Shotguns, Bears and handguns oh my.

[edporch]

I just returned early this morning from the NW Wisconsin woods where around the area of my place, there are some large black bears.
And my neighbor was telling me just yesterday about one breaking into neighbor's house next door.
I carried a Glock Model 20 10mm with Underwood 200 Grain Hardcast bullets and 15 round magazine.
I've also used a S&W Model 629 .44 Magnum.
In past years I've also brought along a Mossburg 590 loaded with deer slugs and 00 Buck alternating.

About 10 years ago, I had a very large black bear at my back screen door.
Luckily he walked away.
When I saw the size of him and how close he was to me, even though I was armed, I'd still not want to bet my life I could've killed him before it messed me up!

 

[bcod151]

Big fan of the .410 Shockwave with the rounds they have for them now would do some serious damage I would think. Easy to shoot but like some of the other comments I do believe a holsterd handgun might be quicker to access and get rounds off if spooked or ambushed by a bear. Or carry both lol

 

[Kneedeep87]

I think most people carry a revolver because it's small and you can get one that's a cannon round. I'm from wa state and when you cruising through rough mountains a long gun is a burden if your not hunting. Hand cannons also have a good reach for a pistol. A rifle or shotgun is better for the sight radius and stopping power but you don't want to go at a bead with a shotgun unless you have slugs. You don't really want to wait until a bear is close unless your hiding(hunting) because they're adrenaline makes them like trying to take down a guy on pcp..kind of a dead man walking zombie like situation. if they see you and are rushing you that's what your dealing with. If they don't see you they die like anything else. People bow hunt bear all the time.

 

[Amishman44]

Now I have never shot a shotgun with a pistol grip 12, 20, or even .410 but I can imagine it would be a handful, well, maybe not the .410, but you see what I'm getting at.
So would a shotgun like or similar to the Shockwave be a choice worth consideration? It seems it would, could double as a home defense weapon.

With a pistol-gripped shotgun, I'm guessing that accuracy would be your main concern in a CQB with a moving target!
And being able to get effective hits-on-target is the main concern with a wild animal, especially if charging, gives only a few seconds.
In those situations, I would much rather have the ability to put sights on target prior to squeezing the trigger, to have a better chance of achieving an effective shot rather than having a lesser chance.
When hiking east of the Mississippi, I have a 5" GP100 loaded with 180 grain cast loads from Buffalo Bore...which scoots along at 1400 fps and provides just under 800# of disbursable energy as rated from a 4" barrel...should cover just about anything I need in that range.
For West of the Mississippi, I have a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull, which will also shoot .45 Colt and I've found that the 335 grain cast loads in .45 Colt +P, from Littlestone's Ammo, is more than sufficient for many things...and it scoots out at around 1200 fps and provides just under 1100# of disbursable energy. 325 grain cast loads from Buffalo Bore run out at 1325 fps and deliver approximately 1250# of energy.
When you bump up to the .454 Casull ammo...the 300 grain cast load runs out at 1650 fps and delivers just over 1800# of disbursable energy!
I prefer a handgun in close quarters, but my wife prefers a rifle...so she carry's a Marlin 336Y 'brush' gun in .30-30! Very effective round!

 

[Amishman44]

We talking black bears? Or the other varieties that come in Chevy Suburban sizes? Seems it would make a difference in weaponry choice.
Venue would as well. The times that I've been afoot in bear country have been in our national parks. Anything you have slung is going to draw considerable unwelcome attention.
I have had one close call. The Better Half and I were traveling by car, and I had chosen a route taking us through Shenandoah National Park, which she had never seen.
I came around a curve and found three motorcycles stopped in the center of the road. Three couples had dismounted and were walking toward the side of the road...toward a smallish blackie sow with three cubs! "Oh, look at the cute little bears," gushed one of the bimbos, evidently raised on a diet of Disney nature featurettes. I couldn't believe it. They were almost within touching distance. I was speechless. I expected the mom to attack any second. What to do?
I quickly considered the situation. I was packing a 4" Model 29 that would drop the little mom like a bad habit. Were she to attack and I shot her:
1) Uncle Sam would be very displeased. I could justify my actions and would be cleared, but it would be a damnably unpleasant experience that would take a big chunk out of my travel itinerary;
2) The cubs would either flee into the forest and die without mom's attention, or remain with mom, be taken by the park people and quite possibly euthanized.
Either way, I'd be killing four bears with a single shot whose only crime was that they were acting like bears.
"F*ck it," I growled to my wife. "She can eat all she wants." To my amazement the little bear, who had more sense than the six humans combined, hustled her charges over the hill and into the forest away from the idiots, leaving them unharmed.
To shoot that innocent bear would have greatly troubled me. Nothing that happened to those morons was of any consequence. I will never understand how some people survive childhood.

Play stupid games...win stupid prizes!
And the idiots would have acted like the bear did something 'wrong'...
It's not wise to screw with mother-nature...even if she's in the form of a bear!

 

[Amishman44]

I just returned early this morning from the NW Wisconsin woods where around the area of my place, there are some large black bears.
And my neighbor was telling me just yesterday about one breaking into neighbor's house next door.
I carried a Glock Model 20 10mm with Underwood 200 Grain Hardcast bullets and 15 round magazine.
I've also used a S&W Model 629 .44 Magnum.
In past years I've also brought along a Mossburg 590 loaded with deer slugs and 00 Buck alternating.

About 10 years ago, I had a very large black bear at my back screen door.
Luckily he walked away.
When I saw the size of him and how close he was to me, even though I was armed, I'd still not want to bet my life I could've killed him before it messed me up!

Up close n personal... it's an eye-opener to be face to face with a beast like that in the wild! Great reminder of why one should not screw with mother nature, even when she's in the form of a bear!

 

[Bugzilla]

Age Verification - NRA

 

[churchmouse]

That's kind of what I thought at least in 12 gauge, that might include the 20 gauge also, I don't know.

20 on a bear seems a bit chancy.

 

[DadSmith]

20 on a bear seems a bit chancy.

My go to is my 10mm 1911. I'm currently running 180gr hard cast FN bullets in it for woods carry. A handgun is light and fast to get if needed. Unless you hike with a rifle carried out front with the proper sling, it would be faster and more powerful as well as accurate.

That 450 Bushmaster pistol looks like a lot of fun and power in a small lightweight package.

 

[Mongo59]

I just put a dozen Krispy Kreams in my buddies back pack. So far I haven't even got a scratch...

 

[Amishman44]

I just put a dozen Krispy Kreams in my buddies back pack. So far I haven't even got a scratch...

Did you hear about the lady up in British Columbia who survived a bear attack using just a little Jet .25acp?
Yup....she shot her hubby in the knee and ran!

 

[Amishman44]

Age Verification - NRA

According to the instructor, Steven Nelson, "The average bear attack will happen at 50 yards or less with an 800-pound animal moving at 30 mph. At that distance, a shooter has roughly four seconds to make a charge-stopping shot, which requires a steady hand under intense pressure."
Definitely thought-provoking while on a hike in wild bear territory!
Personal defense is a learned mindset...where a developed awareness of what's going on around them, constantly, is combined with the knowledge and skills of what to do (egress, seek cover, stand and fight, etc.) and how to do it! Having an understanding of what one might do in certain situations, helps if or when a situation occurs!
This applies to four-legged critters...as well as the two-legged kind!
Both can kill you if you're not alert, prepared, and willing to take action in order to protect what or who you love!

 

[DadSmith]

According to the instructor, Steven Nelson, "The average bear attack will happen at 50 yards or less with an 800-pound animal moving at 30 mph. At that distance, a shooter has roughly four seconds to make a charge-stopping shot, which requires a steady hand.....

That's why many have switched to 10mm using a 200-220gr WFNGC bullet. You can get several shots off compared to maybe one with the recoil of the bigger calibers.

Alaskans Stop Grizzly Bear Charge with Glock 10mm On Elmendorf-Richardson

A charging grizzly bear attack was stopped with a 10mm Glock pistol on Elmendorf-Richardson in September of 2018.

www.ammoland.com

Exclusive Interview With Kim Woodman: 10mm Bear Gun Guy Who Shot His Toe Off [Graphic Video] - The Truth About Guns

&#9664Previous Post Next Post▶ On 29 July at about 4 p.m. Kim Woodman [above] was attacked by a sow brown bear at Humpy Creek, (Alaska). Kim had a GLOCK 20 10mm pistol with him, loaded it HPR 10mm 180 grain JHP ammunition made in Payson, Arizona. Kim shot the bear as it charged. Mr. Woodman was...

www.google.com

A New Mexico Bear Attack Finally Stopped With a GLOCK 10mm Pistol - The Truth About Guns

&#9664Previous Post Next Post▶ On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was out near the Colorado border, working his dogs for the upcoming New Mexico bear season. He had purchased his professional guide service eight years earlier from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would...

www.google.com

 

[OZZY.40]

 

[two70]

20 on a bear seems a bit chancy.

A 20 gauge will push a .45-.615 caliber, 250-350 grain bullet or slug at 1600-1800 FPS, depending on whether you are using a saboted bullet or a bore sized slug. At close range, you'd have to have at least a .454 Casull to match it out of a handgun. Now, I wouldn't trust a .410 to do much more than slow down a companion in case of a bear attack but bears are not armor plated and a 20 gauge is certainly capable of stopping an attack, provided it can be deployed timely enough.

 

[Amishman44]

That's why many have switched to 10mm using a 200-220gr WFNGC bullet. You can get several shots off compared to maybe one with the recoil of the bigger calibers.

Alaskans Stop Grizzly Bear Charge with Glock 10mm On Elmendorf-Richardson

A charging grizzly bear attack was stopped with a 10mm Glock pistol on Elmendorf-Richardson in September of 2018.

www.ammoland.com

Exclusive Interview With Kim Woodman: 10mm Bear Gun Guy Who Shot His Toe Off [Graphic Video] - The Truth About Guns

&#9664Previous Post Next Post▶ On 29 July at about 4 p.m. Kim Woodman [above] was attacked by a sow brown bear at Humpy Creek, (Alaska). Kim had a GLOCK 20 10mm pistol with him, loaded it HPR 10mm 180 grain JHP ammunition made in Payson, Arizona. Kim shot the bear as it charged. Mr. Woodman was...

www.google.com

A New Mexico Bear Attack Finally Stopped With a GLOCK 10mm Pistol - The Truth About Guns

&#9664Previous Post Next Post▶ On morning of July 25, 2018, Bridger Petrini was out near the Colorado border, working his dogs for the upcoming New Mexico bear season. He had purchased his professional guide service eight years earlier from his father, who started it in 1985. Bear season would...

www.google.com

Yup...
A few years ago, I set up a Glock 21 with a 5.25" Tactical length slide / barrel with a 24# recoil spring to handle .45 Super...matching and exceeding 10mm with a 240 grain slug! 13+1 rounds of oughta put a dent or two in something!

 

[Mongo59]

According to the instructor, Steven Nelson, "The average bear attack will happen at 50 yards or less with an 800-pound animal moving at 30 mph. At that distance, a shooter has roughly four seconds to make a charge-stopping shot, which requires a steady hand under intense pressure."
Definitely thought-provoking while on a hike in wild bear territory!
Personal defense is a learned mindset...where a developed awareness of what's going on around them, constantly, is combined with the knowledge and skills of what to do (egress, seek cover, stand and fight, etc.) and how to do it! Having an understanding of what one might do in certain situations, helps if or when a situation occurs!
This applies to four-legged critters...as well as the two-legged kind!
Both can kill you if you're not alert, prepared, and willing to take action in order to protect what or who you love!

I would use the three S's...

Scream

Shoot

S#it

 

[DadSmith]

I would use the three S's...

Scream

Shoot

S#it

What about the Davy Crockett grin?

 

[Amishman44]

I would use the three S's...

Scream

Shoot

S#it

Yes...but would those events occurs in the same order that you have listed???

 

[Mongo59]

Yes...but would those events occurs in the same order that you have listed???

I dunno, at least he will know I won't taste good...