Bear and grouse gun??
- Thread starter RidgeHunter
- Start date
Why?
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
I guess bad advice from standpoint of penetration vs. slug. Still, if no time to get slugs in the gun, birdshot is pretty serious medicine at very close range. As kids my buddy and I were interested in whether a 20 gauge with #6 shot would cut down a small tree. Gained quite a lot of respect for power of shot with that little experiment.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2012/9/24/its-the-math-stupid/
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
It could work but at the distance you would have to be for bird shot to act like s slug would be a little too close for comfort. Would also need a fresh pair of underwear as well.
A charge of birdshot would turn a bear's head to mush at close range. You'd have to be cool enough to let it get to within a couple of yards, and you can't afford to miss.
barry1974w
Regular
- Location
- Central B.C.
I normally use a 20 gauge with modified choke for grouse. If they’re sitting or in a tree I normally just hold a bit high and the bottom edge of the pattern takes them in the head. I have better luck on the flying birds with modified also. When I do hit a flying one with full choke it’s normally shot to hell.
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
I prefer hunt in my running shoes, gives me that extra edge while running away screaming like a little girl
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Exactly my point, he’s telling someone to use birdshot to shoot a bear when it would only be effective at very close range if it actually works. I’d not want to be in the position to test that in real life when there are way better options out there that will penetrate skull or bone and do the job at a safer distance. I’d love to see a penetration test done with birdshot vs slugs and say ballistics gel or something that would be comparable to large game like a bear, I’d venture to say th slug would out perform the birdshot at any distance. Why advise anyone to use the worse choice of ammo available, if it’s all you have so be it but don’t say “#### i got 7.5’s I’m good to go, dude on CGN said it was plenty”...
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Here we are talking about if you are out bird hunting and find yourself charged by a bear. If you are actively hunting bear then shot must be #1 (SG) or greater from 20 ga. or greater.
I have only ever killed grouse with an SKS, at less than 50m Head/neck shots. A little lower and they'd blow up.
Sneaky little buggers hide anytime i'm out at the camp with a shotgun....
I go with a Modified choke and some 7.5 12ga ammo. I think that would be best for similar ranges out to about 30m. Still the SKS works too lol
Sneaky little buggers hide anytime i'm out at the camp with a shotgun....
I go with a Modified choke and some 7.5 12ga ammo. I think that would be best for similar ranges out to about 30m. Still the SKS works too lol
Ok, so here is the scenario .... lets imagine .... a hypothetical scenario .....
You are walking alone in the forest hunting grouse .... and you have a single shot shotgun or maybe a double with you ... and of course you have bird shot loaded .... hey, you are hunting grouse ... right? And the prepared hunter that you are ... you have some heavy duty slugs in your pocket somewhere in case that you should meet a bear. And because you have taken slugs along you left the bear spray at home ...
It is the most beautiful fall day .... you enjoy the fresh air ... the sun is warming you skin .... and then suddenly you hear a cracking branch behind you .... and you turn around ... and there is a black bear charging you at full speed and around 15 meters out. What do you do now? You probably have 2 -3 seconds till that bear is on top of you .... not more.
a.) Sh** in your pants and pray;
b.) Try to get that slug loaded into your gun;
c.) Shoot a warning shot into the air;
d.) Ditch the gun and pull out your knife and tomahawk (oh yes, I always carry one);
e.) Shoot the bear with bird shot at 10 - 15 meters;
f.) Drop to the ground and play dead, hoping the bear will leave once it is convinced that you are not a threat any more;
g.) Run for the next tree and try to climb it;
h.) Wait the 2 -3 seconds till your muzzle can touch his chest or head and then pull the trigger (with bird shot);
And lets assume there are no other options ..... you only have a.) to h.) .... which one do you choose and why?
You are walking alone in the forest hunting grouse .... and you have a single shot shotgun or maybe a double with you ... and of course you have bird shot loaded .... hey, you are hunting grouse ... right? And the prepared hunter that you are ... you have some heavy duty slugs in your pocket somewhere in case that you should meet a bear. And because you have taken slugs along you left the bear spray at home ...
It is the most beautiful fall day .... you enjoy the fresh air ... the sun is warming you skin .... and then suddenly you hear a cracking branch behind you .... and you turn around ... and there is a black bear charging you at full speed and around 15 meters out. What do you do now? You probably have 2 -3 seconds till that bear is on top of you .... not more.
a.) Sh** in your pants and pray;
b.) Try to get that slug loaded into your gun;
c.) Shoot a warning shot into the air;
d.) Ditch the gun and pull out your knife and tomahawk (oh yes, I always carry one);
e.) Shoot the bear with bird shot at 10 - 15 meters;
f.) Drop to the ground and play dead, hoping the bear will leave once it is convinced that you are not a threat any more;
g.) Run for the next tree and try to climb it;
h.) Wait the 2 -3 seconds till your muzzle can touch his chest or head and then pull the trigger (with bird shot);
And lets assume there are no other options ..... you only have a.) to h.) .... which one do you choose and why?
hahahaha, wow this went off the rails quickly.
Thank you to everyone for your replies. The gun is primarily a bear defence gun so will be loaded with slugs. I'm sure bird shot can do some damage in the right circumstance, but out here in Grizz country I'll be keeping slugs in the gun, thank you very much.
The combos are a nice idea but as a defence gun I want multiple slugs, hence a pump action.
But should the option pop up it would be nice to finger load in a bird shot round and pop a grouse. I had read that a slug through a full choke could wreck a gun so I'm glad that's not the case. As others have wisely posted I'll pattern a few different bird rounds and poa/poi some slugs with various chokes to see what gets the best results.
Thanks everyone.
Thank you to everyone for your replies. The gun is primarily a bear defence gun so will be loaded with slugs. I'm sure bird shot can do some damage in the right circumstance, but out here in Grizz country I'll be keeping slugs in the gun, thank you very much.
The combos are a nice idea but as a defence gun I want multiple slugs, hence a pump action.
But should the option pop up it would be nice to finger load in a bird shot round and pop a grouse. I had read that a slug through a full choke could wreck a gun so I'm glad that's not the case. As others have wisely posted I'll pattern a few different bird rounds and poa/poi some slugs with various chokes to see what gets the best results.
Thanks everyone.
RidgeHunter, what did you expect .... "bears" and the fear of bears is an emotional topic .... there is nothing rational about it ....
Aren't you curious as to what option people would choose?
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Can’t deny that it does some damage, my question to you would then be. Knowing how close it has to be to get those results, would you trust it to drop a bear dead on the spot? If a bear is feet away from you and attacking and it doesn’t kill it instantly you’re getting mauled or crushed no matter what, I’ll take the slug every time. I’m in bear country, grizzly and blacks and I wouldn’t leave it to birdshot and a couple feet to try and stop one. Telling someone to use birdshot as a bear load it just irresponsible, regardless of how it works when there’s better options.
