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Kyle
07-25-2006, 01:26 PM
ok, so i was directed to this site from a buddy. I know alot of you guys hunt bears out there so i figured this would be an appropriate site to ask this question. Im more of a fisherman myself(i admit, id like to hunt more than i do)
my question to you is what would be the best gun to carry out fishing incase of a bear attack?
im thinking a short barrelled shotty? not sure yet on pump or semi-auto..

also what kind of load should be putting in? 5 slugs(im from AB ;-) )? buckshot/slug combo? in wut order?

Thanks for any info..
and if any of you guys are in AB for some fishing email me and ill try and set you up

Dayto
07-25-2006, 01:53 PM
.12 Gauge 20" Barrel Folding stock (easy to carry in a pack) good bright fast sights (I use fiber optic on my bear gun) PUMP action for sure nothing worst then having a Auto jam when yogi is licking his lips on a full charge , Slugs and Buck shot will do the trick , But slugs would be what i Prefer.

todbartell
07-25-2006, 05:02 PM
Id take a Marlin lever gun in 45-70, loaded with heavy 400+ grain hard casts

youngfellla
07-25-2006, 05:16 PM
Id take a Marlin lever gun in 45-70, loaded with heavy 400+ grain hard casts




Yeah, come to think of it, that combo works pretty damn good :mrgreen:

Don in BC
07-25-2006, 06:50 PM
My choice hands down is the Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. 18.5 in barrel and 420gr hardcast will make most bruins think they got hit with a freight train. Only 6.5-7lbs with iron sights. Light and fast handling.

Don

FullDraw
07-25-2006, 06:54 PM
My choice would be good old brass knuckles and fight like a Saturday night in a Surrey bar.
Hope this helps!

boonerbuck
07-25-2006, 06:56 PM
How come Gatehouse hasn't answered this thread? What the hell is going on?:-P

Gateholio
07-25-2006, 07:14 PM
A MArin Gude Gun in 45-70 is a sledgehammer bear stopper, but there is not doubt that it is more expensive than a pump shotgun.

If you are looking for an easy to pack, inexpensive option, I'd get a Norinco 870 clone from MArstar, wiht a 14" barrel, and have a gunsmith isntall some rife sights on it.

Then I woudl load it with 23/4" Brenneke slugs.

The Brennekes wi penetrate ike crazy, the 2 3/4" slugs are more than enough and lets you recover form recoil faster than the 3" slugs.

Buy some cheaper slugs to practice with, but zero your shotgun wihtt he Brennekes, and pack them in the bush. They are more costly, but what is your life worth?

Practice with your firearm, even thoug it is expensive. See above.

I far prefer a large caliber rifle to deal with bears, but for a short, packabe solution the shotugn works well. Folding stocks and pistol grips are not preffered by me. Since a shotgun reaches max veoecity quite quickly in a barre, I'd prefer the shorter barrel and a full stock for maximum control and aiming.;:smile:

Gateholio
07-25-2006, 07:18 PM
PS tghere is no point to buckshot in a bear defense situation. At longer ranges the shot spreads out too much to be effective, and at closer ranges it doesn't spread out enough to give any advantage over a slug.

Why shoo the bear int he face with buchshot to "turn him" or "blind him" when you coudl just shoot him in the face with a slug and kil him?

bcboy
07-25-2006, 08:09 PM
.Anything in a lever gun! A 30-30 on up loaded with good bullets. My Black bear protection is 220 gr speer from a 35 rem marlin.336 18.5 "

If fro Blackies a 30-30 trapper with 170's and practise

If for grizz. a 45-70 GG with Garret bullets and dont practise you wont wanna shoot the gun at all..!!

Shot guns please.lol

Walksalot
07-26-2006, 05:12 AM
I can't see the logic of having a bear defence weapon one carries in a pack. If I am in an area I am carrying a weapon then I want that weapon at the ready from the time I leave my vehicle. The weapon needs to be easily accessabe and even then if the bear is at close quarters you simply don't have time to do anything, they move that quickly.

Fred
07-26-2006, 07:41 AM
I use an older Winnie Model 12 in 12x2 3/4 with a long forcing cone in an 18 inch barrel. The round under the hammer is a light trap load for noise. Thus far that is all that has been needed. After that it is homeloaded 0buck and slugs. My last round is a 72cal roundball hotloaded. Hopefully I will never have to use them but one must be prepared physically and mentally. It could be, after all, mortal combat! :???: Fred

MichelD
07-26-2006, 02:58 PM
I encountered a bear on the North Shore this morning while armed with my telescoping walking stick. The click and clank of my stick plus my noisy, shuffling, dragging, stumbling gait from getting up too early to go on this training hike put the fear of God into him and he scampered off like a bat out of hell.

FlyingHigh
07-26-2006, 03:06 PM
was this the Marlin you guys were talking about?
https://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/1895M.aspx

i am gonna be bowhunting and am also considering a bear protection gun. i was also looking at a Winchester defender with pistol grip in 12 gauge.

FlyingHigh
07-26-2006, 03:08 PM
sorry, i meant to put this link up.
https://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/1895G.aspx

FlyingHigh
07-26-2006, 03:09 PM
and just outta curiousity, what would a 45/70 do to a deer?

Gateholio
07-26-2006, 03:43 PM
Kill it...........

FlyingHigh
07-26-2006, 05:06 PM
lol. thanks Tips. no, i mean would it destroy it? or would i be fine using the 45/70 as an all around hunting gun?

Marc
07-26-2006, 05:40 PM
The 45/70 would be fine on deer size animals as well. The velocity of the 45/70 round is fairly slow and will cause less damage to meat then some of the magnum high velocity rifles that leave a lot of blood shot meat. That being said if you load the 45/70 hot it packs a punch an it's trajectory is like lobbing a foot ball :D I can manage around a 3 inch group some times tighter at 100 yards with open sights. On a deer size animal you'd be hard pressed to push your distance past 150 yards with open sights. Not that the rifle couldn't kill it it's just you probably wouldn't be able to see enough of the deer in the sights. A scope might be a different story but if you're planning on using it for bear defence the last thing you want is to have a scope get in your way.

Kyle
07-26-2006, 06:15 PM
ok...so basically a short barrelled shotty deal would not cut it if a grizz is coming at me?

With a lever gun, can you get shots off fairly quickly? Also what type of ammo would i be best to buy? like brands,wut type,etc.
Dont know too much about ammo, have only hunted waterfowl with my grandpappy..:biggrin:

youngfellla
07-26-2006, 06:28 PM
You can snap shots out of a lever gun pretty quick, especially with the more mild 300 grain loads. It's a different story with full-house 400 grain loads, it takes a little longer recover from the recoil and get back on target.

I think most factory ammo would do the job. Federal and Winchester make a good 300 grain soft-nose load around 1600 - 1700 fps. Remington makes a factory 405 grain load around 12-1300 fps which I think would be the best bet if you are limited to factory ammo for a bear stopper.

Kyle
07-26-2006, 07:14 PM
My grandpa makes shotgun shells, so he may have some stuff to make rifle shells...or one of his buddies might.

What type of load would you be making (that you cant buy in stores?)


Thanks once again for the info guys, appreciated very much!

FlyingHigh
07-26-2006, 07:33 PM
how much kick does one of these little 45/70 guns have? i was looking at the guns and i really like em. so it sounds like the gun would be accurate out to about 100 yards with 300 grain bullets. i woud probably stick a scope on it which may or may not increase long range accuracy. it would be carried while bowhunting mainly for bear protection but also if i see a beauty deer just out of bow range. (bow purists, please don't slaughter me :wink: ) think it would do the job? or would i be better off carrying a 30-06 with 180 bullets? love all the info we're getting here. thanks for helping us new guys and tolerating our stupid questions!!

LOC
07-26-2006, 07:39 PM
I have a 45/70 1895 with a limbsaver on it - kicks way less with the factory 405g or 300g than my .300 Win Mag with the limbsaver. Also shot Poguebilts 1895GS 45/70 with the stock recoil pad, same thing hardly any kick.

I'd put it slightly hard than my .300 Savage... the 45/70 is very easy to shoot and FAST.

brotherjack
07-26-2006, 09:49 PM
Any gun of a big game calibre (which would, I suppose, include shotgun+slug combo) with which you can pound 3 or more rounds into a very tight and accurate group at 20 to 30 yards in under 3 seconds. If that happens to be a 45/70, or other big-bore, great. If it happens to be a 30-30 - hey, a bullet from a 30-30 between the eyes will plant a bear faster than shooting him in the ear three or four times with a bigger gun. :)

brotherjack
07-26-2006, 09:51 PM
Though as a side note - I've never seen a bear that didn't turn tail and run when confronted with a human. Sane bears don't want nothin to do with people. It's the crazy bears you have to look out for. :) I don't worry too much about bears in the bush anymore - except when I'm say, gutting a fresh kill or something; then I post my wife guard with a round in the chamber. ;)

PGKris
07-26-2006, 10:13 PM
Kyle, I'm suggesting that the 45-70 is not a good idea for you. You're not that big and unless you get it ported and have a major recoil pad on it, the 45-70 with 400gr loads will set you on your ass. There's nothing a 45-70 can do that a 12ga with slugs can't do at bear-encounter range.

Walksalot
07-27-2006, 03:17 AM
Though as a side note - I've never seen a bear that didn't turn tail and run when confronted with a human. Sane bears don't want nothin to do with people. It's the crazy bears you have to look out for. :) I don't worry too much about bears in the bush anymore - except when I'm say, gutting a fresh kill or something; then I post my wife guard with a round in the chamber. ;)

While out hiking a few summers ago we sighted a bear and decided this one waranted a better look. We were moving at a brisk pace as we knew it was a large bear and wanted to get a look before it ran away. We came out of some thick bush to find this one standing it's ground at very close proximity and we were the ones who turned tail. The first and only time I had an animal look right through me. There is no dought in my mind that this bear took pity on a couple of hikers who , on that particular day, were suffering from a severe lack of good judgement.

Fred
07-27-2006, 07:17 AM
it would be carried while bowhunting mainly for bear protection but also if i see a beauty deer just out of bow range.

Just remember that if you are carrying a rifle in Bow Only season you could get in a heap of trouble. If you are carrying a firearm that is obviously not used for hunting you could still get in trouble but it is not quite so likely.
The 45/70 with good loads and a good eye behind the sights is good for a fair bit more than 100 yards too. :wink: Fred

FlyingHigh
07-27-2006, 11:58 AM
thanks for the info guys. i'll have to think about which gun i'll go with.

Kyle
07-27-2006, 05:32 PM
Kris,
im 6'1 and about 210-220.
is that really gonna be too much gun for me?

youngfellla
07-27-2006, 05:38 PM
45/70 with factory loads is very easy to shoot. I'm sure most grown men could handle the recoil. It's the max loads with 350-400 grain bullets that are a bit rough to shoot, mostly off the bench, because the muzzle jump is pretty bad on those short guide guns. Shooting offhand you have more control over the muzzle jump and it's not so bad.

elkster
08-09-2006, 11:52 PM
I might as well throw in my 2c. the shorty shotgun with slugs is what I use around camp, or when I'm out taking a crap. Taking it into the bush you have to be aware that 7 slugs is way over the legal limit for hunting with a shotgun. You could argue its for defence only, but a CO could give you some grief over it. I carry a 300wsm and my partner a 300 winmag. it doesn't leave many options unless you want to carry it in a pack for use when you're working on a kill.

Gateholio
08-10-2006, 01:04 AM
I might as well throw in my 2c. the shorty shotgun with slugs is what I use around camp, or when I'm out taking a crap. Taking it into the bush you have to be aware that 7 slugs is way over the legal limit for hunting with a shotgun. You could argue its for defence only, but a CO could give you some grief over it. I carry a 300wsm and my partner a 300 winmag. it doesn't leave many options unless you want to carry it in a pack for use when you're working on a kill.

The new regs state that you may have more than 3 slugs in your shotgun.

Yhey must a be SINGLE projectile, not shot.

PGKris
08-10-2006, 03:09 PM
The new regs state that you may have more than 3 slugs in your shotgun.

Yhey must a be SINGLE projectile, not shot.

Kyle is from AB....I don't know what his regs are.

Marc
08-10-2006, 04:00 PM
Kyle is from AB....I don't know what his regs are.

Well if he's from out of province he should at least put that in his profile so people know where he's from and what he's talking about.

Marc.