Curious about the ultimate bear defense caliber?

[AKsoldier]

Here it is. I think it's safe to say that there is no more powerful shoulder-fired weapon on earth. The two-bore cartridge fires a 3500 grain, or half-pound projectile! Buy one of these bad boys, and even if you miss the bear, you will rupture the tectonic plates of the earth between you and the bear, thereby preventing it's ability to reach you.

Here's a picture of the two-bore case. The "little" one on the left side is a .600 Nitro Express. The two-bore on the right side is more that 1.30" in diameter. More info here: http://www.2-bore.com/home.html

[ADfields]

I was thinking if you miss at least the recoil will have severed your spine so you won't feel him eating you.

[BrownBear]

THIS ONE is only a 4-bore tossing a 4-ounce ball (1700 grains), but it should do the job. Cartridge or muzzlestuffer, you only get one shot.

[greythorn3]

.50BMG is the ultimate.

[Nitroman]

.50BMG is the ultimate.

Nope. Size does matter. 1/2 inch versus 1.30 inches. 1.30 inches is bigger = better. Besides, you get yourself a lathe, a manufacturer of destructive devices license, and you can make an exploding projectile for your 2-bore.

These rifles cost almost as much as a house anyways. With that lathe you buy and some skill, you could easily build yourself a muzzle-loading 2-bore. With a mill you could do a falling block action that'd handle it.

[AKsoldier]

THIS ONE is only a 4-bore tossing a 4-ounce ball (1700 grains), but it should do the job. Cartridge or muzzlestuffer, you only get one shot.

The two-bore is available as a side-by-side double rifle. I think that's the only way they come, as a matter of fact. They need the additional weight of a second barrel to mitigate the enormous recoil these monsters produce.

[greythorn3]

Nope. Size does matter. 1/2 inch versus 1.30 inches. 1.30 inches is bigger = better. Besides, you get yourself a lathe, a manufacturer of destructive devices license, and you can make an exploding projectile for your 2-bore.

These rifles cost almost as much as a house anyways. With that lathe you buy and some skill, you could easily build yourself a muzzle-loading 2-bore. With a mill you could do a falling block action that'd handle it.

u had me at lathe!

[AKsoldier]

For the record, this post was prompted by an article in the May 2011 issue of Guns and Ammo by Craig Boddington titled "Those Terrible 2s". The article details an interesting history of the ultimate big-bore. Sir Samuel Baker in the 19th Century had a muzzle-loading rifle made to handle a half-pound projectile. The rifle weighed 20 pounds. Baker reported that his rifle was fired no more than twenty times, and remarked that "On such occasions, my men had the gratification of firing it, and the explosion was always accompanied by two men falling on their backs (one having propped up the shooter) and the "baby" (his rifle's name) flying some yards behind them."

"Baby" was a single-shot muzzle-loader. Anyone want to pull the trigger on one of those? ;-)

[ADfields]

For the record, this post was prompted by an article in the May 2011 issue of Guns and Ammo by Craig Boddington titled "Those Terrible 2s". The article details an interesting history of the ultimate big-bore. Sir Samuel Baker in the 19th Century had a muzzle-loading rifle made to handle a half-pound projectile. The rifle weighed 20 pounds. Baker reported that his rifle was fired no more than twenty times, and remarked that "On such occasions, my men had the gratification of firing it, and the explosion was always accompanied by two men falling on their backs (one having propped up the shooter) and the "baby" (his rifle's name) flying some yards behind them."

"Baby" was a single-shot muzzle-loader. Anyone want to pull the trigger on one of those? ;-)

I'll watch thanks much!:topjob:

[Paul H]

I've always been of the opinion that the ultimate bear defense round is the biggest round an individual can fire accurately.

I've had two 458 lotts, and now have a 500 Jeffrey. I'd say for me, a 416 is the practical limit.

I'll fire any gun, once.

[AKsoldier]

I've always been of the opinion that the ultimate bear defense round is the biggest round an individual can fire accurately.

I've had two 458 lotts, and now have a 500 Jeffrey. I'd say for me, a 416 is the practical limit.

I'll fire any gun, once.

I share your sentiment. I once fired an .460 WBY and have no desire to do so again. I can hand-load my .450 Marlin to sufficiently handle any game I'm ever likely to encounter, and I can handle the recoil. I can't help but be interested in "bigger" though.

[jay51]

Gepard GM6

How bout' this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt08L...eature=related

I think the volume of fire makes up for the puny .50BMG round.
-J

[nbh40]

And that 'soft recoil' dampening system is just awesome.

But for $8000 you could get a .950 JDJ, with a 3600 Grain bullet. Only issue is that the 'rifle' weighs 80-110lbs depending on options.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcEvBwMKZ9s

[gogoalie]

I'm partial to the 22lr, but my Bro in law tells me the .17 is a superior bear gun, as there's no recoil, compared to the 22lr...but whadda I know, he grew up here in bear country...I only watched Yogi & Ben on "Grizzly Adams" on TV...

[sniper3083006]

Heck soldier we could check one of the new fandangled 320's we got out then play with it in bear country might also be fun to through some of it's lures at the salmon too as one of us stands down stream with a net.lol