What to look for in a bear defense shotgun?

Yup, the 3 inch magnums are a better choice, but I like the impact of the 12 ga slug better. Look at the difference in massive tissue disruption represented by the ballistics gel. Too each his own my friend.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/12gaugeFedTacSlug.html

I believe the 45-70 540 Hammerhead is even better with end to end penetration of coastal grizzlies in AK.

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/4570540tech.html

Can't find a ballistics gel of the Hammerhead, but here is a smaller 45-70 at over 1900 fps which is quite small and slow for many 45-70 loads.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/federal4570.html
 
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again thank you all for the insight...I have yet to see any small(ish) blackies around my neck of the woods but I know they are around. If I were to be in an area where I knew an encounter was likely I would probably have my Weatherby 459R 12 guage pump with 3" Sabot Hollow Point Slugs. Haven't done any real tests with them but judging from the recoil they produce and the cost of 1 shell, I am willing to bet that a well placed shot at center mass in close quarters would do the trick. Bears don't seem to be a really big concern here, but they are around like I said. It also could draw some potentially negative attention walking my dogs with my 2 handguns and a shotgun slung across my chest...not that I care what people think around here
 
Eureka!

After watching a video with a 1,500 pound brown bear playing with a man in a 400 lb. cage where no gun in the world seemed big enough except for the one in the picture below, after seeing the following practcal vignette I've decided we were ALL correct and think it has THE answer that will suit all of our needs reasonably well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fHZbSpmnA4

Happy New year
 

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Actually, WA does have grizzly bear once again:

The first grizzly bear photographed in the North Cascades in about half a century was encountered by hiker Joe Sebille in October. Sebille's photos didn't come to light until spring, when he was visiting with a park ranger at Marblemount, Skagit County.
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015482252_grizzly02m.html

With the growing Idaho grizzly population, I believe WA will be opened to grizzly on the east and west side of the state very soon. Remember that there is a grizzly preserve in Priest lake right near the eastern WA border and you have B.C. to the north both with growing grizzly populations.

When my son comes for a visit next year in Idaho, I will have my .444 and my .44 SRH, he will have my GP100 .357 and a Winchester 94 .44 magnum that can throw 300 gr bullets at 1800 fps, in the 45-70 low end of power. He is a bit more recoil shy than I am, so that is how we will be loaded. He can run a lot faster than I can, so I will have the better guns, but his Winchester should be enough gun in Idaho as long as it is not a huge grizzly, but still with proper shot placement, the .44 magnum in a Winchester is nothing to sneeze at.

I would not go alone with only a .357 or .45 ACP, just not enough if you are in grizzly country. By the way, California is now home to gray wolves as well. Good luck getting a game management program in that state as the population grows in the next decade.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/316931

Wow, can you imagine the northern folks asking the southern CA city dwellers to allow limited hunting to keep the big bad wolf from eating them. LA won't care the least what happens in Shasta. LOL. As it is going, wait to CA has the grizzly back again as well. Only a matter of time, the suckers don't just stay in one place.
 
Today, 02:19 PM #123
Gehrhard
Senior Member

Join Date: July 15, 2009
Location: East of the Missississippippi
Posts: 536
Eureka!
After watching a video with a 1,500 pound brown bear playing with a man in a 400 lb. cage where no gun in the world seemed big enough except for the one in the picture below, after seeing the following practcal vignette I've decided we were ALL correct and think it has THE answer that will suit all of our needs reasonably well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fHZbSpmnA4

Happy New year
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Boyes Got It.jpg (4.9 KB, 2 views)
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Yup, that is about what you really need along with a bazooka for a little extra protection.

Have a good and safe New Years.
 
Gehrhard said:
And 10 hard .36 caliber pellets' KO? What's the value of most hitting your target simultaneously vs. a miss with a slug?
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This is an invalid argument because by definition if you would miss with a slug then best case scenario only half your pellets would hit the target, and odds are only about 35% of the pellets will hit the target. Then on top of that odds are that all of those hits will be flesh wounds.

The real problem with your argument Gehrhard is that it is only valid if the person firing the gun misses. I am sorry, but no option is good if you miss, so it is better to take the option that is 10 times better if you hit than the one that is a little better if you happen to just barely miss.
 
If a bear is runnin' in my general direction at 100 yards, the gun goes to mount and if I still feel a threat I am immediately droppin' the hammer... I hope he is still 80 yards out in case I need another shot.

That distance requires a big heavy gob of lead.

I am a chicken...If he gets within buck shot range, I won't need a gun at all... just step back as he leaps and he will slip and fall in my various waste matter and break his fool neck just like on cartoons!

Brent
 
100 yards may seem like a long distance in between, but in reality, it is only a few seconds away from you at that distance. Take a look at a charging grizzly hugging the tree line for cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3VdxHvQqsk

Black bears that are predatory are noted for slow persistent stalking approaches. In that situation, I know what to do. The grizzly is a scary critter in full charge and I hope to NEVER see it up close and personal even with my trusty woods guns.

But yes, I agree, a big chunk of heavy lead flying towards the critter is good medicine to stop a bear charge.
 
:rolleyes:
I'll use large copper-plated lead pepper-spray at closer range instead of relying on multiple accurate shots at 80 yards or more to stop a charging bear.
 
^^^...and put salt and pepper on my tush so I'll be nice and tasty for Mr Brown Bear...

There, finished it for ya Gehrhard. :D...

...Me thinks your just promoting the vid. you shot that was posted by duelist1954 over on the 'Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting' forum titled 'Totally Politically Incorrect'. That was you in the vid wasn't it???

FWIW,
buckshot for 'teddy' bears , slugs for 'real' bears. :p;)
 
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Well, when we get a 12 ga buckshot that can do what the Garrett Hammerhead does, then we might have something to debate:

"This grizzly was killed in Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Park in the Eagle Nest Mountain Range of Northern British Columbia. He squared over 8 feet and the skull measured 23 13/16'', which is very good size for an interior mountain grizzly bear. When I shot the bear, he had started a charge from about 70 yards away, and by the time I had a sight on him, he was 40 yards. The 540 Hammerhead hit him right between the front legs, and he did a complete front-wards flip after the bullet hit him. That bullet completely penetrated him lengthwise and exited. I made a follow up shot (which was unnecessary, just instinct) after he rolled which angled through the chest, took out a section of spine, and exited the top of his skull (if you look closely at the photo you can see the exit hole in his head). Very impressive bullet performance."

- Tyler Serle, Albuquerque, British Columbia
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http://www.garrettcartridges.com/4570reviews.html
 
From another thread...
"I lived in Alaska for seven years. (1969-76) When it came to bear protection and after using a .44 mag on a large moose, I was totally unimpressed with it. Know they now have much more powerful handguns today.

What I carried when fishing was a over the shoulder slung, 18 1/4" barreled two row 12 loaded with triple ought buck in 3 inch shells. One could carry slugs, but at close range, I wanted to be able to take out all a bears sensory apparatus with one front on shot. To include it's sight, hearing and smell..."

By the way, I defy any American here who isn't in prison to admit they shot and killed a "charging" bear that was 40 yards away where it wasn't in season and they had a stamp...
 
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^^^Proves Nothing^^^

You say you found A post from another thread agreeing with yours thoughts on 000 buck for SD against big bear.

How many hundred posts in those other threads did you skip over 'not agreeing' with this line of thought searching for the ONE that agrees with you....

...by the way, can you post the thread that says that?

Too, you also found ONE article where a guy killed a bear with a 22lr. Why not just carry a 22 for SD against bear.:rolleyes:
 
I am highly doubtful that a jury of my peers would find me guilty if my mouthpiece shows them how far the encounter began, how far away bear was when threat has ceased...

But I challenge you to show me how many have ever been incarcerated (not arrested) for shooting a bear in self defense at or beyond 40 yards.

Brent
 
By the way, I defy any American here who isn't in prison to admit they shot and killed a 'charging' bear that was 40 yards away...
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You can believe one thing, if yours truely is ever out in the tundra and a bear starts charging me from afar and doesn't cease from a distance in which I feel comfortable with, damn the law, I'm gonna try to kill it.

The reason' I ' is darkened is the fact that the judge and jury probably won't be out there in the tundra at the time to help me with the legal aspects of saving my butt. ;)

I'd rather answer question in a court room than get eaten alive by any animal.
 
Biggest bears around our neck of the woods are black bears, Shortwave. I saw one dead on 33 last summer.


I don't know about you but that's as big a bear as I need to be around. Brown bears? Grizzly bears? I'll stay in Ohio, thanks.
 
+1 Willie on black bears around here.

Where abouts on 33 was the dead bear? Didn't hear of that one.

Friend of mine lives on Murphy Rd. off of Pleasant Valley. Murphy dead ends into Lake Logan on the back side of the lake. Anyway, they saw a blacky bent over in a 55gal. trash drum the park keeps on the road at the turn around by the lake. A lot of people go there to fish but mostly young kids drinking. Bear was probably drunk when it left. :D

Too, several sightings and tracks over the years around 'Ole Mans Cave' and Clearcreek Metro Park area's and I've found tracks here on our property last fall just below the house here, but have never seen any bears. Don't really care to.

Did see a momma with two cubs down below Junction City, Ohio in a mowed corn field when I was a kid on a family deer hunting trip though. We were spotlighting at night(used to be legal here as long as you had no weapons in your vehicle).
When we reported this to ODNR the next day, they denied bears were in the area at first but when they found out that four of us saw them and that my two brothers and I were humming ears of corn at them, a ranger finally told us they knew the bears were there but didn't want it publicized for fear of poaching.
 
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It was between 328 and 595 on the side headed toward Nelsonville. Just past the Hocking Valley Concrete plant. It was August when I saw it.

I have heard of tracks being found near Rockbridge but I have never seen them for myself.
 
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