moss 500 as bear protection

This thread reminds me of my younger years in the Green Swamps of NC. During the Great Depression my family ate what they shot or grew on the farms in the little clearings scattered about in that dismal swamp. The bears were not as big as the Alaskan bears but they were aplenty. My dad shot them with 2 3/4" 00 buckshot. I'm sure that slugs were available but I never saw any until I was a grown man in the military.

Many is the deer and black bear that he supplied to our table, along with quail, squirrels, and just about any wild critter that was edible.

The most popular gun that most of my neighbors had was the old Stevens doubles in 2 3/4" chambering.
 
I'm no expert, but I've traveled quite a bit in grizzly country, and always counted myself lucky to see one... from a safe distance, that is.

Rather than right away focusing on what gun or what ammo you need for bear protection, you might start by getting as much information as possible on how to avoid getting into situations where you'd need them. There's good information here, for instance.

Bear spray is a good idea -- I've carried it, hiking, and it's good as long as you're upwind of the bear. Another option is a spring-fired "bear banger:" a pen-sized device that fires a noisy little firecracker. I've used them, and they work well as long as they go off between you and the bear... ;)

If I were going to take a gun for protection from grizzlies, it would probably be a pump shotgun -- Moss. 500 should be fine if that's what you've got. Depending on where I was going, I might load with a rubber slug as my first shot, then with 00 buck or conventional slugs. But I'd try to get the bear to leave, if possible, before shooting it with either of the last two -- it might be a mother with small cubs, and dead Mom would sort of suck for them...
 
AK grizzlies

Good advice. If you have only the pump gun, then the brenneke slugs are the go to. Bear spray is most recommended.
personally, I would carry a single high powered rifle.
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Yes. definitely. I'd carry the biggest caliber rifle I could find, something upwards of .338. The .375 is very popular as are the big "alaskan" 450s and 500s. A .416 would be just the ticket.
Pete
 
I'd definately carry both a shotgun & a pistol. The high powered rifle isn't going to do you any good if its a close confrontation, I'd much rather be throwing big 1 ounce pieces of hardened lead 3" Magnums at the deamon. A good slug can do an amazing amount of damage and definately take down a charging bear.

Handgun cal =
.44 mag or
.454 Casul or
.50 S/W

M500 with:
Lightfield Hybred-Elite 3" Magnums or
Dixie Tusker 3"
 
EXTREME SHOCK is essentially a glaser slug. That is, it expands exremely rapidly and is probably filled with birdshot. In other words, if you shoot a bear with it it will only be a flesh wound. In fact, that round doesn't even meet the FBI standards for the rounds they use, and they concerned with criminals, not bears.
Notice it doesn't say where they shot the hog, it could have been a neck shot. It doesn't even say they used extreme shock.

I'd also avoid any buckshot. The stuff has about the power of a 9mm or less per pellet. I don't think shooting a grizzly bear 9 times with a 9mm would really harm it much.
 
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Since there's such a shortage of opinions on this thread, I'll add my 10 cents worth (inflation).:D

The Mossberg 500 is but a platform capable of launching a slug. If you're skilled in it's use, the stock length is correct, and the gun is reliable, then why wouldn't it be as suitable as any other?

Since Grizzlies are big and tough, I think the folks up there tend to use hard slugs like Brennekes, as someone mentioned, for better penetration.
 
Those dixie slugs are some seriously nice slugs. The best for large dangerous game for a shotgun IMO. I'd completely skip any and all buckshot. Also if you go brenneke's i'd go for a heavier slug than the 1oz, though it may have less velocity. With slugs on dangerous animals my take is you want the heaviest slug, that will not deform and will drive deep. Many times lighter + higher velocity = less penetration.

If i was you i'd have bear spray and the shotgun filled with proper slugs only. Also do NOT buy sabot slugs. full bore slugs only
 
I'd love to see some penetration testing of the various 12ga slugs as compared to heavyweight cast bullets from a big bore rifle or even a heavy revolver. Because I have a REALLY hard time believing that a slug would give better penetration than a .45/70 loaded with a 400gr hardcast at 2000fps. Muzzle energy is meaningless in this discussion.
 
From someone who lives in Alaska, a 12 gauge with slugs will be adequate. Intersperse some buckshot in there, won't hurta thing. And yes, carry a backup, and have your son equipped with bear spray. But it when you get up here, most places have the holsters so they carry easily on the hips.
Feel free to bring the beretta to carry if you are wandering around Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Don't forget if you get pulled over by police or troopers or fish & wildlife, present your photo id and permit to carry, hand them over, saying "State law requires I show you these, and advise you that I am carrying."
If you don't you can get charged with a 'misconduct involving weapons charge'.

Have fun while you are up here! Oh yeah, do the touristy thing, and stop in Anchorage, get a few tshirts from Wild West Guns, Humpys Great Alaska Alehouse, and the Great Alaskan Bush Company.
 
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