Posted: 7/31/2006 5:40:10 PM EDT
| OK I' am considering buying a new shotgun semi auto ... I know guys use them here in planes trucks etc ... I am thinking Benelli M2 something close 18" barrell or 20" semi auto .... gonna be a truck gun etc ... suggestions fellas , it's gonna be in my landcruiser 4x4 buggy |
| I don't think I would spend that much money on a benelli and have it as a truck gun. If it's for bear/big hairy things protection then go with a pump. I have a winchester 1300 HD and I love it, the Remingtons are also a very good choice too. They also double as a home defense gun too. |
|
I've carried a shotgun for brown bear protection and know many others who have. I've asked several others and I have yet to talk to a single person who has ever stopped a charging brown with any kind of load from a shotgun. Anyone out there with actual experience? I do know from rifle usage that penetration to something vital is neccessary and the arm chair critics of a shotgun claim even a slug won't do that. I don't care about gel, peanut butter or wet newspapers - show me a dead brown bear. The next time I have a big hunk of evil smelling growler in my face I don't want to test a theory. |
|
UB I hadn't given it any thought until you mentioned you hadn't talked with anyone who actually used a shotgun in defense of life or property. After giving it some thought I only know of one instance where a shotgun was used. It was an old Model 97 (2 3/4 inch chamber, 5 round capacity) with slugs, the bear was an 8.5-9ft brown. The fellow was standing in the middle of a stream fishing and had noticed the bear when it was quite a ways downstream slowly makeing it's way upstream when it got within 35-40yards he thought maybe the bear didn't know he was there and threw a rock towards the bear but happened to hit the bear in the head, the charge came immediatly the bear was hit 5 times, went down 3 times and got up twice. This is not an overly large bear and it wasn't exactly vaporized by shotgun slugs but as you know every bear is a differant critter. There have been 2 attacks on the Kenai River/ Russian River in the last two or three weeks both were stopped with 44 Mags one bear was found dead later and I don't believe the other was found. I think alot of it is just luck or what kind of day your meant to have.  'I often carry a 12 guage with heavy slugs and I haven't seen anything that makes me question it's level of power. I feel as comfortable with it as most anything else. 
|
| I don't know what your budget is, but Bennelli makes a much softer recoiling shotty other than the S90 series. I can't recall the name of the model but the stock is very distinctive, it has a series of rubber like inserts that appear as something like ovals on either side. Another good system that takes a lot of recoil away is the COP stock (Knoxx) system, but I think they are made for pumps like the Remmy 870. |
|
Rabon: Good info. I'm impressed with anything that will put down any size brown bear on a close quarters charge. A true 8.5-9' Brown Bear is a big adult bear and requires some serious lead to keep down. Would of liked to of seen how far the slugs penetrated as that is what I think is the key to keeping them down. You have to break something and you need penetration to do that. If you can break a shoulder or leg and keep them spinning in a circle you can fill the boiler room. It sounds like the two attacks were stopped by a pistol but the bear wasn't. When they have that head down and are committed to a charge I don't think anything you can carry with two hands gives you a total feeling of comfort. Good to hear your input but I've had a few guides tell me Brown Bears are easy to put down but tough to keep down. I figured out of all the people up here that carry shotguns someone up here must of used them. |