Actual experience shooting a large bear with 12ga slugs? Penetration?

[emerson]

Who has shot a large bear with 12ga slugs? What type of slug and what was the penetration when hitting the shoulder? Only actual eye witness reports please.

Slugs are said to be wonderful large bear killers, but I've only heard 1 person speak of actually using them.

 

[jonny45]

A friend of mine shot a black bear with a ballistic research industries slug in 12 gauge they were commonly called BRI sabot. I can't recall the weight of the slug for certain but it was around 450 gr. and I believe the diameter of the slug itself was about 50 caliber, another thing was the slug was not lead it was something else that was much harder.
We were hunting over bait during the spring hunt, anyhow, We were in the treestand and this big ol bruin come walking in snapping and popping his jaws and its worth noting that he was a big bear probably in the two hundred fifty pound range which is a really nice size bear for the area that we live in. So the bear was coming in on a bit of an angle and facing us, the slug went in on a slightly downward angle about 3/4 up the shoulder blade and went all the way through punching out just before the hind quarter on the off side, on the way through the slug smashed the shoulder blade and a couple of ribs, made a bloody mess in the chest cavity and dragged a bit of the guts out the exist hole, It was quite impressive to say the least however the bear did not fall over and die right there, it took off running full speed ahead. We found it dead about 150 maybe 200 feet from we're we shot it.

 

[mike Crawford]

I have shot bears with slugs .. I run dogs fro bear , and a 12 gauge is a very popular choice for this task .. If a bear is treed any 12 gauge slug or just about any center fire rifle will kill them for sure .. If the bear is on the ground and the dogs have it bayed up ... a 12 gauge slug will get the job done without the risk on killing a dog on the other side of the bear .. I prefer the 1 ounce slugs over the sabot slugs for this reason .. A 1 once slug is 72 caliber and the sabots are 50 caliber and weigh around 450 grains .
For the most part bears shot over dogs or treed by dogs are shot at close range and most times a head shot is preferred..
Over bait would also be close range .. But people tend to go for shoulder shots over bait .. I know they die with head shots and a ounce slug ....
On a side note . A 12 gauge loaded with slugs is a very popular choice with guides for grizzly bear protection

 

[brybenn]

I put 2 600 gr brenneke gold 3" mag slugs thru a boar in the 350 / 400 lb class. It was late September. Both slugs plowed thru. First shot quartering to me I hit him on the inside shoulder and he dropped. A few seconds later he cried a really Erie cry then got up and ran faster then any animal I've ever seen. The second slug hit behind the shoulder but back a Lil further. Still in ribs though. Blood spray and chunks of fat and hair were left on the sand. No blood trail. Unfortunately that bear was never recovered in 6 hours of searching by 3 guys. First shot at 91 yards the second was around 75 yards and I easily saw the slug contact the rib cage.
Even though I lost the bear I still think brenneke style slugs are the best. They are the most accurate and hard hitting in my slug guns. The true ball slug would be second choice

However I'd like to take a bear with my home cast 7/8 oz hardened cast slugs. Mv and honest 1900fps