20 ga for black bear

[MacD37]

If I had no other choice I would use a 20 shotgun with Brenneke slugs to defend myself from a black bear, or a grizz for that matter! I'm rarely only carrying a shotgun when hunting in Bear country. I have a couple of CAPE GUNS that I use for birds and I carry the left barrel with the apropreate shot size for the birds, and a rifle cartridge in the right barrel. The rifle barrel on mine is chambered for 8X57 JR shooting a 196 gr soft point at 2500 fps, so I would probably pepper his butt with bird shot, to get him on his way, and if that didn't deter him, the right barrel is pleanty more than any shotgun.

However, I'm sure you are asking about useing a regular shotgun. In that case one would be loaded with bird shot, and if you really needed to shoot the bear, it would require re-loading the gun, and that negates its use in a real sittuation. The best deal if useing a regular shotgun, for birds in Bear country, is to carry a 41 Rem Mag, or 44 Rem Mag double action revolver, in a surplus tanker's chest holster. I carry a 41 mag pistol in a chest rig made for tank drivers, when hunting in Alaska, and I never am without it, even in camp. This way the pistol can be in the holster under your coat, and/or rain gear, to keep the pistol dry, and warm in cold weather, yet accessable. The double action is easier to get shooting when you are UNDER A BEAR! A single action requres cocking between each shot!

Would I hunt Black bear over bait, with a 20 ga slug gun? Yes, with Brenneke slugs,at under 35 yds, if I didn't have a good rifle, but BUCK SHOT is the devil's own invention, and is not worth anything IMO! GOOD slugs are a different thing all together.