20 guage or rifle for bear?

[mtmuley]

Do they make 12ga in a RUM variant??

870 smooth bore. 3 inch load. The RUM ain't the only thing I kill with. mtmuley

 

[Mike Tomano]

Either is a solid choice. Which one do you prefer shooting, which one are you more accurate with? Choose that one! Happy Huntin'!

 

[Mark1970]

Have not hunted bear, but I take pigs with copper slugs and prefer them to a rifle.
I got started with slug guns due to certain areas having weapons restrictions, and I got into copper because I live in CA and it is a requirement, but now after seeing how effective copper slugs can be, I am sold and would use them regardless of regulations.
So far, all slugs have passed all the way through. Both 12ga and 20ga. Shattering any bone that gets in the way.
Plenty of power. Good expansion. Big hole. Drops them instantly.

Rifled barrel slug gun with copper sabot slugs are easily good to 100 yards. If you do a good job matching the slug to the gun (slug guns are often super picky on the ammo) then 200 yards is possible.

 

[SaskHunter]

I'd take the 30-06 and make sure you know where it hits at 30 yds. A scoped rifle will also give you an edge in low light and you may get a small window at longer shots.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

30-06

 

[Pmacc60]

Forget the 20 gauge for bear, rifle all the way . I would not use slugs even though they improve so much over the years. Good shot placement is the name of the game and that happens with a rifle more so than a shotgun. Living on the east coast and hunting sometimes in shotgun only counties or states , I have worked ( and paid a lot of money ) on shotguns and accuracy and as hard as I try you just can’t get rifle performance. If you don’t have to use a slug why even try? I read no one else’s post so don’t take offense to what I say , it’s only one mans opinion! I have shot a lot of slugs to have some pretty strong feelings on them! Lol

 

[NoWiser]

To follow this up, I was going back and forth between 20 gauge and rifle. I chose rifle and if I were to do it again, I’d absolutely use slug. The rifle did work, but a slug would have been the better tool for the job.

 

[Pmacc60]

To follow this up, I was going back and forth between 20 gauge and rifle. I chose rifle and if I were to do it again, I’d absolutely use slug. The rifle did work, but a slug would have been the better tool for the job.

May I ask your reasoning?

 

[BRoth82]

I would take a 20ga. With a red dot or fiber optic sights over a rifle at those close ranges. My Dad used to guide bear hunters and always recommended open sights on any gun for bears. Usually they come in at last light and it's much easier to see where you're aiming with a large field of view.

 

[Bhill552]

I had to make the same choice a few years back. I chose slug and it worked perfectly. You want a blood trail and bears are famous for very little blood once the hole plugs with fat. Slug is a bigger hole. That being said either will work. Chose the one you shoot best and have confidence in.

 

[NEWHunter]

Wonder how the OP did. Hasn’t been around in months. I would have gone 20 all else equal.

The bear guides I know all use slug guns. I’ve seen a couple of bears get hit by 12 gauge slugs at under 10 yards and one get hit by a .338 at the same range. All with comparable shot placement. The .338 bear went 3x as far as the slug bears. All were 300+ pound bears.

Rifle and slug will both work but I’d prefer the slug.