Let me start by saying that, for defense against bears as for defense against two legged predators, practically any firearm is better than none at all. Marauding bears have been killed by .22 rimfire pocket pistols; not very often, but it has actually been done at least once by an Eskimo woman I happen to know about. However, the purpose of this article is to suggest far better and more reliable firearm choices for protection in bear country.

Next, let's be specific about what we mean by "bears." In North America, we have four species of bears. These are the black bear, grizzly bear, brown bear (a sub-species of grizzly) and polar bear. Based on the rather extensive research conducted by Edward A. Matunas, the average adult male black bear is estimated to weigh about 300 pounds. The average adult male grizzly bear is estimated to weigh about 700 pounds, with large Alaskan Brown bears scaling 1,000 pounds or even more. The average adult male polar bear weighs around 900 pounds.

In some areas, including most of the "lower 48" US states, the black bear is the top of the food chain predator. Black bears attack more humans than the other species combined, undoubtedly because they live in areas where they are much more likely to encounter people. They cannot be taken lightly, especially around campgrounds and other areas where they forage for human food and trash. Although they are omnivorous, black bears are still predators and their most common wild prey species is deer, which are about the size of a human being. Thus, black bears are well equipped to kill animals about our size.

However, in the areas they inhabit, grizzly, brown and polar bears are the apex predators. They will, in fact, kill and eat black bears, as well as moose, elk, deer, marmots, fish and, in the case of polar bears, aquatic mammals. For our purposes, grizzly, brown and polar bears can be taken as a group, as their sizes overlap considerably, and all three must be taken very seriously by anyone trespassing in their domain. They are used to having their way and they naturally prey on animals that are often much larger than human beings. It can be taken as a given that firearms that provide adequate protection from the great bears will also provide adequate protection from black bears of any size. That being the case, the firearms that concern us here will be judged adequate for protection from all four North American bear species.

The ideal bear defense gun needs to be 100% reliable, shoot accurately out to at least 50 yards (protection from bears does not involve long range shooting), be capable of a fast repeat shot (you are not going to have time for more than two shots, anyway) with loads that have high knockout power. High knockout power implies that the projectile should be of sufficient caliber and deliver sufficient energy to get the job done. It also requires that the bullet should be of the controlled expansion type (so that it maximizes shock and tissue destruction, but does not break-up on heavy bones) and high in sectional density for deep penetration.

An exception to the specified controlled expansion bullets recommended above might be bullets used in the big bore (.40 and larger) handgun calibers and low velocity rifle cartridges, such as the .44 Rem. Magnum revolver cartridge and standard pressure .45-70 rifle cartridge. These are sometimes used with "solid" (non-expanding) bullets to maximize penetration. When push comes to shove, adequate penetration is more important than expansion, although both are very desirable to maximize stopping power. Note that there is no need to use solid bullets in high-pressure .45-70 loads for Marlin lever action rifles that essentially equal .450 Marlin ballistics. Use 350-400 grain .450 Marlin bullets in high pressure .45-70 handloads and controlled expansion bullets in other powerful medium and big bore rifles.

Men have been shooting bears with cartridge firearms in North America for about 150 years now, so it is no secret what kind of firearms and loads work well. Some writers beat the drum for a particular approach to bear protection that fits an "ideal" model they have devised. A big bore, relatively low velocity rifle shooting a special, heavy for caliber, non-expanding bullet with a large meplat, something along the lines of a .45-70-405; or a 12 gauge shotgun shooting some special sort of slug, would be typical examples. The "evidence" to support their claims is often something bogus like the "Taylor KO" value," which was itself devised simply to support the opinions of the infamous poacher and remittance man who devised it, without regard to fact or any sort of scientific method. Strangely, those arguing most vociferously for such choices are often selling the very product they recommend. Others get lost in arcane theoretical models, when there is no need for a theoretical approach. Remember, human beings have killed a great many bears with firearms and we know, empirically, what works.

The truth is that several approaches work satisfactorily. Both of those mentioned above work well for black bear (shotguns are not so hot for reliably stopping the big bears, for reasons we will touch on later) and the big bore rifle shooting solids offers good protection against the great bears. So, however, do big bore rifles shooting factory loads with jacketed, controlled expansion bullets that you can buy over the counter at your local sporting goods store. Ditto for the ubiquitous .30-06 shooting factory ammunition loaded with 180-220 grain bullets.

A family I know fishes commercially on a river on the remotest part of Kodiak Island. They regularly encounter brown bears at close range and always carry a bolt action .30-06 rifle for protection. They carry it with them at all times, including to the outhouse in the middle of the night. Jack O'Connor once wrote about watching a hunting companion shoot a coastal Alaskan grizzly bear with a .30-06 rifle using ordinary Remington 180 grain Core-Lokt factory loads. The bullet went through both shoulders of the bear and kicked-up dirt on the far side. Another interesting fact is that rifles shooting the common .338 Winchester Magnum cartridge are the number one choice of professional Alaskan grizzly and brown bear guides for stopping charging bears aggravated by their tenderfoot clients; rifles shooting the .300 Winchester Magnum are the second most popular choice. The point to this is that exotic rifles, cartridges and bullets are simply not needed, although they may suffice.

Keep in mind that in much of Alaska, Canada and other remote areas, exotic ammo and bullets are usually not available. People there are often limited to Remington, Winchester, Federal or (sometimes) Hornady factory loads, and then only in the most popular calibers and bullet weights. Many stores in such areas only sell one brand of ammunition. The same often applies to rural areas in the lower 48 states and for less experienced (i.e., not "gun nut") people looking for bear protection, because they do not have the knowledge, experience, or inclination to get into exotic rifles or exotic ammunition.

Of course, while powerful rifles are the best defense against bears, other choices are possible. The possible alternatives are shotguns shooting "rifled slug" loads or powerful handguns, usually in the form of magnum revolvers.

Let's consider shotguns first. Frankly, I can see no point to buying any sort of shotgun for dedicated bear defense. A shotgun is just as heavy as a rifle, just as long and costs just as much, so it has no advantage in either size or weight. A shotgun shooting slugs is markedly less accurate than a rifle and bullet placement is the single most important factor in stopping power. It is no easier to carry a short-barreled shotgun in the field than a short-barreled rifle, so you might as well tote the superior rifle.

Despite the claims of those selling special shotgun (i.e. slug type) ammunition or special barrels to shoot slugs, the reality is that almost any heavy for caliber, high powered rifle bullet, particularly the premium bullets typically used for stopping big bears, has far more penetration than a 12 gauge shotgun slug. Such rifle bullets will reach the vitals of a brown bear from practically any angle, which a shotgun slug is unlikely to do.

The reason is that, while shotgun slugs pack considerable short-range wallop, they are seriously lacking in sectional density (SD). Sectional density is defined as the ratio of a bullet's weight (in pounds) to the square of its diameter (in inches). SD matters because, other factors being equal, a long, thin projectile penetrates better than a short, fat projectile. When you think about it, that should be obvious.

Cutting to the chase, for stopping a bear you want a projectile with a high SD. Examples of common calibers and bullets that are recommended for shooting the great bears include the .30/220 (SD .331), .338/250 (SD .313), .35/250 (SD .279) and .45/350 (SD .238). By comparison, the common 12 gauge/437 grain (one ounce) rifled slug has a SD of only .117, which is woefully inadequate. (It is actually inferior to a 45 grain .22 bullet, which has a SD of .128!) For more on shotguns for protection in the field, see the article of that name on the Shotgun Information Page. However, for our purposes here, shotguns are out.

Unlike shotguns, which have no advantage over a rifle, magnum revolvers do have a major advantage: they can be carried in a holster, leaving both hands free for other purposes. In some cases, such as for those who work in the wilds, that may be a deciding factor. Heavy for caliber handgun bullets, while offering markedly better SD than most shotgun slugs, are still very inferior to proper rifle bullets. The SD of a 180 grain .357 Magnum bullet is .202, the SD of a 250 grain .44 Magnum bullet is .194, the SD of a 260 grain .454 Magnum bullet is .182 and the SD of a 325 grain .475 bullet is .206. Keep in mind that no handgun approaches the power of a bear rifle and a handgun cannot provide the same level of security.

If you must rely on a handgun for bear protection, go with a long-barreled (6" or longer for full velocity) magnum revolver. Preferably, this magnum revolver will be .44 or larger caliber, shooting a heavy, non-expanding or deep penetrating bullet and you should aim for the central nervous system (usually the brain). This will work, but you have to be able to hit the central nervous system 100% of the time under stress, which not many people can do. If you are not an experienced handgunner and/or are not willing to practice regularly with your bear gun, I suggest that you forego choosing a handgun. Remember that accurate bullet placement is the key to stopping power!

If you choose a long gun for bear protection, go with a repeating or double barreled rifle in a recognized bear stopping caliber. Mainstream choices range from .30/220 up to .45/500.

I prefer a compact, medium or big bore rifle/carbine for bear protection. There are a number of good rifle choices on the market, the most widely available of these probably being the ubiquitous Marlin lever action Guide Gun in .45-70 or .450 Marlin calibers. These are carbines with ported 18.5" barrels and they kick like the devil, but if you can shoot them well despite their recoil and muzzle blast, they will do the job. In addition to the Marlin Guide Gun, examples of appropriate rifles include the lever action Browning BLR Lightweight Carbine in .450 Marlin, Merkel 141 Petite Frame double rifle in 9.3x74R, bolt action Remington Model Seven in .350 Rem. Magnum and autoloading Remington Model 750 Carbine in .35 Whelen. Remember that these are just examples, pick the action and type of rifle that best fits your wants and needs. A large magazine capacity is not an issue, since bears do not hunt in packs. In the event of a bear charge, you will probably have time for only one shot, or two at the most, so you must make them good.

All of the cartridges mentioned in the paragraph above, with the arguable exception of the .45-70, should be loaded with controlled expansion bullets for stopping bears. A controlled expansion bullet will deliver deeper penetration than a bullet designed for rapid expansion and more stopping power than a solid. Controlled expansion bullets are preferable, as long as the rifle/cartridge combination achieves adequate velocity and energy to power bullet expansion. That usually means an impact velocity in excess of 1800 fps. Here are some examples of good controlled expansion bullets that are proven bear medicine in appropriate calibers and bullet weights: Nosler Partition, Remington Core-Lokt and Core-Lokt Ultra, Barnes TSX, Hornady InterLock and InnerBond, Speer Trophy Bonded, Swift A-Frame, A-Square Dead Tough and Woodleigh Weldcore. Again, these are just examples; there are other suitable bullets. Whatever cartridge and bullet you choose, remember that accurate bullet placement saves lives.

Please note the emphasis on accurate bullet placement throughout this article. ANYONE is better off with a .30-30/170 that they can shoot accurately and with confidence than with a .338 or .450 Magnum that they cannot. Scandinavian explorers and wilderness adventurers have successfully used 6.5x55 rifles to protect themselves from polar bears in the far north for over a hundred years, because they penetrate deeply and don't kick much, so they are easy to shoot accurately. The lesson is that what matters most in stopping a bear attack is to deliver a perfectly placed bullet with the first shot. As long as the rifle/cartridge/bullet combination is even reasonably adequate and offers plenty of penetration, the odds are on your side.