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Red Label · February 6, 2001, 03:28 PM

Hello everyone. I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I am asking a question that has already been beat to death here. Also, I realize that my question may be hard to answer subjectively, but I suspect there are some very knowledgeable people on this board that can help me.

I live in Billings, Montana and have decided that I will be spending a lot of time in the Beartooth Mountains this summer. I am into backpacking and mountain climbing. So I wanted a pistol that would be small and light, yet offer me some possibility of stopping a grizzly bear should one decide to attack. I bought a Llama Minimax .45 ACP the other day because it was cheap and available. I know, I know... a .45 ACP is probably more likely to make the bear mad than kill it. I much prefer the size and style of a semi-auto to a revolver. But the Desert Eagle 44 is way too big for me to pack along and get ready quickly. Plus, I have always loved .45 ACP's. And I am not looking to spend over $700 or $800. (I really want a Kimber!)

So my questions are these:
1)Am I just fooling myself to even consider using a .45 against a grizzly bear?
2)If so, what else would you recommend that's small and reasonably lightweight?
3)What .45 ACP ammo (if any) would you recommend for bear stopping power? How about the +P loads?

Any advice would be appreciated and considered. Thank you.

-John Walker

February 6, 2001, 03:28 PM	#1
Red Label Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2001 Location: Urban Montana? Posts: 304	Hello everyone. I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I am asking a question that has already been beat to death here. Also, I realize that my question may be hard to answer subjectively, but I suspect there are some very knowledgeable people on this board that can help me. I live in Billings, Montana and have decided that I will be spending a lot of time in the Beartooth Mountains this summer. I am into backpacking and mountain climbing. So I wanted a pistol that would be small and light, yet offer me some possibility of stopping a grizzly bear should one decide to attack. I bought a Llama Minimax .45 ACP the other day because it was cheap and available. I know, I know... a .45 ACP is probably more likely to make the bear mad than kill it. I much prefer the size and style of a semi-auto to a revolver. But the Desert Eagle 44 is way too big for me to pack along and get ready quickly. Plus, I have always loved .45 ACP's. And I am not looking to spend over $700 or $800. (I really want a Kimber!) So my questions are these: 1)Am I just fooling myself to even consider using a .45 against a grizzly bear? 2)If so, what else would you recommend that's small and reasonably lightweight? 3)What .45 ACP ammo (if any) would you recommend for bear stopping power? How about the +P loads? Any advice would be appreciated and considered. Thank you. -John Walker