45 ACP Ruger P90 fpr black bear backup...your thoughts..Please

[BigBossMan]

I will be hunting Black Bear in NC and probably will use my 45.70 (over kill..I know) TC as my primary pistol.  I have a Ruger 44 mag Vaquero and a P90 Ruger 45 ACP that I can use for backup.  I have 230 gr FMJ for the 45 ACP.

What is your opinion..or should I look for something else as backup.

Thanks in advance.

[LEO]

It has been a couple of years since I was in NC but if I remember correctly the minimum legal length for a hunting handgun for big game is 6" and big game hunting with FMJ rounds was prohibited.  Will you be hunting with dogs or stand hunting.  If you are dog hunting you will want to travel as light as you can and would probably go with the vaquero and leave the TC at home keep in mind you may have to walk several miles over rough terrain over the course of the day so every ounce counts.If you are stand hunting then weight is not as much of an issue and I would carry the vaquero as a back up if I felt the need.

[Redhawk1]

The 45-70 in my opinion is not over kill at all, In my opinion it is a great black bear round. As far as back up, take the 44 mag Vaquero as long as you shoot it well. Leave the 45 ACP at home. JMHO 

[jpsmith1]

Take the .44.

[Dusty Miller]

Same here.

[BigBossMan]

My sincere thanks to all of you.  I wish I had asked about your favorite 44 load but knowing me, I will push the limit.  Thanks to a great bunch of honest folks.

[jpsmith1]

I'd say use a heavy, hard-cast lead bullet pushed as hard as you can shoot it accurately.  Accuracy and penetration will win the day against larger game such as bears.

[Brian T]

If you take the 45 use the corbon DPX ammo.  Since you you the 45-70 I assume the belt gun is for finishing shots

[oso45-70]

BBM

I have to agree with Redhawk1, Take the 45-70 and carry your pistol in case you need a finishing shot. Good luck to ya .............Joe...........

[STL Cardinal Fan]

Forget the caliber (to a degree), rather focus on o you take a semi auto or a revolver?

The answer is simple: revolver.

Take something that you know will work...........as you know what can happen with a semi auto.

Good luck on your hunt.

[orchemo]

I have usually carried Ruger 44 mag as a back-up weapon, but have recently switched to a Glock 10mm. I have never had a Glock fail, the Glock is quick to shot, has 16 rounds of 200 gr Beartooth rounds from DoubleTap ammo and another 15 rounds in a second mag.

I carry the Glock as an overall mountain gun (cougars, bears, 2 leg pest). Glock funtion and I know that if I were spending a longer than anticipated stay in the mountains, that I have enough ammo to easly hunt for a long while.

Eric

[corbanzo]

If you think you are going to have time to get all the rounds out of a mag and then load another....  you wont empty the first mag if you are in danger with a bear.  You want the most power that you can get out of at the very most about three shots, if you are lucky. 

I can emply six shots out of a .44 just as fast as six out of a 10mm, with a lot more punch out of the .44.

Take the .44

And the .45-70 isn't overkill at all, its a great bear round.

[slade]

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=156

If you have to use your 45ACP for backup, use this load. It is the most potent 45ACP that

I could find and it has a nice flat point to punish tissue.