Best Grizzly Guns: 9 Great Guns for Brown Bear Hunting and Backcountry Defense
Live Hunt host Tyler Freel picks his 9 top guns for grizzly hunting and defense.
Live Hunt host Tyler Freel has spent more time around big, Alaskan brown bears than most outdoorsmen would ever hope to (or want to). Of course, he chooses his guns for bear hunting and defense very carefully. It all comes down to a matter of opinion, but you can’t go wrong with his nine picks. The gallery includes handguns, shotguns, and rifles. AdvertisementRelated PhotosSUBMIT YOUR PHOTOSADVERTISEMENTAdvertisement |
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Comments (12)
I have never shot one with a handgun JHP. For me, I hope I never have to. For defense, any handgun is basically better than nothing in my opinion, since none of them have the stopping power of a rifle. There's no perfect solution for every situation, but the more bullets you can put in a bear, the better your chances are. I know of a brown bear on the kenai peninsula that charged a fisherman and he killed it with a 9mm. I also know of a bear that had to be shot 13 times with a .45-70 and .375 to put down for good. So again, best bet is to use something you're good with :) thanks!
tylerfreel85
Have you ever shot a big bear with a hand gun ? and if so what was the experience like ? Were you backed up by anything? The 10mm glock with solids sounds interesting only because it can hold a lot of shells. I agree most people can learn to shoot the glock well with practice.
the 12ga is tops in stopping power.
My choice would be a 20mm mini gun for grizzley bears, you know like Arnold in Terminator II. I have no buisness hunting them since I just started hunting whitetails. My choice for a defense weapon would be a Mossy 500 or Remington 870 12 ga. with slugs if the mini-gun is in the shop. Both are reliable, affordable, and solid shotguns. Anyone carrying a 357 or 10mm had better be Annie Oakly with their shot placement or we'll be seeing you the next day as Grizzley poo.
That's a good point huntfishtrap, I see it like bowhunting them...it's completely doable, but you have to be picky about shots and have someone backing you up with a rifle because they will know exactly where it came from
I wouldn't use any pistol specifically for brown bear hunting. My brother used the S&W 500 deer hunting once, and shot a young-of-the-year doe with it. The deer was quartering to him when he shot, and he hit it near-perfectly, completely blowing apart 11 ribs, and destroying one lung and part of another. But that little deer, which only weighed maybe 100 pounds, still ran 25 yards before dropping. If a 100 pound fawn can run 25 yards after sustaining that much damage from that pistol/round, I would think a 800 pound brown bear could easily run over and chew you up pretty badly before expiring.
oh... I would only use FMJ's or solids in the glock, as hollowpoints won't get much penetration at all on a critter like that. thanks!
the CZ is a great one too, but having a 5th round isn't really a big advantage to me. My Ruger .375 holds 4, and from the couple times i've been charged, I can confidently say that if you don't put a hurting on the bear on the first or second shot (if you're fast and lucky), getting a 3rd, 4th, or 5th shot off is out of the question in most cases. The biggest thing, of course is to be able to keep composure and shoot the gun you choose well! :)
What ever happened to the age old and reliable cz 500 in 375 H&H? This rifle will give any hunter the confidence needed when confronting any size bear. It's ability to hold 5 rounds give it a plus in my book. I would hate to be in a spot where reloading was necessary after just 3 shots.
Would you care to share what the Glock is loaded with?
The caption says a .375 has more shock than a .500 S&W, such as the .375 H&H, .375 ackley, or .375 ruger. Not the .357, thanks
i am confused how a .357 has more shock the a .500 S&W can someone please explain
Be sure to file the front sight off so it won't hurt so bad when the bear shoves it up your ass.
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The caption says a .375 has more shock than a .500 S&W, such as the .375 H&H, .375 ackley, or .375 ruger. Not the .357, thanks
oh... I would only use FMJ's or solids in the glock, as hollowpoints won't get much penetration at all on a critter like that. thanks!
That's a good point huntfishtrap, I see it like bowhunting them...it's completely doable, but you have to be picky about shots and have someone backing you up with a rifle because they will know exactly where it came from
i am confused how a .357 has more shock the a .500 S&W can someone please explain
Would you care to share what the Glock is loaded with?
What ever happened to the age old and reliable cz 500 in 375 H&H? This rifle will give any hunter the confidence needed when confronting any size bear. It's ability to hold 5 rounds give it a plus in my book. I would hate to be in a spot where reloading was necessary after just 3 shots.
the CZ is a great one too, but having a 5th round isn't really a big advantage to me. My Ruger .375 holds 4, and from the couple times i've been charged, I can confidently say that if you don't put a hurting on the bear on the first or second shot (if you're fast and lucky), getting a 3rd, 4th, or 5th shot off is out of the question in most cases. The biggest thing, of course is to be able to keep composure and shoot the gun you choose well! :)
My choice would be a 20mm mini gun for grizzley bears, you know like Arnold in Terminator II. I have no buisness hunting them since I just started hunting whitetails. My choice for a defense weapon would be a Mossy 500 or Remington 870 12 ga. with slugs if the mini-gun is in the shop. Both are reliable, affordable, and solid shotguns. Anyone carrying a 357 or 10mm had better be Annie Oakly with their shot placement or we'll be seeing you the next day as Grizzley poo.
tylerfreel85
Have you ever shot a big bear with a hand gun ? and if so what was the experience like ? Were you backed up by anything? The 10mm glock with solids sounds interesting only because it can hold a lot of shells. I agree most people can learn to shoot the glock well with practice.
the 12ga is tops in stopping power.
I have never shot one with a handgun JHP. For me, I hope I never have to. For defense, any handgun is basically better than nothing in my opinion, since none of them have the stopping power of a rifle. There's no perfect solution for every situation, but the more bullets you can put in a bear, the better your chances are. I know of a brown bear on the kenai peninsula that charged a fisherman and he killed it with a 9mm. I also know of a bear that had to be shot 13 times with a .45-70 and .375 to put down for good. So again, best bet is to use something you're good with :) thanks!
Be sure to file the front sight off so it won't hurt so bad when the bear shoves it up your ass.
I wouldn't use any pistol specifically for brown bear hunting. My brother used the S&W 500 deer hunting once, and shot a young-of-the-year doe with it. The deer was quartering to him when he shot, and he hit it near-perfectly, completely blowing apart 11 ribs, and destroying one lung and part of another. But that little deer, which only weighed maybe 100 pounds, still ran 25 yards before dropping. If a 100 pound fawn can run 25 yards after sustaining that much damage from that pistol/round, I would think a 800 pound brown bear could easily run over and chew you up pretty badly before expiring.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)