Bear gun, AK-47 or mossy 500

[TheGreek!]

"Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97% Success Rate..."

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TKh2NDan

To me, huge caliber guns are counterintuitive when trying to fend off an animal from close range. Miss one shot, hand is in the air from recoil, you're on the ground getting chewed on. It's easy to miss a single shot from close distance, especially in a tense situation.

As comical as it may sound, and this is just my opinion, a 9mm hot FMJ load and multiple hits (from being able to control the gun) makes more sense than some pump action or huge caliber (bigger than .44 magnum) 5 or 6 shot revolver.

A 7.62x39 AK makes a much better bear defense gun than a pump action shotgun for much the same reasons outlined with handgun bear defense. Again, JMO.

If the bear is that close where you can only get off one shot and you miss it then you deserve to get eaten by it for being such a bad shot. I'll still take the S&W .500 over anything else in this thread to go up against a bear with.

In your one shot scenario let's say you hit the bear with that one shot. Would you want that hit to come from a gun that more than likely won't stop the bear in one shot or would you want that hit to come from a gun that WILL stop the bear in one shot?

More reason to have a S&W .500 to go up against a bear with...

My scenario wasn’t necessarily a 1 shot scenario. You can let off a pretty decent stream of 9mm out of a full size handgun in very short time. What I meant was you might get 1 shot off with a large caliber revolver, whereas you could potentially get multiple shots off with something like a 9mm or maybe even 10mm, something not too difficult to control is my idea. Just my line of thinking as I’ve never been in that situation.

I’ll be honest, I think you’re being overconfident with making that one 500 magnum shot connect. No experience on my end, but when you’re not aiming and you’re surprised, I think it’s easy to miss even a relatively close range shot. The bear is charging and it’s bouncing around as it’s coming at you, it’s not an easy target even if it’s close. Spraying and praying is really all you’re doing, and spraying and praying accurately is easier with smaller calibers.

I haven’t gone hiking in grizzly country yet, but I plan on it soon (Glacier NP). I can’t lie, I’d feel fine with my BHP or other full size, large capacity service caliber handgun. My advice to others would be to listen to the experts though, this is all my non-experienced opinion, but I’m convinced I’m right with my line of thinking here and would not feel under-gunned with a reliable 9mm or other service caliber. I’d feel the most comfortable with a good AK, but hiking with an AK is... yeah not doing it

As an owner of a S&W .500 (the 7-1/2 inch barrel performance center version) I'll say that just as with any gun you must use it at the range to get to know it and get comfortable shooting it. Yes, it's a handful to shoot but once you get used to shooting it it's really not that hard to get multiple shots off in a short amount of time and stay on target with it. It's not something that you're going to want to shoot a lot because of the cost of the ammo but once you get used to shooting it you'll have no problem with making it your go to gun to handle bears...

[silverAKM]

Well you could get a "bear rifle", like a 475 BSM AR-10 there hdskumm.

[Browning Hi Power]

If the bear is that close where you can only get off one shot and you miss it then you deserve to get eaten by it for being such a bad shot. I'll still take the S&W .500 over anything else in this thread to go up against a bear with.

In your one shot scenario let's say you hit the bear with that one shot. Would you want that hit to come from a gun that more than likely won't stop the bear in one shot or would you want that hit to come from a gun that WILL stop the bear in one shot?

More reason to have a S&W .500 to go up against a bear with...

My scenario wasn’t necessarily a 1 shot scenario. You can let off a pretty decent stream of 9mm out of a full size handgun in very short time. What I meant was you might get 1 shot off with a large caliber revolver, whereas you could potentially get multiple shots off with something like a 9mm or maybe even 10mm, something not too difficult to control is my idea. Just my line of thinking as I’ve never been in that situation.

I’ll be honest, I think you’re being overconfident with making that one 500 magnum shot connect. No experience on my end, but when you’re not aiming and you’re surprised, I think it’s easy to miss even a relatively close range shot. The bear is charging and it’s bouncing around as it’s coming at you, it’s not an easy target even if it’s close. Spraying and praying is really all you’re doing, and spraying and praying accurately is easier with smaller calibers.

I haven’t gone hiking in grizzly country yet, but I plan on it soon (Glacier NP). I can’t lie, I’d feel fine with my BHP or other full size, large capacity service caliber handgun. My advice to others would be to listen to the experts though, this is all my non-experienced opinion, but I’m convinced I’m right with my line of thinking here and would not feel under-gunned with a reliable 9mm or other service caliber. I’d feel the most comfortable with a good AK, but hiking with an AK is... yeah not doing it

Please notify Jen or WEG of your next of kin.

Im extremely serious.

A 9mm is not a firearm to encounter any bear with not even a juvenile black bear (which may be brown).

Read the article at the link and listen to those here that have encountered bears, you most likely wont encounter men that have used a 9mm when they came across a bear as they are most likely dead.

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/10-best- ... guns-pics/


You could shoot a bear in the heart and he could still with the swipe of one paw put furrows in your chest to allow you to bleed out in 5 mins.

Well there is this article too: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TKh2NDan

When hiking, I walk very long distances and frequently climb hills to cross them. Comfort is a factor. A long gun is not something I’m willing to carry, neither is a huge 500 magnum type revolver. Many people hike in grizzly country with no firearms at all, just bear spray, which I’d likely carry along with a firearm. You just don’t hear of them being killed left and right.

Crimp jump you do hear about in some of the hard recoiling revolvers...

[madmanmccoy]

All you guys that think you can outdraw any Bear are in for a big surprize when you ACTUALLY see one .....you have no idea how fast they are.....they make Deer look slow & are so silent you hear nothing, if they don't want to make noise .........it's really spooky.....
SPEED? You see one in action sometime & it hits you......IF you had to defend against one you're screwed, they ARE that fast........

[hdskumm]

I don't think 9mm has near enough power to get through a bear skull.

[bullpupking]

I have seen on some Alaska trooper show they use 12 gauge shotguns. When those bears get hit by the slug, they know they get hit, and their whole body shakes like a bowl of jelly. That stops them in their tracks. It might take multiple ak rounds to take down a bear and might not slow them down in time as others have wrote here.

[Browning Hi Power]

I have seen on some Alaska trooper show they use 12 gauge shotguns. When those bears get hit by the slug, they know they get hit, and their whole body shakes like a bowl of jelly. That stops them in their tracks. It might take multiple ak rounds to take down a bear and might not slow them down in time as others have wrote here.

To the last part of your statement, this is all theoretical, which is kind of my point in this thread. People online muse all day and night long about bears being akin to elephants, when you look at real world examples, people are enormously successful using any gun against a bear. A man used a 74 against a grizzly effectively in Alaska. The article I quoted shows a 97% success rate with pistols, many of them service calibers.

Obviously, everyone carries what they’re comfortable with. I’m not comfortable with potentiality short stroking a pump action, getting crimp jump with a huge caliber revolver, or having excessive recoil and blast get in the way of critical follow up shots. Getting multiple face/head shots, potentially hitting an eye, potentially also hitting the brain, getting the mouth, etc. is a bigger factor for me than going as big in caliber as possible. You can concentrate rapid fire on a target with a controllable handgun, you can’t do that with the big revolvers.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

Have a look at how quick this bear is and tell me again you want to defend yourself against one with a puny 9mm.

https://imgur.com/t/bear/oYtwgkM

[TheGreek!]

I have seen on some Alaska trooper show they use 12 gauge shotguns. When those bears get hit by the slug, they know they get hit, and their whole body shakes like a bowl of jelly. That stops them in their tracks. It might take multiple ak rounds to take down a bear and might not slow them down in time as others have wrote here.

To the last part of your statement, this is all theoretical, which is kind of my point in this thread. People online muse all day and night long about bears being akin to elephants, when you look at real world examples, people are enormously successful using any gun against a bear. A man used a 74 against a grizzly effectively in Alaska. The article I quoted shows a 97% success rate with pistols, many of them service calibers.

Obviously, everyone carries what they’re comfortable with. I’m not comfortable with potentiality short stroking a pump action, getting crimp jump with a huge caliber revolver, or having excessive recoil and blast get in the way of critical follow up shots. Getting multiple face/head shots, potentially hitting an eye, potentially also hitting the brain, getting the mouth, etc. is a bigger factor for me than going as big in caliber as possible. You can concentrate rapid fire on a target with a controllable handgun, you can’t do that with the big revolvers.

But that's just it, with a small caliber handgun you're going to NEED to shoot the bear many times to take it down unless you get a lucky shot into its brain or something. With a big caliber handgun like the 500 you're more than likely only going to need to hit it once to take it down and you won't have to hit a vital area on the bear to do it. That's the whole point of a big game gun like the 500, you're not going to have to pump a bunch of rounds into the target to take it down.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

Not sure if one has 5 or 6 rounds with a S&W 500, But from memory a 460 S&W has 6 rounds and can also chamber 454 casull and 45 long colt.

So some versatility there at least and still big bore power, Any opinions on the 460 Smith?

[madmanmccoy]

GRIZ OUTRUN CAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywe60Nk_dEk

How Fast Can a Grizzly Bear Run?
https://youtu.be/-zptCXYxces

How Fast and Strong are Bears? - Facts about Bear Species
https://youtu.be/zmU9QbwH7Ls


When you watch any of these Bears run , look BEHIND them at the terrain they eat up with every bound,
They look like they are just loping along & most are,
I'm trying to find video of one really pouring it on , because they'll outrun ANY horse plus they can keep it up .....

[Grizz44]

A 12 gauge pump with slugs and an 18-20 inch barrel. That's what I read years ago that more than one big bear guides used. Just in case a client froze or only wounded or missed a bear. They all swore that a 12 gauge slug would stop any bear.

[1biggun]

You guys are bunch of pussies .

The one time world record GRIZZELY bear was killed by a 63 year old woman with a 22 single shot .
She waited as it got closer and then shot it once were it dropped motionless . She then shot it a few more times to be sure it was dead .

The bear that beat that record was shot with a 30-30 .

I the first Back bear I ever saw was when I was alone trout fishing I was like 5 . hes lucky he did not mess with me id have smacked him with my pole .

[Browning Hi Power]

Have a look at how quick this bear is and tell me again you want to defend yourself against one with a puny 9mm.

https://imgur.com/t/bear/oYtwgkM

Well, again, there is this: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TWqsQ7Kd

I get the theories guys, lets step into the real world with real world examples. Look at cases with police, .40 caliber handguns, and black bear defense. Look at how successful they are in repelling and yes, killing the bear. I mean, carry what you're comfortable with ultimately.

With grizzlies, again the article shows that they are not some mythical beast unable to be defeated lest you have the most powerful gun in your hands. The bullets go in, they hit vitals, they do damage. Just read actual cases and you'll get an idea. Online musings are one thing, the real world is another. I'm really having trouble finding much at all when it comes to people being completely unsuccessful in defending themselves with a relatively low powered pistol against a bear, the opposite does seem to be true however. You know what the vast, vast, majority of fatal cases have in common? Read the stories. Wikipedia has a list of all recorded fatal bear attacks in North America. There's a common factor, no not too weak a gun, no gun at all. When the guy has a gun, the story is usually very different, and no, they don't always have the most powerful handgun in the world in their hands.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

Have a look at how quick this bear is and tell me again you want to defend yourself against one with a puny 9mm.

https://imgur.com/t/bear/oYtwgkM

Well, again, there is this: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TWqsQ7Kd

I get the theories guys, lets step into the real world with real world examples. Look at cases with police, .40 caliber handguns, and black bear defense. Look at how successful they are in repelling and yes, killing the bear. I mean, carry what you're comfortable with ultimately.

With grizzlies, again the article shows that they are not some mythical beast unable to be defeated lest you have the most powerful gun in your hands. The bullets go in, they hit vitals, they do damage. Just read actual cases and you'll get an idea. Online musings are one thing, the real world is another. I'm really having trouble finding much at all when it comes to people being completely unsuccessful in defending themselves with a relatively low powered pistol against a bear, the opposite does seem to be true however. You know what the vast, vast, majority of fatal cases have in common? Read the stories. Wikipedia has a list of all recorded fatal bear attacks in North America. There's a common factor, no not too weak a gun, no gun at all. When the guy has a gun, the story is usually very different, and no, they don't always have the most powerful handgun in the world in their hands.

GO for it macho dude, I aint a spring chicken anymore and need to hedge my bets in any way possible, say what ever you want.

[1biggun]

Now this guy knows how to be ready to go into areas were there are Black bears .

#1 you need a AK 47 with a folding stock and always have your hand on the grip and your finger on the trigger guard .

#2 Have a sign trying to appease your BLACK bear and make sure its specific to the color of the bear . In this case hes got a sign desingnataing BLACK lives matter not brown or white or them bi racial pandas that are black and white . If you don't piss of the bear with systemic bear hate he might not want to eat your face .

#4 Wear a mask it will confuse the bear and make it hard for it to make sure your a real man or a soy boy . Bears don't like soy .

#4 And this is very important ALWAYS take a person who cant run faster than you and who cant fight back . He has the perfect bear country hiking companion .

This guy is a professional through and through . A true outdoors man.

[Browning Hi Power]

Have a look at how quick this bear is and tell me again you want to defend yourself against one with a puny 9mm.

https://imgur.com/t/bear/oYtwgkM

Well, again, there is this: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TWqsQ7Kd

I get the theories guys, lets step into the real world with real world examples. Look at cases with police, .40 caliber handguns, and black bear defense. Look at how successful they are in repelling and yes, killing the bear. I mean, carry what you're comfortable with ultimately.

With grizzlies, again the article shows that they are not some mythical beast unable to be defeated lest you have the most powerful gun in your hands. The bullets go in, they hit vitals, they do damage. Just read actual cases and you'll get an idea. Online musings are one thing, the real world is another. I'm really having trouble finding much at all when it comes to people being completely unsuccessful in defending themselves with a relatively low powered pistol against a bear, the opposite does seem to be true however. You know what the vast, vast, majority of fatal cases have in common? Read the stories. Wikipedia has a list of all recorded fatal bear attacks in North America. There's a common factor, no not too weak a gun, no gun at all. When the guy has a gun, the story is usually very different, and no, they don't always have the most powerful handgun in the world in their hands.

GO for it macho dude, I aint a spring chicken anymore and need to hedge my bets in any way possible, say what ever you want.

I will indeed be going for it. So far, untold thousands hike in Alaska and other grizzly territory and how many are getting killed left and right? The majority of them aren’t even gun guys and just carry bear spray. Untold millions hike and live in black bear territory, many with zero weapons, how many are being killed? Let’s tone down the drama, this isn’t Jurassic Park or the middle of Africa.

[TheGreek!]

Well, again, there is this: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/defens ... z6TWqsQ7Kd

I get the theories guys, lets step into the real world with real world examples. Look at cases with police, .40 caliber handguns, and black bear defense. Look at how successful they are in repelling and yes, killing the bear. I mean, carry what you're comfortable with ultimately.

With grizzlies, again the article shows that they are not some mythical beast unable to be defeated lest you have the most powerful gun in your hands. The bullets go in, they hit vitals, they do damage. Just read actual cases and you'll get an idea. Online musings are one thing, the real world is another. I'm really having trouble finding much at all when it comes to people being completely unsuccessful in defending themselves with a relatively low powered pistol against a bear, the opposite does seem to be true however. You know what the vast, vast, majority of fatal cases have in common? Read the stories. Wikipedia has a list of all recorded fatal bear attacks in North America. There's a common factor, no not too weak a gun, no gun at all. When the guy has a gun, the story is usually very different, and no, they don't always have the most powerful handgun in the world in their hands.

GO for it macho dude, I aint a spring chicken anymore and need to hedge my bets in any way possible, say what ever you want.

I will indeed be going for it. So far, untold thousands hike in Alaska and other grizzly territory and how many are getting killed left and right? The majority of them aren’t even gun guys and just carry bear spray. Untold millions hike and live in black bear territory, many with zero weapons, how many are being killed? Let’s tone down the drama, this isn’t Jurassic Park or the middle of Africa.

If you want to go up against a bear with a can of bear spray and a .22 that's your call to make. Me, if I'm gonna be hiking in bear country I'm carrying my .500 magnun cannon. You can try to justify using a pea shooter against a bear all you want, you can site all the examples of people getting lucky with a pea shooter against a bear all you want but it's not going to convince me to put away the 500 and carry a can of bear spray and a 9mm instead, nope, not gonna happen if I'm gonna be hiking in bear country.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

GO for it macho dude, I aint a spring chicken anymore and need to hedge my bets in any way possible, say what ever you want.

I will indeed be going for it. So far, untold thousands hike in Alaska and other grizzly territory and how many are getting killed left and right? The majority of them aren’t even gun guys and just carry bear spray. Untold millions hike and live in black bear territory, many with zero weapons, how many are being killed? Let’s tone down the drama, this isn’t Jurassic Park or the middle of Africa.

If you want to go up against a bear with a can of bear spray and a .22 that's your call to make. Me, if I'm gonna be hiking in bear country I'm carrying my .500 magnun cannon. You can try to justify using a pea shooter against a bear all you want, you can site all the examples of people getting lucky with a pea shooter against a bear all you want but it's not going to convince me to put away the 500 and carry a can of bear spray and a 9mm instead, nope, not gonna happen if I'm gonna be hiking in bear country.

TG
Mad Dogs and englishmen go out in the noon day sun, and those that are just daft will put themselves in harms way and become a statistic.

Outfitting guy yourself with the most effective hardware against a wild animal that with one swipe of his paw could easily remove your head is not something I would care to go up against with anything but the best firearms available.


To OP dont forget to file down the front site on your pop gun.

[madmanmccoy]

Now this guy knows how to be ready to go into areas were there are Black bears .

#1 you need a AK 47 with a folding stock and always have your hand on the grip and your finger on the trigger guard .

#2 Have a sign trying to appease your BLACK bear and make sure its specific to the color of the bear . In this case hes got a sign desingnataing BLACK lives matter not brown or white or them bi racial pandas that are black and white . If you don't piss of the bear with systemic bear hate he might not want to eat your face .

#4 Wear a mask it will confuse the bear and make it hard for it to make sure your a real man or a soy boy . Bears don't like soy .

#4 And this is very important ALWAYS take a person who cant run faster than you and who cant fight back . He has the perfect bear country hiking companion .

This guy is a professional through and through . A true outdoors man.

ALSO.............don't forget the "Operator" in the pic is one of the "Elite" urban warrior set, "has looked folks in the eye & blew thier brains all over thier stolen Nikes " or WETF that BS was in that other thread/post or some such, YTs fear him, Rightys quake & take a knee in his presence..... or is that take a dump in his car? I forget which.......Oh HELL, Y'All know what I mean, " He a killer ,Yo, just ax him, oh, he daid too.......

[John A]

I have used a 44 magnum hogleg revolver in the past.

But since that wasn't one of your two options, I'm gonna say mossy 500. Perhaps even the shockwave 590 though it doesn't have a stock unless you want to SBS it.

[madmanmccoy]

.44Mag is good to go ...especially with a super hard cast, heat treated LBT lead flat point hot load or one of Garret Ctg.'s HAMMERHEAD Hardcast Bear loads........
BUT like I said , you surprize one ,&/or get taken by surprize yourself, by any PO'd Blackie, Brownie, Grizz,at 20yards or less, you're done,period...... you'll never get it out in time &get on target , I don't care what gun you have....

[Nev]

...My advice to others would be to listen to the experts though, this is all my non-experienced opinion, but I’m convinced I’m right with my line of thinking here and would not feel under-gunned with a reliable 9mm or other service caliber. I’d feel the most comfortable with a good AK, but hiking with an AK is... yeah not doing it

Are you reading your own words?

9mm spray and pray will not serve you with a bear. Have you seen them -- moving at speed -- in real life. I have and it can change your perspectives on thing. 10mm is the minimum I've founded accepted for the pistol fan. 8rds of 10mm in a Sig, 15 in a Glock. There are other 10mm. Wouldn't go 1911, but that's me.

Explore here :https://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/ You'll find plenty of debate and disagreements that might inform your final decision. Find other resources of info with actual expert and real-world experience. An AK forum? I did read of a case where someone was hiking with a 74 and stopped a bear. There you go!

The scenario you expect with your 9mm...the best I can say is talking to some folks in Anchorage we were talking about being out fishing, they shot above the head of black bears numerous times that chased them off -- bears that were not close or threatening but needed to get scared off. They weren't shooting 9mm, but maybe that sound would do just as well.

I ended up choosing a .44 mag in a chest rig for all my outdoor activities. One factor: I knew my wife, from far north native village, would approve without discussion, owning a .44mag RedHawk revolver. Today, I might more likely go with a Sig 220 10mm.

[ShootnScoot]

If you're hiking on private land or the wilderness why not test out your kit? Take a reliable firearm 30 caliber or greater, and take something compact if you want.

You don't need to take a PC with plates, just a weighted ruck and a shotgun will do. I still wouldn't sneeze at an AK pistol but they make really good specialty rounds for shotguns these days.

Shit even on my small parcel, I'll carry something on me but that's more for one weird neighbor and their shenanigans I've seen.

[1biggun]

Now this guy knows how to be ready to go into areas were there are Black bears .

#1 you need a AK 47 with a folding stock and always have your hand on the grip and your finger on the trigger guard .

#2 Have a sign trying to appease your BLACK bear and make sure its specific to the color of the bear . In this case hes got a sign desingnataing BLACK lives matter not brown or white or them bi racial pandas that are black and white . If you don't piss of the bear with systemic bear hate he might not want to eat your face .

#4 Wear a mask it will confuse the bear and make it hard for it to make sure your a real man or a soy boy . Bears don't like soy .

#4 And this is very important ALWAYS take a person who cant run faster than you and who cant fight back . He has the perfect bear country hiking companion .

This guy is a professional through and through . A true outdoors man.

ALSO.............don't forget the "Operator" in the pic is one of the "Elite" urban warrior set, "has looked folks in the eye & blew thier brains all over thier stolen Nikes " or WETF that BS was in that other thread/post or some such, YTs fear him, Rightys quake & take a knee in his presence..... or is that take a dump in his car? I forget which.......Oh HELL, Y'All know what I mean, " He a killer ,Yo, just ax him, oh, he daid too.......

That Mofo is so bad ass he bangs a black chick with no arms and legs and then makes another man wheel her around at BLM rallies so her people can see he owns her. Hes a large and in charge white man that fears nothing .