12GA Rounds for Grizz?

[JiminAZ]

Thread needed a little humor, but there is another possibility if you have deep pockets. For $1800, buy a Beretta A400 Extreme Plus 12 gauge. Best if you don't cut the stock, but saw down the barrel to 18" as they currently do not offer a slug barrel. The action is called "blink technology" and with 4 in the magazine, you can be empty in just over a second. That's 5 rounds total. I believe there are after market tube extensions as well. This gun eats up to 3 1/2" magnum shells and the hydraulic shocks in the stock soak up 60-70% of the recoil. Using both 2 3/4" and 3" shells, I can do a double tap. I got one last year as getting older, and having torn my rotator twice, was limiting my abilities. Comes with 5 screw in chokes, a hard carrying case, and is very light for a twelve. With regular field loads, it kicks like a 410, no joke.

What you just described is called a Beretta 1301. Add a tube extension and you've got 9 in the tube. This is the Langdon Tactical tricked out version. Thing just runs tons of 3-gun and shotgun competitors swear by the platform's reliability

 

[Radman]

Hey guys, we have a long hunt in the heart of grizzly territory this year in Wyoming (archery)

We will have the call guy carry the short shotgun for defense in the timber.

Curious what rounds everyone uses or suggests would be the best? Slugs? Buck?

Thanks!

Many shy from shotguns vs Grizzlies. I recently read an article written by a wise old hunter who swore by a 12 gauge slug gun. He claimed that a 12 gauge slug would put down any bear. I personally know an older gentleman, (who lives way back where bears roam freely), who swears by a .45-70 government. As most everyone will agree upon: Shot placement IS everything! On that note:
I know a guy who shot a medium size black bear with a .44 magnum 8 times before his uncle brought it down with his ought-six. (Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the .44 mag)
Me? Without seeing his weapon I'd recommend slugs over buck.
Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Radman]

Many shy from shotguns vs Grizzlies. I recently read an article written by a wise old hunter who swore by a 12 gauge slug gun. He claimed that a 12 gauge slug would put down any bear. I personally know an older gentleman, (who lives way back where bears roam freely), who swears by a .45-70 government. As most everyone will agree upon: Shot placement IS everything! On that note:
I know a guy who shot a medium size black bear with a .44 magnum 8 times before his uncle brought it down with his ought-six. (Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the .44 mag)
Me? Without seeing his weapon I'd recommend slugs over buck.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Of course he could load, alternating slugs & big buck.

 

[skipglo]

If I had to shoot some big aggressive beast with a weapon basically intended for birds:

K.O.™ | Brenneke - Ammunition

www.brennekeusa.com

No way ever, would I consider buck shot for anything over 200 pounds. Buck shot basically useless over 25 yards for qualified use.

That's correct but inside 25 yrds it's devastating... as stated above...00 buck, slug, 00 buck

 

[G.H.K]

On the topic of killing bears at short range - For years in the Ontario Museum in Toronto, there was a skull of a big black bear with a tiny hole between its eyes. An Indian boy about 8 years old was checking the family trap line, and carrying a little single shot rifle loaded with a .22 short (for minimal damage to a pelt). Going through a dense berry patch he surprised the bear and it charged. He shot it from a few feet away, hit the only thin spot in the bear's skull, and it dropped dead at his feet.

 

[Rosebud]

Coming into this late, But in the late 70s my brother was a fishing guide on lake Illiamna, (spelling). He and one of the fellow guides had several days off from cancellation. And went on there own fishing holiday in the Katmi again spelling. Monument area. And was fishing one of the Rivers there. He said they had fished about12 hours that 1st day and had just layed down on pads outside there tent in sleeping bags, doesn't get dark in the summer and at about11 pm that evening my brother whose name is Mike heard his friend screaming miky brown bear miky brown bear. He set up in his sleeping bag and had a brown bears butt in his face. About a foot away his friend screamed really loud and the bear quit taking bites out of his sleeping bag. The bear jumped about five feet away and tripped over the guide line for the tent. It seemed to make it mad because it bit into the tent and yanked it out of the ground. By now my brother was reaching to get the 870 pump ,the bear saw him move and was now locked in on him. It stood its hair out like a dog and woofed at him. That's when the 1 st 12 gauge slug hit it in the middle of the chest from 8 feet away. It turned to run and he hit it with another slug and 2 rounds of 00 buck. After he got his buddy calmed down they got into there boat and went down the river to where the bear had ran into willow thicket. When the bow of the boat hit the bank the bear roared and charged. His 1st shot and he admitted it was luck hit it between the eyes. They had to leave everything just as it was and go get Alaska game and fish to come look because you were not allowed to kill anything in the monument area. I still have one of the claws made into a necklace. Funny thing is his friend had a 44 mag pistol in the bag with him but was so scared he forgot about it. This was not a big bear by Alaska standards, 650 pound female. Don't think a pea shooter would have impressed it to much.

 

[ultimag43]

double 00 buckshot to the front legs

If I had to shoot some big aggressive beast with a weapon basically intended for birds:

K.O.™ | Brenneke - Ammunition

www.brennekeusa.com

No way ever, would I consider buck shot for anything over 200 pounds. Buck shot basically useless over 25 yards for qualified use.

take out the front legs they can't walk they can't maul you
most encounters that result in mailings happen under 25 yards
ever been charged by a grizzly? they can cover ground really fast
been there done that twice ,luckily it was a bluff charge both times

 

[Radman]

On the topic of killing bears at short range - For years in the Ontario Museum in Toronto, there was a skull of a big black bear with a tiny hole between its eyes. An Indian boy about 8 years old was checking the family trap line, and carrying a little single shot rifle loaded with a .22 short (for minimal damage to a pelt). Going through a dense berry patch he surprised the bear and it charged. He shot it from a few feet away, hit the only thin spot in the bear's skull, and it dropped dead at his feet.

I started to bring up an example similar to this but a slight few just don't seem to hear. Glad you said it.

 

[Pdvdh]

double 00 buckshot to the front legs


take out the front legs they can't walk they can't maul you

Why not preferably to their head? Brain'em

 

[ultimag43]

easier to hit the legs hitting the head of a charging grizzly isn't as easy as it seems
most guys who think it is have never been charged or had a close encounter with a ****ed off
grizzly

 

[dogz]

Why not preferably to their head? Brain'em

Right.........holy balls batman

 

[dogz]

Many shy from shotguns vs Grizzlies. I recently read an article written by a wise old hunter who swore by a 12 gauge slug gun. He claimed that a 12 gauge slug would put down any bear. I personally know an older gentleman, (who lives way back where bears roam freely), who swears by a .45-70 government. As most everyone will agree upon: Shot placement IS everything! On that note:
I know a guy who shot a medium size black bear with a .44 magnum 8 times before his uncle brought it down with his ought-six. (Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the .44 mag)
Me? Without seeing his weapon I'd recommend slugs over buck.
Just my 2 cents worth.

Was this "wise old hunter" working in black bear country and or G-bear ranges?

 

[30378wbymag]

The biggest gun you are comfortable with and can shoot accurately. My first time in grizzly country that was a Sig in .40 cal. The first 4-5 turned him and the last 10-11 were because he was still moving and the mag wasn't empty. The last 2-3 were at less than 5 feet as he came by me. It still took a 300 WSM to the head to finish him. The guides never left camp without a pump 12ga after that, they alternated buckshot and slugs.

He trailed the horses and came in on the wind to take the elk we had down. The down side was he came from where the horses were and didn't give us anywhere to go. They are smart, fast, and quite. They can also run downhill no matter what anyone else says.

I took a 10mm with buffalo bore to Alaska, I bought that pistol and practiced with it just for that trip and any others that take me back to their living room.

How many times did you hit him with the 10mm? Did you do any type of post mortem, and which BB load were you using? Thx bro.

 

[Radman]

Was this "wise old hunter" working in black bear country and or G-bear ranges?

I give this "wise old hunter" credit for surviving many years AS A GUIDE IN ALASKA. He knew what he knew, didn't have to speculate, didn't have to brag & wasn't a wise-***.
He just did it. He lived it. I respect that. He wasn't a, "This is best because I own it", or a, "You should buy that because I like that." He was just sharing life experiences that had worked for him..... not, "What he thought was best." Obviously the man mentioned on this forum thought it adequate as well!
Just like the "wise old man" that I was PRIVILEGED to talk with in the Walmart ammo section early one morning said: "I live in The Cherokee National Forest. (We discussed our .45-70's) I get bears all of the time. I don't poach but when I have to stop a bear from trying to get into my house I want something that will stop him!" he said with a grin. "That'll stop him."
I respect people with more experience than I. If it works for them that's enough for me.
That's all I know.