However, penetration was 18 inches. Guns and Camo. A slug is a single large bullet fire out of a shotgun There are 2 primary types of slugs. towards your level. Attach a reflex sight and youll have a nimble rifle chambered for a cartridge thatll hammer black bears of any size. Black bears are fatty, hard-boned creatures. Best if you can be so familiar that you can take the firearm apart without looking and put it back together quickly. A 12-gauge shotgun is an incredibly powerful weapon, but its effectiveness is greatly limited by the type of bullets it shoots. More Alaskan guides rely on the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum than any other cartridge. The important thing here is to make sure you can use it proficiently. A well placed shot or even 5 or 6 half placed shots will stop a bear. If they go much faster, they will experience major deformation in a short wound but wont penetrate as it should. The Best 12 Gauge Ammo for Home Defense I've always said a shotgun is the best home defense firearm because of its reduced risk of over-penetration, increased stopping power, and accuracy. A semi auto with a "standoff device" on the end of the main spring, a 9mm will be fine with good bonded Hollow points like a federal HST or winchester Pdx1 and a fixed blade knife with a good stabbing tip like a quality dagger. Best 10mm Ammo For Bear Protection Underwood 10mm Ammo 200 Grain Hard Cast - Best Overall Specs Shop Underwood 10mm Ammo Bullet type: 200gr Hard-Cast Primer Type: Boxer Casing Type: Nickel-Plated Brass Muzzle Velocity:1250 FPS Muzzle Energy: 694 ft-lbs Pros Feeds reliably Hi-Tek Polymer-coated hard-cast bullet reduces lead fouling When bear were know to be an issue I carried my Mossberg 500 12 ga. with slugs also. Top Load: Hornady Dangerous Game Superformance Interlock SP. For DEFENSE AGAINST A CHARGING GRIZZLY: You may already be familiar with Critical Defense since the ammo line is extremely popular for concealed handguns and AR rifle platforms. Bear spray is a relatively new invention, and many hunters, hikers, and outdoorsmen arent particularly comfortable using it. Best Rimfire Rifle: Ruger 10/22 .22LR. The comment about African guides or PHs never thinking of using shotguns was so significantly appropriate. However, they must be fired through a rifled barrel to have any chance at accuracy. 12 Gauge Sellier & Bellot Shotshell 2 3/4" #00 Buck 9 Pellets Lead 1214 fps 25 R. Surprisingly, our 18-inch-barrel riot gun exhibited 1480 fps. They work by creating pain and discomfort that a bear learns to avoid. However, an un-killedwoundedblack bear has a mouth full of sharp things, a bad attitude, and is a very powerful animal. Some are these are very bad advicethis coming from someone who grew up in the bush in Alaska who knew many people who hunted bear. Lucky for you, I have spent many hours researching and testing the best 12 gauge ammo for home defense. Das passiert so mit eigenen Druckmitteln. Jordan enjoys giving his time and resources to help others and has spent 15 years volunteering in a boy's mentoring program He is and will always be an American Patriot. Ruger offers the Alaskan in a stubby 2.5-inch barrel. So should you. Add to Cart. If youre shooting a bad guy who just broke into your home to maim, rape, or kill, buckshot works pretty damn well. Which parts are you from and what firearm works best for you? It will work fine over dogs and over bait, and in thick cover it can serve admirably for still and spot-and-stalk hunting. Deciphering all this information is time-consuming and confusing because we're not constantly comparing apples to apples. The shorter the barrel the better. According to the Alaska DNR, they have never had a case of anyone successfully defending themselves against an attack from an Alaskan brown bear with ANY type of handgun. I'd buy a Super Red Hawk Alaskan in a heart beat, especially for Kodiak. in all seriousness, DO NOT USE 10MM against bears. Believe it or not, its true. 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. Choose from a wealth of options from quality ammunition manufacturers including Winchester, Hornady, and Fasteel. That means when you traipse into bear country, you no longer sit at the top of the food chain. Both can be alright options for bear hunting, but there are major differences in their construction and ballistics. Foster slugs have killed a lot of deer, and no doubt, bears too, but I wouldnt suggest them for big animals like bears. Theres lots of Seven-Mag loads that will work for black bear but if you want something that shoots flat and delivers deep, bone breaking penetration, pick one loaded with a Barnes Tipped Triple Shock. You've only seen one page. Situation awareness is key, most bear attacks can be avoided, and who wants to kill a animal unless you absolutely have to. It takes either serious luck or serious skill to accomplish such a feat. 5 Reviews. When a bear encounter makes a turn for the worst, youll want a weapon you can use confidently and effectively. The stuffed teddy bears you snuggled with during childhood might have led you to believe bears are cute and cuddly. Important thing to remember with any firearm you carry is that it does no good if you cant place a shot or not comfortable and familiar with its operation. These are mostly made by boutique ammo manufactures and may be a special-order item at your local gun store. Moral of the story always carry more than your need. Let her know we were there with a bear popper. Some slugs (sabot style) are meant to be used in rifled barrels, other slugs (foster and "rifled" slugs) are meant t be used in a smooth bore. You have no idea what you are talking about or the person you asked is a terrible liar. For spot-and-stalk bear hunting in cluttered country, this one is tough to beat. all loads must be 1200+ fps for my liking. Need more awesome wilderness information? https://www.ammoland.com/2020/03/update-handgun-or-pistol-against-bear-attack-93-cases-97-effective/. Agree, practice with any tool is required. If the answer is yes, which gun is best? Thankfully, most bears go out of their way to avoid humans. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. That is not successful. Since these guys regularly come face to face with injured and irritated brown bears, I think they know whats up. You dont have to mimic your raucous fraternity days. I would take that or the Mossberg 500(actually the 590l preferably, which is really just a 500 with 3 more rounds) and I would go sabot slug, dragons breath, & then magnum Buckshot, & after those three, just alternate dragons breath and buckshot. Slug. Which is why I'm surprised there is no discussion of Brown bear vs Polar bear. Black bears are typically gotten after in one of three ways: behind hounds, over bait, or via spot and stalk. 2d choice is G9 45 ACP +P 165 gr. Take a look at our incredible selection of 12-gauge ammo today and find the perfect shot for your shot. . Flies accurately and delivers a painful but safe impact. A handgun in .44 Mag, .41 Mag, heavy loaded .45 Colt, 10mm, or maybe .454 Casull or .480 Ruger may be your best bet, carried in a holster you can draw from quickly. Hallelujah! 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. Brenneke makes the best traditional slugs for bear. The extra weight and barrel length make the recoil a smidge easier to handle. Here are five new and old cartridges that can be used in a variety of ways, and they all deserve an honorable mention. Make sure you select a tough bullet that will hold up to rifle velocities. The largest buckshot is 000. Before heading into bear country, practice drawing, aiming, and shooting your spray. While 10mm doesnt pack the same punch as other magnum calibers, it still packs a lot of heat behind a relatively hefty round. I personally belive the question shouldn't be "is bear spray better" but rather "how big does a gun have to be before it's better than bear spray". 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. :). We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared A 12-gauge shotgun has enough energy and penetration to reliably kill a bear up to 100 yards, depending on ammo. I live in a semi-congested suburban, residential neighborhood 15 miles southwest of Hartford, CT. We regularly get bears walking through our yards. Also, you wont have time to dig through your pack when an angry brown bear is breathing in your face. But they work well. BS. Jordan has taught marksmanship, woodsmanship, and self-defense classes. Due to the unique wad, it doesn't perform well with most choke tubes. He grew up hunting, fishing, and trapping. But, as you mentioned, best defense is avoidance. These DE's have a lip at the back below the slide, The best way to survive a bear encounter is to not end up in a bad situation in the first place. Handgun is second best. July 18, 2022 |The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory, April 17, 2023 |The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory, February 1, 2023 |The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory. Alice Jones Webb is a writer, life-long hunter, experienced shooter, and mother of 4 up-and-coming shooting and outdoor enthusiasts. It also expands into a cone-shaped cloud. Some hunters have found varmint bullets instantly lethal on deer. These rounds are not cheap, but when protecting my family and myself, the price is the least of my worries. This thing is virtually bombproof and features a highly reliable controlled-feed Mauser action. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. The major drawback to using a revolver for bear defense is ammo capacity. 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. 12 gauge shotgun shells are effective at short to medium ranges, making it ideal for close quarters combat and hunting in dense brush or wooded areas. Longer shells are always more expensive, so if you're trying to be budget-friendly, I wouldn't recommend choosing 3 1/2" shells. If so, rethink things. The Taurus Raging Bull revolver is also available in .454. We carry the best 12-gauge ammo for your favorite shotgun whether you're looking for buckshot, birdshot, slugs or specialty rounds, we've got you covered. However, this option shoots the same diameter bullets as the popular 9mm Luger. Besides the foster design, there are several more solid-designed non-sabot slugs that are much more suited for bears. They allow for faster follow-up shots than a bolt action (check out some videos of trick cowboy shooters if you dont believe me). For that, a lightweight, easy-carrying, rugged rifle, like an open-sighted Winchester Model 94, is ideal. Out of the box, this one doesnt look much like the 870 weve come to know and love. Sometimes it doesnt matter how careful you are or what weapon you carry. Can reload as you go. Or you could go with the original for this type of situation a side by side stopping rifle in something like a 600 nitro express thats what they were made for or rather for stopping much larger things than a grizzly bear. (, We noticed that you have previously logged in with your, Check what do you get by creating an account, Bookmark and compare your favorite firearms, Best Bear Defense Guns for Hikers and Backpackers. California recently rushed through legislation making it unlawful to communicate to those under 18 about broad categories of firearms, parts, and accessories. That is why I want the ultimate deterrent. Rated for 850 fps muzzle velocity out of a handgun, we tested the 2.5-inch Federal Personal Defense load in our reliable pump shotgun. 1-oz. But a sidearm in a quality OWB holster is always on your person. Plus, the shorter barrel length of most lever guns makes them easy to maneuver, which is an asset when facing an unpredictable bear. Rifle holds nine. The price doesn't reflect the quality of these rounds, as law enforcement agencies trust these rounds in training and real-world situations daily. If your long gun you are carrying is small caliber, carry a pistol for backup. It is #1 or 00 buckshot. Please, that is a good way to get killed. Well, they don't have anything to do with shotguns, but a rifled or sabot slug does, and they make good personal defense rounds. I twist with my right hand forward and down ward, and do the exact opposite with my left, Most self-defense scenari. A surprise was the popularity of the CZ-USA Safari Magnum; with five in the magazine and one in the spout it held the most amount of ammo, a big consideration for a bear gun. When you wander into bear country, you could still find yourself face-to-face with a bruin. As expected she went straight up into the Forrest, avoiding us and the probable male to her right. But when a big boar is looking for love in the spring, hell cover a whole lot of ground. A rifled barrel should either come with iron sights or a scope mount. You will only have time to use ONE of these. Although bear spray and pepper spray use similar active ingredients, they are not the same. Alaskan brown bears average around 900 lbs of bone shattering fury. Knowledge of animals is important. Bears are fast. Recoil is murder! I have a Rossi 1892 in .454 Casul. Yogi and his picnic basket fetish arent too far off the mark. And no mention of the 460 or 500 Smith and Wesson ?? Old_Painless. How's it impossible to stay out of bear territory? (For maximum packing comfort when following hounds in mountain country, check out the Scandium-framed, 25.2-ounce, S&W Model 329PD revolver. 1.4 4. The 270 did not do the job, and the hunter's next round never finished the ride to the chamber. 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