Bear Protection Shotgun

Old Goat 1980 Rem 870 Wingmaster 12 Ga with 18.5 CYL barrel. Installed a Decelerator Recoil Pad and Leupold DPP red dot. Only use Breneke Original Magnum Slugs. 4+1 with Wolff Extra Power magazine spring and NDZ Red Aluminum follower and Magazine light.
This shotgun is always in camp while fishing / hunting and camping. My Main Bear Defense Weapon along with Electric Fence at camp note Bear Fence comes with 4 poles.

FYI I ordered 4 more additional poles to increase my footprint around camp .
Seems like a really common sense set up.
 
If I was going to get a shotgun to carry for bear defense these days it would be this one. I would attach a light and a red dot to it.


mossberg-590a1-compact-class-iii-12ga-2-3-4-or-3-14-barrel-6-shot-2__40450.1775578871.jpg
Here that would require Special permit as barrel is short ! But a nice shotgun !
 
Great post, sweet shotgun. That'll do nicely, I think. Nice trail cam photo too, big bear.

My go to bear protection gun (for camping, fishing and general woods walks. Not my bear hunting rifle) is my custom 14" Remington 870 loaded with Brenneke slugs and my other grab n go is my Sako 85 Kodiak in .375H&H loaded with 300gr Nosler Partitions or Hornady DGX.
 

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If I was going to get a shotgun to carry for bear defense these days it would be this one. I would attach a light and a red dot to it.


mossberg-590a1-compact-class-iii-12ga-2-3-4-or-3-14-barrel-6-shot-2__40450.1775578871.jpg
Here that would require Special permit as barrel is short ! But a nice shotgun
Here 18.5 is the limit if you cut a long barrel down but factory barrels can be any length even 9 inches or less if you choose.
  • theNational Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. Chapter 53).Possessing or making an SBR withoutregistering it and paying the tax stamp is afelony.
  • Shotgun barrels: A shotgun with a barrelshorter than 18 inches, or an overall lengthunder 26 inches, is a short-barreled shotgunand is regulated under the NFA similarly
 
Here that would require Special permit as barrel is short ! But a nice shotgun

  • theNational Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. Chapter 53).Possessing or making an SBR withoutregistering it and paying the tax stamp is afelony.
  • Shotgun barrels: A shotgun with a barrelshorter than 18 inches, or an overall lengthunder 26 inches, is a short-barreled shotgunand is regulated under the NFA similarly
So you would be in trouble if you had one of these then.

https://firearmsoutletcanada.com/altobelli-coach-12ga-2-3-4-or-3-9-8-barrel-coach/
 
Great post, sweet shotgun. That'll do nicely, I think. Nice trail cam photo too, big bear.

My go to bear protection gun (for camping, fishing and general woods walks. Not my bear hunting rifle) is my custom 14" Remington 870 loaded with Brenneke slugs and my other grab n go is my Sako 85 Kodiak in .375H&H loaded with 300gr Nosler Partitions or Hornady DGX.
Had a Sako Carbine full stock years ago Finnbear in 375 HH wonderful soft shooting round surprisingly.
 
Old Goat 1980 Rem 870 Wingmaster 12 Ga with 18.5 CYL barrel no MIM - Metal Injection Molding parts. Installed a Decelerator Recoil Pad and Leupold DPP red dot. Only use Breneke Original Magnum Slugs. 4+1 with Wolff Extra Power magazine spring and NDZ Red Aluminum follower and Magazine light.
This shotgun is always in camp while fishing / hunting and camping. My Main Bear Defense Weapon along with Electric Fence at camp note Bear Fence comes with 4 poles.

FYI I ordered 4 more additional poles to increase my footprint around camp .
Not able to find Breneke slugs for a bit.
 
Drilled 2 holes and used the Leupold mount and installed the DPP.
How many threads would you estimate are engaged in the receiver?

I have been fence sitting on mounting an optic on my old Wingmaster, the receiver is so thin, I can't imagine 2 or 3 threads of even the finest pitch would engage.
 
Here that would require Special permit as barrel is short ! But a nice shotgun

  • theNational Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. Chapter 53).Possessing or making an SBR withoutregistering it and paying the tax stamp is afelony.
  • Shotgun barrels: A shotgun with a barrelshorter than 18 inches, or an overall lengthunder 26 inches, is a short-barreled shotgunand is regulated under the NFA similarly


In Canada it's just a shotgun, no different than a 20" barrel 590. Every now and then we have a better gun law than you guys. :)
 
This is what I always carry when I visit my friends in Chisana Alaska. It's a S&W 625 in 44 mag.

But I really do like the weight and size of his S&W 642 but a 1.75" barrel in 38, might be a big small for bears
though.

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My 3 handguns for Alaska
Ruger Red Hawk 44 Mag 4.2” ( 1998-2008)
Glock 20 in 10mm (2009-2022)
Glock 21 in (setup for 45 Super) Favorite ( 2023 to present)
 

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How many threads would you estimate are engaged in the receiver?

I have been fence sitting on mounting an optic on my old Wingmaster, the receiver is so thin, I can't imagine 2 or 3 threads of even the finest pitch would engage.
No Rem 870 steel receiver is plentiy thick for optic base . The Leupold mount comes with heavy 6/48 screws for Rem 870 I applied Red Loc Tite as I plan to never take the base off .
 
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Not able to find Breneke slugs for a bit.
Try Federal truball deep penetrators for lower recoil but good penetration. Actual weight is almost 500 grains and they're made of a hard alloy so don't deform much. Or better yet, Challenger magnum 2 3/4" slugs. Same weight and they are the Best penetrators of any slug I've used including Brennekes. 1,450 fps out of a 15" barrel.
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