12 G Slug for bear defense?

As stated, 12 guage pump with slug is probably the most common bear protection in Alaska for grizzlys/browns.
I'd be less confident with a single shot but in most realistic defense scenarios (bear unseen in brush at close range until it attacks) you aren't going to have time for many shots anyway.

If it is all you have, use the slug and practice hitting quickly (<2 seconds)from however you usually carry it.

I'd recommend upgrading to a pump though. Lots of other uses for them too.

Para Bellum,

.44 Mag is a little light, if you are going to be carrying a rifle anyway. You're better off with a Garrett or Buffalo Bore-level .45 Colt or bigger.
 
No...no....this could work...even with the single shot...AND the dog

Just shoot the dog and THEN run...

( I just know I am gonna get it for that one)
 
Some points to consider...
Firing slugs from a single shot weapon is a painful proposition but not nealy as painful as having a griz playing handball with your huevos.

A reliable pump gun (Remington 870, Mossy 590, etc) can be had for not much money, even less used. I just purchased a Remington 870 Magnum that was a police trade in for $129.00 out the door. It holds 6 rounds and has 5 waiting in a butt cuff. Get one with an 18 inch barrel and mount a sling on it for field carry. Load it like the rangers do. They have plenty of experience.

Practice, practice, practice.

If you insist on using the single shot...file down the front sight flush with the barrel. It wont hurt as bad when the bear jams it where the sun don't shine. :)
 
I think Garrett now carries a mighty 44mag hammerhead hardcast cartridge among their offerings, that could be the ticket for carrying in a trapper, depending on whether the Winchester can handle it. Garrett's cartridges will specify what rifles can safely handle the load on their website. I've used their 45-70 hammerheads. They're pricey, but they're tough.
I also won't discount the effectiveness of bearspray. While walking a trail late during elk season, a blackie came right out of a depression, where there was a gutpile. Totally unprepared mentally for drawing my weapon, I managed to biff him with bearspray fired from my belt. He backed off quickly, pawing at and shaking his head , while I backed down the trail ,eyes tearing, face burning. Had to throw my clothes away. But the stuff WORKED. In retrospect, I smelled the gutpile a good hundred yards before coming on it, shoulda been watching and making my presence known, or use another trail.
 
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Single Shot?
12 gauge Slug?
To Kill a Bear?
not me!

I once killed a Grizzly with a 12guage 870 Police Gun with Rifle Sights, but it took three slugs. The Bear had an attitude problem in a camp ground.

Jungle Work
 
Steyr Big Bore Scout

How about this:

steyrscout_02.jpg


The .376 Steyr Cartridge
(9.55 x 60 mm)

The .376 Steyr and the big bore Scout should be a perfect cartridge/rifle combination for those folks roaming the woods after moose, elk, or bear, or for those venturing after thin skinned African game. It was decided to go for .375" diameter bullet rather than the .358" of Jeff Cooper's original "Lion Scout" to allow its use in those countries that specify a minimum bullet size of .375 caliber for certain game. The sectional density for a 250 gr .375 bullet is .254 and that of a 270gr bullet is .274.

The .376 Steyr cartridge case is based upon the case of the 9.3 x 64mm Breneke although the case is about 4 mm shorter, making it midway in physical size between the .350 Remington Mag and the .375 H&H as seen below.
 
Any .30+ caliber (.30-06 and up) is considered a reasonable grizzly round for hunting.

The key to remember is that we aren't talking a picked shot on an unaware animal at long range. Hunting utility is secondary.

With defensive shootings we're talking an engagement against an animal that runs at 30 mph, typically on a confined trail at short range in brush. anything other than that and, if you aren't hunting, you have no right to shoot. Think about justifying a shot on a knife wielding human at 50 yds.

In a defensive round you need penetrating power with heavy rounds that can reach brain, break shoulders or punch deep into the vitals through layers of tough hide, fat and muscle.

If you are interested in the dynamics of bear attacks, read "Bear Attacks - Their Causes and Avoidance" by Herrero or Kaniut's "Alaska Bear Tales" books.

It is a difficult shot under pressure and is worth practicing.
 
I remember being in grizzly country and feeling smug about the model 29 I was carrying. Until I glassed a couple of grizzlies FAR away.

:eek: Sheesh.

12-ga pump for me in brown/griz country from now on. Loaded with slugs, with another five in loop on the belt. You certainly could do the trick with a single-shot, but I'd spend the extra couple hundred bucks to get a used pump.
 
I do a lot of hiking in the woods and i cary my lever action .35cal marlin rifle. Its small and with my sling it fits snug against my back. I feel confident it will kill anything in the woods here in the southeast. I do not know if it would kill a polar or Kodiak or something like that but if i run into one of those in Tn. i guess its just gods way of telling me its time to go lol.
 
tokarev,

Just like with self-defense rounds, the key isn't killing the thing, it is stopping it or causing it to break off the attack.

If it is a .35 Whelen you're fine as long as you use a bonded or heavy solid bullet. Again, you need the round to penetrate and/or break bone so you need mass and a heavyish bullet that will stay together.
 
Go with a pump gun.........

If it were me........Winchester makes a nice line up of pump 12 gauges..... I think the camp defender can hold 5 or 6. It is short and quick to put into use. I would think and research ammunitions available......and I might think the first shot out of the gun would be 9 (double 00 buck pellets) just don't forget the range of such load vs a happy rifled slug .......... Good luck in your pick but please regard your life worth 300.00 for a good 5 or 6 shots vs the cheap one shot and it's over deal........ Not worth being mauled or killed by a wounded animal...... :)
 
I dunno I like my odds with my browning A-5, pull the trigger and it fires, no pumping, just keep pulling till its empty, sure your gonna have one heck of a sore shoulder and you wont hear for a week but hey your still alive. Just wished mine could fire 3" magnum rounds.
 
Protection From Death By A Bear

Having lived in Alaska almost all my life, and having both heard of bear maulings and been charged by several large grizzlies I would definitly say a single shot anything is a bad idea. I read the posts thru out this thread and there are some good ideas and some not so good. But in my opinion anything .44 mag or bigger in a pistol is a good choice. As far as a good bullet for the .44 mag goes a bullet that is gonna do the most bone breaking damage and retain its weight, The best bullets I have seen are brass bullets and yes they will penetrate the bears skull unlike other bullets so if you can find some that would be what I would use. Secondly shotguns are very commonly used for bear protection as some others have said the combination of 00 Buck and slugs works well. In my opionon the first shell chambered should be 00 Buck followed by a magazine full of Brenneke rifled slugs. If one shot of the 00 Buck dont scare the bear off then no need to mess around shooting for any reason other than to stop the bears advance at that point you want to do the most damage possible before the bear unleashes on you. If you get the chance read Alaska Bear Tales very enlightening. Hope this helps. If I can find a link for the Brass Bullets I will put up a link.
 
Just read some "grizzly survival stories" in Field & Stream Feb 05 issue while at the dentist today, which might be of interest to you.
 
get an m870 express magnum synthetic, magnum means more powerful 3 1/4 inch rounds and synthetic will last the elements, then get an 18 inch barrel and a sling, should run you about 400-450 new and maybe 300 used, seems worth it to me ;)
 
Have to agree that a single shot isn't the best idea, however it was single shots that eventually wiped out the grizzly population from the lower 48. Although some of those folks paid dearly for it.
Anyways, my advice is upgrade to a short barreled pump. As for ammo, I haven't found anything better than the Original 1 1/8 oz Brenneke slug. Don't get the KO or the newer slug w/the plastic wad. They don't penetrate as well. Foster style slugs are too fragile and fold up too easily. Sabot slugs are worthless unless you have a rifled barrel or choke tube to shoot them out of.
I had to kill a bear here year before last. He wasn't that big, only about 350 lbs. I hit him a little high in the shoulder at about 40 paces. He dropped on the spot, stretched out and died. I ran up and did a quick head shot, but it wasn't necessary. The slug broke through both shoulders and kept going acting similar to a hard cast bullet. A Brenneke would have no problem punching into the vitals on a full grown bear. I've crawled around in the alders looking for bears, loaded up with nothing but Brennekes and have felt perfectly comfortable doing so.
One thing I've learned is that wet bear hide is like body armor. Neither slugs or non-premium bullets penetrate very well when they are wet, especially if they have been in the water for a while. They require multiple shots to put down.
 
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