Vern Humphrey
Member
Consider a 99 Savage in .358 Winchester.
Ultimate Bear Stopper
- Thread starter 94045
- Start date
- Status
TikkaShooter
Member
We live in the mountains of NE Georgia. According to the trail cams, we have cougars, bobcats, bears and coyotes. I can post pictures once I figure out how to post them.
When the Pitts have to do their business; the outside flood lights are on and I'm carrying a 12 ga pump with slugs or a 1911-A1. I also have an AK-74 with ATN NV with a 5 watt 920 nm "flashlight" instead of the stock 840 nm low wattage..
I prefer to scare them off as it's a what to do with a black bear's carcass? Threaten us or my dogs is a quick way to meet their Maker.
When the Pitts have to do their business; the outside flood lights are on and I'm carrying a 12 ga pump with slugs or a 1911-A1. I also have an AK-74 with ATN NV with a 5 watt 920 nm "flashlight" instead of the stock 840 nm low wattage..
I prefer to scare them off as it's a what to do with a black bear's carcass? Threaten us or my dogs is a quick way to meet their Maker.
Vern Humphrey
Member
We have bears here -- a few weeks back, I looked out the bedroom window and saw two little teddy bears gamboling across my pasture. As they were going into the woods, my Pit Bull saw them and took out after them barking up a storm.
In a few minutes, he came quietly back, climbed up on the porch and lay down in his dog house.
He had learned a basic lesson in woodcraft -- if you want to find a big bear, chase a little bear.
But if you take a bear in season, find a good meat processor who will do ham and bacon for you. Bear meat is very good.
In a few minutes, he came quietly back, climbed up on the porch and lay down in his dog house.
He had learned a basic lesson in woodcraft -- if you want to find a big bear, chase a little bear.
But if you take a bear in season, find a good meat processor who will do ham and bacon for you. Bear meat is very good.
I wonder how many of us on here have ever had an actual deadly encounter with a large (Brown) bear. I have stated several times that I never have and likely never will.
I know the guns that I deer and pig hunt with are “overkill” for even our biggest game in Oklahoma. But we should be realistic about what these animals are and what it takes to bring them down.
MaxP and CraigC hunt big animals primarily with handguns. And I’m sure they have spent a lot of money and time finding the loads in the calibers they choose to give them maximum, bone crushing penetration to put those big bovines down.
eastbank and H&H Hunter have done the same thing. Just with rifles.
Then you have people like Caribou who, in my opinion, have done pretty amazing things with barebones equipment, like a Mosin and FMJ ammo.
I know there are many members on here who have plenty of real world experience with hunting large and dangerous animals all around the world. The above are just the ones that popped into my head first.
So who’s right? Who’s the authority? We all have to decide that for ourselves.
But we also have to take into account that a Cape buffalo is not a moose. A water buffalo is not a Brown bear. And that often times, people do take game animals with more “firepower” than what is truly needed. And there’s not a damn thing wrong with that.
I know the guns that I deer and pig hunt with are “overkill” for even our biggest game in Oklahoma. But we should be realistic about what these animals are and what it takes to bring them down.
MaxP and CraigC hunt big animals primarily with handguns. And I’m sure they have spent a lot of money and time finding the loads in the calibers they choose to give them maximum, bone crushing penetration to put those big bovines down.
eastbank and H&H Hunter have done the same thing. Just with rifles.
Then you have people like Caribou who, in my opinion, have done pretty amazing things with barebones equipment, like a Mosin and FMJ ammo.
I know there are many members on here who have plenty of real world experience with hunting large and dangerous animals all around the world. The above are just the ones that popped into my head first.
So who’s right? Who’s the authority? We all have to decide that for ourselves.
But we also have to take into account that a Cape buffalo is not a moose. A water buffalo is not a Brown bear. And that often times, people do take game animals with more “firepower” than what is truly needed. And there’s not a damn thing wrong with that.
If1HitU
Member
Me I have to go with what I have and that's a Marlin 45-70 rifle.
adcoch1
Member
For me it would be my deer rifle with heavy for caliber ammo (probably a 30-06) and heavy 44 loads in my Redhawk. Thats what I deer hunt with here in western Washington, and if I was in Alaska I would add bear spray first and foremost. That said, if I was backup on a hunt it would be a slug gun with brenneke slugs and a light for the thick fog. I a very close range encounter though the bear spray is more useful than the gun.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Seen way too many Hornady bullets lose their wad on a lot less. Wouldn't you expect pretty much the same from their 300gr .405 load? Or 400gr .475? I've seen both fail miserably. It might work and it might not.
armoredman
Member
That would be actually a continuation of the boar spear which dates back to pre-Roman era, a spear with a cross member to keep a mad boar from crawling up the shaft to get you wish his last dying breath.
As for me - Southern Arizona has bears...itty bitty ones, very few, (most in zoos, who have these ridiculous policies on hunting on the premises, go figure), and the chance I will run into one, in the wild, I would put as vanishingly small. I am FAR more likely to run into a drug or human smuggler, which is why my deer rifle, if i was hunting deer, will be magazine fed and semi auto, just in case. We have no magazine limits for hunting any more, either.
And not being a bear hunter of any kind, big ol' bear medicine from me would be an Apache attack helicopter...
Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,249
I don’t know if it’s the ultimate bear stopper but I thought it was cute
Salmoneye
Member
Only time I have heard of disappointing performance with the 350gr Hornady is when it was pushed way faster than 2000fps...I take that back...At lower velocities, I have heard of them not opening at all...
As I said, there are probably better dedicated guns and bullets, but if I was on Kodiak hunting Blacktail, I assume I would only have at hand what I was hunting with, and that would happily be a Marlin 1895 loaded with that bullet...
I have never used the 405gr, so I can not speak to it, but I have used the 300gr Hornady, and it is designed to open at trap-door velocities...The 350gr (IIRC) is rated from 1800-2900fps for reliable expansion...
I love Bear Threads lol...
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Not a 405gr bullet, the Hornady 300gr load in the .405WCF. Blew up on a doe's shoulder blade. We've also seen dismal failures with .45 XTP's and the 400gr .475 XTP, on deer sized game or even smaller. Like I said, I would not use a Hornady expanding bullet on anything that bites back. Or at this point, really anything else. Were I in bear country, I surely would not be carrying anything loaded with Hornady expanding bullets. I just do not trust them and would prefer a hardcast any day of the week. For a jacketed bullet, the Swift A-frame is a million times better, will do the same job on the low end and won't let you down if you have to stop a charge.
entropy
Member
Going with the title of the thread, not the first sentence, I'd have to say the W80 'dial-a-nuke'. Nuke 'em from low orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Orcon
Member
Going with the title of the thread, not the first sentence, I'd have to say the W80 'dial-a-nuke'. Nuke 'em from low orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
It's true, we used to run crew served weapons on them with very little success. You really do need a joint task force to adequately dispatch a bear.
Why, a Garand in 458 win mag, of course
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/07/06/oood-mccann-industries-458-win-mag-garand
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/07/06/oood-mccann-industries-458-win-mag-garand
mpd61
Member
In the context of the OP, I think we all agree placement is probably most important factor. Since in this scenario, I was hunting deer on Kodiak Island, it would be with my mauser bolt 6.5x55. On my hip, and quickly being drawn, would be my Redhawk in .45 Colt. Heavy/hardcast HSM or Reeds bear loads. Hope I survive. LOL
WestKentucky
Member
I have never understood why they don’t make a strong pump rifle in a heavy hitting round. It would be really easy to beef up a shotgun frame, and stick on a barrel in 50-90 or some similar round. You don’t worry about the deer, you worry about what eats the deer. Quick handling, fast aquisition, easy to work gun.
entropy
Member
They do. Fully rifled slug guns. Savage and Browning even make them as bolt actions.
Vern Humphrey
Member
You mean the Remington 7600?
entropy
Member
Or the Colt Lightning Express?
MTMilitiaman
Member
I'd opt for an AR-10 in .500 Automax for bear defense or a Montana M1999 in .458 Winchester for bear hunting.
cdb1
Member
I’d carry a Long Ranger re-barreled to .338 Federal. In addition I’d hire Phil Shoemaker to guide me.
.375 Ruger, 'cause I already own it.
Its the gun Im most likely to be carrying anyway, and Ive literally shot thousands of rounds out of the rifle, and about 200 as a .375.
Im comfortable, and competent with the gun in a way Im not sure I could be with a new rifle.
Its the gun Im most likely to be carrying anyway, and Ive literally shot thousands of rounds out of the rifle, and about 200 as a .375.
Im comfortable, and competent with the gun in a way Im not sure I could be with a new rifle.
Last edited:
Dr T
Member
To heck with the rifle; I would want an armoured personnel carrier!
- Status
