Looking for help or advice on a 45 ACP bear round to load!

[tayous1]

I'm going to a national park next month that does have bears and mountain lions. I'm not expecting to meet any of them but thought that I might want to look into a good round.

I'm looking more for the semi-auto over-wheel gun for a few reasons. One lighter to have to carry. Two are easier to reload and can carry more ammo. Have a 45 LC Redhawk and I'm sure it's gun enough for the job. Only thing is to have and carry more ammo.

Yes, a 10mm or 460 Rowland would be best but I'm dealing with the cards I have. Also, have you seen the cost of 45LC ammo? Gone down to $0.60 per round for cowboy rounds.

I know double-tap makes a 255gr 45ACP if anything I would like to get something near that or better! Thanks for the advice and help!

[Jedman]

I don’t think you would be allowed to carry a gun in a National Park ?

I spoke to soon ! I searched it and most will allow carrying a firearm if it doesn’t violate state or federal laws, some require licenses and permits.

Jedman

[Three44s]

My advice is to carry the Redhawk with heavy custom loads.

In public areas pack the .45 acp, knee cap someone and out run them.

Three44s

[oger]

Roland barrel and springs.

[Chena]

Lots of timed practice at varying distances under stress is as important as the gun and ammunition. Large buff colored paper targets with a full scale bear outline drawn face-on are a good practice medium. If you have the room, these can be placed offset at 25, 15, and 7 yards to represent a charging animal. No bright target circles, just the bear face drawn in black as the index area. Once after I had qualified our trainer told me that my only fault was firing too fast. I told him that, having been charged a couple of times, nothing seemed too fast.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd go with the .45Colt in the Ruger.

Do a quick search for 'bear hunting with .45Colt'.
There's lots of discussion on it in various forum archives that will pop up.

Those guys are talking real heavy bullets right up there near max. like 250-300 grain cast running along about 1300fps.

[Larry Gibson]

A hard cast Lee 230 gr TC bullet over 6 gr Unique or 8.5 gr Blue Dot to 900 fps in 5" barrel.

[Thumbcocker]

There are threads and articles where some have loaded the 255 Keith boolit in .45 acp. I have never tried it.

[truckjohn]

I would call the rangers handling that specific national park and ask them. More likely unless it is some place like Alaska or Yellowstone you would never even see a bear. Problems are often nuisance pests attracted by food. Stray cats and dogs, raccoons, opossum, foxes.

Ok, so say you talk to them and they say it is a real problem...

Make sure it is legal to carry in that specific park/state. Also make sure that having a gun doesn't constitute "Hunting." For example, the state in question may require a concealed carry license.

Given that....

A gun is of absolutely no use if you don't have it available. That means a comfortable carry holster, not wallowing in the bottom of a backpack or locked in your trunk. Weight is a premium. That Desert Eagle or giant Dan Wesson 500 may sound great, until you strap a boat anchor to your hip.

Say you pick a rifle or shotgun to carry... If it rubs hot spots all over your back or is a stupidly heavy pig, you'll stow it in the trunk and won't have it with you.

Gun wise...

If you are truly worried about a real threat from a bear, a shotgun full of slugs/buckshot is your best bet. The downside is heavy/bulky. A lever action centerfire rifle with appropriate ammo would do the trick too. Downside is the same.

If you want a pistol... Go full power big caliber pistols. 45 ACP, 44 Mag, 357 Mag, 10mm mag. I would go with something with a history of police/military carry. Those fellows have worked out real life duty carry issues.

Ammo wise - factory full power jacketed ball. Bears are meaty with heavy bones and thick hide. You need deep penetration.

[Texas by God]

A hard cast Lee 230 gr TC bullet over 6 gr Unique or 8.5 gr Blue Dot to 900 fps in 5" barrel.

Just last week, I shot one of the Lee 230TC bullets into lined up 1 gallon milk jugs filled with water. 5 jugs did not stop it and the bullet only veered off an inch or two from path between jugs #1 and #5.
I’d carry that load or the Hornady FMJ 230 gr TC for penetration purposes.
I’ve never shot a bear, but I’ve killed feral hogs and angry cattle with smaller handguns. Not comparing those to a bear; just stating things.


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[Doughty]

tayous1, What specific .45 acp firearm are you going to be using? Are you going to be reloading or using factory ammo?

[Beerd]

I'm going to a national park next month that does have bears and mountain lions. I'm not expecting to meet any of them but thought that I might want to look into a good round.

I would call the rangers handling that specific national park and ask them. More likely unless it is some place like Alaska or Yellowstone you would never even see a bear. Problems are often nuisance pests attracted by food. Stray cats and dogs, raccoons, opossum, foxes.

next month is February. Won't most Alaska & Yellowstone bears be sleeping?
..

[HWooldridge]

Buffalo Bore makes some high performance 45 ACP ammo - might have a look at their website.

And everybody is built differently but I have always preferred a shoulder holster for large handguns. Relatively easy to hide under a jacket and accessible in most circumstances. Although a .45 Auto would not be my first choice for bear country, I would not feel under gunned with a 1911 platform and some hot loads.

[LeonardC]

That Desert Eagle or giant Dan Wesson 500 may sound great, until you strap a boat anchor to your hip.

More information on the "giant Dan Wesson 500" please!

[M-Tecs]

The bears will be hibernating. For mountain lions a good hollow point will be fine.

[charlie b]

I bought a box of 45acp +P and .357mag outdoor loads from Buffalo Bore for field duty back when I needed something (not grizzly).

But, I'd practice a LOT before I'd trust myself to shoot straight when confronted by a charging bear. I'd also read up on the critical kill spots from different angles. Don't want to hit it several times and have no effect. FWIW, I tried a target moving toward me at speed one day many years ago, when I was still a decent pistol shooter. Very difficult to draw and hit a bouncing target.

[tayous1]

I'm going to Big Bend National park. I was in law enforcement as a Ranger and was there for a few years!

Most of the Rangers who were there when I left did not know the land past the paved highways! That's the truth. Maybe it's changed since 2019?

I was a roving Ranger they sent me to walk all the trails and talk with people and find infractions of the law.

I'm taking the wife to a spot majority of people don't know about or care to see! 17 miles on an off-road 4x4 trail that takes an hour to get to is not very appealing to most people out there!

During my time I have come across 9 bears, 12 mountain lions, several Bull Elk, and also things I can't explain and a firearm will do nothing to it at the time even with an M4 with full auto I did not want to shoot what I saw.

Bears might be hibernating but with the messed up weather, we have had highs of 60+ and lows maybe 30 degrees a little lower but when the day gets to 75 degrees or more like it's Spring I don't trust they're asleep. Better safe than sorry!

I cast and load my rifle bear round for my 45LC 325 gr Solid flat point it says in the manual at 1,200 to 1,300 fps makes a factory 44 mag feel like a 9mm. It was a load built for Alaska bear I'm sure the ones around me are 1/4 the size still a 130-400 lbs bear is not a force you want to mess with. The same goes for a mountain lion!

Also did not need the full auto M4 it was issued to because I'm a combat veteran and a machine gunner. So they thought why not issue this to me? So useless told them to sell the sear and buy a good LaRue trigger for everyone. I was told no and that a good or decent trigger does not make a better shooter by them. I scored a 280 with the M4 military trigger not bad yet when challenged I shoot a perfect 300 with my AR-15' mostly stock but the LaRue trigger.

When I say stock think of cheap home build barrel and upper nothing to write home about!

[JimB..]

Sounds like you’re comfortable with an AR, so why even mess with a pistol?

[HWooldridge]

So far as I know, Big Bend only has black bears and fairly small ones at that (although they won’t be hibernating). I’ve been there several times and my son went to college in Alpine for three years and rode much of that area on horseback. Personally, I’d be more worried about two legged varmints than the ones which walk on all four. 45 ACP should be plenty for anything you encounter.

[badwolf]

Lostriverammocompany.com has a hard cast bear load for 45 acp