I also have a 45 auto and haven't started reloading for it quite yet.My wifes if you will, but my question is-What is the best bullet for the unthinkable situation with lets say a Bear?I know penetration is the key with the 45 so whats the best ACP bullet out there for it? Or like some have said,Should she save the last for herself?


Jayco.

The 45 ACP vs a big bear is a head shot proposition, so the best advice is related more to tactics than a particular bullet. The idea is to get something between the shooter and the bear to make the bear stop, or at least slow down. This MAY give time and opportinity for shots directly to the head at very close range.

230 gr. hard ball is as good as it's gonna get. Anything but the round nose will penetrate less and that's not good.



If we are talking black bear and she's a cool hand, she can probably pull it off. A grizzly would be another story.



I don't think I'd save the last for myself. Give the bear the benefit of the whole clip and if you've still got time, drop and get into a ball with arms around the head. Hopefully the bear would slap the victim around a a little and leave. A lot of bear attack victims have lived another day just by doing this.



99% of all bear attacks aren't for food. They just want to remove a perceived threat. Playing dead works pretty often but it's better than being dead.



My big fear about pistol/bear scenarios is that the bear will take the pistol bullets personal and when he gets to you, he will be determined to rip out your wiring.

I would stick with my normal every-day load of
200 grain SWC Hard cast and 5.4 grains of titegroup.

I know it feeds reliably and I would not want to jinx that in a bear attack, plus I know where it will hit every time and I think the 200 grain cast bullet would be almost as effective as a 230.

The biggest problem I think would be bullet deflection off of the skull due to the round nose of the acp bullets.

I would not choose an ACP, though.

David

Sean, if that's a truncated cone bullet, I think I could be happy with your choice. Normally that bullet design will feed thru almost anything and shoot well.

I once had a retired guide tell me to make sure that you file off the front sight on your bear pistol....so that when is shoves it where the sun don't shine, it won't hurt as much....
Now I don't agree with that completely, but I concur that hardball is a best bet with a 45.

I load my carry gun with Hornady JFP 230 grain loads. I know of one cow moose killed at close range with 230 grain ball ammo, my cousin in fact. He was on a snow plowed driveway and couldn't avoid the moose. His first 200 grain JHP just flattened and glanced off the skull. The magazine had round nose ball ammo in it, seven rounds to the neck stopped the moose. A clip full of 230 JHPs should do great skull penetration and if you are fast and accurate, a full clip on a playing card at twenty yards would sure improve the situation. Mostly, I'd say threat avoidance is the key, by making the bear think you are badder than he/she is. Several suggestions I've heard include standing your ground, getting to higher ground, on a stump or whatever and talking to the bear to make it realize you are human. Of course, if it's a polar bear, you may be just another fast food group. I'd say situational awareness and being steady will be a good mixture. The .45 ACP is one of my favorites as humans are the highest level of threat to you far from civilization. Shoot straight, shoot often, reload and change drawers.

Carson, many years ago when the 44 Mag came out, I was standing around in a gunstore with a group of fellow young airheads and we were all mouthing off about how "BADASS" we would be if only some kind soul would give us a 44 magnum. One wise old dog got sick of listening to us and sidled over to the crowd. When it came his turn to speak, he snorted and said the following: "You're all full of crap. You get your 44 Mag and give me an old government 45 with a few clips of ammo. I'll keep your head pinned down while I walk up on you and shoot you like a rat in a bucket."



We all thought about that a minute and realized he was probably right.



Over the next sememster I got to know this fellow quite well and he had shot on the Army pistol team with .45s. I went shooting with him several times and found out his comment was no boast. He could dang sure deliver on his promise.

Gentlemen, a properly modified 1911 45 ACP is my favorite handgun. I have used one for Bullseye, IPSC and social occasions since the late 60,s....
I even carried a LW Commander on my first two Montana black bear hunts. [Speer shotshells in the 45 ACP are just as good, maybe better than the ones for the 44, they work great on grouse ] However after shooting a few deer whitetail and mule deer] and seeing how big the bones are on a big black bear I think the 45 ACP is a little light in the power dept.
Pecos 45, that "wise old dog" does have a good point, and he is correct, still, I prefer the power of a 4" 44 Mag on big bad DG.
I have thought about building a 45 SUPER... But if you are knocked down and have to press the handgun against the hair you are much better off with a revolver IMHO.

230 gr. hard ball for feed reliability.

No good if the gun gets jambed.