Which of these three loads would you use for Brown Bear Defense and Why?

Estate SWAT 2 Ύ” 9 Pellet 00 Patterns
29 yrds: 6”x 7.5”
29 yrds: 10”x 10”
29 yrds: 6”x 6.5”
29 yrds: 12”x 10” (7”x6” minus flyer)
29 yrds: 6”x 3.5” ***(7 pellets in a 2”x2” area WOW!)***
42 yrds: 7 pellets on paper in a 10”x17.5” area (two flyers off paper)
42 yrds: 16.5”x 24” (9.5”x 12” minus 2 flyers)
42 yrds: 13”x 14”
Average 29 yrd ( - flyer): 7”x 6.7” ****Tightest Patterning Load of the Bunch!!!
Average 42 yrd: 14.75”x 19”

Velocities
1,166 fps
1,124 fps
1,140 fps
1,136 fps
1,152 fps
Average: 1,144 fps
486 grains @ 1,144 fps –1,413 ft/lbs (157 per pellet)




Nitro 3 ½” 12 Pellet 0000 (.38 caliber pellets)
29 yrds: 18”x 12”
29 yrds: 6”x 27” (6”x 14” minus flyer)
29 yrds: 16”x 7” (16”x 26” minus 2 flyers)
42 yrds: 7 pellets on paper in a 17”x 26” area
Average 29 yrd ( - flyer): 13.3”x 15.3”

Velocities
1,137 fps
1,141 fps
1,135 fps
1,142 fps
Average: 1,140 fps
[b]960 grains @ 1,140 fps –2,770 ft/lbs (231 per pellet)[b]




Winchester XX 2 Ύ” 12 Pellet 00
15 yrds: 6”x 7”
15 yrds: 6”x 8” (6”x2”minus flyer)
29 yrds: 16”x 10” *(5 pellets center of aim in a 4”x2.5” area!)
29 yrds: 14”x 14”
29 yrds: 15”x 10” *(6 pellets (50%) center of aim in a 4”x4.5” area!)
29 yrds: 15”x 11”
29 yrds: 11”x 10” (6.5”x 9” minus flyer)
29 yrds: 12”x 16” (8 pellets in a 6”x 6” area)
42 yrds: 16”x 22”
42 yrds: 21”x 19”
42 yrds: 20”x 19”
42 yrds: 20”x 18”
60 yrds: (4 pellets on paper, further 60 yrd shots discontinued)
Average 15 yrd (- flyer): 6”x 7.5”
Average 29 yrd (- flyer): 13”x 11.5”
Average 42 yrd: 19.25”x 19.5”

Velocities
1,207 fps
1,221 fps
1,231 fps
1,219 fps
1,226 fps
Average: 1,221 fps
648 grains @ 1,221 fps –2,145 ft/lbs (179 per pellet)





From Squirrel to Elephant, the Shotgun is your gun.

I would have to go with the 3.5" nitro 0000 Because if you are going to use buckshot for defense I assume it would be a last defense and fairly close range (inside 30 yards) the 0000 pack a bigger wallop than the others do. They will also penetrate better than the rest and if you're going to bother to shoot it you might as well kill it also. What choke did you use for the tests? Play around with the choke if you can. My shotgun patterns 3" 00 better with mod. than full. Also where do you get 0000 buck shot? I've never seen it before.

Hmmmm, good point. That load is quite a round.... The only problem is it kicks like Godzilla, so follow up shots would be slower.

From Squirrel to Elephant, the Shotgun is your gun.

if its for defense its really not good enough i like to be able to stick my head in the wound channel and see what kind of damage i did <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

you can use your pepper spray my 12 gauge with 3 inch slugs works fine

Heh, my 3 1/2&quot; 12 pellet 0000 (.38 cal pellets) buckshot load (or pepper spray as you call it) is MUCH more powerful than any slug.

From Squirrel to Elephant, the Shotgun is your gun.

Have fished Alaska for 24 years straight and have been rock throwing distance from browns feeding on salmon. I started out carrying a 44 mag until I went down in a river and would have drowned if not for a good cast from a freind with 15 pound test. The 44 was good to shoot myself with before the bear could eat me. Most of the guides carry a 12 guage with pistol grip and either buckshot with a slug backup or just shot. I would carry a 3.5 inch binelli auto with the big shot in federal. Good luck and carry a camera so someone can recover the photos for the forum when they find what's left of you. Leave the candy bars out of your pack.

Just guessing Blain, but if you ever were in the situation where you HAD to use the 12 gauge for &quot;defense&quot;, I'd guess you won't even fill the gun kick or hear it go off, so I would opt for the biggest, kickenist, hardest hitting load that the gun could handle.That's just me, and if I was beside you at this very point of finding out if it worked, I would just pray that my tenny shoes were lighter with better grip than the shoes you had on.

I gave up the guns and started taking guys who were 50 pounds fatter or had heart trouble. Never told them why they were on the invite list!

well if its a close up shot& a brown bear ,id think you may only see mosty the bears head face neck area as a target.I Would want something that penatrates really well.. not soft small buck shot.
Think a slug be better or large steel balls? or jacketed sabot bullets maybe..

New sabot loads are interesting but accuracy is a challenge when a charge is on and your pants are filling up. Bottom line is that browns can outrun a deer in first 50 yards and if you do shoot one the fish and game will be living with you. Best to make noise and leave the food at camp. If they are feeding well usaully OK. Have a video of a sow and two cubs across a small creek and her charging me but she turned around midstream after I backed off. Never supposed to run from a bear but I'm living proof that you can and survive. Just lucky.