This should end the bear gun debate

[jtcarm]

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/man-kills-679-pound-male-black-bear-at-5-yards-with-357-handgun

[OlongJohnson]

Phil Shoemaker kilt an AK brown bear with a 3953. Still not optimal.

[Rex G]

Quite a few bears have been killed with .357 Magnum revolvers, starting in the days when the .357 was the only Magnum handgun cartridge. One of the Wessons, whose first name escapes me, at the moment, famously harvested many large and/or dangerous game animals with the .357 Magnum.

I have never walked among Big Browns and Grizzlies, so will offer no advice to anyone.

If I walk where really big bears live, I will load 180-grain hardcast in any .357 revolvers I may be carrying, but, really, I bought my Ruger SRH Alaskan .454/.45 for a reason other than AIWB under a Hawaiian shirt in Houston. ;)

[BCG]

A Pennsylvania man reportedly killed a 679-pound black bear that was five yards away with a .357 handgun during last weekend's opening of the state's four-day bear harvest.

I think a bear armed with a "Vepr carbine" and/or "IZH shotgun" is going to have an advantage over a human armed with a handgun.

siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/beware-brown-bear-armed-with-two-guns-on-the-loose-in-siberian-region/


Beware: Brown Bear Armed With Two Guns On The Loose In Siberian Region

The Siberian Times
24 November 2017

Wild beast steals weapons from frightened hunter before vanishing into the remote taiga.

The brown bear brazenly walked into a remote forest cabin, and helped itself to the man's bag plus two guns, say police.

The animal turned the tables on the 57 year old hunter when he went to a nearby river to get water deep in Irkutsk region.

'On November 16 he was hunting miles away from the nearest village and decided to stay at a forest cabin,' said a statement from the local interior ministry.

'He left his belongings in the cabin and went to get some water. On his return, he heard some suspicious sounds and spotted a bear.

To avoid an encounter with the animal, the hunter scurried off into the woods where he hid for several hours.'

When he returned to the remote cabin, his bag and two guns were missing.

The hunter went to look for his weapons in the taiga for several days but returned empty-handed.

This then prompted him to contact the police.

The beast is in possession of a Vepr carbine and IZH shotgun, pictured here, according to police.

Crime scene pictures show the bear left its tooth marks on a bucket and scratched some logs.

It is unclear if the man was hunting bears but the season is still open until 30 November.

By now, many bears are hibernating for the winter.

Other animals that can be hunted in Irkutsk region are moose, deer, boar, ducks, hare, fox, wolf, sable, and mink.

[BCG]

Phil Shoemaker kilt an AK brown bear with a 3953. Still not optimal.

I had forgotten about that.

For anyone interested, Phil's first hand account - with photos - is at https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/8/10/alaska-outfitter-defends-fishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/


Alaska Outfitter Defends Fishermen from Raging Grizzly with 9mm Pistol

by Phil Shoemaker - Wednesday, August 10, 2016

I have been guiding brown bear hunters and fishermen and bear photographers from our homestead within Becharof National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for 33 years and have had numerous close encounters with bears. Until now, I have never had to shoot an unwounded bear to protect either myself or clients, but the other week an event occurred and my good fortune changed. When it happened, I was fully aware of what was going on and how big the bear was. I also managed to stay aware of where my clients were, even when the bear was directly between us. The woman I was guiding said that while she did not remember smelling the bear’s breath, it was close enough to her face that it could have bitten her!

I have killed enough bears to know how important shot placement can be, even with large-bore rifles. I was well aware of the limitations of my 9mm pistol, even with Buffalo Bore ammo. I was aiming for a vital area with each shot; because it all took place between 6 and 8 feet, they were not far off. But hitting the head and brain of a highly animated and agitated animal is a difficult shot.

The two photos shown here tell a pretty good story by themselves.

[jtcarm]

I was being tongue in cheek about ending the debate.

Bella Twin killed a world record grizzly in 1953 with a .22 long.

I guess she was saving her Long Rifle ammo for bigger game.

[BCG]

Scenes from the "awesomely bad" 1976 movie Grizzly, including when the hero kills the titular bear with a bazooka (IMFDB (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Grizzly) page)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73LcLOtfP4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73LcLOtfP4w

[Drang]

This should end the bear gun debate

First day on the Internet?

[RevolverRob]

Does Pennsylvania really have that many black bears? Opening day of 4-day bear season - 1241 bears were harvested. That's a lot of bears, period.

[RevolverRob]

I think a bear armed with a "Vepr carbine" and/or "IZH shotgun" is going to have an advantage over a human armed with a handgun.

siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/beware-brown-bear-armed-with-two-guns-on-the-loose-in-siberian-region/

In Russia bears shoot humans.

[okie john]

Quite a few bears have been killed with .357 Magnum revolvers, starting in the days when the .357 was the only Magnum handgun cartridge. One of the Wessons, whose first name escapes me, at the moment, famously harvested many large and/or dangerous game animals with the .357 Magnum.

I have never walked among Big Browns and Grizzlies, so will offer no advice to anyone.

If I walk where really big bears live, I will load 180-grain hardcast in any .357 revolvers I may be carrying, but, really, I bought my Ruger SRH Alaskan .454/.45 for a reason other than AIWB under a Hawaiian shirt in Houston. ;)

Douglas B. Wesson. https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2015/5/13/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-smith-wesson/

Scroll down a little. I think it was more Phil Sharpe than Elmer Keith, though...


Okie John

[jtcarm]

Does Pennsylvania really have that many black bears? Opening day of 4-day bear season - 1241 bears were harvested. That's a lot of bears, period.

Indeed they do.

My sister lives in State College, where the local economy relies on hunting & Penn State football.

She is a master gardner and has friends who keep an apiary. Between the deer & bears, that amounts to masochism.

IIRC, they’re not allowed to fence their yards, either.

[HCM]

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/man-kills-679-pound-male-black-bear-at-5-yards-with-357-handgun

This brings to mind the old joke about New Jersey announcing a bear season. The hard part about hunting bears in NJ is luring term into the front passenger seat of a Cadillac and getting the piano wire around their neck....

When you say “bear gun” do you mean a gun for hunting bears where you pick your shot or a gun for self defense against bears ?

As already discussed, if I’m careful I can hunt an kill a bear with a .22 or a sharp stick.

A gun to “stop” a bear in self defense before it can hurt or kill you is a whole different dynamic.

The key is adequate penetration.

[BehindBlueI's]

Somebody say bear guns?

https://www.bearmageddonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/gatlingbear-700x445.jpg

[BCG]

In Russia bears shoot humans.

In Russia, children wrestle bears.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfOeLQG9-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfOeLQG9-M


Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Bear

Sadam Astamirov
Published on Apr 10, 2016

Хабиб Нурмагомедов боец UFC против медведя



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBHbZs7hwms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBHbZs7hwms


Joe Rogan on Khabib wrestling a bear

Spartan's Uncle
Published on Oct 10, 2018

Joe Rogan On Khabib Wrestling A Bear

[BCG]

Somebody say bear guns?

https://www.bearmageddonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/gatlingbear-700x445.jpg

32615 (https://www.deviantart.com/sharpwriter/art/Abe-Lincoln-Riding-a-Grizzly-187840497)
source: https://www.deviantart.com/sharpwriter/art/Abe-Lincoln-Riding-a-Grizzly-187840497

Abe Lincoln Riding a Grizzly
by SharpWriter (https://www.deviantart.com/sharpwriter)

[Tom Duffy]

I loved some of the comments on erienewsnow.com which first reported the story. My favorite:

"A .357 can easily take a black bear. If it’s a magnum then it’s leathal to a bear. The rule of thumb is, if you hike or camp in the wilderness, carry a magnum. No other hand gun stops a bear.
I recall a man camping being confronted with a grizzly who had breached the sleeping mans tent. He had a hand gun, fired and hit the bear in the head with a large caliber round. The round ricocheted off the bear because the muzzle velocity was not sufficient enough. Rounds pick up speed as they travel. What might have been a kill shot at 15 feet bounces off at 5 feet."

[TDA]

I loved some of the comments on erienewsnow.com which first reported the story. My favorite:

"A .357 can easily take a black bear. If it’s a magnum then it’s leathal to a bear. The rule of thumb is, if you hike or camp in the wilderness, carry a magnum. No other hand gun stops a bear.
I recall a man camping being confronted with a grizzly who had breached the sleeping mans tent. He had a hand gun, fired and hit the bear in the head with a large caliber round. The round ricocheted off the bear because the muzzle velocity was not sufficient enough. Rounds pick up speed as they travel. What might have been a kill shot at 15 feet bounces off at 5 feet."

I give up, that’s just too dumb.

[CCT125US]

Had a client tell me her son survived a head shot at close range. Apparently the air pressure increases velocity at longer ranges, so he survived.

[Screwball]

Somebody say bear guns?

When I saw the thread starting down that path... first thing that popped in my head.

https://youtu.be/GhxqIITtTtU

[HCM]

Don’t know any y’all have against bears.... :-)

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bear


A term used by gay men to describe a husky, large man with a lot of body hair.

[Kanye Wyoming]

92613

From my front door, about 45 minutes ago. Looked like a big boy (or girl).

In the heat of the moment I made a withdrawal from my safe of a VP40 with a .357 Sig barrel. 13 + 1 125gr HST. But I have a feeling that’s not the right ammo, which one day I was going to get around to researching and buying.

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?

[JHC]

92613

From my front door, about 45 minutes ago. Looked like a big boy (or girl).

In the heat of the moment I made a withdrawal from my safe of a VP40 with a .357 Sig barrel. 13 + 1 125gr HST. But I have a feeling that’s not the right ammo, which one day I was going to get around to researching and buying.

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?

Naw that’ll pop the brain pan. I’m sure of it. ;)

[idahojess]

92613

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?

If you are at home, a .308 or thereabouts.

I bet that was a thrill to see...


https://www.fieldandstream.com/10-best-black-bear-cartridges/

[revchuck38]

92613

From my front door, about 45 minutes ago. Looked like a big boy (or girl).

In the heat of the moment I made a withdrawal from my safe of a VP40 with a .357 Sig barrel. 13 + 1 125gr HST. But I have a feeling that’s not the right ammo, which one day I was going to get around to researching and buying.

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?

When I lived in south-central PA (Blair county) I once walked up on one in the woods. We looked at each other, froze for a second, and ran off in opposite directions. I've also seen them crossing roads. They prefer to stay as far from people as possible, at least in rural areas. If suburban areas are encroaching on their habitat, they may get more comfortable around people, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

[awp_101]

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?
Lahti 20mm.

7-8 years ago we were visiting the oldest boy and his family in Colorado Springs. One morning I walked out on the back deck, looked over at the neighbor's house ~100 yards away and saw a bear on their back porch. The .380 in my pocket that I'd felt was "sufficient" around the house suddenly felt very inadequate...

I found out later it wasn't a common sight but it happened often enough on trash days that no one was surprised or alarmed.

[GJM]

92613

From my front door, about 45 minutes ago. Looked like a big boy (or girl).

In the heat of the moment I made a withdrawal from my safe of a VP40 with a .357 Sig barrel. 13 + 1 125gr HST. But I have a feeling that’s not the right ammo, which one day I was going to get around to researching and buying.

Life comes at you quickly. When I calm down a bit I’ll do some scrolling through some of the threads here to figure out what I SHOULD have. Meanwhile, anyone wanna give me the definitive answer?

Pretty much anything you carry for EDC should be fine in a pinch, but if you were inside, and he started getting into stuff, some yelling from inside your house would be my plan. If he was just sniffing around, I would video and enjoy the show!

[Kanye Wyoming]

Pretty much anything you carry for EDC should be fine in a pinch, but if you were inside, and he started getting into stuff, some yelling from inside your house would be my plan. If he was just sniffing around, I would video and enjoy the show!
He was just sniffing around and didn’t even notice us. We certainly enjoyed the show, although it kinda freaked us out. I will enjoy it a bit more next time if I’m more confident about my ability to fend him off should he decide to show up when I’m outside puttering (or my wife is), he’s had a bad day at the office, and is in a worse mood.

[Clusterfrack]

I’ve been hoping for a good reason to shoot a bear in the ass with one of these:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220808/0813f90a37c2c51d6876f832c3e7201b.jpg

[Caballoflaco]

I’ve been hoping for a good reason to shoot a bear in the ass with one of these:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220808/0813f90a37c2c51d6876f832c3e7201b.jpg

The marketing department should have put a picture of a bear running away on the box, and not a picture of a bear that looks like it’s super pissed off and going to drag me in the woods and eat me because I just shot it the ass with a rubber bullet.

[Clusterfrack]

The marketing department should have put a picture of a bear running away on the box, and not a picture of a bear that looks like it’s super pissed off and going to drag me in the woods and eat me because I just shot it the ass with a rubber bullet.

Right? That’s a really good point.

Me: Hey bear, fuck you! Pop!
Bear: No. Fuck YOU!

[awp_101]

The marketing department should have put a picture of a bear running away on the box, and not a picture of a bear that looks like it’s super pissed off and going to drag me in the woods and eat me because I just shot it the ass with a rubber bullet.


Right? That’s a really good point.

Me: Hey bear, fuck you! Pop!
Bear: No. Fuck YOU!

That would be really em-bear-assing…

[RevolverRob]

Double Tap

[RevolverRob]

That would be really em-bear-assing…

Probably result in some bare-assing too - when I have to clean myself up from shitting myself.

Anyways, back to our conversation. Whatever it was about...I myself stick to walking/hiking in black bear country. So just about anything on hand would do. I mean, I probably don't want to fight off a black bear with a .32NAA LCP, but you know if that's what I had on hand...

If I happened to see a bear in my driveway destroying shit, I'd probably grab Mrs. RR's 20-gauge 870 and stuff some slugs in it. Conveniently, I happen to keep some slugs on hand. Not for this exact purpose, but guess not not for this exact purpose?

[GJM]

I’ve been hoping for a good reason to shoot a bear in the ass with one of these:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220808/0813f90a37c2c51d6876f832c3e7201b.jpg

Friend of mine, in his younger and dumber days, used to shoot big brown bears on Kodiak in the ass with blunt arrows for fun, when they were out doing fish and game salmon counts.

[4RNR]

Buddy had 3 in his driveway a few years ago. After sending me a few pictures he just went back to doing whatever he was doing and the bears eventually left. No guns, not even a stick.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[GJM]

When dealing with bears, remember that handguns are finesse tools, while Brenneke slugs are definitive.

[Clusterfrack]

Friend of mine, in his younger and dumber days, used to shoot big brown bears on Kodiak in the ass with blunt arrows for fun, when they were out doing fish and game salmon counts.

At the AK USPSA championship a few years ago I squadded with a LEO who told me an entertaining story. He got called out to a beach near a small village where he encountered a super drunk old native guy on a quad jousting with a polar bear using a pole. The officer wanted to stay in his truck and watch nature take its course. But he got out, and managed to take the drunk guy into custody without either of them getting killed by the enraged polar bear.

[BehindBlueI's]

Right? That’s a really good point.

Me: Hey bear, fuck you! Pop!
Bear: No. Fuck YOU!


"You're not here to hunt, are you buddy?"

[Exiledviking]

"You're not here to hunt, are you buddy?"Oldie, but goodie!

[awp_101]

Friend of mine, in his younger and dumber days, used to shoot big brown bears on Kodiak in the ass with blunt arrows for fun, when they were out doing fish and game salmon counts.
Was it this guy, his brother Darryl or his other brother Darryl?

92650

[JHC]

Black bears roaming ATL suburbs has gotten to be almost a weekly news item. For certain they're making do around our exurbs. I figure just a matter of time before there's one on my deck going after the bird feeders.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Black Bears - 8 miles from us. More worried about the idiot who put alligators in the town pond. Shotgun with slugs - but rather just call the law. They killed one miscreant bear in 2018. 1911 with Buffalo Bore nasty big 45 ACPs for walks in the park - that is until all carry is banned on 9/1 due to Clarence and Beer Boy not thinking out sensitive locales in depth.

[Clusterfrack]

"You're not here to hunt, are you buddy?"

I had to Google this. I found several versions of a mildly NSFW dad joke:
https://unijokes.com/joke-7661/
https://jokes.one/joke/the-bear-joke-so-there-is-this-avid-hunter-he-has-been-going-deer-hunting-for-20
http://barelybad.com/jokes.htm

Google also turned up various stories about women having sex with bears:
https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/bears-having-sex-with-women-folklore-or-fact-it-catches-the-fancy-of-rural-indias-imagination/203213/
https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/bear-is-about-much-more-than-having-sex-with-a-bear

And, apparently gay men have a thing for bears as well. I closed the search window at that point.

I honestly didn't know bears were a turn-on.

[UNK]

Sasha Siemel who killed 50+ Jaguar with a spear was known also to harvest animals with a .357.
https://www.nrahlf.org/articles/2019/7/8/extreme-measures-meet-sasha-siemel-jaguar-hunter/

ETA This imho is well worth the read. The guy is legend.

[UNK]

I had to Google this. I found several versions of a mildly NSFW dad joke:
https://unijokes.com/joke-7661/
https://jokes.one/joke/the-bear-joke-so-there-is-this-avid-hunter-he-has-been-going-deer-hunting-for-20
http://barelybad.com/jokes.htm

Google also turned up various stories about women having sex with bears:
https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/bears-having-sex-with-women-folklore-or-fact-it-catches-the-fancy-of-rural-indias-imagination/203213/
https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/bear-is-about-much-more-than-having-sex-with-a-bear

And, apparently gay men have a thing for bears as well. I closed the search window at that point.

I honestly didn't know bears were a turn-on.

I think that came up in the bigfoot thread too.

[pi3]

In Russia, children wrestle bears.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfOeLQG9-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfOeLQG9-M





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBHbZs7hwms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBHbZs7hwms

"Khabib also added that the bear he wrestled with was a trained animal as many bears in Russia are taught to wrestle by their trainers."


https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-seo-khabib-wrestling-bear-how-old-the-eagle-wild-battle

[GJM]

So we got back to the house this evening, and a bear or bears had pooped all over the driveway today. The only thing worse is that Astro went out before bed, stepped in it, and dragged bear poop from the front door, through the house, up the steps and into our bed. Guess what we are doing tonight.

[Clusterfrack]

So we got back to the house this evening, and a bear or bears had pooped all over the driveway today. The only thing worse is that Astro went out before bed, stepped in it, and dragged bear poop from the front door, through the house, up the steps and into our bed. Guess what we are doing tonight.

Ugh. At least she didn't roll in it. Our dogs would have done that, then got in our bed.

[MistWolf]

92782

92783

[Oldherkpilot]

This would be a mechanized bear trap, not a bear gun, but an interesting story nonetheless. A buddy of mine's widow told me this story and eventually found a copy of the article. Her husband had claimed to find bear tracks on the family farm and her folks said he was crazy. This event was only a few miles from the farm. She reckons it was the 70's and saved the article as it vindicated her husband. Sorry about the small print.
92986

[idahojess]

Another example of .40 failing to do the job... (sarcasm)




Kelly Mauldin had just been awakened by the couple's barking dogs that didn't wake up her husband before dawn on Saturday. She walked to the door of the couple's bedroom and found herself staring at a male black bear weighing about 400 pounds (181 kilograms) — about 10 feet (3 meters) away in the dining room.

In an interview, Ken Mauldin said he grabbed his 40-caliber pistol, took his wife’s place at the door and shot once, aiming for the center of the bear’s body. He thinks the first shot hit the bear and it charged him as Mauldin continued firing.

As he was shooting, the bear got as close as 5 feet (1.5 meters) from Mauldin and then turned toward the stairs leading to the home’s front door. The bear crashed through a bannister as Mauldin emptied the gun and slid down the stairs, mortally wounded.

The couple didn’t know it at the time, but officials believe the bear got inside their home by flipping down the lever of their unlocked front door handle and pushing the door.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/colorado-homeowner-emptied-pistol-to-kill-bear-that-broke-in/ar-AA10OBE2

[BCG]

officials believe the bear got inside their home by flipping down the lever of their unlocked front door handle and pushing the door.

https://c.tenor.com/bx8lHplvWpQAAAAC/jurassic-park-opening-the-door.gif

[Rex G]

Another example of .40 failing to do the job... (sarcasm)




Kelly Mauldin had just been awakened by the couple's barking dogs that didn't wake up her husband before dawn on Saturday. She walked to the door of the couple's bedroom and found herself staring at a male black bear weighing about 400 pounds (181 kilograms) — about 10 feet (3 meters) away in the dining room.

In an interview, Ken Mauldin said he grabbed his 40-caliber pistol, took his wife’s place at the door and shot once, aiming for the center of the bear’s body. He thinks the first shot hit the bear and it charged him as Mauldin continued firing.

As he was shooting, the bear got as close as 5 feet (1.5 meters) from Mauldin and then turned toward the stairs leading to the home’s front door. The bear crashed through a bannister as Mauldin emptied the gun and slid down the stairs, mortally wounded.

The couple didn’t know it at the time, but officials believe the bear got inside their home by flipping down the lever of their unlocked front door handle and pushing the door.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/colorado-homeowner-emptied-pistol-to-kill-bear-that-broke-in/ar-AA10OBE2

Dogs and cats have opened doors with this type latch, so, I agree.

Dogs and cats have managed to locks owners out, too, by flipping latches.

[ccmdfd]

It's on an ad so it must be true!!!

93268

[jackmortain]

32615 (https://www.deviantart.com/sharpwriter/art/Abe-Lincoln-Riding-a-Grizzly-187840497)
source: https://www.deviantart.com/sharpwriter/art/Abe-Lincoln-Riding-a-Grizzly-187840497 gb whatsapp (https://gbapps.net/gbwhatsapp-apk/)

Abraham Lincoln image looking great, but unfortunately I can't see the full version of this image by given site link...:(