BEAR DEFENSE with the 10mm semi Auto Handgun? Bear Spray vs Gun 

I'm a wildlife biologist by training and I live, work and play in grizzly country and have encountered lots of grizzlies (so I've got skin in the game). I have researched this subject extensively including personal experience, news clips of actual incidents, the extensive Alaska state defense of life and property (DLP) records which include grizzly self defense incidents. I also looked into the original bear spray tests that were done when it was being developed (before it became political) and the bogus research that was done after it became political (the garbage that biologists feel obligated to quote all the time). I call it bogus research because the authors clearly cherry picked the data on their firearms effectiveness study, evidenced by the fact they used DLP records but they only selected the incidents that fit their narrative. In their bear spray effectiveness study, almost all of the samples were hazing incidents against non-aggressive bears. There were also multiple people present during most of these incidents which is a deterrent in itself if three or more people are present. It was obviously not a self-defense study even though they interpreted it as such. It's also worth noting that one of the authors was pushing to ban firearms on public lands prior to authoring the above propaganda pieces. In my own research (using the full set of DLP records) I found firearms were extremely effective against grizzly attack. For bear spray, I went to the original testing by the graduate student who developed bear spray. She found that bear spray had limited effectiveness depending on how aggressive the bear's personality was. I've seen incident after incident in the news which backs up those findings of limited effectiveness. As for firearms, don't fall for the magazine capacity argument. A charging bear will get to you long before you can empty your six shooter much less your high capacity semi auto handgun. A shotgun with slugs is best but is impractical when bow hunting. For a handgun choose a 44 magnum revolver or larger with a heavy softnose flat point bullet. This will give the maximum of shock, penetration and bone breaking power. Aim at about chin level on the bear. This will give you a margin for error. A few inches high will be a brain shot, low will be a heart shot and right on will be a spine shot. This is important because a charging bear will be bobbing up and down slightly as it runs. Last but certainly not least - practice. Start with it holstered as it would be in an actual situation. progress from a stationary target to a moving target. And like they said, if you're not going to practice then just use bear spray.

This guy never posts boring content

The best defense from getting attacked by a bear is to sit on your couch and watch others walk through the woods

Good stuff Clay. If I may I’d like to give you some advice as I do a lot of training and also teach pistol craft. Two things that really improved my shooting when the goal is both fast and accurate follow up shots is; 1. Pay attention to where your front sight or dot lands after the shot and before correction. Then adjust your grip until the front sight or dot is landing back on target. 2. Let your sights catch up to the trigger. Meaning, start squeezing the trigger immediately while adjusting your sights/dot. What will typically happen is the gun will surprise you by firing just before you thought everything was perfect. Even though it wasn’t “perfect” this surprise will end up with better results than flinching by slapping the trigger once you think everything is perfect. Lastly, once you’re comfortable you’ve shaved off all the time on your draw sequence, start taking a step to the side as you’re drawing the weapon; getting off the x so to speak. Finally, start moving and shooting. If someone picked up and handful of rocks to throw at us, instinctively we’ll move. Shooters in real situations almost always move while shooting, so you might as well be good at it. Thanks for all your content. I’ve been watching your videos for years. I found you originally via your traditional archery stuff from back in the day. Hope you have a great trip, looking forward to the footage. Good luck.

Interesting video...! My 2 cents... - 10mm is a good caliber but don't buy into the hype that surrounds it. - Remember the 10mm was designed as a man stopper. - Even the hottest loaded 10mm will not come close to the mildest 41 Mag loads. - The closest comparison for the 10mm is the 357 Mag... Its just in a semi-auto. - Capacity only gives a sense of false security. The odds off getting off more than 2 shots accurately at a charging bear is slim to none... with any type firearm. - I'm not a fan of the chest rig especially with the bino combination... what an awkward way to draw. Put the pistol below the binos for improved times. - As you said, a 12 gauge is the best option. Slugs are good but a 2oz buck & ball load is better. - Carrying a short barrel pump shotgun while bow hunting is less cumbersome & problematic if carried correctly on a front carry sling... You wont notice the weight. - The 12 gauge will also be faster to deploy than a hand gun. Drop the bow and your in business with your shotgun. - Make the hand gun your back up. - Whatever your choice of firearm... practice practice practice with your gear and bow in hand. - Bear spray shines on a nuisance bear. In an all out attack... All bets are off?

A great way to practice your draw on the cheap is to get a replica bb gun of your preferred pistol. You can practice in the barn or basement in the winter and then once you have your grip and draw practiced and dialed in, then go use live ammo at the range to get accustomed to the recoil. Great way to practice those mechanics. I'm running a 1911 in 10mm and I found a full steel replica bb gun that is very close in weight that also cycles the slide when fired. It fits my holster in the same way and I can practice ny draw and make mistakes (muzzling by non draw hand) with lower risk. Sounds cheesy but it works.

I lived in SE Alaska for 25 years. A 10mm is better than nothing, but is not adequate for the bears of Alaska. There has been a synergy created around the 10mm as being a magical bear stopper. Carry a .308,plus cal rifle or shotgun in Alaska. Your chances of actually hitting your target, in a stressful situation, are much higher. You will also enjoy the benefit of 3 to 4 times the energy per shot. No comparison.

Greetings from Switzerland! I just like to tell you how much I've come to respect US gun culture through videos like this. Putting all politics aside, you guys are just some very fine shots. I love your attention to critical detail, like being very careful to never cover any part of your body with that muzzle when performing your draw. Watching you do your basic stuff, to me that is poetry in motion. Keep on doing your thing and all the best for your trip!

Good choice on the Glock 10mm. About 2 years ago myself and a friend, both of us are Firearms Instructors for our departments and active competition shooters conducted a test. We used a charging target that gives you 2.5 seconds to react before it reaches you at 7 yards. The handguns used by us were Glock 20 with full power 10mm loads, 44 mag revolvers, 454 casull revolver. The test was done from guard (weapon out of the holster and in a fighting stance) We were looking for the best hit probability on a moving/ Charging target with enough gun/bullet/load that could penetrate the skull of a bear. Previous penetration test has shown that the above handguns/load combinations will penetrate a bears skull both black bear and brown bear. The end results were the Glock 20 10mm had the highest hit probability hands down, with and average of 4 accurate hits in the head size target in 2.5 seconds. That compared to two hits with the 44 mag and 1 hit with the 454. Accuracy was marginal at best with the 44 and 454. The Glock 20 we kept our hits in a 4" group centered on the 9" head target and with the revolvers we used all of the 9" to count as a hit.

Todd Orr was attacked by a sow grizzly with cubs in Montana and had bear spray and a pistol in a chest rig. He sprayed the bear with the pepper spray and it ran right through it and mauled him. He actually had a pistol in a chest rig but apparently didn't pull that first. For those not of the faint of heart, you can watch the aftermath of the attack as he actually filmed himself walking out with his ear halfway falling off his head and lacerations across his scalp along with other numerous injuries. Clay maybe you shouldn't watch the video. ;)

Canadian guide commented that there is nothing in North America that can cover ground like a grizzly on a mission. He recommended dropping to a knee to shoot at them parallel to the ground. They are moving so fast that hunters tend to shoot over top and behind them. Might at least take a low crouch position and aim low? I saw an old video that showed Fred Bear holding a large, old style revolver while bow hunting in bear country. .44 mag cartridge was developed in 1955 so could have been that caliber. Guessing some type of heavy, hardened, cast bullet, non-hollow point for maximum penetration would be optimum. Semi-autos have gotten a lot more dependable, but still a concern of a bad round or a jam. In thick cover, I would have my arrows in my quiver and my pistol in my dominant hand, not in the holster, and practice one hand shots. Point and shoot may not work at 20 yards, but it will work at 20 feet. Defense instructor said keep shooting till the threat changes shape, or catches on fire. Good video. Keep them coming.

The grass/ brush 8' high on a trail bear wide, BEAR SPRAY! I have a small soup can, will 1/4" nuts and a belt clip. For blind walking along a river, HEY BEAR! I put a small magnet on the bottom to quiet the can when i don't want the noise..... Enjoy!

My Ruger Redhawk 45 LC 4.2 inch 1:16 twist bbl will stabilize Ashley Emerson's Garrett Hammerhead Superhardcast 405 gr and 365 grain bullets at around 1100 fps. This revolver had been action tuned by Hamilton Bowen and is carried in a Guide's Choice Chest Holster with a lanyard. Best combo I have found for carry weight and stopping power.

Appreciate you Clay and it's good to see you and Mickey working together.

2 of my favorite guys in one place, awesome. This is a quandary I face all the time when traveling in the woods by myself. Great demonstration and extremely worthwhile to think about for training. Thanks Clay for putting this together.

I knew it! A few months ago when Liz said you'd be doing something else other than elk hunting this year, I just knew it was Alaska. That's very exciting

There is a significant difference between the Alaskan brown bear and the typical inland grizzly bear. The Alaskan brown bear is considerably larger, primarily because of the abundant fish population in its habitat. These bears can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and reach a height of 10 feet. In contrast, typical inland grizzly bears are much smaller and do not come close to these dimensions.

Excellent segment. TY

I am a dental hygienist by training. I have researched this subject extensively and can assure you grizzly bears don't brush their teeth after a meal.

Lookin good Clay. I was taught to draw a little differently, but you seem to be doing fine, and you already have at least one coach 🙂. One thing you can do, and bonus, it doesn’t require ammo, is to draw eyes closed, then check where it’s aiming, like a million times. It helps make aim more instinctive, and shows up errors in grip, so you won’t need to compensate. Also I will say though that your stance and target won’t always be the same, so once your comfy with your speed, start to have to swing around to a target beside you or different angles. Maybe even from squatting down like you’re working on something. It’s not the same thing as being in a constant stance and constant target. Good luck on the trip. I’m sure everyone watching will be excited to see it.

Amazing stuff. Enjoyed this footage. I’m Always looking to Improve on shooting techniques. Thanks for the tips and tricks.

Love that 10mm, Clay. I'm going to get one of those. Nice work on the range. A shot timer really tells the tale and shows progress. Great practice session! Nice doing it with a good friend that can time and point out flaws and encourage progress... Great video. Thanks, Clay!

Fantastic video Clay. Not sure how much experience you have prior to this shooting a pistol but it shows. I wish I had an opportunity to practice like that. In Serbia getting a firearm legally is hard and ammo is expensive. During my mandatory military service as an MP I had five training sessions on the range with CZ99, Serbian military copy of Sig Sauer 226, and I got to shoot under 40 round counting all sessions which is not nearly enough to get muscle memory. Especially if you never shoot a firearm before. I hope you have a great time in Alaska. What I would be interested in is a video about how you practiced shooting your bow with the added pistol rig and a review video after the Alaska trip on how different was hunting and shooting the bow with the added weight and bulk of the gun rig. Edit: Also would be interested to hear how the red dot setup worked in Alaska. Read online that they can have issues in cold weather.

Probably the best video I have ever seen on this subject. Very in depth information alot of people are not aware of. Couldn't think of much to add. If people are getting all of this information and practicing it? They will probably be practicing and studying enough to catch those things I would suggest on their own. Absolutely great information to get out there. Good job Clay, will be up in Alaska potentially the same time. I hope you have a great hunt👍

Clay, I'd suggest some of your practice be done in full hunting kit and while walking. Practice hitting the target in all directions relative to your direction of travel. Good luck on the hunt!

Happy to see you're carrying some extra firepower heading to Alaska. Love your channel, man. I've got a 7.5in Ruger Redhawk in 44mag I carry for bear defense or for handgun hunting which I enjoy about as much as bow hunting. Safe travels and look forward to seeing your adventures.

Instead of bear spray we should come up with emergency flame throwers.

Excellent video Clay Ive been rocking a 10mm for 35 years. I use the same chest rig. A couple of things I run a lone wolf extended barrels with a twist and heavy spring to run buffalo bore 200+ grain bullets I get extra velocity and the choice of ammo is paramount. Cheers to not becoming lunch Eric

Mickey is an awesome instructor to have. Nice work with a pistol.

bear necessities

You made massive improvements. So, good teacher and student.

Good advise guys! Not sure why the chest rig has become a standard for Bear defense carry. Slow to draw, arm has to move in a more unnatural motion. Personally I carry a G20 5" ported barrel, red dot, in appendix IWB holster. Or in a OWB holster at 3 o'clock position in Bear country.

Good video Clay, Thanks!

One thing worth mentioning. Red dots are great, my primary pistol has one. With that being said, a Headlamp shining on the window at night will totally wash out the dot AND the target. This is one area where iron sights are better than red dots.

I worked as a bear guard in Alaska for about a decade. I worked the Exxon/Valdez efforts, and we were issued cases of bear spray, upwards of 25% of them were flat (light pee stream). What I suggest is to have both but think in terms of reaching for the firearm first. What most people fail to consider when facing a charging bear is the speed of which the bear is coming. You're likely to shoot over the animal's back. Drop to one knee and you remove the mental gymnastics of having to lead the bear AND hitting vitals. Dropping to one knee and you're sending the piece of lead into a head-on collision with that bear. I'm also a big fan of a laser. That bear is at full speed within about two bounds and bringing it at about 35mph (m'be more). Your time to get that first shot off into that bear is going to be short. The other factor that applies in real life is this: the "experts" tell you which bears (species) does what, and what is "correct" when the encounter happens. The only problem with that is that bears can't read the pamphlets written by the experts. Bears are like people and Forrest Gump's box of chocolates; you don't know what you're getting. You might have a starving bear. You might have a bear with a raging toothache or other medically based issue tormenting his pain sensors continually. You may have a bear that's been getting his butt kicked by all the other bears and is just in a FOUL mood and ready to get some confidence on the next thing he/she encounters. You may have a bear with a really full gut that's not that motivated. You may have a sow that just lost a cub earlier that day. You just do NOT know how that particular animal is going to react/commit. I fully agree with you on wearing the gear you're going to hunt with, so you KNOW what challenges you're going to be facing when that moment we never want becomes reality. You did good, cutting your time in half with that session. Also, for those considering an optic, go into it knowing the difference between an open emitter and one that is not open, how both are likely to be affected by weather conditions and or dusty conditions. Start your hunt with fresh batteries, have spares, and check 'em each night back in camp (at minimum) I'm a bit of a fan of the Mossberg Shockwave in 12 gauge, which is the 590 platform. I like that slung in front too. I'm a fan of the 1 ounce Brenneke slugs. I also like loading: slug/00 buck/slug/00buck... First shot for the kill, second gives that spread for stress and shorter distance to slow 'em down, and if the good Lord is smiling on you with time for a third shot, back into major killing power of the slug. Every person should make up their own mind for what they like in that department though. Again, I like the Crimson Trace laser for fast target acquisition, especially for my 64 year old eyeballs. I will confirm. Even though it was 200 yards away, and that distance between us was open water, and my 4x4 rig's door was open and engine running, and all I had to do is step up into it... and I had a Remington 870 loaded for bear in hand... having a BIG boar polar bear locking eyes with you in HIS environment flat out intimidates you. They are nothing to dismiss and disrespect in the field. Amazing animals.

For wet conditions and / or humid conditions or sweating conditions, it will be worth 6 to 10 dollars to get a spray called Grip It. Grip It is activated by moisture, be it rain, humidity, or sweating. It will reduce the firearm from slipping out of your hands, but you'll have to practice with this on your hands to make sure it doesn't interfere with the draw.

Hugh Glass liked this video

"the more we're aware the more time we get" dame strait, and I would call this the first rule of self defense.

Great demonstration fellas! 👍😃✌️🇺🇸💪

I found this video both fascinating and unnerving.

Pull straps/tuck sleeves that can sit at the front of your hip, where your hand naturally hangs, can cut off 1/2 a second. No strap, flap, or posture change necessary.

You guys are so good. Thanks!

If a bear comes at you from a dead stop, it can cover one length of it's body in one second. At two seconds it can cover twice that distance again because it has gained speed. At 2 seconds and bear can cover 3x it's body length. If it's a six foot bear it can cover 18 feet in two seconds. If it's a seven foot bear it can cover 21 feet in two seconds. That's from a dead stop. They are fast.

I relate it to hitting a turn signal on a Dodge pickup coming at you at 35 mph on a rough road.

Enjoyed that and learned some things. Thanks

I've got a Kimber 10mm, lacks the capacity of the Glock counterparts but with the Wilson Combat mags I get 9+1 and with the little bit of extra weight with the steel slide and frame I've found that I can get follow up shots off notably faster.. and I have smedium hands so the 1911 is much easier for me to keep a firm grip on. I don't often find myself in any danger of encountering a bear and in Kentucky it'd be a black bear anyway so I think 10 rounds is sufficient. One piece of advice I'd offer and I'm sure you've already gotten it, make sure to use full power 10mm loads from Underwood, Double Tap, Buffalo Bore, etc. A 200gr pill should be moving along at 1200fps+, a 220 a little slower. Most manufacturers are only pushing a 200gr pill to about 1050, usually significantly less, which is 40s&w territory. Stay safe out there, looking forward to watching your adventures from the safety of my living room!

Whata classic man statement, essentially, "I was pleasantly surprised i didnt f it up actually" 😂😂😂 i feel that... same way as after a garage project, so ya id be plasantly surprsised i didnt get eaten too. Haha

Cant wait for the alaskan hunting content, looks like your ready

Going solo into Grizzly country for the first time this summer so this video was helpful. I'm not going out and buying a 10mm since I'll be crossing the Canadian border via driving but perhaps if I ever fly into Alaska I know what to bring with me. The comments were very helpful as well! Great content lately.

I've got that exact same set up G40 and the kenai chest rig, and that was my carry gun for Alska.

I use a g20 and g29. Living on a farm and having to dispatch hogs I raise (upto 600 pounds) you will be very impressed with real world ballistics. Last cycle I processed a 1000 pound steer. No issue for the 10mm in full house.

A couple were killed in Banff last year by a Grizzly. They found two empty bear spray canisters at their camp. Unfortunately for the couple, the bear was determined regardless of the discomfort of pepper spray. Rare, but illustrates the limitations of pepper spray. A hunter was badly injured by a Grizzly this spring in Elkford BC. He surprised the bear and it charged him. He was able to get off a fatal shot on the bear, but the bear was able to inflict massive damage before succumbing to the bullet. CNS or shoulder shots are needed to stop a bear in the time needed to prevent injury.

I was charge by a grizzly in montana.. when one cub ran by us. I was working at the going to the sun hotel in glacier national park right by resevervation land. The mother came up on us to fast. Thank goodnesss she followed the cub who kept going. My friend had a gun. My other friend had bear spray. None of us had time to react whatsoever. The next week we yelled off not only a wolverine.. but saw a baby moose in a pond with the mother not far away. Was the craziest summer of my life.

Clay I get that you’re sponsored by Vortex so obviously you gotta rock the vortex binos… but since you’re sponsored by the Firstlite/Meateater conglomerate I don’t understand why you would jury-rig the gunfighters Kenai holster behind your bino harness when you could get an FHF gear bino harness with the specially made razco holster that perfectly attaches your G20 to the harness for FREE… just seems like that would be a safer setup and get your shot time even lower than 1.5…

Take your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Around 15 min mark you shot once and started to reholster. Not only did you point the gun at your chest but you had your finger on the trigger when you did it. Finger should point along the barrel at all times until your are going to shoot. If shooting multiple rounds that’s different, but when you stop get that finger off the trigger. Lots of people shoot themselves or bystanders due to poor gun handling. Never point the gun at your body unless your finger is off the trigger and even then it’s a bad idea. The trigger can catch on your clothes or holster. Best if it’s pointing in a safe direction when that happens.

Sorry , the 10mm is closer to a 357 mag not a 41 mag . 10mm 180gr to 230gr is 1200-1300 fps , 41 mag 210gr and up are 1500-1700 fps 🔫

The 10mm is close to a 357 mag in overall "power" loaded heavy for caliber. Remember that in a revolver, the pistol is venting some pressure at the cylinder gap. Vs. an auto where there is no venting occuring. Also....keep firing until the threat is done. 10mm is barely adequate for griz. 1 hit is 50/50. 2 or more increases your odds of survival immensely. Not sure which redot you are using, so check for positive operation before you leave camp every day. Co-witnessed sights are highly recommended, if possible. Personally, I chose a Rock Island 1911 chambered in 10mm. Less mag capacity but I am twice as accurate and the felt recoil is similar to a 45 auto, better trigger than the Glock 20. But it is slightly heavier than a fully loaded G20. Preferences. My hands don't fit Glocks well. How many shots will the average shooter be able to get off in 3 seconds? 2? 3? 4? I would hate to die with 11 still in the mag....accuracy matters. Pick the pistol that you can be the most accurate and quick with. Then hope for the best. The best bear encounter is no encounter at all... 😊😊😊

Awesome stuff! It’s so critical to put odds in your favor when dealing with four and even two legged predators. I would encourage you to add another drill to your practice and that’s “backplate shooting” also called instinctive. The name is exactly as it sounds… draw from carry location, press out, cover target with the backplate of the slide and pull the trigger. If the target is close, there is no reason to rob valuable time with sights. The backplate is directly behind the barrel so if its covering the target than send rounds. I train with this drill specifically for up close and personal where time matters. But if you have the time. Use those sights.

Nice tutorial, there is so much to learn from the experts constantly. I like all kind of shooting, I wish I could do more of it. I like clay target as well of course. I noticed you are left eye dominant, but rite handed, How you handling Clay target (if you practice it of course),and any tips in regard would be appreciated.

Great video!

oh man! you got mickey with ya. hes probably the best firearms trainer in the country.

Super interesting!

Oh how I’d love to learn from this guy!!

Awesome training, see ya.

I've always wanted to see you hunt moose. Good luck

In regards to finding your grip and getting familiar with the pistol: Dry fire, dry fire and more dry fire.

Quick draw Hayes! Nice.

Actually the most dangerous is man he is the only one who shoots back at you 🤔😳🤣

I use the Kenai chest holster for my Springfield 10mm. Love the setup, the only slight knock is that Kenai can be very tight. It took a little work to get a smoother draw and still have great retention.

I live in black bear country. When im out calling coyotes, i also carry my .357 mag! Last set, im looking around & right next to me is bear scat!

Underwood makes good 10mm ammo. Has a little bite to it.

More Earhart Click Bate. 1: Earhart and Noonan did not know Morse Code (could not understand the transmissions from the USCG Itasca). 2: Earhart took off the "radio directional antenna" (could not hear the direction of the Morse Code). 3: Noonan miscalculated location from being on the south side of the equator. 4: No water on Gardner Island (Nikumaroro) to survive. 5: Noonan may have been kill by sharks on Gardner. The large gas tank on the Electra caused the plane to float long distances before sinking.

Thanks for Sharing

Now that's what you call a trainer...

Just had my first Bear encounter, he was walking thru the lake towards my camp , didn't see me. I stood up and put my hand straight out and yelled Hey Bear ,Hey Bear. He froze. Then I kept yelling while I clapped my hands over my head loudly. He turned and ran off. It was a black bear with a summer coat which made him look more brown.Pretty good size bear. Wish I could have snapped a picture. Just glad he left me alone.

8:06 there’s also the point that if you’re hunting in archery season in Washington, at least, you are permitted to carry a sidearm for defense. You’re not permitted to carry a long gun. Looks you’re carrying a long slide. Also, because you’re using a red dot, so you don’t need the long sight radius. The long slide offers more opportunity to fumble the draw. There may be a slight ballistic advantage, but it seems the handling properties of a standard slide length might serve you better. Also, recoil recovery will be a little faster with a shorter slide, just physics. Just a thought.

back when I was up in alaska - the joke was - to file that front sight off real smooth

Exactly why I bought a Glock 20! My bino case has the holster directly to my bino harness! Alaska guide creations.

Great video and excellent work to both of you. That is how you get proficient with a handgun. Long time glock fan here. I'm sure you know this, but always use caution when reholstering a handgun to make sure there's nothing that could get inside the trigger guard during that forward motion - clothes, nylon straps, etc. That's the most likely point for an accidental discharge.

I was attacked by a black bear at 19. I lived because I had an SKS with me. To this day, I have a gun... For bear, for men.

I recently purchased a 10mm also and started taking safety classes. Grizzly Bears in my area are a concern also. I was told to get a chest holster also just because your gun is less likely to get caught in thick brush while bush-wacking and if a Bear rolls you - you can tuck up into a ball and still reach for your gun allot easier at the same time. Hard Cast bullets are better for bear, so be sure to have those for bear protection. I wish you the best on your Alaska Adventure! Stay Safe!

Wind is definitely an issue when it comes to pepper spray or mace. I have used it extensively and have been around it being deployed more times than I can count working in the prison system. It honestly works best indoors with no air movement. Outside with any sort of wind it loses its trajectory. Trying to position myself with the wind correctly when a bear is charging is not at all a option. I would carry both if I can. Options are always good.

Good job

Don’t think that your going to get your first shot off in 2.0 seconds, unless you see the bear first and it’s walking towards you, if it’s a surprise attack you might have less than a second to respond. Interesting video.

i can understand the 10mm if you travel light and if you go with the glock you want a wolf barrel that isnt polygonal rifling because then you can huff out heavy hard cast lead as fast as ur finger goes.

It all comes down to the type of ammo, Black Hills Ammunition/Honey Badger is your best bet. Good luck

Luv ya mate!!

A buddy and me went hiking in the back country. I wore sneakers and he had "hiking boots" Don told me I would never outrun a bear with shitty sneakers. I said, "I dont need to outrun the bear. I only need to outrun you". 😃

I've lived in Alaska for 50 years. Had run ins with black bears. No griz problems though I've seen them. My question is, how many bears have you shot and killed with a 10mm?

Check out the .460 Rowland it's a kit that puts a convenient automatic .shooting a hard cast 255 gr at 1300 velocity.

WDFW gonna have some new headaches. so glad we moved 😂

I saw a pretty decent increase in accuracy when I installed the Glock factory "performance trigger" on my Gen 5 Glock MOS. I don't think they make one for the bigger 10mm / 45acp guns yet, but when they do I'll probably get one for a G29 or G30 MOS.

Probably not relevant to your situation but here in Montana we are often in the mountains on horseback. Bear spray can seriously injure or even kill a horse if they breath it in. Bears will almost always run from a person on horseback because you are so much bigger than the bear when you are on a horse so usually when you run into problems with them is in camp or when you are on foot hunting. Because the horses are also in camp or high lined around camp you can't use bear spray in camp. We don't have the giant Alaska grizzlies but you would be surprised how big a 600lb bear seems when it is running straight at you, heck even a 300lb black bear seems enormous when they come at you. Like you I carry both a bear spray and a gun when I am hunting on foot but in camp and when riding I carry only a gun. I personally carry a double action 6 shot 45 Colt with a special cylinder and frame so that I can load it up beyond 44 mag pressure levels. I use cut down 454 Casull brass. I used to carry a snub nosed 454 and I even killed a bear with it but the recoil was so intense I would sometimes get bullets jumping crimp in my unfired rounds no matter how beefy of a crimp I put on them and they would sometimes tie up the cylinder so I switched to the heavy custom 45 Colt and have not had rounds jump crimp like that and the recoil is not as intense as the 454 was. I'm not sure how fast I can pull it and fire, I know it was fast enough the time I needed it but I have no idea how fast or slow that was.

I think that one thing that is usually not talked about is, it's not just how fast you can go to first shot, it's how fast you can go to first shot after your brain processes what your eyes and ears have delivered and interprets that info and makes a decision as to a course of action. At close range, that information-exchange alone might take longer than a person has. Everything else is a trade-off. Do you carry a 10mm (or smaller caliber) auto that you shoot well and has high-capacity with the hope that you can deliver shots fast on-target, or a large-caliber revolver that has greater penetration and energy, and won't be possibly rendered inoperative by some sort of failure-to-feed or extract. I don't think there is a "right" choice, only the most educated "guess" given what you think the different factors will be that may be in-play. YMMV.

Great content Clay. In regard to a previous comment/advice given to you to "adjust your grip" in follow-up shots...I've been in the infantry in the military (USMC), I was a veteran police officer on the largest P.D. in the southeastern U.S. and served on one of their SWAT teams for several years where we had ongoing and extensive firearms training with many proven experts, including special forces operators. I've also competed on a local and regional level in speed shooting and hunted my entire life. Having said all of this, it doesn't mean that I know it all, nor do I pretend to...however, maybe the content writer misspoke, or meant something else, but I've never, ever, heard someone advise to "adjust your grip" in a combat or otherwise life-threatening situation. Just don't do it and certainly do not train that way. If he was talking about moving the weapon around in your hand even slightly during follow-up shots - this is dead wrong IMHO. Rather, practice your draw stroke in dry fire training regularly. Do this over and over until your initial grip and draw stroke becomes second nature. Then your hand will naturally grip the weapon and draw it to point of aim properly in a high stress situation. I often do 5 to 10 sets of 10 draws finishing each draw with a point of aim and a dry fire on a snap cap always maintaining my sight picture with the first shot (which is crucial). I start off very slowly and then draw faster and faster as I progress through the reps and sets. It doesn't take long at all to become proficient and have a proper draw and presentation under stress. Of course, safety first, make sure you are unloaded, triple check. Frankly, everyone who carries concealed and every law enforcement officer and hunter should do this training however they holster and carry. No offense to the writer of that comment - maybe he meant something else by "adjust your grip". Anyway, just don't want anyone out there wasting precious time a combat or "bear" situation thinking they should adjust their hand on the grip in between shots. Thank you and God bless all.

IMO the potentially best option may be to have the gun in your hand when going through dense brush. I know, that's potentially awkward and maybe dangerous to YOU but that will greatly reduce your time. You should practice going through some brush with an empty pistol in hand and see what it's like. Just a suggestion from an old LE instructor.

This video would have been good with only the guy wearing the chest rig. The other DB was annoying. 10mm in a chest rig is a great option. Thanks for the advice.

Off topic. 😮😊 What kinda trapping trigger can I using that slight click tension right before my Leatherman blade clicks open. ? Any thoughts?

"look down look down" what the fk lol... hahahahahhaaha goddamn I was following along thinking about reaction times and ... wth lol

Bear spray is much more effective than a firearm. It has 360 degree coverage. Even works on polar bears.