.45 as a woods defense sidearm

[Smiley]

I wanted to ask everyone here how they feel about a .45 as a woods defense firearm. I know that the usual responses are a.357 mag-.44 mag or a 10mm but i was just wondering as to how a .45 shapes up in most peoples mind/experience.

I recently purchased some land where black bear are plentiful and are not afraid of humans. The locals tell me that they will come right up on the porch and eat your trash right in front of you. Now I do not intend to go shooting a bear just because he comes near me but i also know that when I go camping there I don't want to be cooking a hotdog on the fire and have to fight over it with the bear. (let him go buy his own). I currently have experience with .357 mag, .45, and 9mm. I want to expand my experience to .40, .357 sig, and 10mm.

Also I know a rifle or shotgun is best and I intend to have an 870 with me but I think that a pistol will be easier to handle and keep on me at all times. I figure that since I already own a .45 it would be good to stick with what I have. Although I am not against any good reason to run out and buy another one for the collection.

Any thoughts?

[Dave Klingenstein]

If I was running around in the woods where I knew there were bears I would have something a little bigger than a 45. That being said, a 45 with you is better than nothing at all.

[Bods Oddkin]

Are we talking ACP or (long) Colt? A 250/255 grain bullet loaded at least to .45 Colt factory levels is mighty potent. A 230 grain ACP is marginal. Although the "+P" loads look good on paper, the bullets used would seem a little light for bear. I have hunted bears and although they are easy to knock down, they get right back up and are tough to kill. That being said, I wouldn't go looking for bears with a .45 Colt, but have felt well protected in the woods with one.

[Dave T]

My limited experience with black bears goes back quite a few years and was in the Minnesota/Canada border country. A lot of loud noise (yelling and hollering, flapping a blanket, banging on pans) was sufficient to chase them away. I'm sure there are exceptions but that was my experience.

Of more concern to me would be running into the 2 legged vermin who think, since they are out in the boondocks, the rules of civilized behavior don't apply. The 45 ACP has been doing quite well against that form of wildlife for something like 91 years.

[riverdog]

I believe that a 1911 .45ACP with a 22# spring and loaded with Triton's .450SMC would be very potent. .450SMC would be my first choice in a semi-auto caliber for woods carry.

[J. Parker]

If you go with your 45 I'd stoke it with FMJ ammo only. No fancy hollowpoints that don't penetrate deep enough.
Sounds to me like you'll see more blackies in a year than most of us will see in a lifetime. If it we're me I'd pack a 41 magnum or bigger. I know that's not what you want to hear but with so much bear activity I wouldn't walk around with a 45. Sorry. Best, John

[blades67]

Put some slugs in that shotgun too.

[riverdog]

It really depends on what threat the handgun is selected to defend against -- Blackies and cougars or two legged varmints. A.41 or .44 Mag revo is a great choice for non-human threats but the .9MM, .40SW or .45 are good alternatives for those of us who are more concerned with the most common predator species.

[Sundance]

I almost always have a full-size 1911 .45 concealed on my person when I leave the house. If I am going in the woods, concealment is not so important, so why not carry two guns. Carry your daily self defense against humans gun as you always would (mine is in a strong side belt holster), and carry a more potent gun (my choice is a 4 5/8" Ruger stainless Super Blackhawk .44 Mag) in a crossdraw holster, a shoulder holster, or (my favorite) a cross-the-chest tanker style holster.

[shojin]

What Dave T said. I have had probably 20-30 encounters with black bear and never felt threatened. However, two-leggeds, grizzzlies and cougers are another matter.

[J. Parker]

Sundance kinda hit on somethin' here. In the woods I've abandonded the 9mm altogether. I ALWAYS have a 45 on my person. It's easy to have a 45 at all times. Some are very small and lightweight.
Pack the 45 away on your bod-day and carry a heavier calibre in a comfortable holster. Best, John

[J. Parker]

Actually, black bear encounters are 100 times more likely than Grizzly encounters. Arm yourself as you see fit I guess.

[dsk]

I think a 230gr +P load, using a bullet like the Hornady XTP would be sufficient for anything except very large bears. This is assuming a 5" gun. However, as in all cases with wild animals something more powerful is better. I carry a .45 semi-auto simply to have a balance between protection from two-legged animals as well as the more likely four-legged predators, cougars.

[lonegunman]

41 and 44 mag also will work on 2-legged predators mighty good. If I was on an extended hike, I would just go with one or the other of them, and not lug around 2 handguns.

[foghornl]

If you are speaking 45ACP, I feel that the heaveir recoil springs and the 450SMC would make a pretty good combo. For the 45 Long Colt, probably a stiff handload would be best. [I haven't looked lately at 45LC commercial ammo.]

My personal preference, when I get the OK from the Home Finance Chairwoman, is going to be a new Super Blackhawk 44Mag with the 5-1/2" barrel. There's just something about blazing away with a good single-action that brings a nostalgic thought to this old guys brain..............sniff sniff

[riddleofsteel]

Up until recently these were my wilderness companions.

.45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk with Eagle stag grips in a ballistic nylon holster stoked with maximum accurate loads topped with hard cast 255 grain SWC's and a Gerber stag handled bowie.
It still is if I intend to actually hunt with the revolver or are in country where a BIG toothy critter might be a problem. However, in recent months I have new walking partners when I take to the woods.


A .45 Colt S&W Mountain Gun in a Kramer belt scabbard with two speed loaders and a Cold Steel ODA in a kydex scabbard. I feel this combo will still handle anything I am likely to encounter in the woods plus they fit the bill of defense against human predators a little better.