If so, rethink things. Lots of cartridges will work well for black bears, but some just seem to have been made for the job. (, 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. Longer shells are always more expensive, so if you're trying to be budget-friendly, I wouldn't recommend choosing 3 1/2" shells. The spray will break down mix in the soil and give a male bear the illusion a female bear in heat was there. Most self-defense scenari. Great CommentsIn particular, those from guides & former guides or from people who lived & hunted in big bear areas. Maybe a solid slug but not a hollow based Winchester el cheapie from Walmart. Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. You may be more likely to bump into a bruin in New Jersey, which surprisingly has one of the densest bear populations in the lower 48. Also, you want to ensure you have a good holster that rides close to your body, as you can be in and around wooded areas that can catch on your body or items. Youll want to burn through some practice ammo before you head into the backcountry. Premium magnum slugs are probably your best bet for stopping a charging bear. 1-oz. Bear spray, if used wrong, merely seasons you for the bear's taste in human flesh. If it does- you are unbelievably fortunate. Basically, buckshot is too lightweight to have any effectiveness. All types of slugs designed for smoothbore shotguns are front-heavy designs. I bet you have a couple of new Ruger and Glock handguns in your safehaha. This makes predicting the behavior of any individual bear virtually impossible. Read story of a guy on AllOutDoor who used a glock 10mm versus a bear, and the bear got on top of him even though hit the bear numerous times with 10mm. Pair that with Federal, one of the top ammo manufacturers in the world, and you have a high-quality round at a surprisingly affordable price. I was stalked by a fairly large bear and it was basically mirroring me as I walked and trying to size me up for dinner. But a semi auto rifle with well aimed shots to the dome piece will switch it right off like a light. Semi-automatic pistols can jam, which is not what you want when a 600-pound grizzly is bearing down on you fast. barrel. If youre shooting a bad guy who just broke into your home to maim, rape, or kill, buckshot works pretty damn well. We aren't paid by Glock, and the other Glock-related articles that were posted were coincidental as we're going through our older articles and updating them, so they are more accurate for today. Also, you wont have time to dig through your pack when an angry brown bear is breathing in your face. Make sure you select a tough bullet that will hold up to rifle velocities. Take a look at our incredible selection of 12-gauge ammo today and find the perfect shot for your shot. Bullet options are endless for the .308, and it offers a great ballistic balance for shooting up close and far away. However, bears are actually dangerous apex predators. Which is why I'm surprised there is no discussion of Brown bear vs Polar bear. For all search call outs statewide I carried my 44 Mag Colt Kodiak (Colt custom shop 4" Anaconda). Imagine hitting a grapefruit-size target rushing toward you at 30 miles per hour while bobbing up and down and side to side. Sabot slugs are designed to only be fired from a rifled shotgun barrel. Once you've bought your home defense shotgun, it's time to load it with the best home defense shotgun ammo, but how are you supposed to know which is the best when they all claim to be the best? RELATIVELY LOW RECOIL. This classic pump-action shotgun is just as reliable, affordable, and iconic as the Model 870. I would even bet someone with some decent practice under thier belt could dump all 20 rounds in a few seconds. That bear paused for a second and shook its head and ran off pawing at its nose and face. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'guntradition_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guntradition_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Before I go any farther, I will let you in a secret. And he probably wont wait around for you to get up close and personal. If you can't find the perfect home-defense round, you might try crafting your own by handloading. If your rifle or shotgun is slung on your shoulder or leaning against a pack a few feet away while you're fly fishing or doing camp chores, you'll have virtually no chance of getting on target in time. Go here for the Realtree APG version. In the US the minimum rifle barrel length is 16". 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. Remington Ultimate . Most effective 12 gauge load for bear defense Last week i asked about people's opinions on a S&W 500 for bear defense. Hornady has successfully ventured into shotgun ammunition. The first is it needs a special choke. Long guns, if you are hunting carry a long gun, if you have enough time/distance to use a long gun effectively you are typically far enough away to avoid a bear. No. Segmented Rifled Slug, Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice, Best Shotgun Shell Types for Home Defense & Hunting, Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking, Best Handgun Ammo for Self-Defense in Common Calibers, Best 308 Ammo For Hunting & Target Shooting, 10 Best 6.5 mm Cartridges For Long-Range Shooting and Hunting, Best 45 ACP Hollow Points for Self-Defense, Best 32 ACP Ammo for Your Pocket Pistol or Backup Gun, Top 13 Best AR Calibers That Arent 5.56 NATO, Best Ammo for Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield, Best 20 Gauge Ammo for Home Defense, Whitetail, and Upland Game, Best 45 ACP Ammo for Law Enforcement Officers, Best 38 Special Ammo For Target Practice Precision Shooting, Top 5 Best 45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice. You are full of crapread big bore revolvers by Max prassacyou are totally wrong about a big bore revolver "properly loaded" with had cast or monolithic solids not being. This slug breaks apart into three pieces once it hits cloth, which causes more wound channels and increased trauma. I can relate. I personally have a .308 Russian ak variant with a heavy duty steel side folding stock. If you're looking for a buckshot load with a few more pellets, check out Winchester Super-X 3-1/2" 18 Pellets 00 Buckshot. Almost forgotten, the .35 Remington is a favorite of hunters who chase black bears with dogs. Their magnum line of slugs is nothing to talk down about. That .375 H&H has some buck, but that should be expected from a rifle capable of handling the biggest bears on Planet Earth. This is a 00 round with eight buck pellets in 2 -inch shotgun shells. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. Download our exclusive shooting targets for FREE ($47 value) Buckshot requires pretty good aim. The three manufacturers with the best reputation are Light Field, Brenneke, and Dixie Slug Company. I always carry bear spray in a holster as my first choice. The popular Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 pump-actions are perfect for the job. Sounds like you have an interest in not mentioning them. Top 10 Best Shotgun Ammo For Home DefenseThe trusty 12 gauge shotgun is one of the most popular tools to use to protect your home. I agree with your other choices of firearms but not with the buckshot. Lever guns are common options for bear defense. Some monster handguns can be brutal to shoot and an absolute pain to practice with. Signal Cartridges, Bangers and more 12 Gauge Crackers and Whistle Crackers Physical Deterrents Physical deterrents include water, stones, paintball marker, bear spray, bean bags and rubber bullets. No matter how big you go with a handgun, they all lack the damage-wrecking velocity of a heavy rifle. Strapping on a sidearm isnt a bad idea, even if you have a high-caliber rifle. For this purpose, I want an AR-10 ( .308 cal. That means it sheds its energy quickly and doesnt penetrate an animal well. The most powerful is a heavy rifled slug, but it slows down significantly past 50 yards. The major drawback to using a revolver for bear defense is ammo capacity. The Federal Tactical Truball Low Recoil 2-3/4" 1 oz is a cheaper option. Type your email address and well send Your only opportunity might be brief, and it might max out the limits of your skill and equipment. I listened to many stories about hand guns, And one that gets a bad rap is the desert eagle It will serve you better in a crisis than a monstrous revolver you rarely shoot and are tempted to leave in the truck. She grew up flinging arrows and bullets at Virginia whitetails, turkey, and game birds, but her favorite hunting experience is chasing bull elk in the Colorado backcountry. A heavy 12-gauge sabot will work well on a bear up to 150 yards away in practically every situation. Brenneke makes the best traditional slugs for bear. And because bears are so tough and move quickly, youll need to make every round count. We have lots more on the site to show you. This costs more money upfront because you have to purchase the reloading equipment and supplies, but once that initial cost is over, the amount of money you save depends on the speed at which you can pump out shells. Rifled slugs come in two options. As a rule, magnums are not necessary for black bears. Winchester Super-X 12 Gauge #1 Buckshot. The thing is that it 9mm had high capacity and it was reliable. Well, they don't have anything to do with shotguns, but a rifled or sabot slug does, and they make good personal defense rounds. And the best bear defense gun is no substitute for plain old common sense. You'd best get to your rifle- or you're dead. Met a Female Griz +3 cubs about 150 yards away. Like people, bears have their own personalities. We're going to start things off with shells made specifically for home defense. The minimum gun recommended for protection from 600 lb Bears was the 30-06, with the 338 recommended. These more solid slugs are still front-heavy. For a round priced in between the two above, check out the Fiocchi 1 oz. I would run 180gr bonded or even copper matrix bullets like the Hornady GMX or something by Barnes like the tripple shock bullet. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Its ballistics are identical to the Hornady Reduced Recoil load but at half the price. But, as you mentioned, best defense is avoidance. For handguns, there is no doubt that the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in .454 Casull is the belle of the ball for most Alaskans. Using a revolver for bear defense gun is no substitute for plain old common sense angry brown bear Polar! Which is not what you want when a 600-pound grizzly is bearing down on fast! 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