Just curious to see if any were taken with 12Ga SLugs and if so,what type,performance and circumstances? Thanks

I am aware of a USFWS seasonal employee stopping a charging bear in this area about 6 years ago. I know it was a 12ga, I don't know what kind of projectile was used.

The FWS still issues 12ga shotguns as its standard bear defense weapon out here. My friend at the state fish and game here in town also commonly uses one. If he is intentionally looking for a problem bear he intends to kill he uses a rifle.

Contact this guy: john.crye@alaska.gov. He is an ADF&G wildlife biologist in Kodiak and I am fairly certain he has put down some nuisance bears with 12 gauge slugs.

WILL DO-THANKS!

The only anecdotal slug evidence I have is from Col. Gary Folger - the head of the Alaska State Troopers and F&W enforcement. Years ago he told me that he tried to kill a brown bear in King Salmon with his issue 12 guage slug gun and that the results were so poor that he will never use a shotgun on a bear again.
Another guide that I once worked for tried to kill a grizzly with buckshot in the head and he said that at 5 yards the shot did not penetrate the skull but did "peel the hide off the head" and really pissed off the bear.

I'm sure it had been done - you can kill them with a 22 mag - but when I expect to face bears I much prefer a rifle with stout bullets.

Thanks Guys for the feedback....What I plan on using is Unique in the slug world,so I am sure by the Linebaugh test performed,it will drill big holes in Mr.Grizz or Smokey the Bear with no problem...We are shooting custom hard cast Bore diameter(.73cal)slugs that weigh 880 w/.375cal meplat at 1500+ and/or the 1043 hard cast w.50 cal meplat at 1200+....They penetrated as follows at the Linebaugh Seminar:
The 880's at 1441 fps penetrated 45" thru paper and 4paper+bone+26" additional paper. Bullets recovered in plain paper were undamaged and thou bone lost the nose portion to the middle driving band, weight was 540 grains average. Our bones were the beef femurs and were better than the size of a fist. The bullets recovered in paper were undamaged and the ones thru bone lost a nose portion if the first driving band and at times sheared to the second driving band. Those that were to the second band weighed 550 grains on average and those that were less damaged I couldnt weigh on a 750 grain scale.



The 1043 grain bullets were cronographed at 1080 fps average(I had them uped to 1200fps)The 1043 grainers went thre 48" paper on average and 4"paper+bone+ an additional 36 inches of paper. Plain paper bullets were undamaged and the ones thru bone showed only peened nose portions back to the start of the truncacted cone. I took them to a friend that had a 1000 grain scale and he couldn't weigh them on it. They survived well.
I will be testing them shortly in my Benelli SBE with the ER Shaw Rifled Barrel..
(OK Guys,I know its not a 12ga from Hell,but it weighs 9pds scoped and can shoot 8 rounds in 2 seconds and is 42" long )

Those sound like they should have about the same effect on a bear as dropping a crane on him.

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
Those sound like they should have about the same effect on a bear as dropping a crane on him.

That's a good one!

It's gonna leave a mark! First on the Bear, then on you!!

A bio on the Chugach National Forest killed a brown bear several years ago with a shotgun and slugs. The Forest Service allows shotguns for personal defence but recommends the use of Breneke slugs at a minimum. I know that several LEO's have tried slugs on bears but they carry "Tactical" slugs that are designed to kill people and are not loaded hot enough for bears. As long as you are not trying to shoot through brush and get a clean shot at close range (25 feet) the slug will kill a bear quite well. Jim

I saw a problem bear executed in Katmai in 1983. It was a classic Federal Goverment operated cluster with 4 shooters piling slugs into the bear. I counted afterword and the bear took over twenty round! This was in the day of 2 3/4 shells, assuming a standard deer load for the time.

There was an extensive reoprt done out of alaska years ago on the best firearm for defensive work on big bears, I had a copy but will have to look for it. It rated the 12 g pretty high, but the 3006 was higher, and the 375 was near the top. Alberta F&W have shot thousands of bears with slugs, they work well up close, hit hard but penetration can be limited. The 3006 with 220 grain bullets works well, but the 375 would stil be my top choice all around. I personally have shot a few with slugs, nd tey are ok, but it is no excuse not to buy that 375.

If I had to use slugs I would want Brennekes.

I would much prefer a 45/70, or even a 44 Mag lever rifle, with the right bullets of course.

If the slug is made of sufficient construction (design, material and weight) I don't see a reason why it could not be used for hunting bears.
Lefteris
www.europeancartridgeunlimited.com

Dude , This isn,t making any sense . Unless you are also hunting ducks in Sitkho Bay or Neka Bay ... WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE SEEN PACKIN A SHOTGUN WHEN YOU CAN PACK YOUR 500 , 600 , 416 , ect . ect.

You have a point there...But I have done it with the big stuff,so I am thinkn of something unusual/different,kinda like doing it with a bow or handgun

I have a Friend that killed a 9' 3" brown bear with a 30/06 and was backed up by a Tarhunt slug gun it took 4 slugs and 4 180 gr Bullets to stop him at 110 paces.

Well that does it!If I get to hunt Ak this Sring I am going to show how its done with my Benelli and 1 or 2 of my Super Duper Steroid Slugs!These 1040gr Asteroids will flip Smokey over on his back!I have seen 1 shot kills on elephant and 11 shot attempts with 458s and 375s. We all know its about shot placement,so if all goes well we will have some nices pics next year with me and my "Benelli Bear"!!