454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

The Rossi Model R92, a lightweight carbine for Cowboy Action, hunting, or plinking! Includes Rossi manufactured Interarms, Navy Arms, and Puma trade names.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Blue »

Ranch Dog wrote:
remus wrote:I think any handgun, or handgun cartridge in a long gun would be marginal on a PO'd big bear. Take the 45-70. Why play games with your life. So it's a little heavier, big deal. It is probably your life saver in a pinch.
Kind of where I would sit. My rifles:
  • Rio Grande 45-70 Govt - 7.18 Lbs
  • R92 454 Casull - 7.14 lbs
These rifles both have scopes. Without the tube, rings and base they weigh:
  • Rio Grande 45-70 Govt - 6.28 Lbs
  • R92 454 Casull - 6.53 lbs
The traditional scope on the Rio Grande is heavier than the scout on the R92 making the RG a ¼ lb lighter than the R92. Both have 20" barrels, overall, the RG is ¾" longer.

I personally think that the RG4570 is one of the most underrated leverguns out there. It is a full pound lighter than my Marlin Guide gun and two pounds lighter than the 1895 rifle. It would shoot inside either of those rifles, both are reasons why these JM Marlins are no longer on the ranch.

Back to the Rossi products, My RG4570 on its worst range day will produce better accuracy than my R92 on its best range day. Part of it is the generic 1:30 twist that Rossi bestowed on all R92 barrels. When it comes to terminal performance, the 454 Casull will never equal the 45-70 Govt.

Both are out of production but indications are that the Rio Grande 45-70 has a better chance of returning than the 454 Casull. I would hope they both do, I do like them both, but when it comes to larger predators I would rather have the lighter Rio Grande with its greater terminal performance in hand. I would shoot the Beartooth 525-grain Pile Drivers and go about my business.
I would be totally comfortable with my 92 .454 Casull shooting hardcast 300 grain SWC at 1800 FPS for brown bear. I think with the appropriate bullet, a .454 Casull revolver would be adequate. Hit your target in any case! A chest shot or two with a 30mph charging grizzly at 10 yds will kill him, but maybe not after he mauls you to death. I don't think a .45-70 would make that much difference. A sure stop in that case that isn't a head shot would probably require a large bore rifle round.

You mention scopes...the last thing I want on my bear gun is a scope. I don't even want a red dot; bear encounters can happen quickly and at close range. With a proper sling, a 16" lever action can be pretty quick to get into action, not much slower than a revolver in a chest holster. JMHO.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Ranch Dog »

I mentioned the scopes because my rifles have them, I wanted to explain how I determined the weights of a bare rifle.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by dalek »

If oyu are really concerned, there are the 4- and 2-bore stopping rifles.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Arroyoshark »

Stunt, stupid or adequately prepared ??

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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by JRexA »

Here in Greenland, an Inuit boy, 12yo, was out hunting Mountain Ptarmigan, with his .22LR

He was surprised, by a Young Polar Bear, but kept cool, and killed it, with his .22LR.
He didn't get hurt, but it took quite a while, for the boy, to convince his father, that He had shot and killed a Polar Bear. (It was not normal Polar Bear Area)
If I remember right, He shot it, through the eye, at less than 10 feet.

I won't recommend going into Polar Bear Area, only armed, with a .22LR, but any gun, you can actually HIT with, is better, than a Super Magnum, you misses with.
In Greenland, handguns are forbidden, and 30-06 is the smallest legal Caliber, for Polar Bear.

p.s.: A Friend of mine, was Veterinarian, that inspected the dead bear.
Happy Shooting from Greenland
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Ranch Dog »

Dang, I wouldn't want a polar bear head 10' from my head!
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by akuser47 »

No kidding a polar bear wow and with a 22 great shot.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Archer »

A good red dot is as fast or faster than irons and if it's coming at you and the gun isn't essentially instinctual neither is worth much anyway. I typically mount red dots so that they cowitness with irons when possible anyway if I'm going to use them. That way they just speed things up.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by Missionary »

Good evening
A 12 gauge pump with a 20 inch barrel would be my choice with extended mag.
And NO none of them Forster slugs. I want RB(air cooled WW +2% tin) loaded up to 1450-1550 fps. RB will out penetrate hollow slugs 3x and up to 5x.
Yes this is more raw power than the old 12 Bore elephant shooters had. They considered 12 bore RB at 1200 fps the minimal. We are talking a deadly charging bear that has to be stopped or turned or shooter dies. If I could I would want a M60 belt fed. I hope I never have to try to stop a Griz !
Way down south in Arequipa, Peru till June 2020.
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Re: 454 enough to stop coastal brown bear?

Post by OldGringo »

Never shot a brown bear but like most online ninjas I have an opinion. My uncle was a brown bear guide in Alaska and killed 13 brownies during his lifetime. Two were client bears that charged and killed at close range. All 13 were killed with a Winchester 270 and 130 grain bullets. His comment was that nothing would stop a charging bear (in time) except a shot to the brain or in the neck. He commonly said the most dangerous thing in Alaska was a hunter from Dallas Texas with a bear tag in his pocket and a 458 Win Mag on his shoulder. I love my 454 Model 92 more than any other rifle in the safe. If given the option I would use my 300 Wby or 45-70 guide gun with heavy bullets. But, with 300 grain bullets, my 454 will shoot as fast as my guide gun. Now, the Rossi weighs 5.8 pounds and the Marlin weighs over 7 and the Weatherby weighs over 10 with scope. If fishing I would prefer the Rossi. I take it all over the Rockies when camping, but like I say, never killed a brown bear. Odds are about the same as the powerball. I was once chased around a tent in the dark by a black bear about 3:00 am. She only weighed about 275 pounds, Scared the crap out of me. Really need somebody to comment who has actually seen it a few times. There is the one report of the guy who killed one while being charged with the Ruger Alaskan in 454. FWIW
"Any behavior is instinctive if it is performed without being based upon prior experience", lever action guns are instinctive, anyone can pick it up and know how it works... a natural extension of the human arms. +guns
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