And it got me to thinking: What rifle would I choose if I were to find that scene on my front porch? Now, this is precisely the sort of thing I would leave to the professionals - except that I know my small town, and our Animal Control person is NOT equipped to handle a bear. I'd still call the cops, but you can bet your last dollar I'd have a rifle at the ready just in case.
So, which gun from the G. armory would I grab? Since I don't happen to have a .45-70 or a belt-fed machine gun, I think I'd have to go with the VEPR in .308 Winchester:
10 rounds of G-d's Own Caliber (New Testament) should take care of even a large omnivore; since it's AK-based it is unlikely to jam at the worst time possible; and with the semi-automatic action it will put rounds on target astonishingly fast.
What would you chose from your own armory?
That is all.
29 comments:
I have a Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun that would work nicely
Chad
I might choose my LMT (same basic reason, reliable semi-auto 308), but given the proximity, I'd be thinking hard about the "brown-trousers-load" for the Saiga-12, which is a 5 round mag full of 3" slugs.
I choose 454 Casull.....and a sore wrist.
Stickman
I was stationed in Alaska for 4 years and I hade the same question. I ended up getting a .457 magnum/45-70 Marlin 1895. One of the local gun stores makes them up for bush pilots for protection when there hours away from any kind of help.
Anon,
.457 magnum? I am intrigued by this idea and would like to subscribe to it's newsletter...
300 WinMag.
Hot sauce. I'd sprinkle it liberally all over my body and hope it gives the bear indigestions after he eats me.
More seriously, I'd go for either the Marlin 1895 or the PSL. 7.62x54R is roughly equivalent to .308, especially at bad breath distance, and the PSL can empty a ten, I mean seven, round mag pretty quickly. Unfortunately it doesn't have a bayonet lug.
Hmmm. The Marlin's not an assault rifle. I could put a bayo on that.
A few options:
FAL
Garand
Glock 20
I had nightmares as a kid of a black bear on the porch. I actually think I don't own anything that would be sufficient, although dumping a standard capacity magazine of 5.56 would probably do.
And yes, .457 Magnum is a really for real caliber.
Moisin-Nagant. Best penetration in the collection.
Of course, Eskimos doing bear watch for polar bears generally use Ruger Mini-14s or AR15s in 5.56mm, from what I've seen. . . I want a leetle bit more oomph so my shot placement doesn't have to be perfect to the milimeter, though. . .
Since I live in the 'Burbs and RULE FOUR RULES!; I'd grab my Mossie 500 20 gauge and go with the Slugs.
But that's for Eastern Black Bear, of course. For those big Brownies out West, maybe an FN-Fal?
I keep some slugs around for the 12ga just in case. I would also load the .44Mag with whatever ammo I happen to have on hand and put it on my belt as a backup (currently 240gr JSP, not the BEST for bear, but you have to go with what you have and it's better than an insult). Two is one, and one is none and all that.
s
We had for some time a big male black bear who definitely felt superior to people. He also tended to camp out on the porch above the door... That is a good way to wake up real fast coming home after a boring meeting late at night!
I still don't own anything that could have dealt with him. Of course, the man who did finally shoot him...was arrested and charged.
From my armory? AK-54.
10 rounds of 7.62x54, 16" barrel for convenient handling in the living room.
just my 2c though, a 308semi (FAL, HK91, M1A1, AR-308) would be juuust fine.
We live in the Northeast, not Alaska. A .357 would do just fine on a black bear. Heck, Buffalo Bore even makes loads for .38Spl snubbies that would easily take down a black bear.
If the bear was that close to me, I'd rather have a handgun. But if I was helping out a neighbor from my porch, I'd probably grab my 91/30 or more likely my Ishapore 2A1 (Gibbs Jungle Carbine version).
All I have is a 9mm SIG-Sauer. I'm not going anywhere.
FNAR with 20 rounds of .308. Or FNP45 with fifteen rounds of God's Own Caliber (old testament) .45 ACP.
Prefer Black Hills in either one for this job.
I shot my one and only black bear with a 30-06. A 12 gauge with slugs would work well.
Looking at the picture, I'd just let him finish the chicken and go home.
Gerry
10mm. Pants? Optional
I'd probably grab the Enfield. I don't have anything bigger than a .22 in my personal semi-automatic long arm collection (getting an ar and hopefully a Garand soon, don't fret) but 15 rounds of .303 Brit will take down most things. Even considering the slower rate of fire with a boltie.
91/30. If I don't get him on the first shot, he'll be on fire and have bigger problems than watching me work the bolt.
.22 LR Single Shot!
Because a _REAL_ hunter can...
I think my go-to for larger than my cat predators is the FAL. I'm confident it'll go bang because it's the OTHER beat to hell rifle you see in footage from all the little rebellions in Africa.
Winchester 1895.
Designed by John Moses Browning.
Chambered in .30-06.
God's own caliber (OT) delivered by God's own gunsmith.
It's only a black bear. Distracted, with its back to you. Use whatever you'd use on a deer, including in a handgun caliber.
Beowulf .50!
12 gauge with 00 Buck. I think the neighbors are going to be very displeased when the rifle calibers listed above punch right through the bear and into their houses.
Since I'm lacking in really big rifles, it'd be the 12 guage, with sabot rounds. Well, at that range, the .35 Rem would be fine too.
OTOH, I have black powder, PVC pipe, and canon fuse.
Use what you have, take a deep breath and squeeze the trigger. Repeat as necessary. If you cannot hit what you are aiming at, the caliber or length of the barrel will not matter.
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