Bear Country

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I Tote Gats

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I have a Mossberg 500 Persuader (18.5 inch barrel, smooth bore) and will be carrying that along as I hike and camp in the mountains. I know a lot of people recommend a .44 magnum for bear protection but I can't afford it right now after buying my Glock.

Anyway I'm not too familiar with slugs. So, if you had to take down a bear, what slug would you use? And would you buy a 2-3/4" or a 3"?
 
"In the mountains" is rather vague. What mountains? Where? If you're in the lower 48 (or the offshore 49th for that matter) you will be well equipped with either, or your glock. Black bear attacks in the wild in the lower 48 are rare, as there are so many escape options for the bear (iow, not cornered). We had a black bear attack recently here in Washington in a suburban area, most likely caused because the bear was accustomed to eating from the trashcans and was protecting its territory.

If you're just doing short little day-hikes the shotgun is going to look ridiculous, and will be dead weight. Take the glock.

If you're talking about Alaska, disregard everything I've written.
 
I'd almost rather have a sharp stick then a pistol grip shotgun.

At least put a shoulder stock on it, and then buy some 2 3/4" Brenekke slugs.

rc
 
Mainsail- yes it will be black bears and will be in the mountains of Colorado. I'm also talking about 2-3 day long trips in remote areas. Even though bear attacks are rare, I'm not going to bet my life on it. Same reason I carry everywhere I go, knowing perfectly well that I will most likely not have to ever use it.

Rcmodel- The Persauder comes with both a full stock and a pistol grip so I have both. The Brenekke slugs appear to be popular from what I've seen so Ill take a look at those
 
I'm not suggesting you don't carry, as I carry myself when I'm hiking. Will you be backpacking in to remote areas, or driving? If you're driving, the shotgun will work just fine; if you'll be carrying everything on your back, maybe not so much.
 
This study wouldn't keep me from carrying a gun in bear county, but it might be worth reading...

http://www.adn.com/2012/03/08/2359636/gun-is-no-insurance-policy-in.html
Gun is no insurance policy in bear attack, study indicates
Study finds no statistical difference in outcome when human is armed, unarmed.
By BRIAN MAFFLY
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published: March 9th, 2012 08:21 AM
Last Modified: March 9th, 2012 08:22 AM
 
I'll second the shoulder stock and the Brenekke slugs. You can't do much better then the Brenekke slugs. They have accounted for some big brown bears in Alaska.
 
Fred Fuller said:
This study wouldn't keep me from carrying a gun in bear county, but it might be worth reading...

http://www.adn.com/2012/03/08/2359636/gun-is-no-insurance-policy-in.html
Gun is no insurance policy in bear attack, study indicates
Study finds no statistical difference in outcome when human is armed, unarmed.
By BRIAN MAFFLY
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published: March 9th, 2012 08:21 AM
Last Modified: March 9th, 2012 08:22 AM
Click to expand...
Interesting read! Won't stop me from carrying but it does point to the importance of not relying only on your gun, and also the importance of training.

Everyone else, thanks for your input as well
 
I'm generally all about shotguns or rifles for bears, but then I'm in brown bear country.

For black bears, I'd feel adequately protected with a .44, and not because of the relative size but because black bear attacks (mostly) unfold quite slowly with the bear issuing a number of challenges before it comes in for the kill. So, you have time (mostly...) to take stock and prepare for a shot.

With slugs, and I'm a bore on this point... don't got for ballistics unless you have adjustable sights on your shotgun. Different slug styles tend to shoot all over the place, so choose one that shoots to point of aim even if another slug has superior ballistics. There are dramatic differences between where some of the modern magnum or sabot slugs hit vs the more traditional Foster slugs. Kentucky windage is for squirrel hunting not for bear attacks.
 
The in-laws live in western NC, in the mountains. A while back there was a black bear hanging around their house, which would venture onto the wraparound porch from time to time. What really unnerved my wife was when her elderly father reported that the bear appeared to be following him by looking through the windows as FIL moved from room to room inside the house. Since then, at her insistence, we've never gone back to Buncombe County without carrying an 870 loaded with Brenneke slugs. The 870 wears a 20" smoothbore rifle sighted barrel that is zeroed with those slugs, and my wife shoots it from time to time to keep her hand in.

I wouldn't trust the soft lead Foster type slugs where bears are concerned. I use 2.75" 1 ounce Brenneke KOs because they're hard lead alloy, are not expensive and I buy them by the case. I'd expect them to do what needs doing even with a good sized black bear. But with more bear than a blackie, I'd want more punch, like a heavier 3" Brenneke or one of the offerings from Dixie.

hth!
 
The 12 ga and the glock for two legged predators will be fine. Get the brenecke slugs as suggested and not the soft lead slugs that tend to shatter on impact.

As far as the study, please note that there have been thousands of incidents of bear defense in North America during the study timeframe that are not included in this report. I guess that they don't want to confuse people with the truth of how good a firearm can be.

I would point out that pepper spray is no better than a gun or vice versa when ambushed at close range. In those cases, you MUST have a second person to save your bacon on that type of day.

I don't put a whole lot of veracity into the debate over these sort of studies with pepper spray vs firearms because many are first of all politically motivated and secondly, they are lacking the many reports that never make it into an official account. Pepper spray works and firearms work. Which is better? That depends on the situation at hand.
 
Fred Fuller said:
The in-laws live in western NC, in the mountains. A while back there was a black bear hanging around their house, which would venture onto the wraparound porch from time to time. What really unnerved my wife was when her elderly father reported that the bear appeared to be following him by looking through the windows as FIL moved from room to room inside the house. Since then, at her insistence, we've never gone back to Buncombe County without carrying an 870 loaded with Brenneke slugs. The 870 wears a 20" smoothbore rifle sighted barrel that is zeroed with those slugs, and my wife shoots it from time to time to keep her hand in.

I wouldn't trust the soft lead Foster type slugs where bears are concerned. I use 2.75" 1 ounce Brenneke KOs because they're hard lead alloy, are not expensive and I buy them by the case. I'd expect them to do what needs doing even with a good sized black bear. But with more bear than a blackie, I'd want more punch, like a heavier 3" Brenneke or one of the offerings from Dixie.

hth!
Click to expand...
Exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!


Alaska- Agreed. I've thought about pepper spray but then again I don't want a bear getting that close to me to be able to use it, and it is attached to politics in a way
 
We have a house in very rural VT and black bear about. Most of the year, I don't worry in the least about them. They have plenty of food and ready egress. We don't leave anything out to attract them and they don't come round the house I have seen a handful out in the woods over the years, invariably the back end in hasty retreat. BUT, this time of year, all bets are off. They are coming off the lean winter months and there are mothers with cubs about. A black bear comes at you, he or she is going to eat you. I like 250 grains + either in 45 Colt or Brenekke slugs 3/4 oz or 1 oz.

Mind you, I'm always much more concerned about 2 legged predators than bears...
 
I would invest more into a trail dog first then a .44 mtn type gun. Almost all the time my border collie picks up on whats out here way before I do and my horses do. The dog has a fit its usualy a deer or a elk my even be a rabbit but couger and bear she just whines and points. I vote pack a dog for the win.
 
The Dixie's are Hard Cast - Heat Treated, full bore slugs:

Dixie IXL-DGS - .730” – 870 gr. – 1200’/” – 20” barrel

"I understand that this ammo is to be used only in smoothbore barrels that have a 12 gauge 3”- .729”/.730” bore with Cylinder Chokes or in 12 Gauge 3” Rifled Barrels. This ammo is not designed for smoothbore over-bore barrels or those that have bores smaller than .729”/.730”.


The Mossberg 500 18.5" Cylinder Barrel has a nominal .730" bore diameter.

Get a regular stock.
 
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Having spent much of my life living around and hunting brown bears, i'd choose a shotgun and slugs over a handgun every time.

Brenekke's are good slugs, and i'd forsure want to get rid of the pistol grip on the shotgun!

DM
 
rcmodel said:
I'd almost rather have a sharp stick then a pistol grip shotgun.

At least put a shoulder stock on it, and then buy some 2 3/4" Brenekke slugs.

rc
Click to expand...

"I'd almost rather have a sharp stick then a pistol grip shotgun."

WHY?
 
DM~ said:
Having spent much of my life living around and hunting brown bears, i'd choose a shotgun and slugs over a handgun every time.

Brenekke's are good slugs, and i'd forsure want to get rid of the pistol grip on the shotgun!

DM
Click to expand...
"i'd forsure want to get rid of the pistol grip on the shotgun!"

Again...why?
 
Why?

Because it's unseemly. While you're oiking around trying to mount that ungainly thing, gettiing it snagged on your pack and at best getting a miss off, the bear has time to laugh at you just before he eats you. That's just no way to go out.
 
Buckshot?

I noticed no one mentioned buckshot. Won't buckshot handle a bear?
 
And once again people, my Mossberg 500 came with a full stock and an optional pistol grip that is currently sitting in my gun safe.

I have no idea why people started talking about pistol grips but we do not need to keep talking about them.
 
I Tote Gats said:
The general consensus on the internet from what I've read is that buckshot will not penetrate deeply enough to stop a bear.
Click to expand...
I don't concur with this if the right ammo is used.

Big, hard, pellets (a neccesity you cannot cheap-out on with bear) like plated 000 Buckshot in a 3" 12 ga. shell (for grizzly anyway) go right through humans and a car door at 60 yards! They'll stop a bear and a whole lot of other things with more liklihood IMO than maybe a lucky shot with a slug in a defensive role.
 
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