Bear Gun

The fellow who chooses a shotgun for bear work should be aware that shotgun shells corrode much faster with exposure to the elements than do rifle cartridges. Particularly if you are planning the need to carry the gun for a period of time that extends several weeks to a month, you should take enough ammo to ensure that the corroded stuff can be swapped out with fresh as required.
 
There are grizzley bears and then there are grizzley bears.

Which type and area you will be exposed to will determine what firearm you should carry for defense. If you need protection from a grizz that lives on the coast and has access to the large biomass of the salmon a shotgun loaded with anything would be my last choice as a defensive weapon. These bears can be huge powerful and dangerous. Nothing less than a 338 magnum or a 375H&H loaded with Barnes 270gr. A 12 guage shotgun even one loaded with slugs (automatic) can be a marginal stopper. If you are in the interior the bears tend to be a might smaller, although you can bump into some very big ones that require lots of killing, it depends on the gene pool that they come from. I would not be armed with a shotgun here either. In the mountains the grizz tend to be smaller a shotgun may be ok. Now having said that I still would rather carry a 375H&H. Then too it also depends on the circumstances under which you shoot the bear. If you are in a defensive situation the bear knows you are there and he is coming for you. This is the worst situation to be in. A grizz can run 100 yards dead on his feet with his lungs full of blood in about 5 seconds. They can be very, very hard to kill when enraged and adrenalized. All in all my defensive choice would be a 375H&H in a Ruger guide gun, the Alaskan comes to mind. It has a short barrel and comes equipped with open sights. Leave the shotgun back in the truck for ducks and such a 12 guage simply does not have the section density or energy levels necessary for the shocking power and penetration needed for D.G. although I must admit they have been used for protection against grizz and have done so successfully. I think I would rather have a `10 guage if I were limited to a shotgun.
My advise is free and thats about all its worth.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
 
Myself, I would'nt take nothing less than a .338 win mag, or a big bor lever like a .444marlin

I have heard though that the Inuits that hunt Polar bear way up North use a 30-06 at most, and they laugh at us tourists that come up with the big African guns.
 
Griz,cougar,wolf, coyote, feral dog, 12 gauge works for me. consider all potential threats and go with what you are comfortable with. I rarely recommend anything for just one purpose, unless it is African big game; then I recommend a double in .600 Nitro Express Why? you ask.... because they don't make a .700 ;-)
 
If I am hunting coastal bears I want a 338 Winchester (with a great bullet), but prefer a 375 or 416 for close work...Especially if I go alone.

For self defense applications I think you really need to define what it is you are going to be doing. Many of the bear issues I have had over the years were around camp or while fishing and I have settled on a shotgun with slugs (Breneke).
My 870 has one of those surefire lights permanently mounted to it (bears quite often come around camp after dark) and that is as much a reason as any.

Most important thing?

Have a gun...any gun....A 30/30 is plenty of gun so long as it is with you.
 
I have been attacked by a large grizzly(really it was after my dog), & i killed it nicely with my 30-30. The bear was in full blast attack mode & my first shot through its heart was not even noticed, although it would have obviously died while mauling us. My second shot was in its spine, & stopped the attack. I really dont believe that any larger gun would have done better. I usually carry my ultralight ruger in 30-06, but this is more for the scope mounting platform than because of power as i feel the 30-30 is plenty for any game in canada. If it is a dangerous situation, only a brain or spine shot will end it quickly. Any bullet, no matter how powerful, shot through the guts is not going to stop anything right away. Also as a Yukon Ranger I am totally surprised by the comments about the Lee Enfield being unreliable, in 15 years of group shooting the only failures were caused by new shooters not stacking the ammo properly. Brian.
 
some great advice here. the only thing i would add is practice, i've seen guy's fumble
around at the range. you dont have time to fumble in a bear attack. it doesnt matter
what you shoot, if your fumbling around and can not make the shot your done.
iv'e got a 338, 45/70 marlin gs, and a 12g pump, i use depending on the situation.
i you want to see a great vid on practice with a 45/70 guide gun, check out campcooks
youtube demo.
 
There is one problem with when some of the above posters talk about using shotguns for bear defence. 1 the accurcy that you are able to shoot with a shotgun and 2 and more importantly the use of buck shot on a grizzley bear. The accurcy issue is easly solved by having rifle sights fixed on a shotgun. The problem with buckshot is that it does not deliver enough energy to get to the internal organs of a griz. It would be like shooting at a grizz with the energy deliverd by a 9mm pistol.
 
rosebute said:
I have been attacked by a large grizzly(really it was after my dog), & i killed it nicely with my 30-30. The bear was in full blast attack mode & my first shot through its heart was not even noticed, although it would have obviously died while mauling us. My second shot was in its spine, & stopped the attack. I really dont believe that any larger gun would have done better. I usually carry my ultralight ruger in 30-06, but this is more for the scope mounting platform than because of power as i feel the 30-30 is plenty for any game in canada. If it is a dangerous situation, only a brain or spine shot will end it quickly. Any bullet, no matter how powerful, shot through the guts is not going to stop anything right away. Also as a Yukon Ranger I am totally surprised by the comments about the Lee Enfield being unreliable, in 15 years of group shooting the only failures were caused by new shooters not stacking the ammo properly. Brian.
Click to expand...

Great post, Brian. I see it is only your 4th posting, but keep it up. You are the first CGN I have noticed from DC.
Bruce
 
rosebute said:
I have been attacked by a large grizzly(really it was after my dog), & i killed it nicely with my 30-30. The bear was in full blast attack mode & my first shot through its heart was not even noticed, although it would have obviously died while mauling us. My second shot was in its spine, & stopped the attack. I really dont believe that any larger gun would have done better. I usually carry my ultralight ruger in 30-06, but this is more for the scope mounting platform than because of power as i feel the 30-30 is plenty for any game in canada. If it is a dangerous situation, only a brain or spine shot will end it quickly. Any bullet, no matter how powerful, shot through the guts is not going to stop anything right away. Also as a Yukon Ranger I am totally surprised by the comments about the Lee Enfield being unreliable, in 15 years of group shooting the only failures were caused by new shooters not stacking the ammo properly. Brian.
Click to expand...

Brian, your story certainly points out the importance of knowing something about bear antomy and marksmanship, to say nothing of coolness of a shooter under stress.
 
I've pretty much settled on a .45 Colt for bear defense.

I use a 300gr cast bullet with a big flat meplat, purchased from OMA bullets. I load it pretty hot and it comes out of the Mdl 94 Trappers 16" barrel at about 1600 fps.

I used to carry a pump shotgun and of course I've carried lots of hunting rifles that were more than up to the task, but I've decided that I'm much more likely to carry the rifle than shoot it at a bear, so why not go with the closest thing to a handgun I can carry without bothering with ATC permits.

the rifle is so light and handy, you hardly know it's there, and it packs enough whump to make any bear pay attention right away.

There are some areas of BC that I've been that are really thick with grizzlies, and in those cases, I'd take the .375 Ruger.
 
thats all fine and dandy, but what happens when you encounter a bear with a submachine gun riding a shark?

bearwithmachinegunridin.jpg
 
I use The Benelli M1 Super 90 ....it is the bear gun ....go ahead ask the kids ;)

trust me you don't want to be cycling the action on a rifle ..hoping that it works.. no time for that
 
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