Thought Experiment: bear defense

[Ferrulewax]

A brown bear is 25 yards away, charging you full speed. What weapon are you picking if whatever gun (and ammo) you wanted would magically appear in your hands

For this, the weapon is already in your hands at the ready, so no struggling to draw it from a holster/sling or whatever.

Also ignore the portability/weight/easy access factors- what weapon are you choosing?

I have thought that either a pump or very reliable semi automatic 12g with 3.5” shells and a large payload of TSS buckshot would be hard to beat, but I would be interested to hear y’alls input as well. I could see an argument being made for reliable Semi-automatics as well as large bore (dangerous game) rifles or even more “normal” weapons.

#2 TSS buckshot in a 2 1/2 ounce load would give you 25 pellets at 47grains each. In two shots that is almost like having 50 shots from a 22lr, but with all of the penetration benefits of tungsten. If you handloaded it you could load it hotter and heavier. The hornady critical defense is pushing buckshot at 1600fps.

@Formidilosus recent S2H on 22wmr for bears further reinforced my opinion that 25, 45grain tungsten pellets per shot would be pretty good bear deterrent. Particularly when you have the penetration benefits of tungsten

 

[ThunderJack49]

M249

 

[Therooster240g]

M249 is too small

240g is where it’s at!


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[JCS271]

My .450 Nitro double rifle in hand, Springfield Ronin 10mm in my chest rig.





I've killed a lot of game with this rifle and both guns are my spring black bear rig.

 

[z987k]

A brown bear is 25 yards away, charging you full speed. What weapon are you picking if whatever gun (and ammo) you wanted would magically appear in your hands

For this, the weapon is already in your hands at the ready, so no struggling to draw it from a holster/sling or whatever.

Also ignore the portability/weight/easy access factors- what weapon are you choosing?

I have thought that either a pump or very reliable semi automatic 12g with 3.5” shells and a large payload of TSS buckshot would be hard to beat, but I would be interested to hear y’alls input as well. I could see an argument being made for reliable Semi-automatics as well as large bore (dangerous game) rifles or even more “normal” weapons.

@Formidilosus recent S2H on 22wmr for bears further reinforced my opinion that 25, 45grain tungsten pellets per shot would be pretty good bear deterrent. Particularly when you have the penetration benefits of tungsten

Ya, I think that's a great option. I wouldn't want to carry it all the time, but to magically appear, it's probably about perfect.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

.50 cal S&W - Corbon 440 grain full metal jacket


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[bluesulphur]

240B

 

[kwackkillncrew]

The noob cannon from call of duty or the alien sword from halo. Tough choice.

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[taskswap]

Sounds like a troll but I'll play.

Bear spray first, G20 next. A charging bear is very well protected. Its heart and lungs are behind a LOT of mass and grizzly skulls are notorious for deflecting bullets. But nothing that breathes with lungs is going through a cloud of bear spray without pause.

The G20's there because you only get one good spray.

 

[Fatcamp]

The new guys .450 would work for me.

As far as a gun I could actually afford I am very comfortable with pump shotguns.

This is the one I'm currently working with. Need to get rid of the recoil pad to shorten it up and figure out night sights. The light actually illuminates the sights very well but I think some tritium would be appropriate.

 

[Loper]

AR-15 with a red dot in 223 with a magazine full of 77 gr. TMKs. I’d want to try and get as many rounds off as possible with decent penetration The light recoil and controlablity of the 223 would allow one to do that.

 

[Ferrulewax]

The new guys .450 would work for me.

As far as a gun I could actually afford I am very comfortable with pump shotguns.

This is the one I'm currently working with. Need to get rid of the recoil pad to shorten it up and figure out night sights. The light actually illuminates the sights very well but I think some tritium would be appropriate.

View attachment 702563

Lead Buckshot, Tungsten, or Slugs?

 

[Jpsmith1]

Ya, I think that's a great option. I wouldn't want to carry it all the time, but to magically appear, it's probably about perfect.

To poorly quote Capstick from memory...

"I'd rather have a 12 gauge with buckshot in my hands than a half dozen assorted saints on my side"

 

[Fowl Play]

M249

I was thinking AA-12

 

[Yoder]

AR-10 with a red dot. I figure I could probably get 3-4 shots in the second or two it would take for the bear to start killing me. A 12 ga with slugs might recoil too much to get more than one or two shots. Same thing with a larger caliber rifle. I wouldn't even consider a handgun.

 

[CBar]

Bear spray. A griz at full speed will cover that distance in about a second and a half.

Option two would be claymores.

 

[IDVortex]

50bmg.

Bullet size and energy are the only things that matter.

Ignore the fact the weight of thr gun, or recoil. It'll work perfectly.

 

[Fatcamp]

Lead Buckshot, Tungsten, or Slugs?

Tungsten is a gamechanger. I had my doubts but that stuff is for real.

 

[Ferrulewax]

Tungsten is a gamechanger. I had my doubts but that stuff is for real.

I would love to see it on a grizzly. I think it would be incredible. #2 (or even bigger) buckshot TSS seems like great bear medicine.

 

[chinook907]

For different reasons the old 16ga Ithaca Deerslayer that my dad gave me, with slugs.