JMHO:
You hit it on the nail when you said, that it may be able to be done if every thing goes down just right.
This is the problem with griz. Theoretically a guy can go into griz country and have success with killing one, with just about anything. But when all is said and done, it boils down to odds.
What are the odds of your particular round working consistently, time after time.
When we are talking about saving human lives, we do not play the odds. We use what will work.
I'm no fan of the feds or the park system, but take a look at what they're packing at places like Katmai National Park, and Denali National Park. They use 12 gauge shotguns with 3" Rottweill slugs.
This is because, unlike buck shot, that may or may not work, depending on too many variables, these slugs are proven to work consistently, time after time.
The one man's point about using 2 3/4" vs 3" was a good point. What I think he's trying to say, is know your capabilities.
If you cannot control a 3" mag consistently, then you would be better off with 2 3/4". I have practiced a lot with my Beneli M3 Super 90, and 3" mag slugs, so I am very confident in their and my capabilities.
One of the problems with Grizzlies, is that when they get really pissed off, they do not want to stop. I've seen them take tremendous damage and keep on coming.
For example, three years ago, on a little trickle of a stream, between two lakes, in the Point MacKenzie area, while standing on a beaver dam, a griz attacked in earnest. It was shot twice with a .460. The first bullet entered through the brisket, and passed completely through the bear, the second followed a similar trajectory, but pulverized the heart. The bear still ran the final ten yards before finally falling, still twitching, with it's front paws on the beaver dam!
In another instance, on Kodiak Island, a bear was charging from 50 yards away. To rifles were shot at it, and it still kept coming. The first, a .338, entered the brisket, and passed through all the internal organs, to lodge in the pelvic, after breaking it. The second, a .375 H&H, blew the lower half of the bear's face off.
Before two more shots could be placed, the bear was almost on them. A second volley finally stopped the bear with in ten feet of where the shots were fired. The .338 hit the spine, and the .375 again entered the brisket, and blew out the right shoulder.
The point of all this mumbo jumbo, is that griz can be easy to kill, or they can be very difficult to kill. That is why those that have spent a good amount of time with them, do not take chances with nonsense like buckshot.
Beware the fool who puts his or others lives at risk for the sake of a pet theory...nothing is more dangerous in Grizzly country, than ignorance.
<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> If You Ain't Hunted Alaska, You're Still Just Practicing <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>