Firing out of a smooth bore, its more like a magnum musket than anything else really. They are also less aerodynamic. Instead, it uses a design like a badminton birdie for stability. While the .380 ACP packs significantly more punch than the .22 LR, it is still a little wimpy when it comes to "stopping power.". It is #1 or 00 buckshot. As a rule, it doesnt hurt to make a big hole. However, if you remain calm and have a defensive plan and a weapon at your disposal, the chances of coming out of the encounter unscathed are much higher. Contrary to popular belief, black bears are not that hard to kill. That is why I want the ultimate deterrent. Reason: If I am being charged by a grizzly, I will have less than 7 or 8 SECONDS to stop the charge, in most cases. That is not successful. However, you must buy in bulk to get this price. Would love a pistol, but .44 is too much. And if you need a quick second shot, nothing is faster than an AR-15. Defense shotshells are often expensive due to the time and testing needed to perfect these loads before the manufacturers ship them to the public. Out of the box, this one doesnt look much like the 870 weve come to know and love. Segmented Rifled Slug, Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice, Best Shotgun Shell Types for Home Defense & Hunting, Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking, Best Handgun Ammo for Self-Defense in Common Calibers, Best 308 Ammo For Hunting & Target Shooting, 10 Best 6.5 mm Cartridges For Long-Range Shooting and Hunting, Best 45 ACP Hollow Points for Self-Defense, Best 32 ACP Ammo for Your Pocket Pistol or Backup Gun, Top 13 Best AR Calibers That Arent 5.56 NATO, Best Ammo for Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield, Best 20 Gauge Ammo for Home Defense, Whitetail, and Upland Game, Best 45 ACP Ammo for Law Enforcement Officers, Best 38 Special Ammo For Target Practice Precision Shooting, Top 5 Best 45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice. Sometimes it doesnt matter how careful you are or what weapon you carry. However, they didn't stop with handgun ammo. Hornady is one of the most trusted brands for self-defense ammo, with choices like the Hornady Critical Defense for handguns. The wildly popular Creedmoor may seem a little light, but it makes the list because out to around 400 yards or so this mild-kicking round not only does the job on black bears, but is also a joy for anyone to shoot, including young hunters. A handgun is lighter and much easier to carry, and if thats what you need to tote through bear country, thats what you should tote. And he probably wont wait around for you to get up close and personal. Dixie Slug Company only makes dangerous game loads for shotguns. In fact, what makes the best bear defense weapon has been the subject of some pretty heated debates. What an idiotic comment, Idiotic comment?? My dad gave me a used 12-gauge shotgun for my 14th birthday. While more 0's get bigger. Alice Jones Webb is a writer, life-long hunter, experienced shooter, and mother of 4 up-and-coming shooting and outdoor enthusiasts. I listened to many stories about hand guns, And one that gets a bad rap is the desert eagle Great CommentsIn particular, those from guides & former guides or from people who lived & hunted in big bear areas. Brenneke actually recommends using any of their designs, except their sabots, in both a smooth and rifled barrel. Want a weather resistant, small, rifle with stopping power. I was stalked by a fairly large bear and it was basically mirroring me as I walked and trying to size me up for dinner. Should always have as backup but not PRIMARY. If youve ever hunted black bears with dogs, you know that the trail can be long and rough enough to stop a mule. Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. The shot will be short, and if you fall and roll down the mountain before you get to the tree, you dont have to worry about a scope losing its zero. Hornady's eight-pellet Critical Defense . Its a classic, that says something. Bear spray I have researched will save your butt less than 50% of the time. The best shot to stop a charging bear is in his skull. But if youre hunting over bait, where shot distances rarely exceed 50 yards, dont overlook the 12-gauge. For lead, you'll want. But a semi auto rifle with well aimed shots to the dome piece will switch it right off like a light. Unfortunetly i will be heading into the bush faster than originally anticipated, therefore i will unable to purchase a revolver and become comfortable enough with it before i leave. Also, you wont have time to dig through your pack when an angry brown bear is breathing in your face. Buffalo Bores 225-grain Heavy load is the best option still going, but the .358 has largely gone the way of the dodo. See here: #4 buckshot will not always reach the FBI minimum penetration standard. Not good. Even the most powerful handgun cartridges are dreadfully inadequate compared to the wimpiest high-powered rifle cartridge, no matter what type of ammunition you load into it. 1.3 3. they will work and they can be cheap, but they are less accurate, have a short effective range, and most dont penetrate very well compared to a large rifle. OR - just stay out of the bears territory? Using bear spray first, with another person, ready with the rifle, makes some sense. Strapping on a sidearm isnt a bad idea, even if you have a high-caliber rifle. I twist with my right hand forward and down ward, and do the exact opposite with my left, Bear Spray is great for nuisance bears, but will not stop an enraged bear. It's more a comparison of caliber effectiveness. Many consider buckshot the ultimate equalizer. There are a number AR-15-compatible cartridges that you can hunt bears with, but this is my top choice. Good luck stopping the Devil himself covered in brown fur. You'd best get to your rifle- or you're dead. The CZ 550 American Safari Magnum is one of the most popular rifles chambered for this hard-hitting cartridge. A big brown bear pumped on aggression could eat that many rounds in quick succession and keep coming. Rio 00 Buckshot is reliable, has a good pattern, and is reasonably priced. Despite the reclusive nature of most bruins, there has been an increase in human encounters with wild bears over the past decade. Your options are limited in 20 gauge shotgun shells, but we'd choose Winchester Super X #3 buck or Federal Power Shok #4 buck. Most of them are patterned after old-school African game loads, from a time before the heavyweight magnum rifles of the mid-20th century. The popular Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 pump-actions are perfect for the job. Youll want to burn through some practice ammo before you head into the backcountry. Black bears are fatty, hard-boned creatures. Here are five new and old cartridges that can be used in a variety of ways, and they all deserve an honorable mention. If you use a rifled barrel, you can shrink that down in half. Never turn your back. And because bears are so tough and move quickly, youll need to make every round count. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Some 12 gauge shotgun ammo loads have relatively low recoil, making them easier to shoot and more comfortable for some shooters. What good does it do if the bullets cant reach anything lethal or shatter the shoulder to take an animal down? Shotguns with short barrels and long magazines get the nod in bear country and Remingtons venerable 870 is the most popular. To make those shots count, youll need a big bullet with enough horsepower behind it to smash through all that toughness. One notable study found that rifle and handgun users suffered the same injury rates during aggressive bear encounters, whether they fired their weapons or not. These rounds are not cheap, but when protecting my family and myself, the price is the least of my worries. When a bear encounter makes a turn for the worst, youll want a weapon you can use confidently and effectively. This classic pump-action shotgun is just as reliable, affordable, and iconic as the Model 870. We have lots more on the site to show you. However, an un-killedwoundedblack bear has a mouth full of sharp things, a bad attitude, and is a very powerful animal. And thanks for the article, I get that it's an overview and I enjoyed it. An enraged bruin isnt inclined to pause mid-charge, and a big rifle offers the perfect cocktail of speed, energy, penetration, and destruction required to drop a charging bear dead in his tracks. With the Lyman pee sights it was lighter than the shotgun. the maximum range of a foster slug is 100 yards on deer, and closer to 50 for a mid-sized bear. Creamy Hungarian Turkey Leg and Mushroom Soup, Winchesters SXP Defender series shotguns, Oklahoma Man Kills Buddy He Believed Was Planning to Feed Him to Bigfoot During Noodling Trip, Wyoming and Colorado Wildlife Managers Adjust Hunting License and Season Proposals Due to Harsh Winter, Dog Steps on Hunting Rifle, Fatally Shoots Owner, Aim with Confidence: 5 Tips for Rifle Shooting Accuracy, New Federal Premium Black Cloud TSS Loads, SHOT Show 2019: New Federal Premium Varmint & Predator Load, Giving Guns as Gifts: National Shooting Sports Foundation Advice, Retired Game Warden Larry Case Blogs on Big Guns for Bad Bears. Which parts are you from and what firearm works best for you? Rifle holds nine. Most effective 12 gauge load for bear defense Last week i asked about people's opinions on a S&W 500 for bear defense. The three manufacturers with the best reputation are Light Field, Brenneke, and Dixie Slug Company. the more magnum slugs are completely devastating within 50 yards but can be losing half their energy at 100 yards. The amount of savings will depend on the brand and amount of ammo you purchase. Go here for the Realtree APG version. As a rule, magnums are not necessary for black bears. Best 12 Gauge Ammo for Deer Hunting We suggest: 0-000 Buckshot & Slugs Aptly named buckshot is ideal for hunting deer including whitetail and elk. We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy. We dont claim to have all the answers, but we know it takes a special weapon to stop a charging bruin. 30-06 rifle is the bare minimum to actually stop a brown bear, and you better be able to hit the heart at >50 yards, or it will get to you and kill you before it falls. 18" comes to mind. If I lived in grizzly country (and I hope to one day) but could afford a good magnum rifle, Id have some dixie slugs in a heartbeat. There are two primary types I consider home defense rounds and a third that can be used if it's all you have on hand. 300 grain Horady magnum version of xtp Hunting black bears over bait is a short-range affair, too, but the brush is typically thick and shots more unpredictable, so a hard-hitting cartridge in a repeating rifle is the way to go. 15+1, polymer frame, unbeatable reliability, and the ability to mount red dot optics make the Glock 20 a serious contender for a bear defense gun. It also flies flat and the sectional density of the best 6.5 bullets helps them penetrate deeply. Lots of cartridges will work well for black bears, but some just seem to have been made for the job. A pistol or handgun is a good choice as you are traversing some difficult terrain, and need it to be easily accessible. As history proves there will be a Comment about how PPT is not paid by Glock. All types of slugs designed for smoothbore shotguns are front-heavy designs. Foster slugs slow down very quickly and because of that, they dont penetrate all that well (for a 73-caliber bullet). I live in the Northern Rockies. Read Next: The 6 Best Big-Game Loads for the .308 Winchester. The 22 Long Rifle is hardly an ideal self-defense round (though with a sound suppressor it can be quite an effective stealthy killing tool ), but there's . This means you need to buy a dedicated slug-only shotgun or buy a rifled barrel to at least temporarily replace your smoothbore barrel. The best firearm in the world is useless without good ammunition. Bear Ammo; CCI Ammunition; Federal Premium Ammunition; Fiocchi Ammunition; . Top Load: Winchester Expedition Long Range Accubond. The first thing the dog hit on was a stainless steel 270, a Ruger Model 77 with the bolt half closed on another round. Very interesting read anyways. I don't mess with bear spray, its useless in a life and death situation and only makes matters worse. 9 Reviews. Glock 20 If you're used to toting around a 9mm Glock 19, you might be more comfortable with that. They are faster and more accurate than foster slugs, and penetrate much better in the tough tissue of a bear. This shotgun load was designed with law enforcement agencies in mind, which means you can trust it to be very effective in close quarters, as such is the case with home defense situations. (Also available in .44 Magnum.) At bear-baiting distances, the Wilson Combat 300 HAMR will do anything the .30/30 Winchester will, and from a lighter package that holds more ammunition. You should make an informed decision, which you've made by reading this article, but in the end, you should test out several different brands and projectiles to determine which you like best. As with any defensive shooting situation, proficiency with your weapon is essential. Designed as a practical and easy-to-carry gun for self-defense against large predators, the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan is a great choice as a bear-defense gun. European standard of course is 30-06 and a rifle like my savage axis is sufficient, super cheap, easy to bring in and plentifully available with ammo relatively easy to find, especially in nordic countries - cake on Svalbard, where its illegal to not have a large caliber fire arm! Agree, practice with any tool is required. Moral of the story; bear spray seems to work better on browns then blacks. I suggest finding a reduced recoil round if you're sensitive to recoil. GLOCK 29SF is my go to, im comfortable carrying 180 gr bonded JHPs, xtreme penetrators/xtrem hunters, round ball and cast flat nose rounds. Situation awareness is key, most bear attacks can be avoided, and who wants to kill a animal unless you absolutely have to. If youre used to toting around a 9mm Glock 19, you might be more comfortable with that. If you plan to hike, hunt, fish, or live in bear country, you should have a solid defensive plan for dangerous bear encounters. You don't use buckshot for bear defense, that's terrible advice. The shorter the barrel the better. A popular hunting guide and personal friend was killed while skinning an elk. youll want to go with a controlled expansion sabot to ensure deep penetration in a big animal. (For maximum packing comfort when following hounds in mountain country, check out the Scandium-framed, 25.2-ounce, S&W Model 329PD revolver. Thinkin outside the box! The rifling causes the slug to spin, making it more accurate. Where shot distances rarely exceed 50 yards but can be used in big... There will be a Comment about how PPT is not paid by Glock making it more.... Smoothbore barrel ll want a 9mm Glock 19, you know that the trail can be used in a bullet! 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