jim quist Loc: Missouri

So my wife and daughter said they saw a cougar in our front yard. I asked one of our police officers what he thought. He said one of his friends identified 5 different cougars, each with different markings, on a trail camera. There have been 4 bear sightings in the area, one walked thru the city park. Another was within a couple of miles of my house last week. This is a small rural community, and we live at the tree line of a forrest.

So here is my question. If I have to shoot a cougar or a bear with a hand gun, what do I need? I am not walking around with a rifle. I saw a Smith and Wesson Combat 69 (.44 magnum) at my gunsmiths store, do I need something that powerful?

I currently have a 357, a colt 45, and a 45 long colt, my wife is going to start carrying her 9mm when she walks.

To be clear on this. IF I have to kill a cougar it means it has already killed my chocolate lab who will go after it, and now it is eyeing me up. What do I need to pull out of my holster to save myself?

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Those should suffice.

Danielmb

Frankly, try not to shoot these animals. If living where you do is too frightening, move. The critters have a right to their turf. Frankly, you are being waaay over reactive. I live in cougar country. If you can't handle it, move.

Salomj9850

My guess is that the biggest danger is walking around with a handgun that your not familiar with. If you go down to your local Bass Pro or similar store they have large cans of bear repellant / mace which will deter pretty much anything that you will encounter. These products are a lot safer for all concerned. There are way too many people who have been killed by stray bullets.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

I'm with you on this. We should learn to live together, not push the other to extinction.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

I have no desire to kill anything, I am thinking survival.

pendennis

First, unless you're extremely gifted with a handgun, it's unlikely that you could kill a puma. It's also unlikely that you'll even see a puma, especially when you're in his/her territory. IF a puma were to strike, you'd never have a chance to draw and fire any hand gun.

A Model 69 is built on S&W's L frame, between the "K" and "N" frames. When using full-house loads, the recoil is very stout, and it would be imperative to have grips which cushion the recoil. Constant practice (at least weekly) is required to attain and maintain proficiency. I don't know what make your .357 Magnum is, but it's not a killer unless you can precisely place your round, and the Colt 45 (assume a SA revolver) just doesn't have the stopping power necessary. A Colt 45 SA likely has a 255 grain bullet traveling less than 900fps. Not nearly enough energy at that velocity. And if your revolver is a SA Colt P frame, don't even consider "loading it up". If your Colt 45 is a semi auto, it won't have any more stopping power than a SA revolver.

And a 9mm is way down on the list for stopping a puma. And unless your wife can draw and shoot in less than 2-3 seconds, a pistol will be useless if the animal decides to attack.

As has been mentioned, the background is extremely important, and unless you are dead nuts sure, don't shoot.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

It is not only the gun but also the bullet and the person behind that bullet that matters.

My belief is that you need to learn about these magnificent creatures so you can live in harmony with it. Not to live in fear or in danger to you or to any other creature (including human neighbors).

As for bullets, hollow points are for humans, not for animals. Even a .44 magnum on hollowpoints may fail to reach vital organs and not immediately stop an attacking animal. A solid deep penetrating bullet is better suited as a pistol round for animals. Those kinds of bullets in a 9mm are what gave them a bad rap when compared against the .45acp ball ammo.

Your .357 with a full power metal jacketed bullet would be the best choice in your present lot. The .45acp with ball ammo is not a far second and the 9mm with a similar solid ball - a better than nothing option.

But all these are useless if you get rattled and fail to fire accurately. The person behind the bullet is a big factor on what it does. On a side note, these animals are born hunters. If they are really after you, there wont be time to shoot back.

LESTAHL Loc: Colorado

So killing a black bear with a 38 special is out of question, is that right? I know it's been done.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

Even a .22 with accurate fire, enough repetition and enough time will kill an elephant.
But time and repetition are a high premium in a self defense situation so we seek tools to immobilize or change the situation quickly.
The point of calling something effective is the time between getting hit and the moment that the target becomes affected enough that it stops attacking. The shorter that time is, the more effective the tool.
Stopping the attacker quickly is the objective in self defense.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

People who do not train and care enough for others do not deserve to use any firearm.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Of the ones you have the .357 loaded with the hottest loads it will take would be the best. No one loads commercial 45 long colt up to that power-too many old guns that won't handle it. Ruger chambered their Redhawk in 45 long colt once upon a time and hot handloads could equal or exceed the 44 mag, unless you were using hot handloads in the 44 mag.

If in a place it is legal the choice would be a short "combat" shotgun with alternating slug and buck shot. To heck with how it looks. Except for the expert shots who just want to prove they can do it (or are fools) you do not willingly take on large dangerous animals with a hand gun. That said if I only had one of my handguns my #1 choice would be my Glock 10 mm loaded with some "special" loads* I have or Norma 180 high vel soft points, # 2 would be my Redhawk in .44 mag and #3 would be my Ruger .357 loaded with CCI loads they don't even make anymore (think of them as +P+ .357 loads - they were discontinued because too many people wrecked guns that couldn't handle them) Once at the range when I touched off my first round I had guys 3-4 positions on each side of me yelling "What the HELL was that?" They produce a muzzle flash that would do most hunting rifles proud. My last two speed loaders of those rounds are valuable to me since I can't get them anymore. I forgot, I have a very short (just barely legal) Winchester lever rifle copy chambered for an elongated .357 case (previous owner had it bored out) that a gunsmith friend told me would handle hand loads in the 30-30 power range.

*I used to know a guy who owned a small ammo company that among other things loaded experimental rounds for a couple of gun companies (9mm Magnum anyone?) and I still have two boxes of some very hot 10 mm he loaded to +P+ levels for me. And yes, he told me to only use them when out where dangerous animals are a worry because those two boxes will probably wreck the gun by the time I went through both. But if it leaves me alive the gun is a small price to pay.

ChuckMc Loc: Prescott, AZ

You might want to determine what your local laws say regarding the discharge of a handgun or rifle w/in the city limits or county.
We live in an area w/Bobcats, Cougars, and Coyotes. I have strongly recommended to my neighbors that they keep their dogs on a leash when outside.
You owe it to your dog. And as noted above, if you are not familiar and trained in the use of your weapon, there's a good chance you wouldn't hit your fast moving target. It takes practice.
I wish you well.
Chuck

oregonfrank Loc: Astoria, Oregon

Boris77

You better get out of there quick before a band of masked Racoons show up. Move to the city if you are afraid to walk out your door. You should be more afraid of the Bears if you leave food laying around.
Please use a wide angle lens on your camera so you can get a good close up of the teeth as you go down trying to focus on the eyes.
Boris