Posted on 10/19/2017 8:24:35 AM PDT by w1n1
It’s often prudent to be armed when in bear country. Here are our picks for the 10 best bear defense guns that are available on the market today. When you head into bear country, you must accept that you are no longer at the top of the food chain. Luckily, most bears usually do not want any trouble and will leave the area as soon as they detect you.
However, this is not always the case and you should be prepared to defend yourself if you get in a tight situation. A good bear gun should be a part of your defense plan.
That being said, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. By using your brain and taking a few basic precautions out in the woods, you can dramatically reduce your odds of being attacked by a bear. Here's a few bear defense gun to look at.
Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan
The revolver is available with a 2.5-inch barrel which makes it very compact and easy to carry. However, the short barrel comes with a price of increased recoil, muzzle blast, and slightly reduced power. Even so, the gun still packs quite a punch and has been successfully used by many people to defend themselves against bears.
Ruger GP100
Many shooters are able to shoot both faster and more accurately with a .357 Magnum than a .44 Magnum or other larger cartridge. With this in mind, a high quality handgun chambered in .357 Magnum, like the Ruger GP100, can be a very effective bear defense gun.
Taurus Raging Bull
The revolver features the famous red “Raging Bull” backstrap on the grip, which considerably tames the gun’s recoil, making it another good choice for bear defense. Read the full description of the Top 5 bear defense guns here. What's yours?
I have to deal with black bears only in my area and I carry a 6 1/2 inch .44 magnum Virginian Dragoon with hunting loads when I am working around the house. If I confront a bear in my yard that won’t move on they get #8 shot from my Mossy 500 in the rump as an inducement. I keep a couple rounds of #8 up front in the .12 gauge and then three slugs in case the bear charges. The #8 in the tail usually sends them scurrying off quickly.
At self protection range I dont think that would be necessary. After 40-50 yards they might yaw and eventually tumble. I have used them in smoothbores, Strictly for fun. They are going to fly true for any self protection distances.
I read an article by some guy who shot deer with sabots at 200yds (might be true) with smooth bore 12 gauges.
I personally shot one deer with a sabot at 50 yds through a mossberg 500 rifled barrel . I also missed 1 deer at the same distance. For some reason the sabots would shoot 4 shots into 2-3” at 100yds and the 5th off the paper completely. I believe that when they leave the muzzle....the sabots hitting the air outside either hits the slug when it flys off....or perhaps one half of the sabot stays on a fraction of a second too long and causes the slug to sail off target.
Anyway a distances where a Bruin is charging you, any and all slugs should hit the target.
Anyway. Since my hunting area went from shoguns only to shotguns or rifles....I only hunt with rifles now.
There are rifled choke tubes for Remington 870 barrels that produce good 100 yard groups. It does open up buckshot loads a bit quicker.
I have fired an S & W 500 with the 500 grain bullet in lieu of the 350 or the 700 you cite. The 500 with a 500 is crazy heavy action out of a handgun.
If I wanted a second shot on target, I would use the Taurus Raging Bull (longer barrel than what is shown) in .454 Casull which as an old guy I can still handle. Your preference for the long gun is noted.
MG-42
Yep, alternate 00 and slugs.
The Alaskan State Police tested 00 buck on confiscated bear skulls. They recommend slugs only.
00 to the face will take out nose and eyes and definitely distract the bear.
You can still hit him with the slug next shot.
But the information is appreciated nevertheless.
I think buckshot is rather effective on its own. Both 12 ga buckshot or slugs are best against bear attack.
Have one of those tubes for my sons 1187.
Kind of impressive really. Minute of paper plate at 100 yards. The 12 ga with a short and long barrel and various chokes is endlessly versatile.
Meant to say short barrel with rifle sights...
I was a forest ranger at the Kenai Lake Work Center in Moose Pass, Alaska many years ago, and that’s what we were issued: .375 H&H rifles.
They were pre’64’s, which are worth a lot of money, but when I told the camp director that we should sell them, buy modern Rugets for a fraction of the price, and use the profits to upgrade our snow machines and stuff, he told me the government didn’t work that way!
I really enjoyed my years up there on the Kenai!
What types of slugs do you carry in your shotgun?
Extremely cost-effective defense weapon.
Fun too.
Just friggin' effective
Remington needs to hire us as pitchmen.
Holy crap, that is Kim’s story! Thought it was the big toe!
Tell me more.
I’m interested in shooting sabot slugs out of a Remington 870. I have a smooth bore. Not keen on buying a rifled barrel as I would not use it that often for saboted rounds.
Do these rifled choke tubes allow the use of both sabot slugs and foster slugs? What brand do you recommend?
I found an 18” barrel that came with iron sights and two chokes, rifled and imp cylinder. It works great for buckshot and slugs. I have only tried standard foster slugs, the sabots might well shoot tighter. But paper plate groups at 100 yds is still pretty good IMHO. I think I got it from Cabella or Midway. I still have the long barrel and extra full choke for turkey, or mod choke for grouse. And of course any loads for the occasion from #8 to buck and slugs. Like I said, nothing more versatile.
I’ll make a point to try sabots before the snow piles up.
I guess I didn't answer that. Yes.
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