New bear defence question.... 20g slugs?

popcan said:
:?:
Old theme with a slight twist.....

While out hunting with the 20g..... is a 2 3/4" 20g slug good enough to drop a black? Or 3" ?


Gatehouse, you must have tested this by now.... what's the word.
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Why don't you go out and try it, and then let us all know if it works :lol: :p :wink:

If you survive, that is :roll:
 
I don't know what kind of buckshot you are using but 5 yards is stupid. You put a hole in anythings head and it will go down.
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If you are close enough to wound an animal with buckshot... you can hit and kill it with a slug... geezuz... this is the reason butchers cringe when they see new and inexperienced hunters coming in with lead filled hamburger :roll:
 
The question wasn't whether or not a 20 gauge is a poor second choice to a 12 guage or not. It was would a 20 guage slug/sabot/rifled slug effectively kill a black bear. My answer was and still is, ab so fukin lutely.
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I don't give flippant advice... we have been using smoothbore shotguns on deer and bear for 25 years down here.
When a few of the guys switched to 20's we found out in a hurry that the lighter 20 gauge slug was deflected very easily by a rib or a shoulder :!:
The had a great percentage of the deer we shot with the 20's run away wounded and many were not recovered.... we made a camp rule that it was 12 gauge only :idea:
After witnessing how easily a 20 gauge slug deflects on deer I would not use it as a first line of defense on a bear... if I had a choice :wink:
The new 20 gauge sabots ( Partitions and Core-Locked ) are another story and with a RIFLED barrel they are very effective. I would not use them in a smoothbore because they keyhole and perform inconsistently :idea:
 
Last nite...

215 yards (rangefinder) .243WSSM 95 grain Winchester Supreme. 224 Black bear (dressed) ran 27 yards. Upon entry, bullet broke two ribs, double lung, and broke one rib upon exit.

I don't give "flippant" advice /opinions either. However, I have been hunting black bears for 23 years and have shot them 12's, 20's, smoothies, rifled barrels and most conventional centerfires out there.

90% of my shots are head shots or a very well placed vital shot. No, I'm not the best shot in the world but I do practice alot and consider myself fairly competent with a firearm.

Anyways I'm not going to beat this "is a 20 adaquate for bear" thread to death. Just wanted you to know that I have a fundamental knowlege of what I'm talking about.

Cheers
 
BIGREDD said:
90% of my shots are head shots
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:lol:
enough said... the above statement says it all :roll:
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Hmm...

Interesting how REDRIDINGHOOD quotes a very small portion of my post; not to mention it's out of context. Generally this is done by individuals whom are jealous. The other small percentage of people attempt to make themselves appear more intelligent.

Either way, I won't justify to you my experience nor my skill level with a firearm. If you can't accept it or handle it, I suggest you refrain from responding. You share and contribute nothing positive when doing so.

My only and best suggestion to you is that you get off the computer and spend a little more time in the bush and at the range. YOUR above statement "..says it all" to me.

Good luck
 
Hey you guys chill. :lol:


I'm not going out huntiing bears with my o/u 20g. I'm also not concerned about bear defense either, as it is highly unlikely to happen.

*BUT* if I did have to shoot a bear with a 20g slug, would it do the job? That's all this thread was asking. :?
 
Hey, BIGREDD, there are a lot of hunters who've been at it for years, but have never been ambushed by a bear. I'm thinking that some of the best hunters might still lose their cool when they realize for the first time in years, they are no longer the hunter, but the hunted. Add into that equation those of us that haven't got that much experience. The original question was about upland hunting (I think) with a 20g and suddenly a bear charges you. Depending on the distance, you might be able to load a slug and make sure your aim is true with that thing coming at you, but if it's a close range thing, you have to give him what you've already got. My thought was that if you've never been in this situation it might not be a bad idea to use buck if you have time to load it, since you can let loose with a little more distance and if you're shakin' like a French soldier your gonna miss by a mile with the slug... just a thought from a newbie...
 
SCR said:
[

My only and best suggestion to you is that you get off the computer and spend a little more time in the bush and at the range. YOUR above statement "..says it all" to me.

Good luck
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SCR

You are pretty new here, that's why I asked everyone to cut you some slack.

BR included! :wink:

But that last statement you made is prety humourous.

I hunted with BR in ONT this year.

He has his own private 500 yard range on his property, about 100 yards form his house. :D

And I'd say he spends at least 1/3 of a year afield. :D (Maybe more, as he does predator control and other control work, too)

Although I've torn into a new guy before, we really shoudln't chase off new guys, boys and girls. :wink:
:D
 
BigRed what is wrong with head shots? The guys that have shot the most bears will always be the ones shooting them for varmit controll, not sport hunters. A lot of farmers around here will shoot five bears a year, some tree planter may shoot ten or more a year. It is a simple matter of dispatching the problem animal on the spot and lots of guys shoot for the head at close range. I know of one guy that has shot many bears inside of tents or off cook tables only feet away. Head shots rule period.

Just because someone has 10 posts dosen't mean they have no real world experience.
 
Head shots are great when they work, but they are low percentage shots, just like neck shots.

I've used both, but I prefer not to if I don't have to.

:D
 
Republic of Alberta said:
BigRed what is wrong with head shots?

Just because someone has 10 posts dosen't mean they have no real world experience.
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:? :? :?


If we're talking about head shots on bears....

Have you ever seen the size and location of a bear's brain cavity? And the amount of thick bone surrounding it?

Good luck hitting it. You're a better shot than me if you can do it on purpose every time!




:wink:
 
I have a few bears on my wall and a few skulls sitting around the gun room, just last year I shot two off coulored bears. I know how big a bears brain is, I have skinned out a few heads. I have shot a few skulls for practice.

Gatehouse is half right in saying it is a low percentage shot. It is low if there is any range to the shot. But that is not what I am talking about. I am talking distances measured in feet not yards. At ten, even twenty feet a brain shot is a high percentage shot. Here is the reality, bear in the tent, open the flap and shoot it in the head, bear on the table, walk to the end of the table and shoot it in the head, bear eating honey out of the bee hive (my dad keeps bees :D ) walk over to the bear and shoot it in the head. Mabey this is not for some people but that is my style so it works for me.

Quite a few years ago my dad and I both shot a very blond, nearly white bear while hunting. Later that day we stoped and talked to a farmer a few miles away. He was telling us of a white bear that was inside one of his bins eating oats. He said that he did not have a rifle with him so he spooked it out of the bin and kicked it in the ass with his boot on it's way out the door. He was a grizzled old fart that looked tougher than nails. I don't doubt that he realy did kick that bear. I guess that is his way of dealing with varmits. Not my style but it worked for him.
 
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