camping and bear defense shotgun

Gunslingr said:
^ Ye... if the revolver your carrying is a 500 smithnwesson.
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While ATC guns are a slightly different topic, exceedingly powerful handguns are more of a disadvantage than an asset. The greater the recoil the longer it takes to get back on target, where a 9mm would have 10 rounds into the target before the .500 shooter fired a pair. Since the handgun is a last ditch weapon, it is only fired if contact is imminent, you certainly wouldn't shoot beyond 30' because the bear hasn't committed to any particular action until the 30 foot barrier has been broken, and since your life depends on the placement of the bullet with surgical precision, shooting early is a mistake.
 
I do forage crop damage claims in bear and cat country and carry a shotgun when I'm walking the more remote fields some distance from my truck. I use an M870 Rem with a standard length mag and plug removed and a 20 in barrel with rifle sights. I load with slugs and carry some extras in my pocket. I carry the gun slung as I have my hands full with a forage stick, clipboard, GPS, etc. I see bears every season and have yet to have a confrontation, but it is comforting to have something along when you are off by your lonesome.

Blackies are curious boogers and I've had them climb up a tree to investigate while I was sitting in a tree stand hunting them(no worries because I had a 5/8" piece of plywood between them and me). One time I had one keep coming up the tree to a point where I spat my chewing gum in his face and that sent him scooting down the tree like a freight train. A wad of Juicy Fruit might just be the ultimate bear defence round.;)
 
I've been around bears and have lived in bear country most of my life, except for the years that I drove a truck for a living, and I've killed some bears. For a number of years I carried a gun for more than 200 days a year for bear protection, but I have never found it necessary to kill a bear in self defense, although its been a close thing a few times. I've had hundreds of bear encounters, and over the years have posted photos of a few of them on CGN, but only a handful of those encounters have been dangerous, though many have been exhilerating. The point I'm trying to make is that simply seeing a bear is not a reason to shoot it. A bear at 50 yards is no threat to you, neither is one at 25, although you have to be alert and ready for what happens next. Use your head and don't provoke a confrontation that is unnecessary.
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Good post, if only this was the final word on bear defence.
 
Boomer said:
While ATC guns are a slightly different topic, exceedingly powerful handguns are more of a disadvantage than an asset. The greater the recoil the longer it takes to get back on target, where a 9mm would have 10 rounds into the target before the .500 shooter fired a pair. Since the handgun is a last ditch weapon, it is only fired if contact is imminent, you certainly wouldn't shoot beyond 30' because the bear hasn't committed to any particular action until the 30 foot barrier has been broken, and since your life depends on the placement of the bullet with surgical precision, shooting early is a mistake.
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I'm well aware Boomer, in fact I would never recommend a 500S&W for anything other than an expensive show piece after having shot it a number of times. Useless revolver and cartridge combination IMO. In fact i'd never recommend any of the heavy kicking pistol calibers for people unless they have considerable practice with them. Your absolutely correct that unless one was very well versed with the pistol and even then, they would be far better off with a 9mm than a 500 not only for speed of follow up shots but also more accurate target acquisition on those follow up shots.

I was merely pointing out to Maxmag that his claim of a short loaded shotgun being the same weight as a revolver is a fantasy, unless we're talking about a long barrelled S&W500 or similarly overbuilt magnum revolver. And even then the shotgun would still be considerably heavier.
 
Gunslingr said:
I'm well aware Boomer, in fact I would never recommend a 500S&W for anything other than an expensive show piece after having shot it a number of times. Useless revolver and cartridge combination IMO. In fact i'd never recommend any of the heavy kicking pistol calibers for people unless they have considerable practice with them. Your absolutely correct that unless one was very well versed with the pistol and even then, they would be far better off with a 9mm than a 500 not only for speed of follow up shots but also more accurate target acquisition on those follow up shots.

I was merely pointing out to Maxmag that his claim of a short loaded shotgun being the same weight as a revolver is a fantasy, unless we're talking about a long barrelled S&W500 or similarly overbuilt magnum revolver. And even then the shotgun would still be considerably heavier.
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Gotcha. If a shotgun was reduced to 3 pounds or so, it would be so difficult to manage that it would serve little purpose anyway.
 
migrant hunter said:
I wouldn't even consider a single shot (a lot of attacks/encounters have been ended by putting a round into the ground)...
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I agree. I was once chased by a bull while returning across a field from my rifle range (neighbor's bull, my field!) I stopped him 15 feet away with a shot in the ground from my 308 military rifle (actually an Australian L1A1). I need hardly say it, but I don't advocate the L1A1 as a camping defence gun!
Cheers,
Roger
 
It might be economical to carry a few blanks, in case you only need to scare a bear.

Probably a bad idea to load one last so it's chambered first, just in case a bear charges.
 
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