Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Guns for bear protection in Alaska??

Here's a hypothetical question on Alaskan Bear protection. How would a 16" barreled Springfield Armory M1A with a 20 round magazine loaded with 180 grain hunting bullets work on the Bruins up there?

I'd especially like Phil's opinion on this:

http://springfield-armory.com/armory.php?model=22

P.S. I'm not planning a trip to Alaska antime soon

Question from someone who has NO experience stopping bears-
Wouldn't a Remington 760 pump in 30/06 stoked with Barnes or Nosler bullets be far superior to the 870 12 gauge?

Royce

The idea that less-skilled individuals should use even larger rifles is both funny and sadly, the way things too often are.

A bigger bore might make you feel better but It's bullet placement and bullet performance that kills bears.

The best gun for bear protection is the one you have in your hands when a bear attacks and you can hit a moving target the size of a softball at 10 to 15 yards with it.

I've never been a fan of having a gun specifically for "bear protection". I believe I am a lot more likely to have my hunting rifle in my hands when a bear attacks and I better be able to use it to defend myself. Low powered scopes that you can shoot with both eyes open or iron sights are the way to go.

Try this and see how you do: Take a thicker balloon and fill it about a third full with water and a third full with air. Don't fill it all the way so it has some stretch to it. Hang the balloon from a tree branch with some string. Have someone get it good and swinging over an arc of a couple feet. The water will slosh around and cause erratic side to side and up and down movement in a manner I believe is a decent simulation of a bears head moving as he charges (my esitmation is only from one in person charge and a few internet videos, so it might not be perfect). When your swinger clears, draw your rifle or pistol from where you'll likely have it when hunting. Try hitting that balloon at 10 yards in under two seconds. Now consider how well prepared you are to defend yourself from a bear charge.

I put over 500 hundred rounds through my duty pistol every year and that is barely enough to stay proficient at the level that I could hit that balloon in the non-stressful conditions at the range. Sadly, I put a lot less rounds through my hunting rifle and I'd be lucky to hit that balloon a third of the time. It's my opinion that the argument of what is an acceptable caliber for bear defense is largely irrelevant because the vast majority of hunters, myself included, will likely not be able to hit a bear in the stressful conditions encountered when it charges. My recommendation is to pick a familiar and comfortable rifle and practice, practice, practice.

Sure you can kill a bear with an '06, but to stop a charge?.....doubtful, unless you're real lucky!

People really love to worry about bear attacks...

too many are looking to purchase practice and that simply cain't be did.

No....a 30 caliber bullet is not exactly considered a bear stopper. Sure you can kill a bear with an '06, but to stop a charge?.....doubtful, unless you're real lucky!