Charging bear/timed shooting drill

[Formidilosus]

Another thread started discussing how fast people can shoot and hit with a bolt action rifle- specifically close range/bear charging type of shooting. This is a thread to get members to do cold, on demand shooting to see what skill level people are.


The drill: Requires an electronic shot timer.


Rifle: primarily bolt action, preferably your “bear gun”. However, other actions allowed. 223/5.56mm or larger.

Range: 7 yards

Target: 8” circle

Starting position: rifle loaded and chambered, safety on, finger outside trigger guard, low ready= muzzle at belt line or lower. Buttstock may be touching your shoulder.

On buzzer: Bring rifle up, safety off, fire one round, rack bolt and fire follow up (2 shots as quickly as possible to hit).

Repeat 10x for a total of 20 shots.

Write each time to first shot and total time down, and whether hit or miss. Paste holes to keep track. Take picture of target and rifle and post on this thread.

Note- this must be done cold, no warm up. All shots/strings count- no “flyers discounted”.

 

[Geologist]

When I was with the USGS we had to take a 3-day “bear aware” class to work in Alaska. A speed drill with a charging bear target was one of the rotations... I was able to get 1 shot on target with a bolt action .30-06 (“charge” started at 35 yards), but 3 shot on target with lever Marlin 1895 .45-70. I elected to carry the Marlin in the field! Awesome training... ultimate lesson was to keep a clean camp and hope to hell you never have to deal with a charging bear.

 

[jhm2023]

Perhaps conduct the drill a second time but with an elevated heart rate immediately after high physical activity to simulate responding to a charge mid uphill hike, brush busting, etc.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Hmmm.........."foreshadowing?"

Randy

 

[DangerRanger]

No dog in this one but this looks fun

 

[sierracharlie338]

to get members to do cold, on demand shooting to see what skill level people are.

Ahhh yes the Performance on Demand aspect of internet tough talk. Its not fun if my groups look like steaming poopoo Form!! Ive seen what happens when performance on demand is required, in a non-bear charging situation, and the end result is usually a large brown stain for the vast majority of people, even the ones that are "supposed to be at that level" so this should be good. Very solid drill here

For clarification, Im no bear hunter nor have I ever been close enough for one to charge me.

 

[jonpall]

I remember seeing a drill where they'd basically roll a barrel at you and you had to hit it as it was moving. Made you realize that drawing and hitting a moving target under pressure with a 44 mag revolver was harder than it seemed and you were more likely to get a shot on target with a 9mm. Different than this drill obviously but both are interesting.

 

[BLJ]

I’m in. Hopefully try it this week.

 

[5MilesBack]

7 yards........I'm guessing the bear would be on me before I could do much. Hip shot maybe. I did that on a bull elk one time in the timber. Shot him at 25 the first time, then he turned and ran up towards me to my left. Took a hip shot at about 8 yards that hit him quartering too me in his left shoulder.

 

[Snowhunter11]

I will give it a go! I do some hunts in grizzly country. One thing though.. I don’t currently own a shot timer. Without derailing the thread anyone have a low budget suggestion on what works for hunting drills? I see you can download phone apps not sure how accurate that would be

 

[cubdriver84d]

When I was with the USGS we had to take a 3-day “bear aware” class to work in Alaska. A speed drill with a charging bear target was one of the rotations... I was able to get 1 shot on target with a bolt action .30-06 (“charge” started at 35 yards), but 3 shot on target with lever Marlin 1895 .45-70. I elected to carry the Marlin in the field! Awesome training... ultimate lesson was to keep a clean camp and hope to hell you never have to deal with a charging bear.

There's a new charging bear rig now that is faster. You can maybe get two shots in with the marlin or 12ga from slung up and maybe two with the .44 from chest holster, but most folks seem to get one no matter the platform.

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

@Formidilosus is this data going to be used for a comparison between bolt action rifle vs another platform? Or scores compared between large and small calibers? Or some other shoe you're going to drop that blows fudds' minds and sparks another 18 months of failed rebuttals?

Cause that'd be cool.

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus is this data going to be used for a comparison between bolt action rifle vs another platform? Or scores compared between large and small calibers? Or some other shoe you're going to drop that blows fudds' minds and sparks another 18 months of failed rebuttals?

Cause that'd be cool.

We shall see…

 

[AntelopeEater]

@Formidilosus is this data going to be used for a comparison between bolt action rifle vs another platform? Or scores compared between large and small calibers? Or some other shoe you're going to drop that blows fudds' minds and sparks another 18 months of failed rebuttals?

Cause that'd be cool.

Yeah, someone can claim they tried the drill with a variety of guns and that they got the most shots on target with a .177 caliber air rifle…and then everyone can chime in on the perpetual shot placement vs caliber/kinetic energy debate.

 

[Pharmseller]

The real test is how fast you can draw your handgun, shoot the guy next to you in the leg, and start running.




P

 

[TaperPin]

Shooting shotgun hulls are a much better test. 7” is a gigantic target.

It’s a fun type of shooting - glad to see the interest in it.

 

[Ozarkansas]

the consensus is that I’m vastly overestimating everyone’s capabilities as well as my own by saying that, and this is a smaller target and a lot more iterations than I’ve done, but I’m following along to see how everyone does. I’ll try a Jerry-rigged version in a little while and see how badly I need to put my foot in my mouth

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

Yeah, someone can claim they tried the drill with a variety of guns and that they got the most shots on target with a .177 caliber air rifle…and then everyone can chime in on the perpetual shot placement vs caliber/kinetic energy debate.

Only counts if you pump it 10 times between shots.

 

[gbflyer]

The bear is coming at you at 51.33 ft per second. If you waited until it’s 7 yards away, more often than not you are getting chewed on. It will take more time than you have left to process what’s going on and to react. These drills are fun. Better have favorable fortune on your side. The best aide to survival in the real world bear attack scenario is a brave Blue Heeler.

I’m near brown bears weekly where I live. I’m not scared of them as long as I can see them. The rest is just BS.

 

[TaperPin]

A bear head looks really big, but the brain isn’t any wider than a snout.