Polar Bear Cartridge

The GSC used to issue 30-06, .303 rifles and short barrel 12 gauge shotguns for their arctic crews. Sidearms as well in the high arctic.

I would let her try a medium weight bolt action CRF 30-06 with iron sights only. See if she can handle the recoil shooting free hand, no bench work where she will get pounded.

A LE No.5 in .303 Brit with a slip on recoil pad might work as long as the length of pull is not too long for her.

Remember this is short range defensive shooting we're talking about. 25 yards minute of bear vital spot (6" target).
 
I'm with those who say ignore recoil. If she can train at her leisure with low-recoil ammo, she won't even notice the recoil if she ever has to use the full-meal-deal stuff. And there's no need for MOA accuracy or extensive sighting-in, either. A bear 350 yards away is not a threat and won't be one until it gets to rock-throwing range. If she can put her rounds into a dinner-plate-size circle at 15 yards, she's plenty accurate enough.

As to calibre, 12 ga slugs are standard in many places. .303 British works. More than .30-30, although many an Inuit is reputed to have taken Bruin with that. As big a gun as she feels comfortable carrying is probably about right - ATR's point about anything at hand being better than perfect back in camp is spot-on.
 
Not being a government employee myself and it being her first trip with the GSC, I was unaware that they did issue rifles. With this being the case, I think I will encourage her to inquire about options for using an issued firearm on the arctic trip and just work with her to improve her accuracy with that caliber of rifle before hand. Thanks all for your responses.
 
I worked up there for a decade. Anyone in my camp who I was worried about handling a firearm (which were exclusively 12 ga Remington marine Defenders with slugs, btw) got a hip holster with bear spray and a zippered pouch with "bear banger" pen and bangers in it. I encountered three problem bears. Two were chased off just with the bear bangers. Third needed more discouragement by a couple of Inuit guys who used ATVs and rifles to (non lethally) harass the bear until he gave up on us. Their rifles were lee enfield 303s ( they were Rangers). If they had not been there I'd have had to shoot it (I would not have been confident to do what they did in close quarters with the ATVs and shooting around the bear to chase him off).
So my advice would be to have her try out a 12 ga at the range. If her recoil sensitivity makes her shooting the 12 more dangerous than effective, outfit her with the spray and bear bangers (and keep the shotgun for your own collection! LOL) and make sure that there are some competent folks in camp.
Oh, and if she opts to carry the 12, stay away from pistol grips - she'll just punch herself in the face - and tell her to kneel to shoot a charging bear and shoot centre mass ( or so I've been told).
Dave
 
I wouldn't follow any advice in this thread pollinator unless they have actual experience with Polar Bear or large Grizzlies. Boomer, pounder, medved, dream waters it looks like, geologist, Ted come immediately to mind. Most other stuff you'll get in a thread like this will be the best the internet can provide.

I work close to Grizzlies all bear season, and feel about 10% qualified to comment, so I'll limit it to suggesting lots of practice is what she needs more than anything, with a rifle no smaller than .308. Without a great deal of range time and learning shot placement on bears from attack angles, she might as well be unarmed is the reality, a wounded bear will often make a situation worse in critical situations. Likely her best kit is spray and bangers.
 
I'd suggest getting her a multi-shot bear banger and going out for practice, especially in a wind, which she'll see a lot of. The bangers will do the job 90% of the time. For a firearm it would be a .308 or the issued 30-06 with 180's. You would be advised to get her the ammo and I'd pick premium, preferably with Barnes bullets. If they limit her to a shotgun, get her a good stock of the Remington low-recoil, .....it'll do the job at the close range she'd be using it. Main thing is practice and more practice,both in shooting and being familiar with the gun and the bangers.
When she's in the field, electrical tape over the muzzle, ......makes for safe shooting.
This is based on 40 years dealing with them, ...sometimes as the "bear monitor" for field crews.
 
A 7.62X39?? Have you ever seen a polar bear, or do you just not like your wife?

These are my usual suggestions . . .




But I had a Husqvarna .30/06 tweaked for my wife. If I was doing it today, I'd probably opt for a 9.3X62 for her. If you handload, you should be able to work up a load she can use with both comfort and confidence, if you don't you need to. The key to recoil control is a 3 legged stool, correct fit, correct technique, and manageable power. Choose your rifle with an eye on quality, Tradex is a wonderful source of quality rifles at affordable prices. Have the LOP cut to fit her, and have a quality recoil pad installed. Install a ghost ring and post sight. Get her shooting off hand, at short range targets. Shoot, work the bolt at the shoulder, shoot again, cycle the action at the shoulder, then take a break. Make sure she takes up a boxer's stance, with her weight on her front leg so the recoil impulse crosses her chest and down her rearward leg. Keep the practice sessions short, and have her do lots of dry firing between live fire drills.

My grandson (13 at the time) shooting Gramma's '06 . . .
 
Having worked in the artic years ago all we had was 303’s and shot guns. No formal training was given to us then. Wouldn’t her employer do some training for their employees, what do they suggest? The gun club I belong to in Parry Sound has a guy who does courses on safely dealing with Polar Bears in the Arctic. Maybe try to find someone locally who can help her out or come to Parry Sound for a course.
 
I read a documented story about an actual Eskimo group hunting Polar Bears....when the bear was finally shot the Eskimo hunter used a 243 win....one shot and the bear dropped on the spot. That wouldn't have been my choice of rifle but these guys most likely have a better idea than most at what will work....their life depends on it.
:)
 
Its more a case of "they use what they have" than "they use what's best for the job". I wouldn't pick a .243 Win or .223 Rem to go hunting polar bears because "that's what the Inuit uses and they know best".
 
Nothing will stop Nanook, any other bear or any animal, in its tracks. Mind you, hunting cartridges are not the same thing as defense cartridges.
However, if, and it's a big if, she's allowed to carry a firearm, think 20", 12 gauge, semi-auto and nothing but slugs. Slung across her back. SMG slings are good for that, if you can find one. Of course, if she doesn't have a PAL, she can't have anything.
It's absolutely essential that she has training and lots of regular practice with the ammo she'll use before she goes.
Northern natives have used .303's for eons, but since recoil is an issue, that's out of the question. A 7.62 x 39 will just annoy Nanook to no end.
 
bcsteve, nor would I but still the eskimo hunter trusted his life on his choice of a 243 in that instance.
 
thepolinator said:
Do you think a 20 ga would have enough knock down power to be suitable? What about a .303 Br or 7.62x39 (I know this is a crappy caliber, but the lack of recoil is great for her?
Thanks,
Paul
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medvedqc said:
forget 7.62x39 it may work once but if you miss or wound then the worst can start.
Mike (Boomer) will certainly chime and give good advices.
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OP, I am oone of the world's greatest defenders of the underrated 7.62X39mm cartridge and I love it. In several other threads I advocate for its use. But EVEN I AI'NT THAT CRAZY!! As Boomer says, "HAVE YOU EVEN SEEN A POLAR BEAR??" Stay with a nice .303 that fits her. All of my kids shot a .303 to learn, all reduced loads and worked up as they got bigger. In this case, make up a bunch of reduced loads for her to practice with and, as advised, send with full power ones.

ATOM said:
As to calibre, 12 ga slugs are standard in many places. .303 British works. More than .30-30, although many an Inuit is reputed to have taken Bruin with that. As big a gun as she feels comfortable carrying is probably about right - ATR's point about anything at hand being better than perfect back in camp is spot-on.
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I once watched this 90 (looked 90) yr old Inuit (Eskimos back then) stalk a polar bear once. He had a .30-30 and his grandson was backing him up with the "high-powered rifle", a .303. Outcome, our guides (old guy and grandson) downed the HUGE bear with one shot from the .30-30. Not me. I will take my '06. .308, or .303 loaded with 200+gn bullets. But if I am working there and had to carry all the time, I'd buy a grizzly defender 18.5" long in a holster. LOL!

Boomer said:
A 7.62X39?? Have you ever seen a polar bear, or do you just not like your wife?

But I had a Husqvarna .30/06 tweaked for my wife. If I was doing it today, I'd probably opt for a 9.3X62 for her. If you handload, you should be able to work up a load she can use with both comfort and confidence, if you don't you need to. The key to recoil control is a 3 legged stool, correct fit, correct technique, and manageable power. Choose your rifle with an eye on quality, Tradex is a wonderful source of quality rifles at affordable prices. Have the LOP cut to fit her, and have a quality recoil pad installed. Install a ghost ring and post sight. Get her shooting off hand, at short range targets. Shoot, work the bolt at the shoulder, shoot again, cycle the action at the shoulder, then take a break. Make sure she takes up a boxer's stance, with her weight on her front leg so the recoil impulse crosses her chest and down her rearward leg. Keep the practice sessions short, and have her do lots of dry firing between live fire drills.
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BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes, NOT even I would do that!!!

Excellent advise. I would truly stick to a decent 12ga or the .303. My brother used to cruise timber in BC (Prince George / Dawson Creek areas) and carried a 12ga Grizzly Defender in a holster on his leg.
Practice will truly make the difference. Remember, as was stated, not a threat at 350yds, but MUST go down at 50!!

Drills are important. I once watched a man empty out his lever action rifle at a bear. The bear was bluffing, but he emptied his .30-30. Only problem was, while he cycled the action, he didn't pull the trigger once!! Panic!!
 
Lots of good advice here, but I worked at the GSC for 30 years - Not as a field person, but I knew most of the geologists, as well as the firearms trainer.
She will have to take the Survey's gun course, and she will have others there (in the field) armed with the TFSS's issue .30-06 and 12gauges.

As to the Inuit that successfully stalk polars with .30-30's, etc. the big difference here is that the bears are stalking YOU, not minding their own business.
That said, I knew a few guys that would only take bangers and pepper spray - others that carried .44 mags on their hip.
Most of those guys stopped when the paperwork got to be too much to handle.
A sidearm was only to get you to the shotgun in case of emergency.
OP - worry not, your wife ought to be in good hands.
(Though there ARE a few stories about encounters that would've been....exhilirating)
Big Also:
Shooting polars is to be avoided if at all possible, as the RCMP has to be informed, etc.,etc. (stories there, too)which is why some stick to bangers and spray.
 
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