[alfred10]

I am a .45 guy. Its smooth, I shoot it well and fast.

I spend a great deal of time in the woods. Sure I am going to get a 500 smith but there are sometimes when I just cant carry it. I would only carry a 500 if I was going deep in the woods. I also spend time in a city where dogs are often loose and bites are a growing problem.

Back up gun: I currently carry a ruger LCP with gold dots. I feel this wont save my butt from a dog. This gun will be carried on my weak side front pants pocket. Will a 2 inch .38 special or 2 inch .357 mag reliably penetrate a large dogs skull? Is it worth the switch from an LCP? I figure its less shots but cant be pushed out of battery. I am looking at the S&W 340 with laser grips.
What should I load it with?

For my coat pocket I am looking for a shrouded revolver that can be fired within my pocker. I can go larger with this since I have large coat pockets. Looking at a 2 inch .44 special/ 44 magnum/ 8 shot 357 magnum. It can be larger but I want a hammerless revolver that I can carry and fire within my pocket. My fear is velocity loss in a small barrel if I go with a .44. I wish S&W made the night guard in a shoruded model...

Now for EDC I either carry a Glock 21/30/or 1911 all in .45acp depending on the weather. Would a 10mm Glock 20/29 give me enough of a penetration advantage to spend the big money on two new guns/ ammo/ and practice with a rare round? I would more likly get the 29 to carry at work over the 30. How much more penetration would I get and is it worth all the money and possibly me shooting it less proficiently?

I carry the Glock 21 &1911 IWB or fanny pack. The Glock 30 is my cargo pocket gun at work where I cant wear a IWB. Should I replace the 30 with a 29 or is it apples and oranges? My concern is penetration on a large pitbull or bear.

Will any of these work on a bear better than the other or am I out of luck?

[bac1023]

What sort of encounters do you plan on having? Which region are you in?

The 10mm is a bit stronger, but they're both service calibers at the end of the day. In barrels that short, the difference in energy is even less.

[tbone86]

I'm no expert but what area do you live in that you would encounter both bears and pitbulls? And I would think a 45 or 10mm at a reasonable range should be able to take down any dog or coyote. As for bears, I dont have an answer for you. And why specifically pitbulls, shouldn't you be concerned about any type of stray/diseased dogs? Pitbulls are dogs just like any other breed, the fact you are specifically targeting them is a little disturbing to me...

[Roger G23]

We all know 10mm is the one of the main pistol calibers of choice for hunters.
I think if you use 185 grain +P .45ACP it 'il work. Have you seen the velocities and muzzle energy of these rounds?

[brisk21]

Originally Posted by tbone86

I'm no expert but what area do you live in that you would encounter both bears and pitbulls? And I would think a 45 or 10mm at a reasonable range should be able to take down any dog or coyote. As for bears, I dont have an answer for you. And why specifically pitbulls, shouldn't you be concerned about any type of stray/diseased dogs? Pitbulls are dogs just like any other breed, the fact you are specifically targeting them is a little disturbing to me...

I think that a .45 will do pretty much anything a 10mm will do. Cor-bon has some lighter .45 loads that move pretty fast. Some people say that 10mm is on a whole different level, and they may be right, but for dogs .45 is more than adequate. Bears? Id rather not be trying to take down a bear with either, as a heavy rifle round would be much safer in that situation. I guess the way I look at it is that if you need something more powerful than a .45, you need something more powerful than a handgun.

[Helodad]

Originally Posted by brisk21

if you need something more powerful than a .45, you need something more powerful than a handgun.

Well said

[repolady]

You are seriously terrified of dogs man. I would reccomend working in a cat rescue and never leaving home besides that.

[Bruce M]

No bears here, but when it's chupacabra mating season I am mighty confident going outside with the Ten or the model 57...

[sharp]

I've put two animals (pets) down with a shot to the head. First was a dog with 9mm Glock and she was still alive after the shot. Next was a horse with a .45 and she dropped instantly...was dead on her feet for the split microsecond before she dropped.

[deeHKman]

I have both a 21sf and 20sf. For dogs either is fine. The 10mm for a bear is not wise at all. For bears i would go with 44 or 45 long colt revolver loaded with Heavy HardCast bullets. You can get HC lead for a 21 also for deep penetration.
I give you this advice that i got from a friend and he was tracker for many years and is a member here i hope is he will see this this thread and help alot more than me. I saw the childish comments so i chimed in. If you use a stock glock barrel just stay at or below 200gr HC go heavier and the risk of keyholing starts. BTW i worked for a Vet. thru school i have seen what a pit bull can do in fact i had one encounter with one not fun.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php...duct_list&c=59

[Glock+2]

...in the woods, then in the city....gun in pants pocket and one in coat pocket, another in fanny pack and one in cargo pocket....large pitbull and a bear

[deadmonkey90]

I once ran a deer over with my car, got out to check on him and he was still clinging to life. i shot him with my glock 29 (10mm) to finish him off and called a local farmer to get what he can out of him. 1 10mm round wouked just fine. remember i was also close range with a 3.78 in barrel.

[jtull7]

The OP has three different threads going at the same time. All are about shooting or slashing pit bulls or bears. All of them are troll threads, in my opinion. (One in General Glocking, two in GNG). One of the threads is incomprehensible.

Alfred10, you are only 15 years old, aren't you? Come on, fess up!

[WildManPiet]

My back yard used to have bears (state forest), and I saw my share of bears up close and chilling in my back yard. If I had to take down a bear with a pistol I think I would rather have more rounds to unload to increase my odds of a "critical hit" with any decent bullet than plan on taking a bear down with a .45 vs a 10mm... I figure a pistol round would just piss off a bear if shot at center mass.

[boomchakabowwow]

we just took out 7 hogs with a .22 to the head. no issues.

close work, any caliber would work.

for a charging poodle and or bear, i'd go a tad bigger. backed up with a bag of milkbones.

[tango44]

Why would you shoot a dog?
A bear only if you are in danger, but that's mainly because you are invading his territory, but a dog????

[ede]

i've killed pit bulls, 115gr, corbons work just fine from a G19.
killed a few other dogs with a .243 and varmit bullets, works as well on dogs and groundhogs. no experience with bears but i'd lean towards a 12ga. with #4 or #6 for the first round and aim at the face to take out eyes and nose followed by slugs.

my son has shot a lot of deer in the head with a .40 and he says the results are less than desired a lot of times.

[alfred10]

Originally Posted by tbone86

I'm no expert but what area do you live in that you would encounter both bears and pitbulls? And I would think a 45 or 10mm at a reasonable range should be able to take down any dog or coyote. As for bears, I dont have an answer for you. And why specifically pitbulls, shouldn't you be concerned about any type of stray/diseased dogs? Pitbulls are dogs just like any other breed, the fact you are specifically targeting them is a little disturbing to me...

I travel alot so I would want a gun that would work well in the city for dogs and woods for bears if possible. I am targeting pitbulls since they seem to be one of the largest stray dogs that I tend to see running on the street. They also seem to have a thicker neck and larger skull and gangster types seem to usually have these dogs.

[Zertek]

Originally Posted by deadmonkey90

I once ran a deer over with my car, got out to check on him and he was still clinging to life. i shot him with my glock 29 (10mm) to finish him off and called a local farmer to get what he can out of him. 1 10mm round wouked just fine. remember i was also close range with a 3.78 in barrel.

I am not proud of it and I wish I would not have done it, But I dropped a dear with 1 shot a .22 killed it instantly ( forehead )
still sorry to this day........

[cciman]

Pepper spray works great for both dogs and bears- probably better than you can hope for your "leetle" pistol on a 35 mph lunging bear.

http://www.udap.com/product.htm

For deterrence, you do not need much for dogs, again human strength pepper spray. Hope you do not shoot any innocents in trying to hit a "attacking' dog...

[MP1983]

I think you'd get by w/ a 120 lb. Rottweiler as a decoy, and a good pair of running shoes...

but in all seriosness, IMO a Glock 30 will do all a Glock 29 would in your senarios...load it w/ hot 200 gr hollowpoints...

I have a friend who saw someone try to put down an out of control rotty w/ a .41 magnum (very similar to 10 mm) and after 3 shots it was still alive...head shots on any angry fast moving beast can be tough & take nerve and a little cunning sometimes (seek some highground)...

I suspect 10 or 11 rounds of .45 would deter a Black Bear, but take along a 13 rounder as a spare in the woods...

_____________________________________________________________
Glock 17 X 3 (1Gen marked MPDC, 2Gen, OD 3Gen), Glock 19 X 2 (2Gen & 3 Gen), Glock 22 (2Gen), Glock 30 (w/o rail)

[Roger G23]

Originally Posted by sharp

I've put two animals (pets) down with a shot to the head. First was a dog with 9mm Glock and she was still alive after the shot. Next was a horse with a .45 and she dropped instantly...was dead on her feet for the split microsecond before she dropped.

I'm willing to bet that 9mm was not a modern day JHP round.

[PaLEOjd]

Originally Posted by alfred10

I travel alot so I would want a gun that would work well in the city for dogs and woods for bears if possible. I am targeting pitbulls since they seem to be one of the largest stray dogs that I tend to see running on the street. They also seem to have a thicker neck and larger skull and gangster types seem to usually have these dogs.

What city do you do to that you are allowed to shoot dogs? Sounds like a good way to get into some trouble and do jail time. I don't know about other areas but around here, it's against the law to shoot a bear out of season, UNLESS you are fighting for your life. Sounds like you are just out to kill animals? Just because a dog is a stray to you, does NOT give you the right to kill it and fire shots in the streets......Maybe you shouldn't own a firearm.

[edog40]

I'd shoot Manbearpig if it came around here.

["Cold Dead Hands" !]

Bear pepper spray.