I used a 375 H & H to take my Brown Bear down near Cold Bay and lent it to a friend which took an interior Grizzly with it. Perfect for the Big Bears. Also, on a Moose Hunt down near Yakutat, I had a Brown Bear make a very ugly false charge and I was standing my ground with the 375 H & H and was very confident of the outcoming, but very thankful that he turned away about 20 yards from me. I still remember it like it was yesterday and it was 30 years ago.

A gattling gun would work pretty well.

If not a 3 round burst 50 Beowulf would be ok.

I just walked in after a 1000lbs Interior Mountain Grizzly that I had shot the night before with my 375 RUM and 300gr Partitions.

I carried my Marlin 1895GS 45-70 loaded with Beartooth 525gr WLNGC's Pile Drivers loaded to 1650fps could only see from 1 to 20 yards tops.

I have to say I felt very comfortable with that combo, the bear was only 75 yards into the thick bush but it sure felt good having a thumper like I did in my hands...

I've always been a one rifle/one handgun kinda guy, now that I've given my 270 to my son, my soon to be 470 Capstick is it. I'll be a little overgunned for antelope (unless Eric let's me borrow his 270 lol), but so be it.



Chuck

...... I ,like the rifle and revolver being the same caliber , and since I can,t get the rifle bullets in .452 . I just might go to a 470 Capstick or AR and a 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh ..... Shoot a 400 gr bullet from both ....... Still thinkin tho ..

quote:

What kind of rifle would you use for a brown bear charge?

I've never been around a brown bear myself. But I have been around many black bears and maybe a dozen grizzly bears. I go out of my way to avoid them

One thing I have learned from my encounters with bears is that all of them were less than 50 yards. Considering most bears can cover 15 - 20 yards in a second if they want to. I've learned not to underestimate a bears speed.

Given a choice I would think a fast swinging short barreled rifle (18" to 21" Max barrel) with very good open sights would be a good thing to have if it was needed. Myself I would feel comfortable guns such as CZ 550FS with 20.5" barrel in a 9.3x62 or 30-06. Marlin guide gun in 450 Marlin. A 375 H&H with a short barrel would also be interesting.

Two things besides a gun that can come in handy around bears is a good dog (for early warning) and a flare pistol.

Some may find this interesting. Notice how many are black bears. LINK

Check out this guys shooting he's practicing stopping a bear charge with a Marlin 1895GS 45-70.

In the video he says he is shooting 350gr Hornady around 1900fps - 2000fps.


http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AVr7gNmrU&feature=email

Having lived in Alaska and hunted for a bit, it was felt that w/ Griz/Brown a charge from a distance of some 15 yards or less would be pretty hard to stop with whatever caliber you were using. Those bears can outrun a horse for short distances and can be on you in very short period of time. Not to be toyed with as they say and in the thick cover with Alders and their surface root system, tough to move even if you think about running. Also was tought to use a rifle that you can recover quickly from recoil for most likely will require more than one shot. Obviously use enough gun, but one that you are very comfortable with and can deliver accurate shots in quick time.
Freely admit it that bears, black, grizzly, or brown always scared me. Any experienced guide will feel the same way and will practice great caution with the bear no matter what color!

I'm not sure there are any 400g bullets you could use in a 470 Capstick that you would want to use on bear. If there are any please let me know! I'd love a lighter bullet to use on elk. The 470 Capstick will shoot a 500g A-Frame or 500g GS solid at 2400 fps, those will be my loads for any dangerous game.

Chuck

quote:

I just walked in after a 1000lbs Interior Mountain Grizzly that I had shot the night before with my 375 RUM and 300gr Partitions.

I carried my Marlin 1895GS 45-70 loaded with Beartooth 525gr WLNGC's Pile Drivers loaded to 1650fps could only see from 1 to 20 yards tops.

I have to say I felt very comfortable with that combo, the bear was only 75 yards into the thick bush but it sure felt good having a thumper like I did in my hands...

now like minds think alike! Those were very good grizz guns for me as well for a number of yrs. I sold/gave them 2 same guns and now stick to my 9,3x62 which to me after shooting a grizz in the recent past will do all I can do.

dsiteman, you said it well.

Although I would love to hunt Alaska one of these days, I have yet to do so. However, I would choose my Sako 375 because it's as flexible as a 30-06 and it will work fine on the smaller critters and provide a bit of an edge with the bigger stuff. Moreover, I am very confident with it. I am more comfortable shooting small critters with a large round than a big critter with a small one. Lou

I would carry my 21 inch 375 H&H simply because of familiarity and ease of getting into battery pronto. I am of the thought to carry the most gun that will save your biscuits in a bad situation. The 375 H&H will kill anything that can legally be hunted in Seward's Ice Box. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst!

Well,

Please review the following thread: Shot gun for bear protection.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8521043/m/805100598/p/2

PAPI

Thinkin about mayby a Casull.........

M70 .416 Hoffman.

My latest "concoction" of wood,steel and "Craziness"...a 600 Overkill coming out of a Custom CZ with a 16"SS Fluted Braked Barrel on a Laminated stock, with Rear Peep Sight pushing 900gr Woodleigh SP Loaded Backwards! @ 1800fps! EZ carry and EZ handling at 36"long and 8pds! Will be deadly on some Boars,maybe a Bison soon too!

I picked up an M71 Winchester, with a 20" barrel, and fell in love. It was the quickest-handling rifle I'd ever handled(big enough to handle a real cartridge, lol) My next problem was the caliber choise. I've seen a LOT of .450 Alaskans, but they are bad on both ends. I'm not afraid of the recoil, it just gets tiring trying to use them enough to be good with one. In a situation, the recoil is a non-issue. Just because you shot a magazine load from your rifle, it doesn't mean you know how to use it!!
As you are trained, so shall you react in a panic.
I decided to use a .416/348 because of the 400gr bullet. The bullets I saw were semi-pointed, and reduced reliability in my choise. Also, when I went to order the reamer, it cost $90 more than a .375. Ah, the .375....
There's my toy. It's got a 300gr bullet, and a velocity just short of the H&H.
The balance of the rifle is to the rear, so it points REAL fast, I use a ghost-ring sight, and practice with a small-aperture peep.
Have fun,
Gene

Nevmavrick, is mountain boy still spewing his filthy mouth on the CB base radio? He sure had a foul mouth. If we could have triangulated on him the coyotes would have eaten for days.

Use something as big as you're comfortable shooting accurately. I'd use a Winchester M70 SS I had done in .411/.416Remington Magnum. I'd also use my Marlin 1895 in .50Alaskan.

Anything looks really puny when a bear is close. You don't have to be in Alaska to be charged by a bear. I've had one grizzly charge in the Bob Marshall wilderness and one ran us off an elk carcass in the Bridger-Teton. The first bluffed and got the fish I had. All I could point at him was a S&W M57 4-inch. The second I felt a little better about as I had a .475Linebaugh and my buddy had a .338Win.Mag. Haven't encountered a really aggressive black bear, YET.

anything from the 35 whelen up with a good bullet and a well balanced rifle that comes to the shoulder like a good shotgun.I would use my custom 375 ruger.Anything from a 30/06 up would work well with a cool hand behind the trigger.

olcrip-I haven't listened to CB for quite some time. I work 12hr-7 days, so don't get much opportunity to do much, so I pick and choose carefully, what I do, and when...Listening to to an idiot spew nothing is not on my list.
Lurking on this forum, shooting my .375, and watching drag-racing(VCR) are on my list.
Of course, the best way to stop a bear's charge, is to deny the card....the next is a quick-pointing large-bore rifle!
Have fun,
Gene

I was in sportsman warehouse in wasila looking at the picture board. I saw picture of a kid about 12 yrs old and he was sittign next to his brown bear. He shot that thing with a 260 remington and it wasn't a small one either. I'm sure his dad had a boomer though.

You guys all have the right answer...big is better!

When I live in Homer I used to hunt with a .280 Mountain Rifle most of the time. After my first trip to Kodiak for blacktail, I switch to my heavy gun.... Rem 700 teflon coated in .30-06.

I only ever had one run in with a bear. A little sow with a cub. I was walking down an icy ridge in the middle of an alder patch when she stood up an woofed at me. I had my 06 slung on my pack frame. The strap had worked it's way under the pin that held the pack on the frame and I couldn't get it off...PEROID!! She could have easily feed me to her cub. Lesson learned...doesn't matter how big a gun you carry if you can't get it on target quickly!!!

Go Sarah GO!!!!!

Well...Think there are 3 different situations here:

• Bear Hunting - I would choose my 9.3x62 loaded with 286 NPTs.
  
  
• Hunting deer or sheep - Would have either the 9.3x62 or 270 Win; If 270, I would have some 160 NPTs for after the kill.
  
  
• Hiking or fishing would have my 12 gauge Turkey gun Loaded with Terminator Slugs.

Is it possible stop one of those guys with a auto .45 pistol close in?

Steve, you stop him close in with with a 45 pistol and I'll watch from afar. Yeah, I can do that! Olcrip

Hey Olcrip, Sorry if if it sounded like I was taking things lightly, but I have never been in that situation, & have not been a pistol shooter, & as I live & hunt in the U.K. , will never be allowed the priveledge to own & shoot pistols, the reason I wondered wether a .45 acp might save my ass if I was out hunting with a rifle, & was unfortunate enough to be in conflict with a bear, would a sidearm cut the mustard?Steve.

Steve, I mis-read your question as a statement. Of course we would think that a 45 could save our lunch if it came to that. Those Ursus Horrebilis are some really bad hombres.

I hope to be able to do that hunt someday in Alaska. I will bring a 21 inch barreled 375 for the job unless I get the short barreled 458 AR finished by them. I believe I will take a stopping gun for the big browns. For a side arm I would take more comfort in a Casul. But if I had nothing else but a 22 rim fire like Bella Twin I would pray that the creator is on my side. Bella Twin was an Indian girl that shot a world record Grizzly with a single shot 22 rim fire rifle. I beleive the story went that she put 23 rounds, one at a time into that bear from atop a wood pile. That record bear size stood until 1969. It would beat defending yourself with a sharp stick.

I reckon she lived maybe a couple of lifetimes while she was fitting the rounds in!

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
If I knew a bear was going to charge then I would

...

stay home that day.

I'll take my old 1886 Win. .45-70 stoked with some Garrett Hammerhead ammo. We'll git r dun!

Which rifle? whichever one is in my hand, and keep shooting till empty.

I'd probably use a .338 Winchester Magnum for any/all in Alaska, shooting 200gr for small game/flat shooting and a 250gr in the mag as well "just in case". At "human eating" range where your muzzle is buried in fur, trajectory doesn't matter as long as the bullet hits hard and penetrates deep.

After a few years of sustained .338 recoil, I'd be tempted to try a .340 WBY, .338 RUM, or .358 STA for everyday use, maybe even a .375 RUM. All have good trajectory with lighter bullets and will seriously mess up a mean bear with the heavy bullets.

. Now theres a reasonable idea ... Jim Z has a good choice also ...

Maybe for me a 4 3/4" 500 Wyoming Express Freedom Arms Model 83 Field Grade with a trigger job and express sights .... pushing a 350 gr custom linotype bullet with a .475 meplate @ 1700 fps ..

A Winchester prewar model 70 carbine in 7x57mm with 175 grain solids.

I'd pit my Marlin 45/70 Guide Gun loaded up with Belt Mountain Punch Bullets against a charging grizz anyday:

http://www.gunblast.com/BeltMtn_PunchBullet.htm

OR

http://www.beltmountain.com/punch.htm

.375 Weatherby

Damn good choice. A real Hammer.

A 12 Ga. with rifled slugs is often used by guides to follow-up wounded Brown Bear in brush. You want to be able to "breakdown" a charging Bear.

..... Really ,, What guides ????????????????????