When we drilled at the nickel mine in Thompson we kept a 12g with slugs in the sea can and in the drill. Always took it to check water lines, saw lots of wolves but never a bear.
Bear rifle. Will 44 mag be enough?
- Thread starter Jdiep
- Start date
When we drilled at the nickel mine in Thompson we kept a 12g with slugs in the sea can and in the drill. Always took it to check water lines, saw lots of wolves but never a bear.
For a long time when I felt the need to grab a gun for bears it was a 12g loaded with slugs, mostly because it was cheap and pretty compact. Eventually I gravitated towards something more compact- a M94 Trapper with hot loaded 45Colt ammo, which was nicer to carry. Now I use a 12.5" barrel 6.5 Grendel with a minimalist collapsing stock, even nicer to carry and more compact. And if I was allowed to carry a Glock that's what I would carry.
The point to all this is that guns that are cumbersome don't get brought along all the time and a 44 Mag lever gun in hand is better than a .458 left in the truck.
This is all supposing you are going to an area and engaging in activities where you don't expect to have problems with bears, which is most of the time for most people. If I was going somewhere/doing something that I expected to run into a grizzly or ornery black bear I would likely take my 375 Ruger....
The point to all this is that guns that are cumbersome don't get brought along all the time and a 44 Mag lever gun in hand is better than a .458 left in the truck.
This is all supposing you are going to an area and engaging in activities where you don't expect to have problems with bears, which is most of the time for most people. If I was going somewhere/doing something that I expected to run into a grizzly or ornery black bear I would likely take my 375 Ruger....
I haven't used a 44 on bear but I've used 12ga slugs and a 4570. I'm a shotgun guy and cast my own hard cast slugs. They certainly break bone and kill black bears. The 4570 with the lowly 405gr rem flat nose soft point at 1600fps does substantially more damage and breaks heavy bone. It is my preference however I do back it up with a 405gr flat nose hardcast from Oregon trail but I have yet to ever need the follow up when using my double rifle. Next bear I'll switch it up and use the hard cast
If using a 44mag carbine I'd use a 240gr or heavier flat nose bullet
If using a 44mag carbine I'd use a 240gr or heavier flat nose bullet
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Some years ago, Alaskan bear guide Phil Shoemaker received an award as a USA sportsman's dinner, for protecting a fishing client from an Alaskan Brown Bear with a small 9mm handgun - I seem to remember he wrote that he had been using hard 147 grain bullets in the 9mm that time - it was not likely his choice for that job, but was what he had on him, then and there. I think his preferable thing is named "Ole Ugly" - an "all for go" Mauser 98 in 458 Win Mag - pictures show that it does not look very "pretty", but that is not what he built it for - I think his description of what he had in mind for it was "all for go, nothing for show".
A link with pictures of the gun that he used, the dead bear and the old guy himself and his client. https://www.americanhunter.org/cont...ishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/
My recollection is getting fuzzy, but I believe that he held that pistol high and shot downwards - to put the bullets into the bear, behind the head. It must have worked.
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A few weeks ago a local set of hunters got into a tussle with a grizzly which put one of the gentlemen in hospital after a helicopter evac. The bear took two rounds of 45-70 before breaking off the attack. First shot was a gut-shot and didn't slow the bear. The second shot was through lung (or lungs?) and that caused the bear to flee. The bear was found dead over a KM away a few hours later after the rescue.
I understand now, like stated above, if the shot doesn't immediately incapacitate the animal, it's not over. I would recommend above all else, whatever firearm you choose to practice with it. Practice quickly drawing and putting shots on target
I understand now, like stated above, if the shot doesn't immediately incapacitate the animal, it's not over. I would recommend above all else, whatever firearm you choose to practice with it. Practice quickly drawing and putting shots on target
I have a rossi ranch hand in 44 mag, and i bought it for a camp gun (black bear and cougar), I was crap shooting it with the short stock.
Much better after adding a full stock, however the front sight needs to be replaced as it shoots over a foot high at 20 yards (decent groupings lol)
Just make sure that whatever you choose is 100% reliable and that you can shoot it accurately.
I have found that my Marlin 44 mag carbine is comparable in effectiveness as my 30/30 out to about 75 maybe 100 yards.
You can get the story from the horse's mouth here:
[video=youtube;UANI6U-SL4o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UANI6U-SL4o[/video]
Are we talking defence or hunting here? Two different things, defence means that bear is coming onto you as fast as 50-60km/hr and usually coming right at you, face on and on all four, showing little body and head’s down, so you better be good on a moving target that move that quick with your gun of choice!!
Reg lead Slugs and lead Buckshot are POOR penatraters ! Never use buckshot unless it’s all you got and the animal is REAL CLOSE !
Slugs need to be QUALITY such as Brenneke ! Hard Heavy CAST bullets from a 444 or 45-70 - 450 are still Better !
I’ve shot lots of different types into large blocks of FIR wood which is tuff as hell to determine my results . All JMO RJ
The 44 mag with a Hard Cast 310 Gr-ers is Pretty Good at CLOSE range for penetration or a BARNES 300 gr Thick jacket BUSTER bullet .
Slugs need to be QUALITY such as Brenneke ! Hard Heavy CAST bullets from a 444 or 45-70 - 450 are still Better !
I’ve shot lots of different types into large blocks of FIR wood which is tuff as hell to determine my results . All JMO RJ
The 44 mag with a Hard Cast 310 Gr-ers is Pretty Good at CLOSE range for penetration or a BARNES 300 gr Thick jacket BUSTER bullet .
We tagged a large Black Bear last year. The boar weighed 387lbs guts out, hide still on. It was shot slightly quartering away at 45yards with a Tikka T3 CTR chambered in .308 The bullet was a 150gr PSP...there was no exit wound. It was a thick Bear but I was surprised there was no pass through.
A .44MAG would make a good close range treestand gun, nothing less than that. A .357MAG would be a poor choice.
A .44MAG would make a good close range treestand gun, nothing less than that. A .357MAG would be a poor choice.
[video=youtube;CEsFuCD3j78]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEsFuCD3j78[/video]
Guy is using a 44 mag while on a tree stand Blk Bear hunt in Mn USA.
I would suggest there are better choices available in a Lever action, but run what you got if that floats ones boat.
Fast fwd to the 15:28 second mark for the shot.
