Hunting with a Army Colt

[wpjson]

Does a .44 Colt Army with 30grs of powder have the power to send a ball through a bear?

 

[Zonie]

"Through a bear?" ?
Probably not.

A 30 grain 3Fg powder load under a .451 diameter roundball, in a .44 caliber Colt 1860 Army gives a muzzle velocity of 794 fps. The muzzle energy at that speed is 193 Lbs/ft.**
At 25 yards, the muzzle velocity dropped to 754 fps with 174 Lbs/ft of energy.

While this can be quite lethal, it isn't overly powerful by modern standards.

To give a modern reference, the .45 ACP with a 230 grain bullet gives muzzle velocities around 870 fps with about 387 lbs/ft of energy and few would expect a .45 ACP to shoot clear thru a bear.

** Data from Lyman's "BLACK POWDER HANDBOOK & LOADING MANUAL", 2nd Ed.

 

[bpd303]

Would not come close to shooting through. It would probably take all six shots to the vitals to bring one down, if you were lucky.
If you weren't lucky I'll quote a very large deputy I worked with when he was threatened with an under powered pistol. "If you shoot me with that and I find out about it, I'll be really mad".

 

[Treestalker]

I love the 44 Colt's Army model and packed one in the woods for years. But DON'T bet your life on one! Use it for a backup to a powerful BP rifle or musket, and here's some more advice; Pack a big strong Bowie knife to back up the rifle and revolver. Bears can be hard to kill, and a knife doesn't run out of bullets! I hope you never have to fight a bear hand to paw, but be prepared for war if you shoot one. The biggest thing I ever killed with my .44 was a domestic hog shot behind the ear. Treestalker. P.S. We only have black bears here, not grizzly.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Rule no.1 for bear hunting DO NOT P**S the bear off.

 

[pargent]

Do it but make sure you wear a helmet cam and get your family to put it up on u-tube .

 

[Don]

Even with a hot powder like Swiss or 777 you still are under the optimum ballistics for game that size. Not saying it won't work but it would require impeccable shot placement and a bit of luck.

Don

 

[wpjson]

Just let me make this clear, I am not going bear hunting with a pistol. I read a thread somewhere where several folks claimed to have killed a bear with a ML revolver. Just asking opinions.

 

[necchi]

Thanks for clearing that part up. :grin:

Did any of those folks happen to say how big the bear was?
You could probably get a pass through shot on something under 60-70 pounds if it's within say 25-30yrds.
And probably a killing boiler room shot on one up too 150#, but I wouldn't wanna be on the ground pulling the trigger on any revolver while trying to make that shot on a healthy bear.
They tend to get a little ****** off when shot and unless you've taken out a shoulder they can move really fast and pretty far in a very short time

 

[coloradoclyde]

Does a .44 Colt Army with 30grs of powder have the power to send a ball through a bear?

It won't even knock the steel plates down on my speed rack.
and a 9mm tips them over like they were hit with a sledge.

 

[LRB]

I can report that it will go through a young doe deer at 20yrds. At least it did the one time it was tried.

 

[Bear Rider]

Back in my youth, I read a report about someone killing a bear with a .22 pistol.

He was literally up a tree, the bear was climbing it, and the pistol was all he had.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Just let me make this clear, I am not going bear hunting with a pistol. I read a thread somewhere where several folks claimed to have killed a bear with a ML revolver. Just asking opinions.

We've seen quite a few threads here where people actually want to hunt with a muzzleloading handgun, so that may be the first thought when seeing a question like this.

With due respect to what you read, you can kill a bear with a .22, but for most folks, the question becomes, is it practical, advisable, worth the risk, etc. Of course, if you're attacked and that's all you have, so be it.

 

[MSW]

theoretically, yes. but then again, you can theoretically kill a bear with a sharp stick.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Just exactly how hard did they hit the bear with that pistol :shocked2: ? Hopefully it was on top of the head!
Could be dangerous....if the gun was loaded :shocked2:
Fred

 

[TFoley]

However, taking on an animal that can run downhill as fast as uphill - those who know are nodding their heads about that one - try it next time YOU have four legs - can outrun a horse with a man on it, can flip a 150 pound seal fifty feet in the air, and climb a seventy-five foot tree without slowing down - all observed and most on movies - deserves every ounce of shot I can reasonably send its way in the shortest possible time.

A full auto 12 gauge with slugs is a good plan, including a thirty round magazine or two, natch.

We were in BC one year and got to see a Dodge pickup truck in a parking lot that had had the locked door torn off it by a bear seeking the burger inside...they just don't know how strong they are, and me, I'm not going to try and find out the hard way.

tac

 

[necchi]

Oh, but Hollywood has plainly shown us that even large attacking bear can be killed with a fire hardened pointy branch.
All you do is enrage the bear with the smell of blood, get it chasing you then fall down and wait till the blood thirsty beast is about to drop in full pounce,, raise the pointy branch and let the bear impale itself.
It'll die instantly causing no further harm, then you and your party can celebrate survival feasting on the beasts flesh well roasted over an open fire.

And even small caliber hand guns can save your life in a bear attack. Here's a story about a woman that survived a Gizzly attack armed only with a Beretta 25 cal.
The story;
"While out hiking in Alberta Canada with my boyfriend we were surprised by a huge grizzly bear charging at us from out of no where.
She must have been protecting her cubs because she was extremely aggressive.
If I had not had my little Beretta Jetfire with me I would not be here today!
Just one shot to my boyfriend's knee cap was all it took”¦”¦.the bear got him and I was able to escape by just walking away at a brisk pace.
It's one of the best pistols in my collection"”¦”¦...

 

[robinsroost]

That question is kind of like the guy who asked if you could kill a grizzly bear with a .357 magnum, shooting 158 grain SWC bullets. He was told that no one has ever successfully defended their like, against a grizzly bear, with a .357, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Keep yer powder dry.......Robin :stir:

 

[Roguedog]

I recently acquired an 1860 Army cap and ball revolver and fancy toting it around this fall as my sidearm. However, the pistol's role in my arsenal is as a backup arm or a weapon of convenience if an opportunity presents itself. It may be good for taking a whitetail at very close range or administering a coup de grace to a wounded animal. However, using it a primary tool in the hunting of bears would not be something I would consider, assuming I have a choice.

Jeff

 

[Wes/Tex]

However, using it a primary tool in the hunting of bears would not be something I would consider, assuming I have a choice.
Jeff

Therein lies the rub! :wink: Handguns are not the best first choice for dealing with ole Caleb! Wouldn't do it unless I was backed up by something in the 4 bore & double barreled range! :rotf: I shot any number of critters with my old Replica Arms M.1860 including one careless little 4-point...but with things that might bite back, I take a more circumspective approach! :haha: 30 grains might down ole Br'er Bear and cold cock him on the spot...but it might not! I figure Murphy didn't write his law one day cause he was bored! :rotf: