I always see rem 870s and the like as viable bear defense guns on Alaskan forums and guide forums. Why don’t the semi auto ar style get mentioned ever? I have a vr60 and it’s great, just got a 20 round mag for it. I’ve wondered for awhile why it or a vr80 wouldn’t work? They cycle very well and you can get a bunch of mag sizes for them. Just curious if there’s something I’m missing?
Vr60 for bear defense
- Thread starter Csinn
- Start date
Blue Brick
Member
And faster to clear a malfunction. Seconds count in bear 
country.
country.
I recall watching a hunting show where the guide was backing up an archery hunter with a Benelli semi-auto while bear hunting. In my experience a QUALITY semi-auto is usually more reliable in practice than a pump. A pump is more rugged and will continue to function if abused or filthy whereas a semi-auto has to be kept reasonably clean.
If a pump fails, it is most likely operator error and the stress of getting off multiple shots during a bear attack with a pump without short stroking the action is a real possibility. A QUALITY semi-auto, if kept CLEAN usually proves to be more reliable.
The keys there are Quality and CLEAN. There aren't many semi-autos I'd trust and keeping them clean in the Alaskan bush can be a challenge. And all of the ones I trust start at over $1000. Not sure I'd trust a $400 semi-auto when a new 870 is $500. Much of that hunting is done from a boat or at least near water. There is a good chance you're going to deal with mud, sand, snow and ice.
Those rugged conditions combined with dangerous game are why CRF bolt actions and pump shotguns are preferred. They have proven to function when filthy when other guns have failed.
If a pump fails, it is most likely operator error and the stress of getting off multiple shots during a bear attack with a pump without short stroking the action is a real possibility. A QUALITY semi-auto, if kept CLEAN usually proves to be more reliable.
The keys there are Quality and CLEAN. There aren't many semi-autos I'd trust and keeping them clean in the Alaskan bush can be a challenge. And all of the ones I trust start at over $1000. Not sure I'd trust a $400 semi-auto when a new 870 is $500. Much of that hunting is done from a boat or at least near water. There is a good chance you're going to deal with mud, sand, snow and ice.
Those rugged conditions combined with dangerous game are why CRF bolt actions and pump shotguns are preferred. They have proven to function when filthy when other guns have failed.
JB111
Member
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- Mar 19, 2022
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- 274
I have several semi auto Turkish shotguns and while fun to shoot and relatively reliable I do not know if I would trust one of them to defend myself against a bear with. With that being said however, I have a vr80 with a thousand or so rounds of buckshot and slugs through it without an issue. It really does come down to keeping the gun clean/lubed and magazine loaded correctly. Also, leaving those magazines loaded for extended periods can cause the shells to deform, thus raising the potential of malfunctions. If I had to have a shotgun in an area with bear or other dangerous animals, I would have a decent pump loaded to the gill with slugs. A benelli nova with a tube extension or something similar.
Having shells deform over time from leaving them loaded in magazines is one reason why I don't use or recommend any box fed magazine for HD/SD use. A lot of people are in the habit of leaving magazines loaded for extended periods of time which is fine for brass cased ammo but not good for plastic shot shells.
@Csinn, there are a few reasons why a pump action is use more than a semi-auto. One is reliability in extreme conditions from temperatures to dirty firearms. Plus a good 870,500 or 590 will always be cheaper than a quality semi-auto.
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