What Stops a Large Bear close-up?

[Laurie]

An expedition for British schoolboys to Svalbard in the Arctic circle nearly three years ago ended in tragedy when a starving polar bear entered their camp at night and killed a teenage boy. The coroner's inquest into the death is currently underway and it has emerged that the team leader hired a .30-06 KAR98k rifle (ex Norwegian Army presumably and still in original guise as I know they're widely used as such by polar bear guides to tours and cruise excursions) and failed to get any shots off until too late because the safety flag was in the wrong position. (Surmising in the half-way vertical position as the rifle wouldn't fire, but the user managed to cycle the bolt and eject the cartridges.)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/10952496/Parents-of-Eton-schoolboy-killed-in-polar-bear-attack-criticise-safety-procedures.html

This has caused a lot of comment and produced tens of posts on Brit shooting blogs including the issue of what cartridge will stop a hungry bear quick in this situation. Since we don't have many bears loose in the British Isles (extinct for several centuries here), opinions vary including 12-ga pump or semi-autos with slugs through large calibre revolvers as well as various types / calibres of rifle.

Is anybody with experience of close encounters with the big bears willing to provide some insight?

 

[Jason Boersma]

Look at the 500 S&W, it's always been talked about for bear defense.

 

[JRS]

They really aren't that hard to kill Laurie.

I used a 41GNR, which is the 44 magnum case necked down to 41 caliber, using the 170 grain Sierra JHP. DIIT. Many bear hunting guides carry shotguns, loaded with 2 rounds of #4 shot (not bird shot) followed by slugs. The shot is used to take out the eyesight and sense of smell. The slug, of course, to kill it.

 

[jonbearman]

In the state of maine the officers use a 12 gage shotgun with slugs(pump shotgun) to stop black bears in their tracks. Some black bears get quite large and it would probably be a bad day for any bear getting shot with a 1 ounce slug at close distance.I also saw a hunting show with a guy shooting the 500 smith and Wesson and he fired once and the grizzly was drt.

 

[cncmill]

.454 Casull

 

[GerryM]

348 winchester is what some guides use also 45/70 and others in the 45 to 50 cal range.
shot placement is just as important as kinetic energy.

 

[savagedasher]

A well placed shot . Larry

 

[dickn52]

A well placed shot . Larry

And the winner is: See above.

 

[dragman]

camp gun I would go with a 12GA with slugs, If I was carrying it hands down I am going with a glock 20 in 10MM. 15+1 rounds of 220 grain hard cast double tap or buffalo bore is perfect defense for close up in the woods.

 

[243Mendoza]

bear spray is reported to stop grizzleys. One report is of a guide stopping with bear spray a mother grizzley supprised after the group rounded a bend in the trail.

 

[243Mendoza]

A well placed shot . Larry

That may be a bit difficult when surprised by a charging bear. The shakes may give you the wobble of minute of bear

 

[Rustystud]

Jerk the power cord out of the TV because it is not a real live bear if it is in the UK. I promise it will go away.
Nat Lambeth

 

[yenak]

Freedom Arms 454 Casull or 475 Linbaugh

 

[Raythemanroe]

How do you tell Grizzly poop from Black bear? Black Bear poop has rabbit fur and berries, Grizzly poop has whistles and bells and smells like pepper spray..


Take a good size gun you know how to handle, Then bring your bag of nerve to get it done..


Ray

 

[hogpatrol]

Answer? The Federal Reserve Bank. Ammo? Super low interest rates. Don't fight the Fed. :

 

[Steve Blair]

Answer? The Federal Reserve Bank. Ammo? Super low interest rates. Don't fight the Fed. :

[br]
You're a bad man and one day, soon, Janet Yellen will descend upon you like a diminutive, avenging harpy.

 

[Cort]

Laurie,

I used to work for an oil company that had extensive business activity in remote parts of Alaska. Before any employee could go into the wilds, the employee had to complete a bear awareness training activity. The instructor taught the employees how to use a 12 gauge pump shotgun. I do not know if the company issued a shotgun to employees or not. I also don't know what was recommended ammunition.

On my one trip to Alaska, the fishing guide that I used carried a pistol in .454 Casull and said that he had used it very effectively once. The problem with a pistol is you can't get one in the UK and practicing enough to gain enough proficiency is not likely to happen. My general recommendation would be to carry as large a weapon as you can handle in a stressful situation and practice enough with it where you can operate it perfectly under high stress. I don't think you can have too much fire power when facing dangerous game. A double rifle in an elephant caliber would be a great choice.

I have heard stories of eskimos killing polar bears with a .22 Hornet. Obviously, shot placement is everything. The 30-06 is a good choice for lots of game hunting but I, personally, would want more terminal ballistics than it provides for the application you describe. I think a .300 Win mag would be the smallest rifle caliber that I would choose.

I hope this response helps in your research project.

Cort

 

[bheadboy]

had a big black, in CA. enter camp, 300 sav 150 Hor rn at 15 ft, dropped. using sav md 99 lever.

Bob

 

[watercam]

I have to agree with the last comment. The '06 at close range would have done the trick but if the person wielding the firearm is not familiar with a) how it functions and b) how it shoots one would be toast in the panic of a sudden attack especially at night. For myself, bear spray on the left hip (pointed forward) and a 9.3x62 Mauser loaded with 286 gr. Barnes TSX bullets helps me sleep at night in that kind of country. Personally I have no faith at all in my ability to make any sort of precision hit with a handgun in a bear attack situation. And with the energies involved with handguns it would need to be a head or spine shot.
Very sorry to hear about the incident - we had a similar attack upon a Boy Scout by a Black Bear in the mountains of California that ended the same way.

 

[savagedasher]

Nancy Pelosi in a Bikini Larry