I am going to be camping with friends in Bear country. I own a double barrel shotgun. What is the best load or bullet type to kill a bear?
Posted in double barrel shotgun
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November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
It would appear some of the thumb typers didn’t read or care about the question and information you provided.
With a double Barrel shotgun definately use the slugs.
Our Game Rangers use a pump 12ga. with slugs when they have to track down bear. I spoke with one of them that killed a bear that mauled a kid. He said the bear dropped like a stone in the lake when the slug hit him.
Also of note, we have also found out that the best medicine to stop a car is also a 12 Ga. Slug. Either the engine or the drivers compartment, either one stops the vehicle.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
you might want to try a slug.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Slugs of course….. 3 inch foster type slugs…. The Brenneke 3 inch Gold Magnum comes to mind…..
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
If your bear hunting I’d use a large caliber rifle.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
O buck shot …If smaller then a 12 you’ll need slugs.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
shotgun+bear=not a good idea, you have to get that bear pretty close to make an inpact on him, are you willing to get that close, if you are, i would recommend a 500 mag, but since you got that double barrel i would suggest a magnum 000buck in one barrel and a slug in the other barrel…just in case one or the other dont work
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Remington Hollow-point Slugs.*
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’d load a slug in one barrel and 000 buckshot in the other.
I’d also practice fast reloading. A shotgun is far from the ideal bear gun.
Doc
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’d use slugs. Buckshot is too libel to wound a big bear. Keep in mind that double barrel guns rarely have both barrels shoot to point of aim. I would test fire a few at the range to minimize any suprises. Also, if one or both of the chokes is full I wouldn’t make a habbit of shooting slugs through them. Use the old style Foster or Brenneke slugs. Avoid any sabot slugs as they have poor accuracy through a smooth bore.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
A shotgun for bear? You might want some shells that shoot food at him so you’ll have time to run.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I would not use anything less 12 ga.00 buck, preferabbly rifled sligs
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Are you talking black bears or browns? A shotgun is a serious weapon at close range and its not nearly as bad a choice as people make it out to be here, but for a grizzly I’m not sure it would be my first choice. I’d go with 00 buck though and maybe a foster slug as a back up.
You aren’t going to shoot a bear in self defense unless its close, so don’t worry about this BS you were getting about needing to be close with a shotgun, you would be. The first 40 yards or so, I’d take a shotgun over most any rifle…
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
i recomend a buckshot load of 00 or 000 in one barel and a supreme slug in the other barel and like Doc said, practice fast reloading becuase if the bear is at an all out charge he can cover distance of a football field in a few leaps.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
For Defense -00 Buckshot – 3 inch mag (more pellets) if your gun has the chambers for it.
You won’t have much time to aim. . .main reason we go to pellets Vs slug.
** 24 yrs in Alaska and that’s what we use in the shotgun for bear defense.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
A 12 guage loaded with heavy weight slugs is one of the most effective anti-bear weapons around.
The people telling you otherwise are clueless.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’d use 3" rifled slugs (hollow points) and 000 buckshots
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
ya, 3inch rifled slugs, hollow point if you can get em in your state. (cant in MA, sucks!) and a back up of 000 buck. I wouldnt use 000 buck first because it’ll destroy more of the pelt, but as a backup if bear doesn’t go down with 1 shot.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Slugs
They hurt at both ends though, especially with a SxS
Especially again if it is of the typical old designed stocks