I was watching that new show Extreme Survival Akaska the other day & the one older guy Marty had w/ him a .22 Magnum revolver which he said he had used to kill a bear? Really??? I certainly wouldn't want to go up against one w/ anything less than a .357 Magnum but then again, he's an "expert."

Eyeball shot? Not Me! 44 Mag, Or 35 rem lever!

I've personally witnessed this first hand.

Yes you can kill a bear with a .22 mag.

 

 

 

Although it is HIGHLY advisable to make sure you have more than one round. It's a little concerning when you work the bolt for a follow up and "click", work it again, "click" while the bear is still thrashing around.

I suppose one could kill something with anything.  But I would not feel comfortable or confident going after a bear with a .22 mag unless I had a wish to be torn limb from limb.

I've personally witnessed this first hand.

 

Yes you can kill a bear with a .22 mag.

 

 

 

Although it is HIGHLY advisable to make sure you have more than one round. It's a little concerning when you work the bolt for a follow up and "click", work it again, "click" while the bear is still thrashing around.

 

Okay then... let's hear the story. 

Maybe the bear chocked on the casing.

Okay then... let's hear the story. 

 

 

Lol...can't exactly go into too much detail.

 

Suffice it to say we left the house with a Ruger 77/22 .22 mag and didn't realize there was only one shell in the clip. Thank goodness he made the first (only) shot count.

I don't think its impossible. Eskimos used the 22 Hornet to take everything from ptarmigan to polar bear. That 22.mag the guy carries with the long barrel wouldn't be far behind ballistically. There was an episode on one of the Alaska shows where they were proxy hunting for this older retired hunting guide. Several years ago he was gutting some game and a Grizzily got hold of him. He showed where the bear had its last taste of meat when he bit a chunk out of this guy's leg. He killed the bear with the folding knife he had in his hand. All documented, they found the dead bear where he said it was stabbed several times in the neck.

 

Skeeter Skelton told the story of a friend who moved moved to Alaska. The only gun the guy had was a S&W M&P in 32-20. Skeeter visited the guy after he was in AK for a year and he had a Grizzly rug in his cabin. He still onl had the 32-20.

 

There are many who say a 44 mag with a 300+ gr bullet is the best choice for bear. Ballistically a bullet like that will give you more penetration than a 12 ga slug. That may be so but I'd go with what the NPS uses and AK DNR suggests (as pointed out in another thread) and that's a 12 ga slug.

Certainly doable with a .22 under "ideal" circumstances. But in most of the contiguous 48 states, rimfires are illegal to use on big game. Most states have a caliber minimum for game species, while others specify "centerfire" as a legal means to take deer/bear. For example, a 17 Fireball, ..22 Hornet or 222 Remington would be legal to hunt deer or bear, like it is in PA.

There are documented cases of people being killed by .177 pellet rifles.  However, I would no more recommend someone carry a .22WMR for protection against bears than I would recommend someone keep a pellet rifle for home defense. 

Better man than me.  I'm not going anywhere near a bear with the guns I've got. 

What did he do? get the bear in a headlock and POP a few rounds in his ear hole? That just crazy.  I would imagine that .22 rounds would be like those annoying gnats that swarm your head at a BBQ to a bear.

Is it possible? I think yes (under certain circumstances). 

But betting one's life on this chance is a lunacy. 

22 against used defensively? Yeah its better than a pointy stick.

 

Using a 22 to hunt bear is not only stupid but inhumane.

The odds of a clean kill, are minimal. So either the animal suffers as you shoot it multiple times or it escapes wounded.

Either one is not good.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/viral-video/10179925/TV-reporters-bear-safety-tips-demonstration-goes-viral.html

possible, absolutely. Ethical, NO!

Certainly doable with a .22 under "ideal" circumstances. But in most of the contiguous 48 states, rimfires are illegal to use on big game. Most states have a caliber minimum for game species, while others specify "centerfire" as a legal means to take deer/bear. For example, a 17 Fireball, ..22 Hornet or 222 Remington would be legal to hunt deer or bear, like it is in PA.

 

 

What about self defense??  Would you still be held liable if you were attacked and only had a .22?

What about self defense??  Would you still be held liable if you were attacked and only had a .22?

 

There are bears, and then there are BEARS. I think if you capped a black bear in New Jersey with your Ruger Single-Six you will be answering to local police and F&W officials. Every state would be different. In states where grizzlies and brown bears are prevalent, different rules apply. That was one of the main reasons they allowed handguns in national parks for hikers and campers. A unique concept; you can defend yourself against a bear attack! Grizzly self-defense shootings are carefully reviewed because there are so few of them left in the U.S.

 

I love the grizzly's Latin name: Ursus arctos horribilis

 

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/05/grizzly-bear-shot-and-killed-hikers-denali-national-park-and-preserve5943

Maybe the bear chocked on the casing.

LOL!!!

I recall a story about hunting guides in Africa shooting elephants with .22s to get their attention and in at least one case killing the elephant by accident.

 

A .22 magnum out of a handgun is not a lot of gun. Self defense category handgun rounds bounce off of human foreheads all the time.

 

_{Woman Stops Grizzly Attack With .25 Cal Pistol}

 

_{This is a story of self control and marksmanship with an itsy bitsy shooter, by a woman against a fierce predator. What is the smallest caliber you trust to protect yourself?}

_{The Beretta Jetfire}

 

_{"While hiking in Alberta, Canada, with my boyfriend we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging us from out of no where. She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive. If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me, I would not be here today! Just one shot to my boyfriend's knee cap was all it took… The bear got him, and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace.  It's one of the best pistols in my collection."}

Riddick can kill you with a cup so anything is possible .

Native Americans have been known to do that, shoot it with a .22 then track it until it bleeds out. For most hunters it would not be considered sporting, but we aren't hunting for food. The reality is that if we were attacked by a bear for food, it would start feeding before we were dead. Just some perspective.

Most hunters know a shot animal can run off pretty far before it actually dies.  Now think what that huge hungry bear will do to you after you emptied your entire 22lr mag on the animal?  For those who argue about shot placement, just think how fast that bear will close in on you as your heartbeat races?

then their is the old joke about using a .22 short as a form of bear protection,you and a friend are being chased by the bear you shoot your buddy in the leg and tell him your sending help back

I've watched smaller black bears run up to 100 yards with a well placed 30-06 round through their lungs and firmly believe no pistol round would be a bang flop other then a brain or spine shot, then there is the chance of the bullet deflecting off their skull.

 

Here's what a smaller bear can do with a 2" 3 blade broadhead through both lungs. As you can see there's not much time for any kind of reaction when they run.

 

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