So now that summer has come around I might actually be leaving my basement sometime. (maybe) I'd like to do some hiking and maybe fishing and since we have 400lb furry killing machines roaming the woods I figure I might as well be prepared for the worst.
Last summer I bought a benelli supernova for my first firearm without really getting educated on what I wanted. Its a 28" barrel with bead sights, a riot for skeet. Thing is from what I've read slugs are your friend as far as bears go and this makes me think a ghost ring sight, and practice, would be vastly superior to bead sights.
As well, the 28" barrel isnt so great for hiking and Im guessing it might slow me down if I had to raise the gun for a quick shot.
Sadly buying a barrel for the benelli is not an option as they are unbelievably pricey. So what would you do?
try and put ghost rings on the benelli and live with the barrel
sell a gun, maybe the bennelli, and get an 870
I'm finding all sorts of red flags in your post. If you go into the bush with the attitude that a bear is a 400 pound killing machine, chances are if you see one at any range you will shoot it, believing you are in grave danger. A bear can't hurt you unless it can touch you. Consider that when you are looking at a bear over your sights 50 yards distant. Shooting him at 50 yards doesn't give him much of a chance. Acquire the books written by Garry Shelton and Stephen Herrero to learn about bear/human conflict, and how to avoid it and if you can't avoid it how to survive it.
Consider purchasing some cracker shells and rubber slugs from Margo Supply, as well as some slugs. Brenneke or Challengers are top choices due to their shape and hardness, but Federals seem to have the most oomph of all the foster slugs I've tried. Shot is unsuitable for bears until they grow feathers, the exception is if you must shoot in a crowded campground and you need to minimize penetration.
As for your gun, a 28" barrel is inappropriate. The Benelli is a high quality reliable high quality firearm, and to trade it off for an 870 seems like a bit of a step backwards, unless you chose to keep it and carry the 870 as your bear gun. The pump introduces the chance that you might short stroke the action under stress if you are used to the autoloader. The danger with the autoloader is that it might not cycle properly if you shoot without having the mass of your body directly behind the gun.
If the cost of a spare barrel is prohibitive, send your gun to a gunsmith with instructions to reduce the barrel length to 22", install a choke tube system, and install a robust set of ghost ring and post sights. If you believe the ghost ring and post will spoil the gun for bird shooting, and it probably will, have him install a bead on a pedestal. Defensive shooting is seldomn a long range gig, and 99% of the time the bead will do fine
IF you've practiced with it.
Get used to shooting without taking the gun down from your shoulder between shots. Practice shooting both stationary and moving targets. Practice reloading.
Practice "shell select" that is selecting a different type of ammo other than what is in the gun. The Benelli action is better for this type of drill than any other. With the gun at your shoulder, trap the shell you want in the chamber, under the fingers of your support hand, in the stock recess at the top of the forearm, pull back the bolt handle with your firing hand ejecting the chambered round, then slide your support hand with the selected shell back until the shell enters the ejection port, slide your support hand back to the fore-end, then release the bolt handle to chamber the shell and reassume a firing grip. As you know the Benelli wont release a round from the magazine to cause a double feed unless the trigger is pulled or the drop lever is activated. Less lethal ammunition doesn't generate enough gas or recoil energy to cycle a semiautomatic action. Cracker shells are corrosive, and beware of partial bore obstructions should one happen to explode in your barrel. The force of the cracker shell explosion will not hurt your gun, but if you follow up with a slug when you have a partial bore obstruction, you'll have a problem.
Learn bear anatomy. In a defensive shooting situation, you aren't hunting, and a chest shot might not (read probably won't) solve the problem or save your life. The targets are the head; behind the eyes and ahead of the ears, the spine, or a large supporting bone, like a hip.
Other things your gun will need includes a sling, and a sidesaddle or butt-cuff for additional or a different type of ammunition. You might only have the ammo that is in or on the gun. If you install a sidesaddle, be aware that over tightening the cross bolts might pinch the receiver making the gun unreliable.
If you do carry less lethal ammunition, practice with it. If a cracker shell explodes on the wrong side of the bear, it might have unintended consequences. A rubber slug that hits a bear in the ribs at close range might not be less lethal, it can kill the bear. Keep the magazine of your shotgun loaded with lethal slugs. If you need a cracker shell or a rubber slug, single load it into the gun to ensure you don't inadvertently kill a bear you intend to scare or scare a bear you intended to kill.
