Father-In-Law Called He Wants a Bear Defense Gun ???

Camp Cook

Camp Cook

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This is such good humour here we are in the middle of all these bear defense threads when my father-in-law who has been sort of anti-gun most of his life and hasn't shot much called me last night, he is retiring in the next year or 2 and wants to start hiking/camping/prospecting like he used too do before he had 3 daughters.

After hearing my bear encounter stories and seeing a few black/grizzly bear rugs at my place over the last 8 or so years that I've known him and all of my comments on carrying firearms for defense he wants to be prepared for the worst.

He's a big guy 6'6" tall and weighs in at appr 280lbs but due to not shooting guns very much in his life I am kind of stumped on what rifle type/action/recoil levels to recommended.

This will be a dedicated defense gun and he has no interest in hunting with it so it must have iron sights because he will probably never mount a scope.

Right away I started thinking 45-70 Marlin 1895 and I would supply him the bullets at whatever recoil level he can handle but then I started thinking can he use a lever or should he get a short barreled 12 gauge and he can buy his own slugs, yes I'd share which slugs are best for defense but then I started thinking do I recommend a bolt rifle that has more recoil than he is comfortable with but I could also reload these for him.

I mean this is my father-in-law and I do not want anything to happen too him... :p

He has a Rem 597 22LR that he shoots the marauding hordes of gophers that sneak onto his property each year with so is familiar in the use of semi's.

He did ask if there was a semi auto rifle that I would recommend that way he only needs to squeeze the trigger instead of having to work the action each time I told him I don't know of one I would trust my life with.

Here is the last thing I also thought a good bolt rifle in 375H&H or that new cartridge that the spewing never stops about but I'm thinking the recoil maybe a bit of a turn off for him and he will not practice enough with it.

So there you have the run down could you guys start recommending long guns/loads that I can suggest he look at...

He also due to hearing my comments of switching over to stainless steel would prefer s/s.
 
Well Cam, from reading your post I believe you mentioned the gun already. A stainless Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in 45-70.

My dad is retired and does a bit of guiding and loves hunting. I put him on one of the Guide Guns a couple years ago. I hand load for him and he really likes a lighter cast 405gr load. He takes that gun everywhere (well almost) and he even shot a 40" bull moose with that "target/practice load" (one shot by the way).

I gave him some really hot 'defense' loads (350gr jacketed flat nose Hornady's) to use for bears, but he never takes them because the recoil is too heavy.

Just some feedback about another 'retired' guy that spends a lot of time in the bush.

Good luck and it's always good to keep the father-in-law happy.;)


James
 
I wouldn't choose a double barreled shotgun for shooting slugs. Few of them are regulated well enough to shoot both barrels close to the same point of impact. A pump action would be a better choice.
 
Double barrel 10 gauge pistol grip shottie, 16.5 inch barrel, (tied) dual triggers 3.5 inch mag custom loads max dram w/ hardest heaviest slugs he can find.

Since everything happens in a blink of eye he's only get one shot off anyways, up close and personal at 10 yards this combo should hit him so hard it wakes his ancestors.

Better not be limp wristed 1500 grains of bone shattering hard cast alloy launched within a nanosecond of each other will probably break it. Ouch!
 
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We don't have many bears in these parts.......but given what you are describing a 12 ga SXS coach gun would be good or a pump gun w/ short barrel 20" might be better? Short, light, quick & big boom......:).
 
Once he retires I'll look at getting him into an ATC (I've had one for the last 7 years) but for now he needs a long gun...

Is there a short barreled hammerless SXS shotgun with ejectors out there.
 
The gun should be handy and light so that he's not inclined to leave it in the pick-up. He's not a shooter, and despite being a big guy might be upset by blast and recoil, the chambering should be on the mild side. The action should be simple to operate, even when he's rattled. A double gun, shotgun or rifle, has its advantages and its drawbacks. But bulk and weight are serious drawbacks when he's rock hounding in difficult country. Any manual action can be short stroked. I think I would look at a smallish auto shotgun for him. The action soaks up recoil. The blast isn't as harsh as would be the case with a short-barreled rifle. He won't short stroke the action. And he won't have any difficulty finding ammo, or have to reload to ensure that the ammo is suitable for the job.

Frankly I think his best option is to take you along.
 
I like the Marlins myself. My dad has always had some sort of lever gun around our camps when hunting or camping. Myself I have a Marlin Guide gun in 450 Marlin for bear hunting/deterrence. Having a Marlin in 30/30 helps too because you can do allot of shooting/practice with the 30/30 and it definitely helps keep you proficient with the Guide Gun...
 
Camp Cook said:
Once he retires I'll look at getting him into an ATC (I've had one for the last 7 years) but for now he needs a long gun...

Is there a short barreled hammerless SXS shotgun with ejectors out there.
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Baikal makes a few, as does Stoeger.

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Gun_C/EAA%2FBaikal+IZH-43

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/stoeger_coach_gun_supreme.php

I have a Baikal SxS coach with working hammers and 20" cylinder/cylinder barrels. There are also hammerless models.
So I've got the GG and a coach gun that could fill the bill.
 
I'm no expert here and have never been in a do or die position animal / other. Personally I would choose a OU shotgun / combo.(rifle over 12 gau.) with ejectors. I surmise that most predator attacks are "sneak attacks" where in most cases the distance can be measured in a few feet so a short handy uncomplicated system would be almost a necessity for survival. Take all the un-necessary steps out of the equation with a double all is necesary is undo the safety and fire (twice), chances are you will be lucky to even have that oportunity. That's why PHs, where dangerous is the norm, usually have / prefer a double rifle. FWIW - JMHO - TEHO --- John303.
 
Mdl 94 Trapper in 45 COlt or 44 Magnum. Replace stock sights with some XS sights and maybe put a recoil pad on it. SHort 16" barrel makes it really handy to pack around, and the recoil isn't fierce.

Probably better to have a gun that doesnt' recoil much and you can make cheap practice ammo, so he will practice more. I don't knwo anyone that doesn't have fun plinking wiht these rifles, so more trigger time for him.
 
It sounds like he probably won't do a whole lot of practicing either so it'd be best to keep it simple. Maybe something like a H&R/NEF Handi-Rifle. A break action is foolproof, nearly indestructible and can be had in 30-06, or 45/70.

Chances are if he'll only get one good shot then might as well make it as reliable and simple as possible. Synthetic or wood, blued or stainless with or w/o irons but also drilled & tapped either way.
 
723723 said:
Double barrel 10 gauge pistol grip shottie, 16.5 inch barrel, (tied) dual triggers 3.5 inch mag custom loads max dram w/ hardest heaviest slugs he can find.

Since everything happens in a blink of eye he's only get one shot off anyways, up close and personal at 10 yards this combo should hit him so hard it wakes his ancestors.

Better not be limp wristed 1500 grains of bone shattering hard cast alloy launched within a nanosecond of each other will probably break it. Ouch!
Click to expand...

are you suggesting he touch off two 3.5" magnum, 750 grain loads in a pistol-gripped, solid breech, ~5lb shotgun at once?

deciding between that and being mauled by an angry bear would be a tossup for me.
 
I don't know much about bears. Never hunted them or seen them shot but I do wonder if my Ruger Deerfield .44 magnum would be suitable. Four or five rounds in a semi-auto that is light, short barreled and has moderate recoil. I mean this isn't hunting we are talking about. It would be close range on a large target. What do you boys think?
 
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