Do they make more than one type of slug? If so which one is the tough one?
Challenger magnum rifled slugs? Is that the one?
12 Ga Bear Defence Ammo
- Thread starter cheach
- Start date
Do they make more than one type of slug? If so which one is the tough one?
Challenger magnum rifled slugs? Is that the one?
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
If you shoot a bear at 50 yards, its not self defense, although its possible that you might have to protect someone else who is some distance from you. Since you live in a province where both grizzlies and black bears are encountered, I'd opt for Brennekes, with Challengers as an alternative. Its tough to find an effective 12 ga load that doesn't bang and kick; if the gun doesn't boom and buck, its because it lacks the power to be effective. Recoil can be manged through perseverance and practice. Make sure the gun fits you and is equipped with a good recoil pad, use a good shooting technique that reduces felt recoil, and gives you better control over the gun, and ear wear hearing protection. Muzzle blast results in more flinching than the bump on the shoulder.
Buckshot IMHO fills a specific niche. If you have to shoot in a campground or a town, those 50 gr pellets are less likely to have enough retained velocity to cause a serious injury if they exit, than a slug that weighs an ounce or more. In a populated area, you should not shoot unless you are assured the pattern will stay entirely on the target, which to me suggests 5 yards or less.
Its unlikely that handloading is right for you if your interest in shooting is limited to bear defense, but it is critical to practice snap shooting, shooting at moving targets, conduct shell select drills, and practice loading and unloading without fumbling the ammo and without looking at the gun. Be sure you understand the limitations of the gun's accuracy and your own marksmanship. If you intend to carry buckshot, pattern it in your gun so you know how big the pattern from 5 to 25 yards in 5 yard increments. The rule of thumb is that the pattern expands 1" for each yard of range, but no two barrels and no two brands of ammo produce the same results.
My standard advise in these threads is for the poster to read the books on bear attacks by James Garry Shelton, he has 3, and Stephen Herrero, who has one. The information in these books is invaluable, but the other bear attack books out there I'd vie skeptically; either they are written to sensationalize bear attacks, or they provide questionable information and dangerous advise. Learn bear anatomy, in a defense shooting scenario, a chest shot is often the wrong one to make; it might well kill the bear that kills you.
With respect to cracker shells, be aware of their shortcomings. They can start fires in dry conditions. If the cracker explodes behind the bear, you'll drive him towards you; when in doubt, put high up in the air. Cracker shells are corrosive. Cracker shells can leave partial bore obstructions, so make every attempt to check the bore before firing a lethal round, for this reason I prefer to have a scare gun and a kill gun, and I never load less lethal rounds in my own shotgun. A scare pistol serves the same purpose, and scare cartridges fired from these things are effective.
Well, my original post was 50 yards not 50m. I further went on to state that as a maximum kill distance. It was a guess at maximum range of bear clearly coming at you. I haven't been faced with it in real life so not sure whst more you want. Like the thread stated, this is defense, not an exscuse to kill.
While I agree with using Brennekes if you can find them, with Challengers as a second choice, keep in mind that bears aren't the only furry critter that will chew on you for a snack. Slugs in the gun and buckshot available in case you run into a cougar.
The federal deep penetrators outperform the challengers with everything I have shot (wood, cinder blocks, all sorts of junk). I buy them all when I find them. The challengers have also gone way up in price. Last I saw was over $2 each, compared to about .90c last time I purchased.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Be that as it may, it would be a good idea to go bear hunting before engaging in bear defense so that if you must shoot, you'll know what to expect when you press the trigger. Killing your first big game animal in a defensive scenario puts you at a disadvantage. If your idea is to pull the trigger, then lower the gun to see hat happens next, you could be in for an nasty surprise. Shoot and handle the gun so that you are both confident and competent before going afield. Confidence is a powerful tool which enables us to make good decisions.
Shooting at a target that is approaching rapidly is a difficult problem to solve, but you could try a drill like this to get the idea . . .
click on the thumbnail
I remember a few year back when some of the sponsors here were working on getting Brenekke's but there still seems to be no reliable source for any quality Bear slugs.
There seems to be a market in Canada but no reliable supply.
Speaking of Reliable supply..... looks like Reliable has some.
There seems to be a market in Canada but no reliable supply.
Speaking of Reliable supply..... looks like Reliable has some.
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Just like my home defense/live stock protection(country). I load 00Buck 1ounce slug back and forth. Buckshot it great for a quick pull, if it doesn't go down its defenitly close enough for a slug. If for some reason you need a first Percice shot, you probably have time to either combat load or just eject the buck and take the slug shot.
Just my penny couldn't find 2.
Just my penny couldn't find 2.
Hmmm...didn't think I was questioning anyone. Any further comments I have made has been to further knowledge and understanding. No disrespect coming from this end my friend.
Good drill! Safe and gets the job done! Weekend activity found!
Be that as it may, it would be a good idea to go bear hunting before engaging in bear defense so that if you must shoot, you'll know what to expect when you press the trigger. Killing your first big game animal in a defensive scenario puts you at a disadvantage. If your idea is to pull the trigger, then lower the gun to see hat happens next, you could be in for an nasty surprise. Shoot and handle the gun so that you are both confident and competent before going afield. Confidence is a powerful tool which enables us to make good decisions.
Shooting at a target that is approaching rapidly is a difficult problem to solve, but you could try a drill like this to get the idea . . .
click on the thumbnail
I stocked up on Brennekes last year and from lawryshootingsports.com
They still have these Brennekes in stock for $6.50 the box of 5.
These are the Rio Royal Brenneke Slugs ... they use the original Brennekes.
http://www.lawryshootingsports.com/page/rio-slugs
These are the ones Brobee223 tested in his video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtyPqHyhgJo
They still have these Brennekes in stock for $6.50 the box of 5.
These are the Rio Royal Brenneke Slugs ... they use the original Brennekes.
http://www.lawryshootingsports.com/page/rio-slugs
These are the ones Brobee223 tested in his video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtyPqHyhgJo
Be that as it may, it would be a good idea to go bear hunting before engaging in bear defense so that if you must shoot, you'll know what to expect when you press the trigger. Killing your first big game animal in a defensive scenario puts you at a disadvantage. If your idea is to pull the trigger, then lower the gun to see hat happens next, you could be in for an nasty surprise. Shoot and handle the gun so that you are both confident and competent before going afield. Confidence is a powerful tool which enables us to make good decisions.
Shooting at a target that is approaching rapidly is a difficult problem to solve, but you could try a drill like this to get the idea . . .
click on the thumbnail
That thumbnail video certainly puts things in perspective. Brenneke or no Brenneke im gonna stay out of grizz country lol.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Don't worry, the hammer fell on an empty chamber well before I started to follow through on the turn.
That's a pretty challenging and erratic target Boomer. It shows the need for quick sight acquisition as well as the benefit of quick follow ups when you miss.
Did you hit the bucket?
Probably more important then hits with this exercise is the training of running your gun under stress. Bears while unpredictable, are more predictable then that bucket....
Did you hit the bucket?
Probably more important then hits with this exercise is the training of running your gun under stress. Bears while unpredictable, are more predictable then that bucket....
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
That's a pretty challenging and erratic target Boomer. It shows the need for quick sight acquisition as well as the benefit of quick follow ups when you miss.
Did you hit the bucket?
Probably more important then hits with this exercise is the training of running your gun under stress. Bears while unpredictable, are more predictable then that bucket....
Not on that run, but sometimes I get a couple. The .375 Ultra takes a bit longer to recover from recoil, so the shooting isn't quite as fast as with something like a .30/06, but it is a bit faster than the .458. The trick is predicting where the bucket will be, and its erratic trajectory does make the game challenging. When an animal is rapidly approaching, the idea is to wait until he's close enough that his body motion doesn't take him out of your sight picture when the rifle is held motionless. But if he steps into a hole, or an unseen ditch at 8 yards, your careful planning takes a hit, then it becomes a matter of, "Can you run the gun fast enough?" and that's the benefit of the drill.
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