Best 10mm Ammo for Bear Defense to Be Confident and Safe

Are you SICK and TIRED of constantly getting assaulted by bears? Writing to your congressman won’t help. Neither will avoiding bears’ natural habitat. Study this scientific diagram closely and you will see that bears have “legs” which they can use to go anywhere. Just one of several reasons why bears are nature’s ultimate predator.

But you’re not powerless against ursine devils. You have something even better than 3” fangs, 4” claws, and half a ton of body mass. You have a 10mm Auto pistol, and you’re about to discover which types of ammunition are best for dispatching Boo-Boo with extreme prejudice.

Top 10mm Ammo for Bear Defense

Is 10mm Ammo Good for Bear Defense?

You bet your sweet bippy it is. Now, I’m not saying 10mm is better at creaming bears’ corn than one of the famously enormous revolver cartridges, such as 454 Casull, 460 S&W Magnum, or 500 S&W Magnum, but it will do the trick. The fact that 10mm is designed for the semi-automatic platform – which is lightweight, gives you a higher shot capacity, and has detachable magazines for easier reloading – does nothing to dampen its efficacy during a violent bear-related altercation.

The 10mm is a proven bear defense load. Many Alaskans carry 10mm pistols for defense against not just bears, but also aggressive bull moose (watch this snowmobiler). The Danish military issues 10mm pistols to members of its Sirius Sledge Patrol, too.

Not all 10mm ammo is optimal for warding off high-impact Pooh attacks, though. You want to avoid ammo that is designed for neutralizing human threats, because it is conventionally loaded with expanding projectiles: jacketed hollow points (JHPs) which are designed to maximize trauma by widening out immediately after impact. By undergoing terminal expansion, the JHP substantially reduces its odds of accessing a big, fat and muscular bear’s vital organs.

You want a cartridge loaded with a non-expanding projectile, which is capable of inflicting the deepest possible wound channel into the bear. I’ll show you some examples momentarily. But first you must ask: “Why does the unnervingly handsome writer of this article endorse these particular cartridges?”

Because I Tested Them

The life of an online ammunition retailer is less exciting than you might think. I am rarely attacked by bears during the course of my daily routine, and have not even encountered one since getting trespassed from the Denver Zoo.

I regret that I could not shoot real bears with each of my 10mm bear defense cartridge recommendations. Fortunately, I have ammo, time, and a pretty good sense of what kind of terminal performance is needed to annihilate Paddington.

I confirmed that each cartridge featured in this article feeds, fires and extracts reliably in my own Glock 20. That came as no shock, because Federal Premium, Buffalo Bore, Hornady and Underwood are all crème de la crème American manufacturers whose products rarely or never let me down.

An ideal bear defense cartridge pierces dense flesh and shatters thick bone, and ideally penetrates to a depth of 36” or deeper. I did not have any dense flesh or thick bone on hand for testing purposes, but I did have a big stack of phone books that Ma Bell deposited near our office a few years back. I took them somewhere unpopulated, soaked them with a garden hose, and blasted them with my G20. This was not a scientific process, although I contented myself that the following cartridges are all equipped for sufficiently deep penetration on bear all the same.

Remember: Shot placement counts for everything. A clear-headed Cree woman with a .22 caliber rimfire rifle and good marksmanship can kill a grizzly bear in an instant. A dingbat with a hand cannon and atrocious aim will wind up becoming hors d'oeuvres faster than they can say:

Federal Solid Core 200 Grain Syntech Jacket FN

Specs

• Case: Nickel-Plated Brass
• Bullet Type: Syntech Jacket Flat Nose (FN)
• Bullet Weight: 200 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,200 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 639 ft lbs

Federal Premium loads ammunition in Anoka, MN: the “Halloween Capital of the World,” which is fitting because Federal’s products are so reliable that it’s almost … spooky.

This cartridge is loaded with a 200 grain Syntech Jacket FN, which has a muzzle energy of 639 ft lbs (upon emergence from a 5” barrel). This is much, much less striking power than you would ideally have for bear defense. But if a bear is getting ready to treat your head like a ripe grape, ~600 ft lbs are bound to prove more helpful than singing it a soft lullaby.

You really want a deep-penetrating bullet to compensate for the 10mm’s (relatively) low power. Federal knows this, which is why this round’s bullet is a hard cast. It’s primarily made of lead, but it’s also alloyed with other metals (such as antimony) which make it substantially harder than pure lead alone. By avoiding deformation altogether, the extremely rigid bullet is able to invest virtually all of its kinetic energy into penetration. Its flat nose (FN) profile helps the hard cast travel through dense body mass in a straight line, and inflicts greater damage to soft tissue than a round nose (RN) profile could have (good luck finding an RN 10mm bullet, though).

This round’s bullet is coated in Syntech. In addition to minimizing friction and fouling inside the barrel, Syntech promotes a more efficient seal against the bore. That helps the exploding propellant exert more of its energy against the bullet – a little added assurance that you’re packing enough firepower to smoke Smokey.

Hornady Backcountry Defense 200 Grain DGH

Specs

Underwood 10mm Ammo - 20 Rounds of 200 Grain Hard Cast Ammunition

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$26.99

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• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Dangerous Game Handgun (DGH)
• Bullet Weight: 200 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,160 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 598 ft lbs

Hornady Backcountry Defense 10mm isn’t actually weaker than the Federal Solid Core option I just discussed. It’s just that Hornady recorded this round’s 1,160 fps muzzle velocity with a 4” barrel instead of a 5” one, like Federal did. Generally speaking, the longer the barrel, the higher the muzzle velocity; a good reason why you should select a handgun with the longest barrel possible if your list of enemies includes Teddy Ruxpin.

This ammo is very similar to Federal Solid Core. Although it is jacketed in copper instead of coated in polymer, the Dangerous Game Handgun (DGH) projectile features a high-antimony lead alloy core which is nigh immune to deformation. That plus its flat nose profile helps to gouge the deepest and deadliest possible wound column through bear flesh. By locking its nose to its core, the DGH’s protected point prevents the degree of component separation which leads to deflection and shallow penetration. Its jacketed base also minimizes lead fouling.

Buffalo Bore Dangerous Game 190 Grain Mono-Metal

Sellier & Bellot 10mm Ammo - 1000 Rounds of 180 Grain FMJ Ammunition

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$419.99

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Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Mono-Metal
• Bullet Weight: 200 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,200 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 607 ft lbs

So far I have only recommended cartridges with mostly lead hard cast bullets, but you’re not limited to them. Thanks to Buffalo Bore, you also have the option to go all copper. Clean performance. Zero environmental contamination (which probably won’t cross your mind while a bear is trying to turn you into bratwurst meat). The kind of accuracy that goes hand-in-hand with zero jacket concentricity or weight distribution flaws. You gain all these advantages when you go lead free!

This round is loaded with the Mono-Metal projectile, which Buffalo Bore designed in collaboration with monolithic bullet authority Lehigh Defense. The Mono-Metal is an extremely resilient bullet which can continue penetrating flesh in a straight line after having shattered bone. Its 1,200 fps muzzle velocity out of a 5” barrel (or ~1,250 fps muzzle velocity out of a 6” barrel) doesn’t give the Mono-Metal terribly much striking energy as far as bear defense is preferred – but once again, by selecting 10mm, you’re forfeiting power for the convenience of a semi-automatic.

Quick note: None of the rounds in this article are ideal for defense against humans. Any 10mm cartridge can neutralize a man-sized threat, although you really do want terminal expansion under such circumstances. It will deal greater damage to the assailant, as well as reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of over-penetration that could harm innocent bystanders.

Underwood 220 Grain Hard Cast

Barnes VOR-TX 10mm Ammo - 20 Rounds of 155 Grain XPB Ammunition

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$39.99

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Specs

• Case: Nickel-Plated Brass
• Bullet Type: Hard Cast
• Bullet Weight: 220 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,200 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 704 ft lbs

Let’s close out our recommendations with another solid hard cast load by another best-in-class American manufacturer. This 10mm round by Underwood features a hard cast which is coated in “Black Cherry” polymer to reduce fouling, friction and gas checking inside the barrel. The bullet has the flat nose profile we like to see for aforementioned reasons, as well as a heavier 220 grain weight. Its higher mass gives the bullet higher momentum – precisely what it needs in order to punch a deep wound column into the quarry.

Underwood’s ammunition has a couple of important non-bullet features. Its nickel-plated brass cases are easier to see in the chamber during a low-light check, as well as resistant to corrosion and smooth cycling. And thanks to its low-flash propellant, this ammo won’t instantly blind you should you ever have to fire in the dark. Ask any zoologist and they’ll agree that bears are easier to fight when you can see them. (Invisible bears … now there’s a horrifying thought.)

Bear Defense Ammo Buyer’s Guide

If you actually read all that stuff I just wrote, then you’ve probably gleaned the following piece of LIFE-ALTERING TRUTH: when it comes to bear defense with a 10mm pistol, deep penetration is key.

The 10mm isn’t an ideal bear defense round. Sure, it’s more powerful than 9mm or 45 ACP, but it pales in comparison to the big-bore revolver cartridges. But you’re not carrying a 10mm because it’s the most powerful handgun on the planet. You’re carrying it because you’re probably already familiar with its performance, as well as accustomed to the lighter weight and easier operation of a semi-automatic.

If a great bear ever charges you, then you’ll be lucky to gather your thoughts in time to draw, aim, and fire. Even several direct hits with the best 10mm ammo may fail to do the job, in which case … well, better luck next time. That said, buying the right ammo can only help to increase your odds of survival. Follow these quick tips and you’ll be able to select a great round that’s not mentioned in this article!

• Invest in quality. This may go without saying, but you want high-quality ammo by a respected manufacturer. Don’t scrimp on the stuff you’d entrust your life to.
• Practice. Do you want a gun that compensates for poor marksmanship? Cool. Get a grenade launcher. But if you’re defending yourself with a handgun, then you’d better hope you honed your skills ahead of time. Select a decent training round by a company like Blazer or Federal, go to the range, and get to work.
• Do not select bullets designed for terminal expansion. A hollow point bullet is designed to widen out after entering soft tissue. This is good terminal performance as far as defense against men is concerned. But when it comes to bears – which are armored by tough hide, fat, muscle and bone – terminal expansion is nearly certain to anchor the bullet before it can reach a vital organ. This is why you should avoid jacketed hollow points (JHPs) and solid copper hollow points (SCHPs), as well as monolithics like the HoneyBadger and Xtreme Defender (which don’t expand, but which do expend kinetic energy on cavitation instead of penetration).
• Select bullets which are only designed to penetrate. This is the golden rule of bear defense. It may not be called a “hard cast,” but if a bullet has a rigid, richly alloyed lead body and flat nose profile, then it’s built to go as deep into a bear as its weight, velocity and sectional density will allow it to. Likewise, a non-expanding solid copper bullet like the Buffalo Bore Mono-Metal should do right by you. Do try and avoid full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets, though. While they may not be designed for expansion, they also aren’t nearly as durable as other, better alternatives.
• Select a heavy bullet. No specialized bear defense cartridge should feature a bullet lighter than 180 grains. You would ideally select a bullet in the 190+ grain range, as its heavier weight indicates that it will conserve sufficient momentum to – you guessed it – penetrate deeply.

Is Bear Spray Good for Bear Defense?

Bears have an extremely powerful sense of smell. That’s why giving one a snootful of pepper spray is a great way to deter it from bothering you. According to one study:

“Of the 72 cases where persons sprayed bears to defend themselves, 50 (69%) involved brown bears, 20 (28%) black bears, and 2 (3%) polar bears. Red pepper spray stopped bears' undesirable behavior 92% of the time when used on brown bears, 90% for black bears, and 100% for polar bears. Of all persons carrying sprays, 98% were uninjured by bears in close-range encounters.”

Interesting stuff, right? A 98% chance of walking away from a bear encounter unscathed? Sounds like you don’t even need a gun … right?

THAT IS THE WRONGEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SUPPOSED. And I’m not just saying that because I was put here on God’s green earth to shill ammunition. I’m also saying that because I value repeat business, and am therefore staunchly opposed to the thought of you dying.

Truth is, pepper spray is pretty effective. But when it fails to produce the desired effect on a bear’s behavior, then what? How do you stop an extremely disoriented and disgruntled bear from absolutely killing the ever-loving bejeepers out of you? By cracking it in the ticker with a 10mm, of course.

Pepper spray. Gun. Carry both.

Final Thoughts & More 10mm Resources

A 10mm isn’t the best firearm for bear defense, but it is more than capable of dropping Yogi like algebra class so long as it is (A) loaded with the right kind of ammo, and (B) wielded by a competent marksman (as well as one who can aim while their sympathetic nervous system is going bazooey with fear).

Choose one of our recommendations and you’ll be all set to put bears in their place. And hey! If you want to read even more neat stuff about 10mm ammo, check out these articles:

• 10mm vs. 9mm
• 10mm vs. 45 ACP
• 10mm vs. 40 S&W
• 10mm vs. 357 Magnum
• 10mm vs. 44 Magnum

Don’t forget: If you order ammo from any website that isn’t Ammo.com, then bears might just assume you’re too pathetic to bother with.

Written by

Matt Collins