Bear Defence shotgun questions (bear with me please)......
- Thread starter Dodosmike
- Start date
Reliability is one of the top things on my list. Confidence comes with being comfortable with the gun.
I bear hunt annually. Im confident with a gun, this isn't my first rodeo. My expectations in a defence situation is a dead bear with one or multiple big holes in his skull. Ive always hunted bear from a tree stand, never on the ground, which obviously won't be the case in a defence situation, and Im prepared for that.
My goal in a bear gun is:
short OAL
light built in
peep sight
big ball of lead hurtling out of it
Peep seems to me to be easier to get on target than open sights (all my hunting rifles are scoped), Especially in low light situations
So when Its 3am, a bear is pounding on a 3" thick cedar door, 24' from my son in his bunk crying, what other options do you think I should consider?
There was a recent video on the news of a lady and her pit bull being stalked by a black bear ... she had bear spray but missed the eyes and it had no effect. You can miss the eyes with a 12 gauge and still have an effect ... just saying.
Hey Mike~I saw someone in the EE selling 14" Parkerized 870 barrels for $250. One of these added to an 870 Express might get you mostly there. A surefire forend would address the lighting situation (if 110% reliability is a requirement) but there are cheaper options. Peep sights~I know one of the 12.5" Grizzly has (rather, HAD) ghost ring sights. I still recommend the rifle-sighted 870 more (fast target aquisition too) but for a cheap gun that might get you close to your sighting wishes...maybe? I think a longer sight radius (14"-18") will help your aiming even more, as 12.5" is very short for anything if even a little distance is involved. There are always Grizzlies in the EE.
In term of 870 Express reliability, unless a whole lot of neglect is involved...they're very decent guns. I have one, and occasionally work on a (continually) neglected one belonging to a family member. lol I've yet to swap out the extractor on our 20ga, but it's a fair weather grouse/clays gun. I plan on keeping it forever, so I'll eventually do it. Ours didn't require chamber polishing but I've done that on a few barrels. Super easy, and not a long, drawn-out process either. Treat it decently, it'll return the favor. Like all guns.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Nor to belabor the point, but confidence and competence are not the same thing. The fact that you have big game hunting experience works to your advantage. Another option you might consider is a rifle rather than a shotgun; cartridges in the .375 or .458 class are a good choice.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Them buggers woulda liked me 870 that I used in registered trap shoots for 3 years before going to a longer tube. Yep, everyone has their preferences fer sure.
The fudds at the trap shoots took a fair bit of head scratching to figure out me method, but they came around it quick enough after seeing how well it worked fer
me.
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Just a quick Alt opinion here. I've read a lot of threads about bear defense on shotgun Forums and two things stand out - Bears run very fast and can take a lot of punishment. If a bears p-d at me, I'd want more than a pump and so do a lot of folk on these s-gun forums. With the new 71 issue, I just bought a semi at a LGS for $425 tx-in CDN. I e-researched lots before this buy, both reliability and price. I got the Girsan, which is the main brand of the Zenith on this reliability vid. (BTW these are Benelli clones w-Inertia action and accept many Benelli parts) With a 5+1 or 2 I'd feel more comfy than having to pump each shot with a bear charging at 50 mph. And it will take an extended tube for more shells, for any competition. I feel this 'trumps' ease of carry. (hate to use that word, I suggest we substitute f---s)
http s://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LZKfqg2V04
http s://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LZKfqg2V04
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Also found this older thread - https ://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1364213-Bear-defender-12-gauge - Lots of opinions there too.
Adding this - I already have a pump w-7 + 1 tube, but feel the semi a better option in the woods.
Adding this - I already have a pump w-7 + 1 tube, but feel the semi a better option in the woods.
I just feel like pumps are more reliable, also generally less delicate during wilderness-style travel. But if you have the space, time and knowledge to keep them well maintained and grit free, etc, then sure.
Pump shotguns are tried and true for bear defence situations.
You need to be familiar with your gun, and you need sights because you need to place your shots. Things tend go sideways in a hurry so anything that makes it easier for you to bring the gun into action, is desirable.
This isn't a theoretical test situation. I have seen just about every kind of semi-auto fail on the range, not even under harsh field conditions.
You may like something else and you are welcome to go for it.
You need to be familiar with your gun, and you need sights because you need to place your shots. Things tend go sideways in a hurry so anything that makes it easier for you to bring the gun into action, is desirable.
This isn't a theoretical test situation. I have seen just about every kind of semi-auto fail on the range, not even under harsh field conditions.
You may like something else and you are welcome to go for it.
Pumps are very reliable for people that know how to use them.
I see plenty of new shooters and the #1 jammed gun is a pump action shotgun. The semi auto rifles and handguns are virtually jam free in comparison.
Inexperienced people will pump and load a shell into the chamber, but not slide the action all the way closed. They pull the trigger, nothing happens, so they pump again- loading a second shell right behind the first, and that's it, you have a jam. I have seen this happen literally hundreds of times, and Gary Shelton even mentioned it in his Bear Attacks book IIRC.
Make sure you use your defense gun enough to know it inside and out is the best policy.
I see plenty of new shooters and the #1 jammed gun is a pump action shotgun. The semi auto rifles and handguns are virtually jam free in comparison.
Inexperienced people will pump and load a shell into the chamber, but not slide the action all the way closed. They pull the trigger, nothing happens, so they pump again- loading a second shell right behind the first, and that's it, you have a jam. I have seen this happen literally hundreds of times, and Gary Shelton even mentioned it in his Bear Attacks book IIRC.
Make sure you use your defense gun enough to know it inside and out is the best policy.
The reason I'm (was?) looking at a pump is 100% familiarity, thats it. Less things to go wrong when (if) SHTF.
I've been researching big bore rifles as of late, .35+.
Been looking at them off and on over the last decade or so, but haven't convinced myself I need one. My scoped 30.06 has put enough holes in critters for me for the last few years BUT (big but) now with our seemingly ongoing Bear issue, Im not seeing the scope as something required in the 75yd range. Back to ghost or open sights for that. Found a few nice 45-70's on the EE, but out of my price range right now. Most are in the $700-$1200 range. WAS hoping to get my bear gun kitted out the way I want for $450-$550.
I'll wait for a sale somewhere, or a Marlin rebate program before Id jump on a 45-70.
I've been researching big bore rifles as of late, .35+.
Been looking at them off and on over the last decade or so, but haven't convinced myself I need one. My scoped 30.06 has put enough holes in critters for me for the last few years BUT (big but) now with our seemingly ongoing Bear issue, Im not seeing the scope as something required in the 75yd range. Back to ghost or open sights for that. Found a few nice 45-70's on the EE, but out of my price range right now. Most are in the $700-$1200 range. WAS hoping to get my bear gun kitted out the way I want for $450-$550.
I'll wait for a sale somewhere, or a Marlin rebate program before Id jump on a 45-70.
One of my most recent purchases was a Marlin 1895 in 45-70, and while I doubt anyone would argue that caliber's effectiveness on anything roaming around north America...I would still reach for my Mossberg 500 persuader first. (parkerized) Reasons would include; cost of ammo (lots of practice req. to trust any gun, I'd rather be doing that with 12ga), cost of gun, less care required, I can cycle it faster, I can operated it with gloves better (mine is a JM, Guide gun=small lever), etc. Again, for me it would be a bear protection gun, not a bear hunting gun. Proficiency, and ease of carrying it close/ready matter allot. I hope to never have to use mine for this.
So true. I like to think I'm OK with my pump. I thought I should shoot it as it had been a while since I had shot it since I shoot Clay's with my A300.
2nd loading of birdshot I short stroked it.
Practice, practice, practice.
Thanks for the 45-70 comments..
I didn't like the feel of the pump Moss I had in my hands.
Id buy another barrel for my Win 2200 and cut it off before I'd buy a Moss.
So, at what point would you deploy the pictured gun when you bumped into this guy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrYaOZVAq2c
Camera guy pretty calm. That’s half the battle there.
