anti-black bear

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I wish you luck with the buck shot at close range.
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Why would you wish me luck? I do not have any intention of using buck shot against a charging bear. I was just challenging the idea any assumption could be made. You seem to make the assumption that I have made my mind up on the issue.

As for anecdotal evidence, being a forum, yes I would accept it or have to ignore almost all that is posted.
Here are some of the anecdotes from your links:

Here are the examples I know of.
1) Several years back, a farmer I knew had a problem black bear, so he took to keeping his shotgun handy. The bear appeared close by,, he grabbed his gun, and shot it once with 2 3/4" OO. The bear dropped dead at the shot. Two pellets had hit in the head and pierced the skull.

2)A fellow I know also had a problem bear coming to his property. He shot it in the chest and shoulder, it was slightly quartering towards him. That bear took off running, and was shot again, in the side of the ribs. That slowed him up but didn't kill him. A final shot brought him down, and killed him. OO buckshot.

3) A good friend was working at a logging camp, and they had a problem bear. One day they surprised the bear, which ran up a tree. He shot it with a OO 2 3/4 shell. This dropped the bear to the ground, where it began thrashing about and trying to get up. A follow up shot at close range to the head killed it.

4)A fellow I met had worked as a guide in northern BC. They were heading through the bush when they surprised a grizzly on a carcass. The bear charged, and was shot once in the shoulder. This didn't even faze him. A second shot to the head put the bear down. 3" Copperplated 00.

I only witnessed the first one, but have no reason to doubt the other stories. The RCMP aropund here have taken to carrying slugs to deal with bears when the CO's can't attend, and I heard it was because the 00 wasn't doing too well. That is hearsay, of course.
When i carry a shotgun for protecton, they would come out the barrel as slug, OOO, slug slug slug. I throw the buck in there to give me a higher hit chance. Right or wrong, it's what I do.”

"The outfitter himself carried a 12 gauge loaded with OO Buckshot. Turns out he had killed a charging grizzly with it a few years earlier. It was a medium-sized sow which charged him while he was field-dressing an elk. He hit it in the shoulder the first shot, doing great damage and knocking it down, but it got up and charged again. He shot it in the head at close range, killing it. Ruled justifiable self-defense by the powers that be.
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From Chuck Hawks:
There have been a number of cases where buckshot failed to make it through the tough skin and muscles that protect the chest wall of a lion, tiger, or even a leopard. A lion is maybe half the weight of your average grizzly bear and about 1/4 the weight of a brown or polar bear. Leopards are about the weight of a human being, so think carefully before stoking your shotgun with buckshot.
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Which seems more relative to the issue, the anecdotes that go into detail, and relate to Black Bear, or the statement that, "...There have been a number of cases where buckshot failed to make it through the tough skin and muscles...", of various animals, but no mention of Black Bear?

I continue to wonder why you do not respond to the questions I pose. Like how you can say that buck shot spreads at the rate of 1 inch per foot from muzzle, when there are so many variables that can effect the rate of dispersion? When I ask such questions, you seem to shift the emphasis of your next post instead of answering. How am I to learn?
 
Dear dahermit,

I have spent a great deal of time answering your questions. The 1 inch per yard came from several studies on buckshot at different distances. Yes, choke, type of ammo etc. effects that as well. Sorry, don't have time to go through all of the references again, but they are there in the videos, etc.

Once again, buck shot ain't my choice at all. If folks want that as their bear defense, so be it.

God bless,

Alaska444
 
The black bears in my neck of the woods stay out of humans way unless you leave food exposed in your camp or get in between mamma and her cubs. I carry a 6" 357 revolver just in case. I wouldn't depend on buck shot to stop a bear.
 
PDX 1 Buckshot and Slug Combo

No one has addressed my solution of using a round that has buckshot followed by a slug for good measure. Any Thoughts Guys?

P.S. Agree or disagree both articles are at least informative and this kind of thing is exactly why I read these boards information and opinions.

Thanks, Vermonter
 
Dear Vermonter,

Sorry, I am not familiar with this product. Here is a review on an older TFL thread. It looks like the reviewer didn't like the product that much.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419822

I hope this helps.

As far as slug after buck shot, since slugs have longer range than buckshot, if you do choose to use that, wouldn't it make more sense to use the one that has more effect at long range first? Just a question. On the other hand, slugs are more effective at every distance than buckshot by many accounts in penetration testing and accuracy.

My bear gun is my Marlin .444 with Buffalo Bore 335 gr at 2025 fps. I chose that in part due to the limited recoil but still packing a punch greater than a .500 S&W which everyone touts as a great bear gun, but who can shoot that thing? In addition, I don't like the recoil of a 12 ga anymore as well. With some extra weight in the stock and great padding, it feels like a 20 ga recoil. I love the combination, my price is a bit more weight to carry at 9 pounds but that doesn't bother me in the least strapped over my shoulder. Folks that want lightweight rifles pay the price of high recoil. I went the other direction.

God bless,

Alaska444
 
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Thanks to everyone who replied here! I appreciate all the info. Well, I'm seeing a lot of pro buckshot and a lot of pro slugs, and a lot of anti- buckshot but not much anti-slugs. So I suppose that makes my choice. I got some 3" remington 1 oz. sluggers in there now. Judging by what they do to varous sized containers of water (everything from a milk jug to a 50 gallon blue plastic barrel) I think they're quite a game changer.
 
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