Woman uses New York Reload on Grizzly in Idaho

Gun Watch ^ | 16 August, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Some people say the fastest way to continue firing when your gun runs dry is to grab another gun.  It is called a "New York reload".  It happened to a woman protecting her children in northern Idaho, not far from the scene of the famous Ruby Ridge case.

 

The blue arrow points to Moyie Springs, where Barbara Casey shot the grizzly bear.  The Ruby Ridge shootings occurred near the red arrow about 15 miles SouthWest.

Barbara Casey did not want to shoot a grizzly bear.  She wanted to scare it off her property, and she almost succeeded.  She knows that shooting a grizzly can be a life changing experience, because of federal and state law.  She and her children tried banging pots and pans.  Then she emptied a .22 handgun in the air, then grabbed a .45.  After a few more "warning" shots, the .45 jammed.  She grabbed a third gun, a .22 rifle.  From spokesman.com:

She yelled at her kids to go down the hill to a neighboring home. They did. Her .45 jammed. Casey grabbed her other gun, a .22-caliber rifle.

The bear stopped. Casey stopped shooting, and it was quiet, she said.

Then Casey’s dog barked. The bear, who had turned away from Casey, turned around and charged, she said. Casey shot it twice from about 20 feet away, once in the gut. The bear ran down the hill, where a neighbor later shot it in the head.

“I’m still shaking really bad,” Casey said a day later. “It was the most horrible thing.”

The bear was a two year old male.  Males trying to establish new territories are a common source of bear-human encounters.   The bear had been trapped and released three weeks earlier, but was not known as a problem bear.

It is not clear if the rifle were a centerfire or a rimfire, but the most common .22 caliber rifles are rimfires, chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.  Dogs can chase off bears, and dogs can attract bears. 

An interesting case where backup guns proved useful, warning shots did not have the desired effect, and a .22 that worked was better than the .45 that jammed.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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[PapaBear3625]

New York reload? Between the SAFE Act and the alleged difficulties in getting permits, I’m not sure why New York gets the limelight.

It got its name from NYC police grabbing their backup gun instead of reloading their primary gun. In the days of police using revolvers, it was generally faster.

[Smokin' Joe]

Thanks. That makes sense.

[Noumenon]

Idaho reload: chambering another 3” 12 gauge Brenneke slug round.

[43north]

I used to carry a .22LR for bear protection in Alaska. My plan was to shoot my hiking partner (usually the wife) in the leg and run like hell...

[Mouton]

My choice would be a .375HandH.

[marktwain]

I think I first read of it in a Massad Ayoob book.

[minnesota_bound]

#10 that is funny! : )

[IYAS9YAS]

There is no consensus on where to place that one shot on a charging Griz.

In your hiking buddy's knee.

[bgill]

Ruby Ridge has absolutely zero to do with this story. Hey, Dean, next time you’d be just as informative throwing in fishing the gulf or pyramids or the Easter bunny.

[minnesota_bound]

It would never have occurred to me to worry about the law especially a stupid one when a bear is rushing at me.

FTA: She knows that shooting a grizzly can be a life changing experience, because of federal and state law.

[exnavy]

I like the ruger Redhawks Alaskan in 454 for all the same reasons, except, center mass aim point with a handloaded, 410 grain wide flatness gas check at 1400 feet per sec. Should only need one shot. Alas, in Michigan we have black bear, no grizzly.

[uncbob]

That would be the first choice

[Cold Heart]

Trapped & released. ICE?

[Hot Tabasco]

.22 is very, very small caliber to go up against a grizzly.

That was her next to the last line of defense. Once the .22 ran out of ammo, the last line of defense was to throw the gun at the bear then run like hell...........

[Jack Hammer]

Grizzly bear?

Fifty BMG and a prayer.

[marktwain]

“Ruby Ridge has absolutely zero to do with this story.”

Except that they occurred in close spatial proximity.

[Tijeras_Slim]

The term was invented by Jim Cirillo, a NYC cop who, on the Stakeout squad was involved in a 20 gunfights and killed at least 11 men. This was in the late 60’s when they carried revolvers, before speed loaders, dropping your empty and grabbing a backup was the fastest way to get shooting again.

[Tijeras_Slim]

ping to my # 37

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tempcmb5hZU

Whole lot of Chic Gaylord leather in that video.

[G Larry]

Is “center mass” on a Griz an INSTANT kill shot?

If it takes him more than 30 seconds to die, you’re already half et.....

[Georgia Girl 2]

The gun you didn’t want to jam was the .45. I can’t even imagine shooting a Grizzly with a .22.