Shotgun or lever action for bear

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Readyrod

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Yea sorry, another bear thread. Why are people so obsessed with bears you may ask? Cause when you like the bush and you've run into them enough they tend to make an impression. So please have mercy on my thread.
I was thinking of getting a 12 gauge (loaded with slugs) for bear protection (and hd) but I recently saw some pictures of some Marlin lever actions and they look very nice. Which caliber would be good for grizzly defense? Can I get away with a .44 mag marlin for grizzly defense? I'm wondering about .44 mag cause a lot of people use it in a revolver for bears and the marlin has a longer barrel and presumably more power. Also the .44 mag is more common and hopefully easier to find. Don't know but I get the impression that you need to reload to get good performance from bullets like the 45-70.
 
If I was going to carry a rifle for bear it wouldn't be in a handgun cartridge
 
I have Marlin 1895 357 mag carbine, And I handload my own rounds .
Factory loads are a little on the anemic side . I shoot at 1/4 mild steel targets with factory loads it dents and bends the target.
With my handloads useing H 110 and a 125 grain hollowpoint, It goes thru the steel leaving a nice 5/8 hole , That looks like press punch put it there.
When I checked the target, I was shocked.:)
 
Funny you mention that.
We have a "future retirement" home in a subdivision in N.C. with a lot of mountainous woodlands around us.My neighbor has been having trouble with a bear coming onto his property at night stealing from the bird feeders.Indeed,it bent a rebar post down to get to the feed.
He no longer leaves the feeders out at night, but it sure got me thinking.
On my last visit, I kept a Ruger .44 Mag and a Marlin .30-30 nearby.
But I've been doing some research, and concluded my best bet for short range black bear use is the Brenneke shotgun slug.In fact, their 3" load in 12 gauge has a picture of a bear on the box and is recommended for people who hunt in areas where they may encounter "dangerous game".
Obviously, I won't be hunting the bear, but he might decide to visit my house.
Food for thought.

Since writing the above, I read in today's paper that there are around 15000 black bear encounters in the U.S. per year; main reason is that the bear population has doubled in
20 years. Most involve the bear running away. Sadly, not all do.
 
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"Shotgun or lever action for bear "

as your poster info states no location, what kind of bear, and what size?

gunnie
 
Shotgun or lever action for bear
Click to expand...
You can have both.

iac2np0.jpg
 
This is for when I go back to Canada. I plan to live in the sticks and I plan to get back into the outdoors. I want to do some long river trips up north with my kids as well as hiking etc. If a bear trashes your camp at the local campground you pack up and go home. If it happens half way to the Arctic Circle you are in trouble, specially if he trashes you. I've mostly seen black bears but the only time I saw a grizzly, with two cubs no less, it made an impression. I'm just wondering if a lever action in .44 mag, or other caliber, would do the job. I prob wouldn't be seeing the big coastal grizzlies you get in Alaska, prob just the interior ones.
 
Readyrod,

i don't live in AK anymore.

of the weapons you list, i'd choose the 12ga with slugs. as do a many hunting guides in AK. at the more distant ranges the marlin 45/70 would come into its own at, mr brown isn't a threat. {yet}

i'm NOT recommending using the 44M.

gunnie
 
If you're looking at 45-70 and don't reload I'd recommend Garrett's Hammerheads or Buffalo Bore for Bear medicine.

12 Ga with 3" slugs should work nicely as well.
 
I have Marlin 1895 357 mag carbine, And I handload my own rounds .
Factory loads are a little on the anemic side . I shoot at 1/4 mild steel targets with factory loads it dents and bends the target.
With my handloads useing H 110 and a 125 grain hollowpoint, It goes thru the steel leaving a nice 5/8 hole , That looks like press punch put it there.
When I checked the target, I was shocked.
Click to expand...

Try Lil' Gun. I load 16.8 grains behind a 165 grain gas checked SWC and it pushes 1900 fps. It'd be bad medicine for black bears. That's out of a 20" Rossi 92, btw. I hear tell Lil' Gun can toss a 158 JHP to almost 2100 fps. That's some impressive ballistics for the little critter. I've not loaded that one, though. I'm stickin' with my cast SWC cause I like it and I get lead for free.

If I lived in Alaska and was worried about BIG bears, I think I'd get me a Browning BLR in 325 WSM. It's impressive and I love my buddy's .308 BLR. 12 gauge slugs are not what I'd want on the big bears. They are soft lead, sectional density is non-existent. The .325 WSM packs a whallup.
 
If your going to take a lever rifle it should probably be in 45-70 or 450 Marlin as opposed to 44 Mag.
 
Even factory loads of .45-70 are quite potent and more than enough for bear if you do your part. People have been taking down big game with that round since it was introduced.
 
Nothing wrong with it, but I kind of agree, if you're going to carry a rifle, might as well use rifle rounds.

Though I have no doubt a 44 from a Marlin will take down a black bear.
 
As posted above, if I were carrying a rifle, I wouldn't carry one with a pistol round.

From Winchester's site under rifle ballistics

44 Mag/240 gr
Vel Energy
muzzle 1760 fps 1650 ft/lbs
100 yrd 1362 988

30-30 Win/170 gr
muzzle 2390 1902
100 yrd 2018 1356

45-70/300 gr
muzzle 1880 2355
100yrd 1650 1815

Those Winchester 45-70 rounds are the weak light loads you mentioned. They can be used in the old Springfields. As you can see they are much more potent than the .44 Mag. If you check the Hammerhead and Buffalo Bore ammo mentioned earlier, that are still safe in the Marlin lever actions, you will find ammo you could probably use to hunt African big game (they have been). The ballistics of those rounds will dwarf the ones I've listed.

If you are stuck with only a pistol, the .44 Mag is probably a reasonable round.
 
12 gauge full of slugs is plenty big medicine for brown bears. It's what I carried when I was backpacking there last year, and got plenty of affirmation of that choice from the locals I spoke to.

Of course, one fellow I talked to (who walked 5 miles on his gravel road every afternoon with a beer in one hand and a .458 Lott in the other) was more concerned about moose than bears. He assured me that my 870 and Brennekes would handle a moose just fine too ;)
 
MCgunner, the '95 Marlin Guide Gun is very light and handy. I'd say it's on par with the Winchester '94.
 
How many bear attacks occur each year? If there were 1/1000 as many as there are forum discussions on the topic it would be a national emergency. :rolleyes:
 
How many bear attacks occur each year? If there were 1/1000 as many as there are forum discussions on the topic it would be a national emergency.
Click to expand...

It's called being prepaired. Think about all the SD talk here. How many will ever even have to brandish their firearm? Doesn't matter if your not packing!

I agree with MrCleanOK that the moose are more of a problem than the bears.
 
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