What handgun ammunition has the most kinetic energy

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@Wesley_Clark

A big part of why I was wondering about this question is I was wondering about bears. my understanding is a 12 gauge is the best weapon to defend yourself against bears, but there are certain handguns people recommend.

If you’re expecting to encounter a bear (coming into your home or you going into their area) you should probably consult the prior thread:

Carrying firearms for defense against an aggressive bear?

In this post over in this thread, @Broomstick said the following: I have guns, too, but would not use them in self-defense against a bear. The vast majority of firearms are simply not that effective against an attacking or charging bear. The way to safely take on a bear with a firearm is at a distance with a high-powered rifle. A bear attack, on the other hand, is by definition at a much closer range such that a rifle is difficult or impossible to use. And the vast majority of handguns are fa…

And honestly, any practical handgun is a very poor choice against a bear. A shotgun, or as I opined in that thread, a higher caliber short carbine (45-70) would be the far better choice. Again, a handgun sacrifices most of the advantages of a firearm for a huge advantage in weight/size/concealability.

Of the common calibers that are available, vaguely shootable, and so forth, than yeah, if I had only that choice I’d go with a heavy loaded S&W Revolver in .44 Mag. But it’s still a poor overall choice.