Bear gun, AK-47 or mossy 500

[hdskumm]

Been spending more time in the woods this summer, and ran into a black bear out hiking. Made me realize my p226 probably wouldn't cut it if I ever run into one more pissed. Thinking of an Ak pistol, but also have a pistol grip mossy 12 gauge that I could load with bear slugs, but would probably be better off if I put on some ghost rigs sights and a folding stock on it. AK more accurate and larger cap, kinda what I'm leaning on vs the less accurate, slower pump. Which would you choose for defensive purposes if these were the only 2 options?

[Partizanak]

10mm Springfield XD is the cheapest route. Handles like your P226 but a lot hotter.

[nalioth]

if it's brown, lay down
if it's black, fight back
if it's white, goodnight


Black bears are more afraid of you then you are of them.

Your P226 is fine, unless you're a "spray & pray" kind of person.




O'course, if this is just an excuse to give the ol' lady to buy more guns - get both (ya got two hands, dontcha?)

[TheGreek!]

A S&W .500 magnum will take down any bear in one shot and isn't as bulky to carry around as an AK or a shotgun. It's also always ready to fire because it's a revolver, you don't have to pull a charging handle or pump it to get it ready to fire.

[SYNCHRONICITY]

My "bear gun" is a single shot Marlin 12 gauge cut down to 18" and firing LL single rubber projectiles.

Hit them in the ass and they run like Hell.

[Story]

Friend's sister who worked for BLM for 20+ years carried a 12 gauge Mossberg while on the job in Alaska (below the Arctic circle).

[nalioth]

Friend's sister who worked for BLM for 20+ years carried a 12 gauge Mossberg while on the job in Alaska (below the Arctic circle).

Nice, but nothing to do with what the OP is asking.

The area you describe predominantly contains grizzlies (brown bears) and occasionally polar bears (white bears)

[MI redneck]

All this "black, brown, white" talk is racist...
Bears Lives Matter!

Personally, I'd go with the 12Ga. But with a stock vs. pistol grip.

[madmanmccoy]

NOW,do some research & get some Pepper spray that will work on a BLACKIE, some won't , they tend to lick it up .......IF you are 'hiking' put a little bell on your gear, make noise , don't take one by surprize , because it won't matter then, even if you have a "Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt range" , YOU won't react fast enough..........you can't imagine just how fast a Bear is......I've seen 14 Wild Black Bears from Cubs -of -the year[2, with thier 375+lb Mama] to 500+lbs.... in the woods in different encounters , all 40yds & under , 3 under 20yds & ONE at 6FEET , who looked me right in the eyes & ran the other way ....I never could've reacted fast enough to prevent harm had THEY meant any

[MI redneck]

NOW,do some research & get some Pepper spray that will work on a BLACKIE, some won't , they tend to lick it up .......IF you are 'hiking' put a little bell on your gear, make noise , don't take one by surprize , because it won't matter then, even if you have a "Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt range" , YOU won't react fast enough..........you can't imagine just how fast a Bear is..

Surely you've heard the joke about the hiker gone missing and the rangers finding a pile of bear scat. It smelled like pepper spray and contained little brass bells.

[Broncowilly]

if it's brown, lay down
if it's black, fight back
if it's white, goodnight...

I wonder if Timothy Treadwell had this information?

[def90]

Been spending more time in the woods this summer, and ran into a black bear out hiking. Made me realize my p226 probably wouldn't cut it if I ever run into one more pissed. Thinking of an Ak pistol, but also have a pistol grip mossy 12 gauge that I could load with bear slugs, but would probably be better off if I put on some ghost rigs sights and a folding stock on it. AK more accurate and larger cap, kinda what I'm leaning on vs the less accurate, slower pump. Which would you choose for defensive purposes if these were the only 2 options?

AK for a black bear? Really? Can of bear spray from REI will do the job if you ever even get in a situation where you would need it. I’ve never run in to a black bear while hiking that didn’t run as soon as it knew I was there.

[Story]

Friend's sister who worked for BLM for 20+ years carried a 12 gauge Mossberg while on the job in Alaska (below the Arctic circle).

Nice, but nothing to do with what the OP is asking.

The area you describe predominantly contains grizzlies (brown bears) and occasionally polar bears (white bears)

Someone with more experience dealing with bears than you'll ever have.

Now go count matchsticks somewhere.

[W_E_G]

Remember, if you press the muzzle of an autoloader into the target, the gun will misfire.

So, revolver over autoloader maybe for reliability.

The target may be pressing ITSELF into you.

12 gauge with slugs is very good if you have two hands available and stand-off distance.

[Henry Stevens]

I have lived among black bears for 30 years. You really don't have to worry half as much about them as you would rattle snakes. But brown bears, that is another story.

[ninjamateo]

How about a ak shotgun?

[Henry Stevens]

Here is a great video on best Bear Rounds. You can back engineer the gun to fit them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eTw3q9H2Zs

[def90]

Friend's sister who worked for BLM for 20+ years carried a 12 gauge Mossberg while on the job in Alaska (below the Arctic circle).

Nice, but nothing to do with what the OP is asking.

The area you describe predominantly contains grizzlies (brown bears) and occasionally polar bears (white bears)

Someone with more experience dealing with bears than you'll ever have.

Now go count matchsticks somewhere.

Alaska brown bears are a completely different situation in case you didn’t notice that the OP was talking about black bears.

[madmanmccoy]

BLACKIES' speed & strength is unbelieveable...............I watched one around 500+ pounds lean into one of those LONG tall dumpsters and actually cause the opposite end to lift up off the ground,
Saw where one had taken 10-12 HUGE ,flat [about truck hood size & foot + thick] rocks & ripped them out of the ground & completely flipped them over hunting mice & voles ,all along this ridge in an abandoned 19th century settlement /orchard ,it had walked along the ridge flipping those rocks as he went along,,left huge tracks for a Black Bear
Actually watched a big one tear a stump to shreds digging from about 50yds away & glad I didn't walk over the hill & down without stopping to get down on the ground & peek over the top........Ran right into one at 20yds Bowhunting when I got up around Noon to move around this ridge into the shade , and as I eased down one side, he was doing the same across this little flat where the ridge went back up,
We met as we both eased around our corners & stopped DEAD in our tracks,me facing him head on , HE with his left side to me , left front paw off the ground as we both froze & stared at each other ,
Before he took off like a shot without making ONE sound, NOTHING, no leaves crunching, no sticks cracking , NOT ONE SOUND.........

Next time I hear a RAVEN carry on like one was before I saw him for about 1/2 hour I'll know better......

[chillypepper]

My bear gun in north Cali is a .22 mag revolver. And a dog

Cats on the other hand, I do a tad different.

[89grand1]

I use rape whistles against bears and negros.

[ThunderGod]

Yeah, I think the AK 12ga is the best, all-around answer.

[89grand1]

There is killing a bear vs getting one to BTFU right? I wouldn't think they were necessarily the same thing.

[IdahoJohn]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vUG8UPsgE3U?start=102" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Brown bear charge^

This guy was pretty quick with a revolver.

[ThunderGod]

There is killing a bear vs getting one to BTFU right? I wouldn't think they were necessarily the same thing.

Realistically for a bear, I'd rather have a full AK folder than a short barreled AK pistol. 7.62x39 is best out of a 20" barrel, so even a 16" is a compromise, let alone 10.5". I wouldn't use a Mossy shotty except under duress; I'd choose a Winny then a Remmy, first.