As of March 2020, we have found 20 more handgun cases, for a total of 93 cases, with three failures, for a success rate of 97%.
In addition to the handgun defenses, there are four more instances where handguns were used in combination with long guns, bringing the total to eight; one where a pistol was used on an aggressive bear hit by a vehicle, two examples where pistols were present but not used, one indeterminate case, and two examples of unconfirmed incidents. All of these additional incidents are referenced but are not included in the 93 cases or the 97% success rate.
You need not rely on my judgment or that of my colleagues. Read of the successes and failures for yourself. Make your own judgments. Some links may not work. Sources on the Internet often go dead after a few years.
Bear and human populations are increasing. Reliable and powerful handguns have become popular and legal to carry in more bear country. Handguns are more commonly carried for self-defense.
The handgun calibers, when known, range from .22 rimfire to .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum. The most common are .44 magnums with 28 cases, all successful. There were 2 combinations of .44 magnum and .357 magnum cases. Six of the combination handgun and long gun cases involved .44 magnum revolvers.
For this update, we found another .22 rimfire case, two additional 9mm cases, another .38 special case, three additional .357 magnum cases, another 10mm case, five additional .44 magnum cases (included in the 28 total .44 magnum number), another .45 ACP case, another .454 Casull case, four more cases where the caliber was unknown, and one more case where both .357 and .44 magnum revolvers were used. All 93 cases are referenced below, as well as the combination cases and examples of incidents that were not included, in the interest of transparency and completeness.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
The moral of the story is, drum roll please……….Firearms are like the American express card, DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT. I am all too certain that many of the situations that Dean researched for the well written article here, would have resulted in a mauling and quite possibly death had those under attack not been armed. A few years ago there was a VERY unwise bear lover named Treadwell. He had gone up to Ak. many times to live with brown bear. He did this for several seasons and he became very familiar with the bears to the point of… Read more »
Although the airbase is no longer active, I served a full year at a remote AFB called Galena, located above the Arctic Circle right on the Yukon. It was located in a bend along the river that needed a dike to surround it to keep safe and dry from spring breakup flooding. Bears, wolves, and moose were an everyday occurrence. If they wandered on the base (it was a very small one,) an alarm went out to shelter in place until it moved on. The bears were always roaming through our trash dumpsters, and could really lay a life-changing fear… Read more »
StWayne, Galena is an interesting place. They got flooded out pretty well a few years back. Last I heard Phil Koontz was working on a power plant for them burning trash wood. He made great holdfasts, but I think he’s quit doing as a business. Here are his old and new styles.
. Mine are cruder, but work better than the store bought things. You might be able to get some made up by Jake the Russian, if he hasn’t gone off to Dainty Island.
@Dave — Galena. What a place! I was there as both a structural and crash firefighter in order to aid in the recovery of attack craft there to intercept the Russians during their flyovers of our airspace in their nuclear armed Bear and Backfire bombers. I was also Hydraulics Instructor, and Chief of the 911 Center. Part of the agreement we had with the citizens of Galena, was to also act as fire station central. They kept us busy. I had no idea you were keeping up with Galena, of all places, and makes me wonder what your attachment to… Read more »
StWayne, Non-military. The Old Tools culture is alive and well in all of the English speaking countries as well as the Nordic and Eastern European ones. It’s also alive in the Asian ones, but they tend to be separate from the rest of us. It’s fairly closely knit, and Phil is a respected member. My interest is more woodturning and 16-19th century tools, so I had to learn blacksmithing as well as other arcane arts. For decades I was a behind the scenes volunteer at a 1700s reenactment National Park that was self-funded unlike any other national park. The gov… Read more »
Dave —
Ah, now the hold fast tools make sense. I know someone who is really well respected in the art of making knives, and handcrafts some of the finest edges in the world, with some even being made with actual meteorite. He worked all over the Middle East as a private military contractor, and has many kills under his belt. One dangerous dude for real. Like you, he’s an artist in the metals, even calling his form of magic “alchemy.”
John Switzer in Colorado also has hold fasts available. Like anything hand forged, they cost, but they’re still around.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/758723459/simple-workbench-holdfast-34-or-1-hole?ref=shop_home_active_3&frs=1&crt=1
Knute, Those are nice. They look to have enough reach on them and I prefer the curved to the upset style, I think it holds better. The blacksmithing holdfasts have much less reach and don’t work as well on wood.
He used to have some wood ones with the leaf detail as well. And might put them up again. He also has a teaching channel on youtube. You can watch him work there. He’s goooood. I wish I was half that good. As a gunsmith I have to do both metal and wood, but I prefer metal. As a blacksmith, I make a good machinist! I can get the job done, but plain and simple, and I always seem to need to do a bunch of filing or grinding anyway. But not Mr. Switzer. I swear as seldom as uses… Read more »
Knute, I know how you feel. The guy who started me out on it is half my age and about 50X my ability. He does architectural as well as decorative work for high priced people. My stuff works, but pretty it ain’t.
Very informative article Dean. I live in an area where bears, cougars and wolves are present. My wife an I often walk a main road and have encountered bears. I can tell you it is very intimidating when you see bears close up without having the protection of a vehicle. I have loaded special ammo and now carry more firepower after those encounters.
That was an enjoyable read with reality based information. It’s well worth reading again and keeping as reference material. Thanks for the time and effort putting it all together.
Sure, it’s just a movie, but the “temperament” portrayed of a grizzly sow protecting her cubs was well done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOlVRHsVzE4
The fish and wildlife of Canada are all brain dead and believe we should only use bear spray, But what they don’t know won’t hurt them
I wished every back packer would carry, not only for their benefit but for the safety of others
It is also hypocritical that the government are allowed to carry and feel safe, yet they don’t want others to feel safe except by false pretenses !
Just more of the sheeple’s favorite mantra: “It’s OK for me… but not for thee”!
The video shows the moron after he gets in his car reaching through the window to antagonize the bear by head thumping him and when the bear starts in on him they have to kill it. Too bad in this case the bear didn’t get a chance to take the dumb S.O.B. out of the gene pool first.
Denali Nat Park, 1911 mag dump into a brown bear I believe. Bear found dead next day or so by park rangers. May/June 2010.
Here’s a link.
https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2010/05/grizzly-bear-shot-and-killed-hikers-denali-national-park-and-preserve5943?page=1
A .22 pistol is perfectly fine to carry in the woods. Also, never travel without a buddy. If a bear attacks run…you don’t need to outrun the bear, just your buddy with an injured knee.
Ain’t gonna’ be carryin’ no .22 in bear country! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! I carry a S&W Model 629 Mountain Gun when in bear country. I carry 265 gr, Hornady soft points in a maximum pressure hand load of H-110. This is a bear to shoot (no pun intended) so I practice regularly to maintain accuracy. This load will penetrate 12 – 2×6’s spaced 2 inches apart and stick in the 13th one. It WILL penetrate a bear’s skull.
Super info! Conclusions: multiple shots can be needed; don’t wait until the Bear is within 20 feet, if possible because momentum will continue into you; carry penetration ammo ; don’t aim for the skull from the front with .22 or .380 caliber.
Thank You! I skip a lot of gunner news now a days as it is way to much left and right stuff of which I have dealt with in 50 years of voting and 58 years of shooting. I lean mainly left, but I am a true gunner and would really like the right to get National Carry for US as I do a lot of hiking. Again Thank You for what I say is The Best Handgun Report I have ever seen. I own most and yes I shoot em hot as I can so I know a hair… Read more »
As a forensic investigator I can tell you this is a dangerous and wholly ignorant and useless article you have published.Like most untrained investigators, you start with your conclusion and hunt the internet down for supporting data to endorse your incomplete investigation. This makes you no better than any common internet surfing gun grabber. If you look at all the wildlife threats including mountain lions, packs of wolves, lions, tigers, wild dogs, etc you will find that it is a wholly idiotic approach to think you will deliver a precise shot to multiple attackers coming at you at 40 miles… Read more »
FI) IF, as you stated, you truly ARE such a forensic expert, then why do you not know the difference between statistical analysis (this article) and forensic analysis (on-site evidence gathering and conclusions on same)?
Furthermore, your entire post is just a strawman, as NONE of what you stated was said in this article. In conclusion, lacking anything further from you that makes some form of logical sense, you should be ignored as just another online troll, sans brain.
Hope you have a nice day.
@Knute Knute, Knocked that forensic troll into next Wednesday. 😉
Thanks. I do manage to hit one out of the park every once in a while. 🙂
I have been attacked from behind by a cougar, fortunately it did not live had I had no gun, The outcome would be different – likewise if it was a bear. You also did not notice that most of these or a lot of these encounters there was contact from the bears relating to hand guns, in tents etc, And what are you supposed to do when the can of bear spray runs out and the bear keeps coming? This has happened to numerous back packers, Just look it up on line, Sure bear spray will stop a lot of… Read more »