Can a 9mm pistol stop a grizzly bear?

That’s just asking for a terrible death or mauling. The 9mm just doesn’t have what’s needed to stop a grizzly. I have seen them hit with rifles that had over 2000 ft lbs of energy and they didn’t stop and a 9mm is not near that powerful. What would likely happen is you shoot the bear and those bullets stop just under the hide in some muscle and you now have a very angry bear. Head shots would likely glance off its skull. Alaska Fish and Game advises people that even the mighty 44 magnum my not be suitable for stopping a griz unless in the hands of an expert. They recommend the minimum of the .300 Winchester magnum rifle. You ask the average experienced Alaskan hunter this question and he will laugh at you. I’m not laughing because I want people to live and understand how some just don’t understand how frickin bad a$$ these bears are. I carry a .338 Winchester magnum rifle or a 12 ga shotgun with slugs for these bears because I want to stay alive. I do carry a 44 magnum revolver but that’s just back up to my long gun.

Don’t risk you life with a 9mm on a grizzly. Its not even a good idea for large black bears. Humans have survived being shot a dozen times with a 9mm.

Learn the rules of bear country and carry bear spray if a 9mm is all you have. I live with brown bears in my yard and every where I go all summer long in Alaska.

A lot of people would say "no"---and they would be right if you tried taking it out with one shot. In an emergency situation, the last thing a person is concerned with is "sportsmanship". Provided the pistol didn't jam---and that is always a possibility---a 9 mm with an extra clip or two loaded with the proper ammunition would kill the grizzly by means of firepower and multiple wounds. This would be especially true if you managed several shots in the same general area. But I must emphasize that this is a theoretical scenario. Even if you were at the zoo shooting a grizzly safely behind iron bars, with no chance of being mauled, you would just about have to empty a few clips out of the pistol to kill it outright. You would be better off with big-bore revolver that was at least .44 magnum or more powerful.

There is a true story, however, of an African hunter caught offguard by a Cape Buffalo who managed to run the hunter up a tree. His rifle wasn't close enough for him to get to it, but he had a .45 ACP with an ample amount of ammunition on the holster belt. The man shot, slowed down, but did not kill the buffalo after emptying several clips into it. Only after filling the buffalo full of lead to the poinbt of slowing it down, could he get down from the tree and get to his rifle.

Personally, a lever action carbine in some caliber like .44 magnum, that could hold ten rounds will stiop a grizzly faster than any .44 magnum revolver ever could by the merits of having BOTH more firepower and knockdown power. It might be an option worth considering. Plus you'll pay less for the gun.

It is unlikely to kill a grizzly before it mauls you to death. A grizzly is the king in so far as wild animals are concerned. It's thick muscles and hides are incredibly tough and can take lots of hits without slowing a grizzly. And when you consider a grizzly can outrun a human, using a 9mm on it is like trying to save the Titanic by bailing water with a bucket.

Having the 9mm would be better than having nothing. With a 115 grain or even a 147 grain bullet, it would be unlikely to kill a grizzly bear, unless you just got lucky and got a decent head shot. Some larger caliber rifle bullets have failed to stop some grizzlies in some instances. The 9mm is a close range defense weapon designed for use against personnel, not large wild animals. But given a choice, I'd rather have it than not have it, if I was being attacked.

No,

Like an Alaska state trooper once said : " 9mm? Do you want to kill the bear or tickle him? ". The obvious choice is a 12 gauge shotgun (I prefer my Remington 870) loaded with slugs, if you want a more concealable option, a large caliber revolver, such as a 44. magnum or a 500 SW will do the job. A good trick I learned during a trip was to sing or make lots of noise either with your voice or any available instruments (whistle, small musical instruments or a portable radio) to scare the animal before he gets close.

(Some people here seem to think a 9mm to the head will do, if you have ever seen a bear skull you would know that it would only fracture it)

If you can get a headshot will under stress, you can kill it with a .22 WMR round. But, since most people aren't skilled enough to do that. I'd say HELL no. If you can only have a handgun, .357 Magnum is the MINIMAL for Bears. I'd go with something more powerful, like a revolver in .44 Magnum or .454 Casull.

What weapon is able to kill what animal often has less to do with caliber than it does with the skill of the shooter. Your ability to hit a kill zone accurately is important. If you can shoot this bear (you said it approached, so I'll just assume it is within 30 ft or so) in either the cranium (killing the brain is obviously and instant kill) or the heart (with a 9 mm I would place incapacitation and death with five to ten seconds), you will outlive the Grizzly. The question is: are you a good shot? If you have the skills, you get to live.

According to local people -you should pray .

Seriously -yes , it may but more that one bullet and located in head , chest not arm or leg .

Animals are stronger than people .

You will not safe your life by using 9mm gun , you may protect your life that's all.

I don't think that bear want to face you with 9mm gun in your hands .

Can you go hiking somewhere else ?

I dont think that bears actually have all that thick skin, so a 9mm bullet to certain locations would stop the bear. If you had a larger gun, such as a hunting rifle, it would be much more effective since a 9mm to the chest would probably only hurt the bear if it attacked you. Basically its just based on the fact that a 9mm to the head would kill the bear, but hitting it say in a lung might not. Id suggest talking to an expert hunter and asking them what types of rounds kill a bear in the chest, or at least do enough damage to stop them if hit anywhere on the body.

It would be better than nothing. I might be best to coat the pistol in bacon grease and if a grizzly approaches you, toss the gun at it and hope he chokes on it when he tries to eat it.