Recommendation for a bear gun.

[Certaindeaf]

It depends on what your goal is. If it's killing a charging bear, a firearm is obviously going to be more effective. The problem is that there's a good chance of it killing you before it knows it's dead.

If you're trying to survive a charging bear, bear spray is widely recognized by people that spend a lot of time in bear country as a better choice for instantly changing a bears mind and rendering them incapable of furthering an attack.

If I had a bear gun and some bear spray and was charged by a bear I'd use the gun without any deliberation.

 

[DirectDrive]

It depends on what your goal is. If it's killing a charging bear, a firearm is obviously going to be more effective. The problem is that there's a good chance of it killing you before it knows it's dead.

If you're trying to survive a charging bear, bear spray is widely recognized by people that spend a lot of time in bear country as a better choice for instantly changing a bears mind and rendering them incapable of furthering an attack.

But can you stand in the pocket with the pass rush coming at you and deliver accurate fire ?
You won't know until you're there, but you can train for it.
Buy two cans of bear spray. One for practice so you know how to deploy it quickly and learn its range.
So what's quickly ? Under 3 seconds I say.

And if you're using a revolver, make dang sure you have trained in double action, because that is how it will probably go down.

Bear Defense
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in face.

 

[slimmer13]

I volunteer for a SAR team that operates in grizzly country. There are some legit world class backcountry experts on the team that all carry both with the gun as backup. There's real studies and data that supports their position.

Statistically, bear spray is more effective at deterring a charging bear. In a study done in 2008 (Smith et. al. 2008), researchers analyzed 83 bear spray incidents (61 brown bears, 20 black bears and two polar bear). Red Pepper spray proved over 90% successful on stopping the bear's "undesirable" activity. 98% of people involved in these incidents were unharmed by the bear. However, fourteen percent of the incidents resulted in negative side effects upon the human (they were effected by the spray) and three percent left the user incapacitated.

In similar study on firearms (Smith et. al. 2012), they were effective 84% with handguns and 76% with rifles to stop bears from undesirable behavior. The study analyzed 269 bear-human conflicts in Alaska from 1883-2009. The study said, "firearm bearers suffered the same injury rates in close encounters with bears whether they used firearms or not." Basically, firearms didn't statistically keep people from getting injured by bears. This means that people shot bears that still attacked them. They concluded by saying, "Our findings suggest that only those proficient in firearms use should rely on them for protection in bear country." (Copyright The Wildlife Society). I think we would all like to think we are "proficient" but the truth is, even as hunters, we all aren't. Firearm accuracy in the heat of a fast, stressful and real-life situation isn't easily tested.

Firearm Vs. Bear Spray

We’ve all played the scenario through in our minds. You’re walking through the woods and have a surprise encounter with a sow and cubs. The sow springs to an erect position with a loud “woof” as soon as you both see each other. Perceiving you as a threat, in an instant she dives into a full...

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Spray vs. Guns

Which one is better? *Approximate number of scoville heat units in a Habanero pepper = 300,000* *Approximate number of scoville heat units in bear pepper spray = 3.2 million* Gary Clutter, a big-game hunter from Bozeman, had a face-to-face encounter with a grizzly while hunting a fe

outsidebozeman.com

 

[Certaindeaf]

I volunteer for a SAR team that operates in grizzly country. There are some legit world class backcountry experts on the team that all carry both with the gun as backup. There's real studies and data that supports their position.

Firearm Vs. Bear Spray

We’ve all played the scenario through in our minds. You’re walking through the woods and have a surprise encounter with a sow and cubs. The sow springs to an erect position with a loud “woof” as soon as you both see each other. Perceiving you as a threat, in an instant she dives into a full...

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Spray vs. Guns

Which one is better? *Approximate number of scoville heat units in a Habanero pepper = 300,000* *Approximate number of scoville heat units in bear pepper spray = 3.2 million* Gary Clutter, a big-game hunter from Bozeman, had a face-to-face encounter with a grizzly while hunting a fe

outsidebozeman.com

".firearm bearers suffered the same injury rates in close encounters with bears whether they used firearms or not." Basically, firearms didn't statistically keep people from getting injured by bears. This means that people shot bears that still attacked them.."

$5 half the shooters shot while being "injured".. they wouldn't have shot otherwise is a mindset held by most.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I keep seeing "Recommendation for a beer gun" every time I see the title.

F5 MFG Can Launcher & Golf Ball Attachment with 900 Rounds of FREE Blanks in a M2A1 Ammo Can UPC: 810091155240

Global Ordnance

globalordnance.com

 

[yakyakgoose]

".firearm bearers suffered the same injury rates in close encounters with bears whether they used firearms or not." Basically, firearms didn't statistically keep people from getting injured by bears. This means that people shot bears that still attacked them.."

$5 half the shooters shot while being "injured".. they wouldn't have shot otherwise is a mindset held by most.

Yea these original studies everybody points to I believe were funded by one of the bear spray companies and had very misleading data analysis. They still get pointed to all the time. People don't realize that studies are just as manipulated and trend following as the rest of society.

 

[Alexx1401]

It depends on what your goal is. If it's killing a charging bear, a firearm is obviously going to be more effective. The problem is that there's a good chance of it killing you before it knows it's dead.

If you're trying to survive a charging bear, bear spray is widely recognized by people that spend a lot of time in bear country as a better choice for instantly changing a bears mind and rendering them incapable of furthering an attack.

While I have no problem with people trying the spray as something to have people need to have real world expectations. The spray is only widely recognized as instant stop for a bear by people who have never had to use it or seen it used much. There are tons of video of bear charges that were what is often a mock charge. The animals are very unpredictable. Bear spray is often almost useless on humans. It is NOT something to depend on for instant stops on a bear. Be better than nothing but not something to bet the farm on.

 

[Boboclown]

Hey team,

I am looking for a good bear gun for my dad who lives in Prescott, AZ. A guy was just mauled and partially eaten by a black bear (very rare) about ten minutes from their place. Dad knows his way around firearms, but at 81 I'm a little reluctanct for him to use his trusty .44MAG as that sucker kicks like a scalded mule and last time he had it at the range, I could tell he was having trouble controlling the recoil. I like a revolver for this task and am thinking 10mm. I've never shot a 10mm revolver, but I already know it's more manageable than the .44. I know the ten is a lower energy round but I think it will penetrate enough to give the bear second thoughts if not turn him into a nice rug.

Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Hardcast flat nose 10mm is better than nothing. .44 mag, .454 casull, .460 s&w, etc are better but keep in mind its not that they're great for it so much as they're better than nothing.

Ideally you'd have a rifle, but a sidearm is for when the situation isn't ideal.

 

[Alexx1401]

Hardcast flat nose 10mm is better than nothing. .44 mag, .454 casull, .460 s&w, etc are better but keep in mind its not that they're great for it so much as they're better than nothing.

Ideally you'd have a rifle, but a sidearm is for when the situation isn't ideal.

There is an old line goes something like a hand gun is good to fight your way to a long gun and its very true. No one with experience is going to bring a hand gun to a fight by choice. Most of us who carry know we are hoping to not need any gun and the hand gun beats no gun. The place this guy got killed there are none of the large browns. The native bears there are often smaller than many dogs. They normally are not seen at all or at most a glimpse is seen as they are scurrying off to get away from the humans. Does not mean they can't and will not kill. Its rare though so many who live around them often get complacent. Then one does this and many are shocked.
Now when this whole thing hit I heard some "reports" that either the guy killed or others around him had been feeding this bear. This does happen often by people who think the critters "cute". They can be fun to watch but feeding them can also make those cute critters many times more likely to attack. They start to lose that natural fear of the 2 legged critters they share the place with. Of course no way to know if this is what happened but, the bear did kill. Most who live up there are I am sure shocked and many of them still will not be armed saying it will not happen to them.

 

[Tlock]

There is an old line goes something like a hand gun is good to fight your way to a long gun and its very true. No one with experience is going to bring a hand gun to a fight by choice. Most of us who carry know we are hoping to not need any gun and the hand gun beats no gun. The place this guy got killed there are none of the large browns. The native bears there are often smaller than many dogs. They normally are not seen at all or at most a glimpse is seen as they are scurrying off to get away from the humans. Does not mean they can't and will not kill. Its rare though so many who live around them often get complacent. Then one does this and many are shocked.
Now when this whole thing hit I heard some "reports" that either the guy killed or others around him had been feeding this bear. This does happen often by people who think the critters "cute". They can be fun to watch but feeding them can also make those cute critters many times more likely to attack. They start to lose that natural fear of the 2 legged critters they share the place with. Of course no way to know if this is what happened but, the bear did kill. Most who live up there are I am sure shocked and many of them still will not be armed saying it will not happen to them.

Feeding bears happens more often than people think and it's a danger to everyone in the community. I have seen this first hand and countless bears have died because of human stupidity

 

[Alexx1401]

Feeding bears happens more often than people think and it's a danger to everyone in the community. I have seen this first hand and countless bears have died because of human stupidity

Sadly a lot of these critters have to be put down due to this. The idiots feeding them of course are all shocked when the bear they had been feeding is put down. They will never look in the mirror though for someone to blame.

 

[Tlock]

Sadly a lot of these critters have to be put down due to this. The idiots feeding them of course are all shocked when the bear they had been feeding is put down. They will never look in the mirror though for someone to blame.

I worked a local case that 18 bears died and the person feeding was.never charged by osp. Pretty disgusting in my opinion

 

[Alexx1401]

I worked a local case that 18 bears died and the person feeding was.never charged by osp. Pretty disgusting in my opinion

I would love to see those feeding the critters having to pay REAL money for this. Maybe warn someone one time. After that start hitting them hard as an example to the other idiots wanting to do this crap.

 

[Tlock]

I would love to see those feeding the critters having to pay REAL money for this. Maybe warn someone one time. After that start hitting them hard as an example to the other idiots wanting to do this crap.

They have.....Google the feeding incident in Yachats oregon. The lady was heavily penalized

 

[Tlock]

The man in gates go nothing! Osp failed on that case

 

[malakajim]

I would love to see those feeding the critters having to pay REAL money for this. Maybe warn someone one time. After that start hitting them hard as an example to the other idiots wanting to do this crap.

I was up in the Lomg Beach peninsula for the 4th and was told a story by a resident of Ocean Park about an individual that was notorious for feeding bears. Seems that she had been fined multiple times, including a 30 day stint behind bars. She continued to feed them until ultimately, one killed her.

Supposedly this area has the highest concentration of black bears in the lower 48?

 

[Alexx1401]

I was up in the Lomg Beach peninsula for the 4th and was told a story by a resident of Ocean Park about an individual that was notorious for feeding bears. Seems that she had been fined multiple times, including a 30 day stint behind bars. She continued to feed them until ultimately, one killed her.

Supposedly this area has the highest concentration of black bears in the lower 48?

Well that one worked out kind of good then. Sadly they of course would have to put down the bear who killed her sadly.

 

[DunRanull]

It depends on what your goal is. If it's killing a charging bear, a firearm is obviously going to be more effective. The problem is that there's a good chance of it killing you before it knows it's dead.

If you're trying to survive a charging bear, bear spray is widely recognized by people that spend a lot of time in bear country as a better choice for instantly changing a bears mind and rendering them incapable of furthering an attack.

No it isn't. Sometimes it works, sometimes it just pisses the bear off, or the wind blows it back on the user, which sucks, especially in the presence of a bear. Ask me how I know. I suspect that these "figures" are drummed up by "widely recognised" anti-firearms activists who have never confronted a black bear on the prod. Having known someone who was chased, killed, and partially eaten by a blackie in Canada, I'm a lot more leery of the bears personally. YMMV...

 

[saxon]

ruger 45 colt

 

[Flopsweat]

There he come. Right outta the cheap seats!

Dribblin. Right down the middle of the court.