Man kills charging bear with 1911 - Page 2

GunBugBit · August 28, 2009, 11:16 AM

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-SRHAlaskan454.htm

Read on for a recent real world application of this gun!!! It's not a 1911, but it's "forty-five-ish"

_______

ORIGINAL TEXT OF STORY, EDITED FOR READABILTY

Friends,

Have I got a story for you guys!

King season is over, and since I had a day off before silvers start, I
thought I would go for a walk! this occurred at 11:16 am this morning
(Sunday), just 2/10 of a mile from my house, ON OUR ROAD while walking
my dogs (trying to get in shape for hunting season, ironically!) For
the record, this is in a residential area-not back in the woods, no
bowhunting, no stealth occurring...

I heard a twig snap, and looked back...full on charge-a huge brownie,
ears back, head low and motorin' full speed! Came with zero warning --
no woof, no popping of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what
you think or see on TV! It charged from less than 20 yards and was on
me in about one-second! Totally surreal -- I just started shooting in
the general direction, and praise God that my second shot (or was it
my third?) Rolled him at 5 feet and he skidded to a stop 10 feet
BEYOND where I was shooting from -- I actually sidestepped him and
fell over backwards on the last shot, and his momentum carried him to
a stop past where I fired my first shot!

It was a prehistoric old boar-no teeth, no fat -- weighed between
900-1000 lbs and took five men to DRAG it onto a tilt-bed trailer! Big
bear -- its paw measured out at about a 9-1/2 footer!

Never-ever-thought "it" would happen to me! It's always some other
smuck, right? Well, no bull -- I am still high on adrenaline, with my
gut in a knot. Feels like I did 10,000 crunches without stopping!
Almost puked for an hour after, had the burps and couldn't even stand
up as the troopers conducted their investigation! Totally wiped me out
-- can't even put that feeling into words, by far the most emotion I
have ever felt at once!

No doubt that God was with me, as I brought my Ruger .454 Casull (and
some "hot" 350 grain solids) just for the heck of it, and managed to
draw and snap shoot (pointed, never even aimed!) from the hip! Total
luck shot!

All I can say is Praise God for my safety and for choosing to leave
the wife and kids at home on this walk! Got a charter tomorrow, so
gonna TRY to get some sleep now!

Talk to ya soon, - [name omitted]

Double Naught Spy · August 28, 2009, 12:12 PM

Yeah, it is .45ish like a .45-70 is .45ish. There really isn't any comparison between .45 acp and .454 Casull or .45-70. You may be talking about roughly the same diameter, but way different velocity, energy, etc.

Of course, Gunbugbit is just posting a well passed around email. It has not been edited so that nobody can determine the validity of the story because the guy's name isn't there, town, state, or country. It happened on Soldotna, AK and was discussed heavily here...
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...highlight=bear

GunBugBit · August 28, 2009, 12:34 PM

OF COURSE that's what I did...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.454_Casull

Anyway, a good urban legend is as good as a real story any day!

GunBugBit · August 28, 2009, 04:44 PM

The .454 Casull is way more powerful than the .45 ACP.

250 to 350 grains propelled at 1,600 to 1,900 feet per second versus 180 to 230 grains propelled at 800 to 900 feet per second.

I don't doubt that a bear that size could be dropped with the Ruger .454 Casull, but I also don't know of any good verification of this story.

Double Naught Spy · August 28, 2009, 07:22 PM

Wow, so you posted a story you didn't know to be true as true?

So then I post all the verification information of the story and you still state you don't know of any validation of the story you posted? Holy cow. The incident was investigated by the State of Alaska and found to be valid. What more verification do you need??

bdturner · August 28, 2009, 08:20 PM

I had a bad experience when working for the sheriff's office. I was called to an animal complaint where a rott had attacked and killed a small dog and was being agressive toward people in the neighborhood not letting them out of cars or the house. Our issue weapon was an H&K USP .45 loaded with 185gr hollow points. When I got out of the car the dog came after me at a dead run. I hit him four times, chest shoulders and snout. That dog soaked up bullets like it was nothing. My partner jumped out of his car about the time I opened fire and as the dog was within about four feet of me hit him broadside through the shoulders spinning him around and causing him to retreat. This dog weighed about 98 to 100 lbs. After this experience the department decided that the ammunition we were using was not doing its job and they switched to a 230gr +p. Would I go into bear country with a .45 ACP? No.

30-30remchester · August 28, 2009, 09:04 PM

Great story "GunBugBit" finally some real experence. So many of us on here have limited or no experence, you trump us all. I have studied terminal ballistics for years and also real life close call experences. Yours gives good examples as to why, as great as they are for hunting, single action revolvers are poor defense firearms. From the acounts I have researched, your tale of a bear attack is typical. Just a second is all the time you have to react. Alot of mauled people couldnt get their firearm into action before they were hit. I like other would like to know more about the bear attack that started this thread. What ammo did he use? Where did the bullets impact? What damage was done? Was the bear found dead? Was the bear found? Please more details.

AmmoSphere · August 29, 2009, 06:39 PM

This guy is lucky to be alive

Double Naught Spy · August 29, 2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

I like other would like to know more about the bear attack that started this thread. What ammo did he use? Where did the bullets impact? What damage was done? Was the bear found dead? Was the bear found? Please more details.

Like he said, he doesn't even know if the story he posted is true or not, so I am pretty sure he doesn't have any more details. He is just posting a late generation edited email he received. Note that the original emails had all the salient information as to who and where. However, if you follow the link I provided above, you can read a lot more about it including multiple news articles, links, and discussion.

oldcspsarge · August 30, 2009, 10:34 AM

............and the lesson learned:

carry what you will..but add SPARE Magazines !

It's along hike back to get ammo to reload.....Mr. Murphy always shows up !

AmmoSphere · August 30, 2009, 03:10 PM

Is it just me or did anyone else notice that there is something wrong with the bears mouth. It looks like it's kinda hanging out there.

W. C. Quantrill · August 31, 2009, 09:59 AM

bdturner,

I have had 2 experiences with Rotts, with the .45, and both died, but not easily and not with a first shot. The first, I was coming in through an alley to serve warrants on a FTA, and he loosed his Rott on me, I shot the dog twice in the chest with Remington Golden Sabre 230's and he went into a crouch to spring and I shot him again in the head, and he sort of melted down, still growling and eyeing me. The second one, I just shot twice in the head and he melted down, both were big heavy dogs. Neither showed any sign of impact from the .230 grain HP's.

Oh, yes, the FTA came out hands up.

August 28, 2009, 11:16 AM	#26
GunBugBit Member Join Date: June 14, 2009 Posts: 39	http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-SRHAlaskan454.htm Read on for a recent real world application of this gun!!! It's not a 1911, but it's "forty-five-ish" _______ ORIGINAL TEXT OF STORY, EDITED FOR READABILTY Friends, Have I got a story for you guys! King season is over, and since I had a day off before silvers start, I thought I would go for a walk! this occurred at 11:16 am this morning (Sunday), just 2/10 of a mile from my house, ON OUR ROAD while walking my dogs (trying to get in shape for hunting season, ironically!) For the record, this is in a residential area-not back in the woods, no bowhunting, no stealth occurring... I heard a twig snap, and looked back...full on charge-a huge brownie, ears back, head low and motorin' full speed! Came with zero warning -- no woof, no popping of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what you think or see on TV! It charged from less than 20 yards and was on me in about one-second! Totally surreal -- I just started shooting in the general direction, and praise God that my second shot (or was it my third?) Rolled him at 5 feet and he skidded to a stop 10 feet BEYOND where I was shooting from -- I actually sidestepped him and fell over backwards on the last shot, and his momentum carried him to a stop past where I fired my first shot! It was a prehistoric old boar-no teeth, no fat -- weighed between 900-1000 lbs and took five men to DRAG it onto a tilt-bed trailer! Big bear -- its paw measured out at about a 9-1/2 footer! Never-ever-thought "it" would happen to me! It's always some other smuck, right? Well, no bull -- I am still high on adrenaline, with my gut in a knot. Feels like I did 10,000 crunches without stopping! Almost puked for an hour after, had the burps and couldn't even stand up as the troopers conducted their investigation! Totally wiped me out -- can't even put that feeling into words, by far the most emotion I have ever felt at once! No doubt that God was with me, as I brought my Ruger .454 Casull (and some "hot" 350 grain solids) just for the heck of it, and managed to draw and snap shoot (pointed, never even aimed!) from the hip! Total luck shot! All I can say is Praise God for my safety and for choosing to leave the wife and kids at home on this walk! Got a charter tomorrow, so gonna TRY to get some sleep now! Talk to ya soon, - [name omitted] __________________ nuttin' honey

August 28, 2009, 12:12 PM	#27
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Yeah, it is .45ish like a .45-70 is .45ish. There really isn't any comparison between .45 acp and .454 Casull or .45-70. You may be talking about roughly the same diameter, but way different velocity, energy, etc. Of course, Gunbugbit is just posting a well passed around email. It has not been edited so that nobody can determine the validity of the story because the guy's name isn't there, town, state, or country. It happened on Soldotna, AK and was discussed heavily here... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...highlight=bear __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

August 28, 2009, 12:34 PM	#28
GunBugBit Member Join Date: June 14, 2009 Posts: 39	OF COURSE that's what I did... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.454_Casull Anyway, a good urban legend is as good as a real story any day! __________________ nuttin' honey Last edited by GunBugBit; August 28, 2009 at 12:42 PM.

August 28, 2009, 04:44 PM	#29
GunBugBit Member Join Date: June 14, 2009 Posts: 39	The .454 Casull is way more powerful than the .45 ACP. 250 to 350 grains propelled at 1,600 to 1,900 feet per second versus 180 to 230 grains propelled at 800 to 900 feet per second. I don't doubt that a bear that size could be dropped with the Ruger .454 Casull, but I also don't know of any good verification of this story. __________________ nuttin' honey

August 28, 2009, 07:22 PM	#30
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Wow, so you posted a story you didn't know to be true as true? So then I post all the verification information of the story and you still state you don't know of any validation of the story you posted? Holy cow. The incident was investigated by the State of Alaska and found to be valid. What more verification do you need?? __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

August 28, 2009, 08:20 PM	#31
bdturner Member Join Date: June 6, 2009 Posts: 48	I had a bad experience when working for the sheriff's office. I was called to an animal complaint where a rott had attacked and killed a small dog and was being agressive toward people in the neighborhood not letting them out of cars or the house. Our issue weapon was an H&K USP .45 loaded with 185gr hollow points. When I got out of the car the dog came after me at a dead run. I hit him four times, chest shoulders and snout. That dog soaked up bullets like it was nothing. My partner jumped out of his car about the time I opened fire and as the dog was within about four feet of me hit him broadside through the shoulders spinning him around and causing him to retreat. This dog weighed about 98 to 100 lbs. After this experience the department decided that the ammunition we were using was not doing its job and they switched to a 230gr +p. Would I go into bear country with a .45 ACP? No.

August 28, 2009, 09:04 PM	#32
30-30remchester Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: mountains of colorado Posts: 977	Great story "GunBugBit" finally some real experence. So many of us on here have limited or no experence, you trump us all. I have studied terminal ballistics for years and also real life close call experences. Yours gives good examples as to why, as great as they are for hunting, single action revolvers are poor defense firearms. From the acounts I have researched, your tale of a bear attack is typical. Just a second is all the time you have to react. Alot of mauled people couldnt get their firearm into action before they were hit. I like other would like to know more about the bear attack that started this thread. What ammo did he use? Where did the bullets impact? What damage was done? Was the bear found dead? Was the bear found? Please more details.

August 29, 2009, 06:39 PM	#33
AmmoSphere Junior member Join Date: April 28, 2009 Posts: 27	This guy is lucky to be alive

August 30, 2009, 10:34 AM	#35
oldcspsarge Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2008 Location: Rocky Mountains Posts: 441	............and the lesson learned: carry what you will..but add SPARE Magazines ! It's along hike back to get ammo to reload.....Mr. Murphy always shows up !

August 30, 2009, 03:10 PM	#36
AmmoSphere Junior member Join Date: April 28, 2009 Posts: 27	Is it just me or did anyone else notice that there is something wrong with the bears mouth. It looks like it's kinda hanging out there.

August 31, 2009, 09:59 AM	#37
W. C. Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2008 Location: No Man's Land Posts: 354	bdturner, I have had 2 experiences with Rotts, with the .45, and both died, but not easily and not with a first shot. The first, I was coming in through an alley to serve warrants on a FTA, and he loosed his Rott on me, I shot the dog twice in the chest with Remington Golden Sabre 230's and he went into a crouch to spring and I shot him again in the head, and he sort of melted down, still growling and eyeing me. The second one, I just shot twice in the head and he melted down, both were big heavy dogs. Neither showed any sign of impact from the .230 grain HP's. Oh, yes, the FTA came out hands up. __________________ NRA Life Whittington Center Life