Best bear defense gun

[INDY45]

Buy a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan preferably in 454 casual but the 44 mag is also a fine back up loaded with buffalo bore. I settled for the 44 mag because I could not locate a 454 and could not be any happier. It has made a lot of trips to the Great Smokey mountains with me.

Indy

 

[TheDude]

I knew a couple guys who hunted bear in Alaska and both carried 870s with 00/000buck. They did this when "baiting".

 

[sig-guy]

Minimum, .41 mag, with hardcast bullets.

 

[FERLACH]

I would lean toward a pump shotgun with slugs or a high power rifle. I have personally killed 4 black bear, my brother 1, brother-in-law 2, and couple friends 1 each. All our hunting was in north part of Ontario (six differant trips for me) and every bear was killed with a high power rifle ( variety of calibers). Never been charged by a bear, but when you are actually in close contact with one, you will probably wish you had more than a handgun. They appear a lot more dangerous and I guarantee your heart will beat faster, when they are not in a zoo or cage.

 

[LCSOSgt11]

I would suggest a M68A1 120 mm cannon, however, it is only affixed the the M1A2 Abrams tank as of now.

 

[packard]

Hard to argue with a 12 ga 600 gr slug, but I would be carrying a Marlin 45-70 GS loaded with something over 400 gr.

 

[Thor]

I would suggest a M68A1 120 mm cannon, however, it is only affixed the the M1A2 Abrams tank as of now.

Gunner, Sabot, Bear....try to leave something to eat this time.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I have personally killed 4 black bear, my brother 1, brother-in-law 2, and couple friends 1 each.

The first time I read that I was skimming and I read it all wrong. lol

 

[Fordtough25]

I seem to remember watching a show on Alaska DNR and State troopers carrying 12 gauges with slugs loaded up. Seems like a good idea to me, big slug!

 

[Thor]

Using a 12ga loaded with Brenneke Black Magic slugs is equivalent to a .45-70 loaded with Garrett 540gr sledgehammers. The slug delivers about 100ft lbs more energy at the muzzle (3,014) while the .45-70 carries further and has greater penetration. I think that's about as apples to apples as I can get.

Choose your medicine. Either pill works!

On the Garrett ammo: With its tremendous weight to diameter ratio (sectional density) it provides end to end penetration on the heaviest of bears, with exit, and does tremendous damage per unit of penetration due to its extremely blunt front end. This load is carried exclusively by NOAA for protection against coastal grizzly attack. It is also carried by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Geological Survey for protection from grizzly attack. For the specific task of stopping a grizzly charge, this ammo has no peer.

On the slug: One of the heaviest slugs on the market, the Black Magic Magnum is devastating on the biggest, toughest prey. It is so powerful that it is often the choice of professional guides in
Alaska and Africa to back up their clients when hunting dangerous game.

 

[MrJohnson]

No one's suggested the new Glock 40?

 

[Thor]

Does it come chambered in 44Mag, .45-70 or 12 ga?

 

[ScouT6a]

I remember talking to a buddy about taking my Ruger New Vaquero, in .45 Colt, to western Montana on an Elk hunt a few years ago. My load was a 255 grain L SWC over 9.0 grains of Unique at 950 fps.
My buddy said he wondered how many rounds of the .45 Colt it would take for a Grizzly. I quickly replied, "ALL of them!"

 

[Thor]

Yup,

Use enough gun...and when you're sure it's dead shoot it again.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

I find it simply amazing the number of people who recommend a .44 magnum handgun for bears and will recoil in horror over the thought using a 30-30 Win.
Even with the hot Buffalo Bore +P+ 340 grain out of a 7.5 inch barreled pistol you generate only 1478 fps and 1649 muzzle energy. A Federal 170 grain 30-30 out of a carbine has 2200 fps and 1800 muzzle energy.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

I find it simply amazing the number of people who recommend a .44 magnum handgun for bears and will recoil in horror over the thought of using a 30-30.
Even with the hot Buffalo Bore +P+ 340 grain out of a 7.5 inch barreled pistol you generate only 1478 fps and 1649 muzzle energy. A Federal 170 grain 30-30 out of a carbine has 2200 fps and 1800 muzzle energy.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

I find it simply amazing the number of people who recommend a .44 magnum handgun for bears but will recoil in horror over the thought of using a
30-30.
Even with the hot Buffalo Bore +P+ 340 grain out of a 7.5 inch barreled pistol you generate only 1478 fps and 1649 muzzle energy. A Federal 170 grain 30-30 out of a carbine has 2200 fps and 1800 muzzle energy.

 

[Jerry45Acp]

I find it simply amazing the number of people who recommend a .44 magnum handgun for bears but will recoil in horror over the thought of using a
30-30.
Even with the hot Buffalo Bore +P+ 340 grain out of a 7.5 inch barreled pistol you generate only 1478 fps and 1649 muzzle energy. A Federal 170 grain 30-30 out of a carbine has 2200 fps and 1800 muzzle energy.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Hey jerry, what's your thought on the 44 mag compared to a 30-30?

 

[oldpink]

I find it simply amazing the number of people who recommend a .44 magnum handgun for bears but will recoil in horror over the thought of using a
30-30.
Even with the hot Buffalo Bore +P+ 340 grain out of a 7.5 inch barreled pistol you generate only 1478 fps and 1649 muzzle energy. A Federal 170 grain 30-30 out of a carbine has 2200 fps and 1800 muzzle energy.

Disregarding your thrice-repeated posting, it's worth mentioning that the main advantage that specific .44 magnum loads have over ordinary .30-30 rifle loads isn't a function of muzzle energy, but one of bullet construction.
Normal .30-30 ammo is loaded with softpoints that may or may not (there are lots of variables involved) penetrate well against a heavily muscled, thick-hided, stout-boned bruin, especially one that's surprised and angry.
The recommended loads for .44 Magnum against bruins use heavy hard cast semi-wadcutter or truncated cone bullets with huge meplats (the flattened nose) designed to penetrate deeply.