Deaf Smith
New member
They also recommend the .300 Winchester Magnum. Not exactly the cheapest.
Read the test articles I posted as well as the one where the many actually survived a bear attack using a 12 gauge and brenneke slugs.
Deaf
S&W .500 350 Gr Bullet Vs. Bears And Grizzly Bears?
- Thread starter adn258
- Start date
They also recommend the .300 Winchester Magnum. Not exactly the cheapest.
Read the test articles I posted as well as the one where the many actually survived a bear attack using a 12 gauge and brenneke slugs.
Deaf
Recall an old Eskimo (from my youth, circa 1962) who carried a Lee-Enfield British 303. Took down a lot of bears.
Back then was pretty much the dawn of the 44 Magnum revolver, but I never saw anyone carrying one, not until later, after a certain cop movie was released in 1971.
Back then was pretty much the dawn of the 44 Magnum revolver, but I never saw anyone carrying one, not until later, after a certain cop movie was released in 1971.
Deaf Smith
New member
About 8 years ago some guys fishing in Alaska were attacked by a Brown bear.
One by the river had a Mossie 12 'cruiser'. He saw the bear running down the hill, racked the slide of the 12 and then couldn't remember if he short stroked or not so he dropped the gun in the water and dove into it!
Two of them on the hillside, with 9mm pistols, opened fire on the bear as it passed, breaking the hip bone, and the bear tumbled down the bank and died.
Well the guy in the water came out. Found his 12 gauge and check. Gun fully loaded so he didn't short stroke it.
But notice the 9mms broke the hip bone.
All is well that ends well!
And another one used a 9mm.
Both accounts are here.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126359
BTW, Grizzlies have been killed by hikers with .45 Autos when attacked.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.co...-hikers-denali-national-park-and-preserve5943
But he emptied the mag and the bear WALKED OFF and died.
And here is one with a .454 Casual (but he said it was luck shots.)
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/08/31/man-kills-charging-bear-with-454-casull/
And another .454.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photo...ttacks/2009/08/charging-grizzly-killed-alaska
Deaf
One by the river had a Mossie 12 'cruiser'. He saw the bear running down the hill, racked the slide of the 12 and then couldn't remember if he short stroked or not so he dropped the gun in the water and dove into it!
Two of them on the hillside, with 9mm pistols, opened fire on the bear as it passed, breaking the hip bone, and the bear tumbled down the bank and died.
Well the guy in the water came out. Found his 12 gauge and check. Gun fully loaded so he didn't short stroke it.
But notice the 9mms broke the hip bone.
All is well that ends well!
And another one used a 9mm.
Both accounts are here.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126359
BTW, Grizzlies have been killed by hikers with .45 Autos when attacked.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.co...-hikers-denali-national-park-and-preserve5943
But he emptied the mag and the bear WALKED OFF and died.
And here is one with a .454 Casual (but he said it was luck shots.)
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/08/31/man-kills-charging-bear-with-454-casull/
And another .454.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photo...ttacks/2009/08/charging-grizzly-killed-alaska
Deaf
WildBill45
New member
These are the slugs we actually carry when carrying a scattergun for various reasons.
Slugs of any type do not penetrate as well due to the shape, and sometimes some are brittle and break up on big bones. But, and there always is a but in life, if carrying a scattergun these are the best option ... at least at this time.
22-rimfire
New member
I am no expert on brenneke slugs from a 12 ga. I think the 12 ga shotgun represents a more common gun and a gun that is not that hard to master sufficiently for general protection purposes. Kicks hard. Hard. I doubt it has the penertation of the 480/475 and up in the big bore handguns with an appropriate weight bullet for the caliber. But as someone said, you can penertrate the lungs with your 475 or 500 and the bear will die eventually, but it has time to take care of the pesky human who is bugging him/her for whatever reason. Hunting is a different matter
After reading this thread, I think you're better off with 400 gr+ hard cast bullets with the 500 S&W. Factory 350 gr are fairly easy to shoot from a recoil perspective.
I do like the 480/475 caliber. I'd like to own the Alaskan in 480 because I have two other handguns chambered for it. I don't have much need for big bear protection. Never go anywhere other than black bear woods and feel pretty comfortable with the 41 mag if I am actually worried about bear protection (usually I am more likely to have a 22LR revolver with me in the woods).
But if I were heading into big bear woods today, I'd probably take my 41 mag and feel pretty good about it. I would feel the same with a 44 mag with hard cast bullets. But I sure would like to get an Ruger Alaskan in 480 just for the fun of it. I like variety. But I'm a master of none... perhaps 22 revolvers and my 41 mag comes closest to being a pretty capable shooter. But I am not particularly interested in tactical drills and all that stuff.
After reading this thread, I think you're better off with 400 gr+ hard cast bullets with the 500 S&W. Factory 350 gr are fairly easy to shoot from a recoil perspective.
I do like the 480/475 caliber. I'd like to own the Alaskan in 480 because I have two other handguns chambered for it. I don't have much need for big bear protection. Never go anywhere other than black bear woods and feel pretty comfortable with the 41 mag if I am actually worried about bear protection (usually I am more likely to have a 22LR revolver with me in the woods).
But if I were heading into big bear woods today, I'd probably take my 41 mag and feel pretty good about it. I would feel the same with a 44 mag with hard cast bullets. But I sure would like to get an Ruger Alaskan in 480 just for the fun of it. I like variety. But I'm a master of none... perhaps 22 revolvers and my 41 mag comes closest to being a pretty capable shooter. But I am not particularly interested in tactical drills and all that stuff.
Love these bear threads, something about terror I think.
I've seen Blackies in the U.P but they seem to want to get as far away from me as fast as possible. Still one never knows when you might meet a grumpy one. While they don't compare to brown bears I have evolved from carrying a 6" model 629 to a 4" 625 in .45 colt stocked with a 300gr. cast bullet at about 1000fps. I don't shoot a lot of these out of my Smith, just use them for wood's situations. My thinking is big bullet less recoil.
Remember the first shot is single action for accuracy the next five are double action while he's chewing on your head.
I've seen Blackies in the U.P but they seem to want to get as far away from me as fast as possible. Still one never knows when you might meet a grumpy one. While they don't compare to brown bears I have evolved from carrying a 6" model 629 to a 4" 625 in .45 colt stocked with a 300gr. cast bullet at about 1000fps. I don't shoot a lot of these out of my Smith, just use them for wood's situations. My thinking is big bullet less recoil.
Remember the first shot is single action for accuracy the next five are double action while he's chewing on your head.
WildBill45
New member
Black Bears can be very dangerous in Alaska
Do not think this if you are in Alaska! Black Bears kill more people in Alaska than Grizz or Browns! They can be predatory in Alaska... Respect them, seriously...
Do not think this if you are in Alaska! Black Bears kill more people in Alaska than Grizz or Browns! They can be predatory in Alaska... Respect them, seriously...
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22-rimfire
New member
You need to respect all bears. A 100 lb yearly could cause you serious harm if it was intent on attacking you. Give them space. Learn the behavioral signs that they might be aggressive toward you.
I do love bear threads!
Never had any serious problems with bear encounters and for the most part they high tail it when they detect a human. There are exceptions and those are the bears you pay close attention to. Studies have shown that young male black bears are the more prone to aggressive behavior toward humans.
I do love bear threads!
Never had any serious problems with bear encounters and for the most part they high tail it when they detect a human. There are exceptions and those are the bears you pay close attention to. Studies have shown that young male black bears are the more prone to aggressive behavior toward humans.