in your opinion would you fill your shotgun with slugs or do the alternating thing suggested by the "bear defence" threads?
Just how fast is a grizzly bear.
- Thread starter Octane
- Start date
in your opinion would you fill your shotgun with slugs or do the alternating thing suggested by the "bear defence" threads?
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Maybe best for you to do, is take your shotgun with "alternate" and fire it at a plywood or cardboard about 15 feet away - note the size of the hole that you get. Has to be placed effectively on that thing that you want to kill. If like me, you will discover not a "ton" of difference between the hole from shot versus a slug when up close - still have to accurately aim it. At least for mine, a bit more "room for aiming error" when target is out like 50 feet or so (say 20 yards) - buckshot versus slug. But each should actually expend some cartridges and discover for self... Actually killing something in time means putting the projectile into an important place on the target, not thinking that you will "scare it off" with a bunch of noise. Although noise, sometimes, does work to divert or "scare it".
billbmcleod
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Back very close to Bruce County
I have only had one critical bear experience and that had cubs involved. I always maintain that my warning shot for anything will be the last one.
Genuine question, why did you not shoot the bear? From what I'm reading you didn't have time for a 2nd shot and even if you had it's momentum alone would have been a bad day for you even if it was dead
Nice Vid. he's just cruising. See the head going side to side and the casual trot? Only ever seen one really blast off. Was from across a valley after he was up on hind legs and winded me. Scaled the hill and over the top turning up dirt all the way. Glad he was on the other side of the valley!
my philosophy on the whole thing is if a 1oz slug doesn't stop it the first time, i hit it again with a 1oz slug. i dont alternate. im well aware how buckshot patterns, but it never made sense to me that if a 1oz slug didn't kill something why would 9, .30 cal balls moving at pistol speeds do it? i agree with you, dead is always better than just "scared off"
Having played a little with buck shot for entertainment's sake, 15 OO from a 12 gauge 3", at close range it doesn't make much difference what you use . There's gonna be a big hole. That's what makes the shotgun lethal .
Grizz
CZ Shooter
CGN frequent flyer
Where would be the best spot to aim on a charging Grizzly?
Would the slug have enough power to penetrate it's skull, which based on what I read is about equivalent to level 3 armour?
I would not have any confidence, that a clean heart shot or a lung shot would drop a pissed off charging grizzly in it's tracks before he had a chance to rip me a new ####### (if we are talking 0-40 feet distance).
Would the slug have enough power to penetrate it's skull, which based on what I read is about equivalent to level 3 armour?
I would not have any confidence, that a clean heart shot or a lung shot would drop a pissed off charging grizzly in it's tracks before he had a chance to rip me a new ####### (if we are talking 0-40 feet distance).
Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
I’ve never faced a charging grizzly but I have breached a door at 2-3m...a 7.5 target load at 3m is essentially a slug as far as shot pattern goes. Ypmy (your penetration may vary).
You need to break bones , my experience is with polar bears but I think would work on any bear. When a bear charges it's head is down below it's spine , I always teach our guards to shoot between the shoulder blades = spine. The object is to stop all forward motion not to kill it outright. If it can't move it can't hurt you. Head shots work but is a smaller target. You must have confidence in your firearm and yourself, the longer you wait the closer it is the more precise the shot. That however takes balls as you will not get a second shot.
You have to see one in a full speed charge to believe how fast they really are!!
I believe that they can cover 100 yards in about 3.5 - 4 seconds.
If you wish to avoid being mauled, you had better be ready. Dave.
I believe that they can cover 100 yards in about 3.5 - 4 seconds.
If you wish to avoid being mauled, you had better be ready. Dave.
I had a doctor , of all people, tell me a grizzly skull is virtually bulletproof. I was tempted to look him up and show him the bag of bones I got back from F&W after putting a 7 mm round in mine.
Nothing special there.Grizz
Recently read an article written by a DNR biologist in Montana after the last bear kill so a few weeks ago . He was one of the investigators . According to him a full grown grizz and a full grown black at a flat out run can cover 14.5 meters per second .
I’ve only had to kill one black bear in self defence once at about 15 feet with a 12 gauge. The first shot was 00 buckshot straight in the face. The bear stopped for 1/2 a second and then kept coming. The second was a 1 and 1/4 ounce slug just behind the head into the spine. It dropped instantly at my feet. Looking at the animal after it was skinned, the buckshot holes were small but the slug wound was a big gaping mess. I would never use buckshot for bear defence after seeing that. I also doubt a grizzly skull would deflect bullets or a rifled slug. Maybe if if it was a real glancing shot. I think in a serious charge you don’t have time to think or get fancy with aiming. You just aim centre of target and keep shooting. It happens so fast.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Can read same thing by Dr. Don Heath. Was out to hunt poachers - so he and his guys carrying FMJ 7.62 NATO FN-FAL. In thick bush, he got charged by a cranky cape buffalo - same story - the thing comes with head down - pictures show the double tap - over the head - into the spine - dead (and stopped!) buffalo - Heath taking the pictures - I think.
