Semi-Auto or Pump?

[Bootwaffle.com]

For grizzly bears - a Benelli M4 Super 90 with slugs on semi-auto mode, or a Mossberg 500 Persuader 8-shot pump with slugs?

The reason I ask is because somewhere a long time ago, I read that gas-operated (semi auto) shotguns are a lot weaker than pumps, even when firing the same round, or something to that effect.

 

[chrisbob]

??shot guns? I know for a fact from personal experience that bolt actions pumps and single shot are more accurate and have more knock down power than when using identical rounds in the semi automatic guns of the same cal. make and barrel i.d.

P.S. I need to add that I am refferring to rifles and handguns

 

[10 Ring Tao]

It kind of makes sense, that a gas autoloader that bleeds off gas to operate the action would have less gas to propel the slug. However, a recoil operated auto sends all the gas and projectile out the barrel.

Now, the difference between a recoil and gas gun could be very insignificant.

 

[Fred Fuller]

"somewhere a long time ago, I read that gas-operated (semi auto) shotguns are a lot weaker than pumps"
======================
One of the oldest of the old wives' tales. Not true a long time ago, not true now.

"For grizzly bears..."
===============
A rifle. A BIG rifle. And a cool-customer friend along with another big rifle, too, to watch your back. I might take along a rifle-sighted 870 with Brenneke slugs if that was the biggest thing I could come up with, but not while there's a good Marlin .45-70 in the safe and Garrett is loading ammo for the caliber. http://www.garrettcartridges.com/penetration.asp

lpl/nc

 

[ArmedBear]

Nah.

The reason you might want a pump gun for grizzlies is that, in the conditions where you'll find grizzly bears, a pump is more reliable.

The Benelli in question isn't gas-operated, anyway, AFAIK. They've made some, but their current stuff is "inertia-driven", which has some of the clean reliability of a pump, but at the expense of extra recoil, especially versus a gas-operated semiauto.

An 870 Marine Magnum would be a good choice, IMHO, but the Benelli is known for reliability, too, despite being a semiauto.

 

[Hoppy590]

i agree with some of the above, for the simple aspect of a life and death senario id take the mossberg. less likely to fail. though id advise packing some serious side arm, nothing smaller than a 44 mag for safetys sake ( 44mag , S&W 500 type stuff)

 

[PJR]

Between those two guns I'd take the Benelli hands down. I live in the fringes of bear country (blacks not grizz). Any bear encounter where shooting is absolutely required will likely be a fast moving, stressful event as in FULL SPEED BEAR coming towards you. The job is to get rounds out fast and accurately.

The semi-auto might be slightly less mechanically reliable than a pump gun but the pump is far more operator dependent. Do you practice enough with a pump to do it under the stress of being a bear's main course? I use an 870 for such purposes BUT I've shot one for years, practice with it at least once a month and when faced with a bear even I'm not 100 per cent convinced I might not be better off with a Benelli.

I've chronyed enough slugs and shot to know that a semi-auto doesn't lose anything due to the operation of the action. With full power slugs the Benelli is as reliable as you're going to find.

The good news is that I've never had to drop the hammer on a bear but have been scarey close a couple of times. A little learning about them and how to avoid encounters and most likely that shotgun will just be extra weight that you carry along for your own piece of mind.

 

[ArmedBear]

According to a very accomplished bowhunter I spoke with after seeing his enormous mounted record Kodiak bear (I think the hunt was on ESPN2), the animals go down faster from an arrow shot than a gunshot.

Given that he lived to tell about it, and it was a 17-yard shot, I tend to believe him.

Of course, shot placement is very important with the bow...

 

[MCgunner]

I'd rather have a Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 with hot loads myself. A 12 ga slug beats a handgun in any caliber, though. I'd choose the pump, but I don't think with a slug that a good auto chucker would be un-reliable if kept clean.

Or, for ultimate reliability, how 'bout a good double. Okay, you only got two shots, but hey, professional hunters traditionally backed up their clients in Africa with double rifles in big express calibers. I'd be carryin' a hot loaded Ruger Blackhawk in .45 colt, too. Might set the long gun down somewhere, never know. Fishin's a pain with a long gun slung over you.

 

[Troggy]

pump

Pump!

 

[Karbon]

IMO Semiauto (and carry a backup revolver)

My M1 Super 90 I would take any day over a pump.

FAST fast fast

I have yet to have an issue. Very trustworthy.

 

[byf43]

Lee Lapin Wrote:

For grizzly bears..."
===============
A rifle. A BIG rifle. And a cool-customer friend along with another big rifle, too, to watch your back. I might take along a rifle-sighted 870 with Brenneke slugs if that was the biggest thing I could come up with, but not while there's a good Marlin .45-70 in the safe and Garrett is loading ammo for the caliber. http://www.garrettcartridges.com/penetration.asp

Ditto.

The Marlin Guide Gun or one of the "Wild West Guns" break-down rifles in .45/70 and Garrett or Buffalo Bore ammo.
While I'm not a fan of Mossberg, having the safety on the tang in such a case, might be more 'available' to the user than the safety on the 870, even though I prefer the 870. Either shotgun and Brenneke slugs makes for a big hole.