Big caliber semi autos?

[22many]

A couple weeks ago I had gotten a call from my neighbor saying that they had just spotted a bear in their front yard and it ran off in the direction of my property. I have lots of animals (donkeys, chickens, mother in law, ect, ect) and although I was not at home at the time I was a little worried. After making the other calls to the neighbors and informing them, I felt a little better as one neighbor had gotten his rifle and checked on my animals. Come to find out it was a black bear and the bear must have went back in the woods.

When i got home I was gonna scout my property for evidence and that's when I realized, the biggest calibers I have is 12 guage and 7.62x39. I had wondered if those would even take down a bear.

Now I know shot placement is everything but if a 600 pound plus bear is charging at me it would be a little intimidating. I would try to aim for the head but in a situation like that it would be very easy to miss. So, my question is, is there any rifles out that are semi auto that can take down a bear?

Before people answer, I don't wanna spend $5000+ for a barrett 50 or 338.

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[oknow]

12 gauge with a slug will work you want something that will go for penetration a 44 mag or 454 will do the job too.

 

[Dutchy556]

Come to find out it was a black bear and the bear must have went back in the woods.

And the other type of bear you would expect to encounter in Oregon is....?

...I realized, the biggest calibers I have is 12 guage and 7.62x39. I had wondered if those would even take down a bear.

In a word, yes. A 12ga slug, as mentioned, would do the job. As for 7.62x39, also a yes, I've seen Rhinos that were taken down with AKs while working with anti-poaching scouts in Zimbabwe. A black bear shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Shot placement is important, volume of fire helps also.

So, my question is, is there any rifles out that are semi auto that can take down a bear?

Your 7.62x39, whatever it is, AK or SKS, should work just fine. Heck, I've heard stories of Eskimos smoking polar bears with ARs (not that that would be my choice). A semi auto .308 or .30-06 would be plenty sufficient. But are you really that concerned about being charged by a black bear? Have you ever encountered one? Short of a mother & cubs scenario odds are exceedingly high that that sucker is high-tailing it out of your AO on contact. If it did get aggressive I would personally be comfortable dispatching it with a 7.62x39, which you already have.

 

[Nwcid]

12ga is what "bear shooters" are issued by the BLM and State of AK for taking out problem bears. Seems to be quite effective there and they shoot a lot of bears and they are much bigger up there.

As it was stated I have yet to see a Black bear in this area (PNW) do anything other then run from humans. I see a lot, I get them in my back yard all the time.

If you see "a 600 pound plus bear" black bear in this area please let me know. Where I am at they seem to run in the 300 lb range.

Here is some bear info you might want to read up on, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Browning chambers their auto-loading rifles in 7mm Mag, 30-06 and 338 Win Mag as well as several other calibers.

 

[del_and_bones]

What Nwcid said. Worst case you load up your 12ga with Brenneke Black Magic Magnums (AK Fish and Game and AK State Troopes use them) and keep it handy. If you really want some and can't find any, I'll sell you some from my stash.

 

[22many]

Thanks guys. As far as being in Oregon, I recently moved up by lake merwin in Washington and haven't really done my research on bears up here. I have seen a couple of cougars up here but haven't actually seen the bear yet. Yes, after reading up on black bears it seems that they don't get very big. The 600 pound plus bear was from the neighbor. I should know now that everybodys story grows whenever it is passed along.

As for caliber, I think I'll stick with my 7.62x39 AR then.

 

[Will_Power]

Now I know shot placement is everything but if a 600 pound plus bear is charging at me it would be a little intimidating. I would try to aim for the head but in a situation like that it would be very easy to miss. So, my question is, is there any rifles out that are semi auto that can take down a bear?

You're not going to run into a little ole blackie around here over 250ish or so, I'd say. Maybe 300. 7mm-08 / .270 on up would do you fine hunting, but if you're looking for something with more of a safety net in regards to a put down right the **** now sorta emergency, then... a 7mm Mag should do you just fine.

But semiauto? DPMS has an AR-10 style in .338 Federal that would be pretty great as bear medicine. Expensive gun, though.

 

[trainsktg]

No reason to go all fancy when a 12g. slug or good old fashioned large .30 caliber military round will do. Even M95 Mannlichers in 8x56r have been used as bear stoppers for over a century (see picture).

For semi-auto, how about a Saiga 12?

Keith

 

[Mark W.]

You might also keep in mind if your going to be shooting a bear out of season without a tag it better be in the process of charging you or eating your donkey. Otherwise the state game officals will take a very dim view on your hunting out of season and poaching a bear

 

[22many]

You might also keep in mind if your going to be shooting a bear out of season without a tag it better be in the process of charging you or eating your donkey. Otherwise the state game officals will take a very dim view on your hunting out of season and poaching a bear

Thanks mark w. The only bear I will kill will be in self defense.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I would not feel under gunned with the AK. A friend encountered a 300+/- blackie while setting over a log taking care of business. He panicked when the bear sniffed behind him. He jumped up, turned and empty his AR at the bear, killing it and ruining a pair of trousers. True story, I was their, funny as ****. Ribbed Jim about that for many years.

 

[Rix]

M2?

 

[tomcat]

Get a 45-70 Gide gun.. Marlin makes a vary nice one..it
Will lay a bear down on a full out run at you.

 

[1911er]

US FOREST SERVICE

Bear Advisory


The Forest Service has issued a BEAR WARNING in the national forests for this summer. They're urging everyone to protect themselves by wearing bells and carrying pepper spray.

Campers should be alert for signs of fresh bear activity, and they should be able to tell the difference between Black Bear dung and Grizzy Bear dung.

Black Bear dung is rather small and round. Sometimes you can see fruit seeds and/or squirrel fur in it.

Grizzly Bear dung has bells in it, and smells like pepper spray!

 

[marty8587]

US FOREST SERVICE

Bear Advisory


The Forest Service has issued a BEAR WARNING in the national forests for this summer. They're urging everyone to protect themselves by wearing bells and carrying pepper spray.

Campers should be alert for signs of fresh bear activity, and they should be able to tell the difference between Black Bear dung and Grizzy Bear dung.

Black Bear dung is rather small and round. Sometimes you can see fruit seeds and/or squirrel fur in it.

Grizzly Bear dung has bells in it, and smells like pepper spray!

Now that's funny!!

 

[Gunner3456]

Let me show you what has earned its way to becoming my favorite all-around self-defense weapon. It's a semi-auto Remington 1100 12ga with a fully rifled barrel and rifle sights. The barrel is 22" and it holds ten 2 3/4" rounds. (I've since put a longer mag extension on it.) The slug is 385 grain, 58 caliber, and travels at 1850 fps. It is jacketed with cartridge brass, not copper. It expands to about 1 inch on impact, with 95% weight retention. It's very accurate to 100 yards, and will hit the kill zone at 200. It would knock a bear flat on his butt. A BG in the house wouldn't have a chance IMHO.

I have put one of these clean through a 1/4" steel plate.







Remington Premier Accutip Jacketed Sabot Slug. (About $3.00 each.) Edit. You can shoot the cheaper lead slugs in it just fine for closer BG or even bear work. You just don't have the speed and accuracy for longer range work.

 

[1911er]

Let me show you what has earned its way to becoming my favorite all-around self-defense weapon. It's a semi-auto Remington 1100 12ga with a fully rifled barrel and rifle sights. The barrel is 22" and it holds ten 2 3/4" rounds. (I've since put a longer mag extension on it.) The slug is 385 grain, 58 caliber, and travels at 1850 fps. It is jacketed with cartridge brass, not copper. It expands to about 1 inch on impact, with 95% weight retention. It's very accurate to 100 yards, and will hit the kill zone at 200. It would knock a bear flat on his butt. A BG in the house wouldn't have a chance IMHO.

I have put one of these clean through a 1/4" steel plate.







Remington Premier Accutip Jacketed Sabot Slug. (About $3.00 each.) Edit. You can shoot the cheaper lead slugs in it just fine for closer BG or even bear work. You just don't have the speed and accuracy for longer range work.

That is A nice shotgun!! Mine is old school 2 3/4 shells with the high gloss finish with all the scroll work on it it was a gift from my Dad

 

[Gunner3456]

That is A nice shotgun!! Mine is old school 2 3/4 shells with the high gloss finish with all the scroll work on it it was a gift from my Dad

Thanks. I bought that from a member here and I have forgotten the date. Early 70's? I sold the smooth bore and bought the rifled barrel and the difference was about $100. I also added the extension. They are great guns imho.

 

[22many]

Gunner3456, I like that!