Gun for Griz Country?

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If I carry a handgun I'll probably carry pepper spray as well as a backup.
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Good thinking; you'll need it. Counting on a handgun to stop Mr. Grizz is just wishful thinking.

I've had experience pile driving charging bears with firearms
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Not with some rinky-dink pistol, though. Pepper spray would be much more likely to work than a Glock.

Personally, I'd favour a .338.
 
I really wasn't even saying spray is better, a few posts up I had mentioned the guide gun as optimum. I just had to call BS when someone said that bears enjoy it. LIke I said I'd take a 45-70 any day, but bear spray has proven to be quite effective. I too think there could be situations with wind where is would not be perfect. I will take a firearm everytime, but bear spray spray works, that is just a fact.
 
How do you know what species of bear broke into a cabin?
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The FWP did DNA testing on the blood found in the cabins. One of the bears tore apart a fridge.
 
Who did a DNA test on animal blood? I thought that labs charged something a couple thousand dollars to do a DNA test. Who paid for this and why?
 
I have shot some in mine. They pack a heck of a wack on BOTH ends.:what: Garrett has stories on their sight about clients in Africa shooting from stem to stern on Cape Buffalo. More penetration than a 458 win mag or 416 Rigby.
 
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A 12GA with an 18 in barrel and a mag a extension loaded with Brenneke Black Magic Magnum Slugs. 600 grains of hard cast death in every shot. GET SOME.
The below picture is very own my winchester 120 grizzly bear howitzer if anyone cared :D

shotty.jpg
 
Gotta go with the guys recommending the 12 ga. pump stoked with Brenneke or Dixie Slugs.
I would use Brenneke 3" Black Magic slugs or the 3" Gold Magnum slug. Dixie "Terminator" seems made to order for this scenario too.
Slugs like the ones made by Federal, Remington, Winchester and so on seem to be made from nearly dead soft Lead.
Not a good idea when deep penetration is what's needed to save your bacon. Thus comes the recommendation for the hardened slugs by Brenneke and Dixie Slugs.

Also, I would definitely practice till the shotgun shows wear marks and I'm intimately familiar with it before going into Grizz country. That is no place for on-the-job-training with a 12 ga. pump shotgun.




Man, I am soooo glad I live in Florida.:)
 
Who did a DNA test on animal blood? I thought that labs charged something a couple thousand dollars to do a DNA test. Who paid for this and why?
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Taxpayers. The Fish Wildlife and Park Dept. did the test. A long time ago taxpayers (obviously politicians intitiated this) ended up paying for the sequencing of Bear DNA for some reason. No idea why.
 
I like the idea of a 12 gauge slug, but would avoid the whole pistol grip thing as it would probably be a good idea to AIM at the bear rather than point the gun toward the charging 8 ft long, 1000 pounds of claws, teeth, and fury...

dont forget the bear spray
 
As far as I know, the .338 win mag is the most popular caliber in Alaska, most of the guides use it. Now for an imminent attack situation, I like the 12 gauge, loaded with slugs.
 
Just get a bb gun and a good life insurance policy sure your wife/family would appreciate the Caribbean vacation/new home.
scott
 
in bear country, where danger in around the corner and you need a gun that works and your life depended on it, for me i would bring my ak with 30 rounds ready to rock.
 
"in bear country, where danger in around the corner and you need a gun that works and your life depended on it, for me i would bring my ak with 30 rounds ready to rock."

seems like the bear would die after killing you or at least in the process. cannot deny the ablity of an AK to shoot in most any situation, but I dont think a 7.62X39 would do enough immediate damage to kill or turn a charging grizzly quickly enough to save you.. definitely better than a sling shot, and a range of lesser guns.:neener:
 
seems like the bear would die after killing you or at least in the process. cannot deny the ablity of an AK to shoot in most any situation, but I dont think a 7.62X39 would do enough immediate damage to kill or turn a charging grizzly quickly enough to save you.. definitely better than a sling shot, and a range of lesser guns.
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I watched a program on poaching in Africa about 10 years ago. Seems the weapon of choice for the ivory poachers was a Kalashnikov. A 30 round magazine didn't seem to have a problem taking down anything Africa had to offer. So a Kalashnikov might not be such a bad idea considering their reliability.
 
didnt say it wouldnt kill a bear. I am sure it would.. as well as kill a buffalo, moose, elephant, hippo, rhino, or anything else you shoot with it, just dont know that it would do it quickly enough to save your life by killing or dissuading a charging grizzly quickly enough to save you from death or injury. a 1000 pound bear is carrying a lot of momentum and fury in your direction, assuming you arent carrying a full auto, I dont think there will be enough immediate damage done to be optimally effective.
 
Garrett has stories on their sight about clients in Africa shooting from stem to stern on Cape Buffalo. More penetration than a 458 win mag or 416 Rigby.
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Garrett is master at deception. He compares his square hard cast solids in .45-70 against soft nosed expanding .458 and .416 Rigby. Apples and oranges there Randy!

In any case the .45-70 or a .450 Marlin with a hopped up load is a good choice. But what a lot of you guys are disregarding is what in Jim in Anchorage said. A long gun isn't always on you and Murphy's law dictates that the attack comes when you are bent over gutting your moose and your rifle is leaning against a tree. A hand gun in a holster is attached to your body therefore it will be with you when you need it.

As Dr. Tad mentions you don't want to bring a handgun to a bear fight I agree 100% I would not in my wildest dreams go wading into a pissed off brownie with a handgun if I had a perfectly good rifle available. But I'd rather have a handgun on me and available than nothing at all.

When I lived and hunted in AK I carried a S&W Mt Gun in .44 mag loaded with hot 320 gr hard cast. If I ever moved back it would be either my 329 PD in .44 or a G-20 with good 200 gr solid ammo. Nither one is going to stop a bear with a body shot you are going to have to hit CNS to get a stop. And I am a heck of a lot faster and more accurate with a G-20 than I am with a hand cannon.

Heck lets face it most people who are jumped at close range in thick cover are unable to stop a bear even with a large caliber rifle. There is no one answer that works 100% of time every weapon choice has it's compromises. If I had my druthers for the perfect bear stopping rifle it would be a stainless synthetic double rifle in either .470 NE or .500NE. Good luck finding that one and better luck being able to afford it if you did. Butch Searcy built a few of these some years ago they did not sell well at all due to the price IMO. Most AK hunters simply aren't going to spend nearly 10K on a rifle that is so specific and limited in it's uses.
 
Finally someone making sense... thank you H&H hunter, I dont think many understand what will happen if you shoot a charging bear with the wrong gun... it may die, just far too late to save you. A body shot is likely to not even slow it down, and a head shot may not even penetrate the skull depending on the round...
 
Just make sure you practice 'a lot' with whatever you decide on....missed shots fired in anger/panic are just noise makers and your dead!!!!!

If you really want a handgun that you can pack and have on your person 'all the time', I would look into a 475 or 500 Linebaugh!!! Those are very large caliber revolvers that shoot heavy slugs. Start with light loads and move up to heavier until you are comfortable you can handle it.

Here is Johns website:

http://www.customsixguns.com/

Of course he isn't the only custom 'smith' making those revolvers, but he is the original/real thing.;)
 
I've got a good friend who has a .500 Linebaugh built on Redhawk with a 4" barrel by Hamilton Bowen. Full house 440gr bullets are terrifying to shoot out of that thing. After my first cylinder I had a goose egg in the web of my hand for weeks.

The Linebaughs are just to much of a good thing for me. I know that some of you guys out there can handle them but I am not into that kind of pain. Another acquaintance split the web of his hand on his first shot with his new Linebaugh. It took quite a few stitches to close it up. The Linebaughs are outside of what MOST people can handle recoil wise.
 
Does anybody still make an 8gauge lever with a 5 round man? 3 to 4 ounces of conical bullet at 1500 fps shot provide at least a litle smackdown on both ends.
 
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