[agtman]

July 2025 article date about an incident that occurred in that wonderful place called “bear country.” Hadn’t seen it before now.

Make of it what you will:

These Alaskans Stopped a Charging Grizzly at 5 Yards with Their 10mm Pistols

Two alaskan hunters scouting for moose were charged by a massive grizzly. Using their G20 pistols, they stopped it at just 5 yards.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[nudges]

I make of it that its good to be Green Beret when the sh*t hits the fan.

 

[FrankenGunBuilder]

S&W 500 guy is chuckling and grumbling under his breath “I could have done that with one gun and one shot, 10mm, ha.”

 

[Parzival]

10mm strikes again.

i wouldn't even consider going in the woods up there with anything below a 10mm personally. an RPG would be my first pick though.

 

[Borg Warner]

July 2025 article date about an incident that occurred in that wonderful place called “bear country.” Hadn’t seen it before now.

Make of it what you will:

These Alaskans Stopped a Charging Grizzly at 5 Yards with Their 10mm Pistols

Two alaskan hunters scouting for moose were charged by a massive grizzly. Using their G20 pistols, they stopped it at just 5 yards.

www.outdoorlife.com

Unless I missed something, I don't think the article said anything about what ammo was used.

 

[agtman]

Unless I missed something, I don't think the article said anything about what ammo was used.

It does but you have to scroll to the bottom for the paragraph that mentions each guy’s ammo.

I wasn’t that impressed. Apparently these guys don’t listen to their fellow Alaskan, Chuck @ AK Ballistics, regarding his testing and recommendations as to proper 10mm Grizz ammo.

 

[9x45]

Many years ago I took a class from John Linebaugh. Only one in the class with a semi auto, the rest were wheel guns. From 357MAG to 45-70 pistol. Stage was a 8.5x11 piece of paper coming at you from 40 at only 10fps. The 357/41/44 guys usualy got one hit, but the high power wheel guns missed on the first round, then the target was at their position. I got 7 rounds off, all good hits. But to be fair, none of these guys had engaged a moving target before. So John says, less than 2 head shots with a pistol, you were all dead. Only a 12 gage slug or a high power rifle can for sure stop a charging grizzly. My cousing shot a charging sow in Alaska, and it took 3 rounds in the spine from a 375H&H. Dropped dead at his feet, then the cubs starting moving in. He reloaded but they backed off.

 

[Borg Warner]

It does but you have to scroll to the bottom for the paragraph that mentions each guy’s ammo.

I wasn’t that impressed. Apparently these guys don’t listen to their fellow Alaskan, Chuck @ AK Ballistics, regarding his testing and recommendations as to proper 10mm Grizz ammo.

Thanks. Here's what I found:

"They were shooting a mishmash of ammo, with Andy using Federal 200-grain Punch JHP ammo and Brett using a coffee-can mix of Buffalo Bore 180-grain JHP and hard-cast bullets.


The two men fired eight shots apiece — 16 shots total — in the short exchange, hitting the bear multiple times. They didn’t get an exact count because they spent the next few hours skinning the bear with a dull Leatherman and lugging the heavy hide and skull a mile back to the boat without a pack frame. Still, we were able to find one shot that hit a front paw. One shot hit the top of the bear’s head, appearing to penetrate into the neck. ( Likely HARDCAST!) Another shot hit the bear straight in the mouth and broke some front teeth. There were about 10 additional shots that hit the chest and ribs for a total of 13 rounds that struck the bear."

The Federal Punch ammo is a JHP which is not optimum for penetration but is only loaded to 1100 fps measured from 5 inch barrel as opposed to the 4.6 inch barrel of a G20

Buffalo Bore makes a 200 grain FMJ which is advertised at 1200 fps but Buffalo bore always gives you the advertised test barrel velocity AND velocities of the same ammo from different test guns. In this case, with their 10mm 200gr FMJ

1198 fps - Glock model 20 4.6-inch barrel
1223 fps - Colt Delta Elite 5-inch barrel
1244 fps - Para Ordinance 1911 with Nowlin 5-inch barrel

And with Underwood, they don't have a 200 grain FMJ but they do have a 200 flatnose poly-coated hardcast and it's advertised at 1250 fps.I have chronographed a lot of buffalo Bore and Underwood ammo and their velocities are always close to advertised velocities and similar from one bran to the other.

And the bad thing about using "A coffee can Mix" of ammo is that it's not going to all shoot to the same point of aim.

But God sometimes watches over fools, drunks. and children

 

[agtman]

Thanks. Here's what I found:

"They were shooting a mishmash of ammo, with Andy using Federal 200-grain Punch JHP ammo and Brett using a coffee-can mix of Buffalo Bore 180-grain JHP and hard-cast bullets.


The two men fired eight shots apiece — 16 shots total — in the short exchange, hitting the bear multiple times. They didn’t get an exact count because they spent the next few hours skinning the bear with a dull Leatherman and lugging the heavy hide and skull a mile back to the boat without a pack frame. Still, we were able to find one shot that hit a front paw. One shot hit the top of the bear’s head, appearing to penetrate into the neck. ( Likely HARDCAST!) Another shot hit the bear straight in the mouth and broke some front teeth. There were about 10 additional shots that hit the chest and ribs for a total of 13 rounds that struck the bear.”
The Federal Punch ammo is a JHP which is not optimum for penetration but is only loaded to 1100 fps measured from 5 inch barrel as opposed to the 4.6 inch barrel of a G20
Buffalo Bore makes a 200 grain FMJ which is advertised at 1200 fps but Buffalo bore always gives you teh advetised test barrel velocity AND velocities of the same ammo from different test guns. In this case, with their 10mm 200gr FMJ
1198 fps - Glock model 20 4.6-inch barrel
1223 fps - Colt Delta Elite 5-inch barrel
1244 fps - Para Ordinance 1911 with Nowlin 5-inch barrel
And with Underwood, they don't have a 200 grain FMJ but they do have a 200 flatnose poly-coated hardcast and it's advertised at 1250 fps.I have chringraphed a lot of buffalo Bore and underwood ammo and their velocities are alwys close to adverized velocities and similar from one bran to the other.
And the bad thing about using "A coffee can Mix" of ammo is that it's not going to all shoot to the same point of aim.
But God sometimes watches over fools, drunks. and children.

The 200grn Federal ‘Punch‘ JHP ammo is what I sometimes carry in my S&W 1013 (3.5” barrel).

They quoted paragraph mentions “hardcast bullets“ but doesn’t clarify if those were factory ammo or handloads. Maybe we can assume BB‘s hardcast ammo?

 

[agtman]

Dupe post delete.

 

[D20]

Yikes—according to the article, the grizzly took a 10mm round straight to the mouth, shattered its teeth, and still kept charging!
Pucker factor right there, for me.

 

[Borg Warner]

The 200grn Federal ‘Punch‘ JHP ammo is what I sometimes carry in my S&W 1013 (3.5” barrel).

They quoted paragraph mentions “hardcast bullets“ but doesn’t clarify if those were factory ammo or handloads. Maybe we can assume BB‘s hardcast ammo?

You can never really assume anything but I'm thinking that since the 180 grain Jhp's were Buffalo bore, the hard cast ammo was likely BB as well and that would mean it was 220 grains since BB does not make a 200 grain hardcast.

The only problem with any 220 grain 10mm load is that some Glock factory barrels do not have a slow enough twist to stabilize any bullet heavier than 200 grains. Some guns will and some guns won't but you don't know unless you've practiced with the ammo.

 

[9x45]

Experienced hunters will tell you they have witnessed 44 mag and 10mm bounce off a grizzly skull.

 

[GucciGlockMane]

Experienced hunters will tell you they have witnessed 44 mag and 10mm bounce off a grizzly skull.

 

[Supersquatch]

No matter the ammo,it was G20 for the win!
Again.

 

[agtman]

No matter the ammo, it was G20 for the win! Again.

Older commentary on the 10mm in AK:

 

[Deaf Smith]

How many rounds did they fire?? Oh 16 rounds of..

"They were shooting a mishmash of ammo, with Andy using Federal 200-grain Punch JHP ammo and Brett using a coffee-can mix of Buffalo Bore 180-grain JHP and hard-cast bullets."

Hmmm... well if I go to Alaska again I will have something like this...

May be a 45/70 like above or .44 Magnum rifle like this

Yes that is 25 yards STANDING... no rest.. 240gr JPSs with a very good charge of H110 powder... it is a very light and handy gun!!

And a good pistol.. be it .44 or 10mm or whatever... but the RIFLE will be with me.

But then if I see bear signs or any kind that rifle will be in my hand and decide if I want to keep going forward... or go back.

 

[RGP]

How many rounds did they fire?? Oh 16 rounds of..

"They were shooting a mishmash of ammo, with Andy using Federal 200-grain Punch JHP ammo and Brett using a coffee-can mix of Buffalo Bore 180-grain JHP and hard-cast bullets."

Hmmm... well if I go to Alaska again I will have something like this...

View attachment 1409465

May be a 45/70 like above or .44 Magnum rifle like this

View attachment 1409466

Yes that is 25 yards STANDING... no rest.. 240gr JPSs with a very good charge of H110 powder... it is a very light and handy gun!!

And a good pistol.. be it .44 or 10mm or whatever... but the RIFLE will be with me.

But then if I see bear signs or any kind that rifle will be in my hand and decide if I want to keep going forward... or go back.

I notice on the Marlin retard delete you went with the saddle ring option. Does the saddle ring get annoying when using the gun?

 

[Deaf Smith]

I notice on the Marlin retard delete you went with the saddle ring option. Does the saddle ring get annoying when using the gun?

No.. but if I wanted silent operation I would just tape it so no rattle.

 

[Jarhead Al]

Unless I missed something, I don't think the article said anything about what ammo was used.

You missed it