John/Alaska......First off John I do know something and have hunted the big and small bears!
I say to YOU and mean every word I type, that telling someone your from Alaska and they shouln't pay heed to what others say about bears, just use a pump shotgun and "Masterbait" the weapon, is RUDE and CRUDE and PISS POOR INFORMATION IN SPADES. You wouldn't make a pimple on a bear hunters ARSE.
However, YOU say you use a 12 gauge pump, which by all standards using the slugs over the counter these days, is only good for less than 20 yards.
Slugs DON'T PENETRATE......Hear my words!!!
Remember this man wants to hunt a Gizzly Bear,
NOT challenge it to a face on dual at less than 20 yards! Shotguns with slugs are less than half as accurate as a rifle caliber at 40 yards, let alone a 100 yards, where many bears are hit in the first place, distance wise if guided by an outfitter.
The only type SLUG suitable for dangerous game animals in the wild it the Jim Gates "TERMANATOR SLUG" it will do the job in spades. Now carrying a shotgun with you in Alaska is OK to do I suppose. I have a friend who cuts his grass on a riding lawn mower while doing so. It is the only time he packs that shotgun with him period.
I sir, use a .416 magnum model 70 Winchester Safari Grade Rifle, using a 350 grain "Swift A Frame Bullet" when hunting big bears and my back up man uses a .458 Lott with 500 grain Barnes X bullets. My 416 mag is a real bear killer at 200 yards. I don't shoot a bear over 100 yards for several reasons. It also will stop a charge, however not near as well as the .458-Lott with a 500 grainer in the magazine. I don't advocate any hunter packing a caliber rifle you can not use without being able to handle it well in the field or practice range. You must be able to hit your mark, this is #1 on the list in any hunting but especially if your hunting dangerous game. I won't get into the fact of having a Control Round Fed Magazine rifle in your hands when doing so.
3 position safety, and a Big Claw Extractor in the action.
The proper and safe way to kill a dangerous game animal like a bear is to break it down first with a shot through both shoulders and then administor the killing shot to the vital heart and lung area.
In closing I will say that the 300 Ultra mag with either the (200grn. being minimum) 220 or 250 grain bullets loaded downward in the area of 2600fps to 2750fps is the way to go and limits less chance of bullet failure. This is the way I would go after bear in the wild. PS I had two of these caliber rifles and converted one to a 338/300 magnum, both in model 70 Winchesters.
