“Grizzly gun”

[sequoia]

This was on display Monterey State Museum. A .57 cal Grizzzly gun.

 

[D.Summers]

Oh man! What a beauty! Great post!

 

[user 48679]

FWIW, many a museum person has no familiarity with guns.

If actually measured ( as opposed to the story that came with the gun) ,".57" is likely a .58cal, or even really a .54

 

[hanshi]

You certainly can't have too much gun for a half ton shredding machine with fur.

 

[GBG]

You certainly can't have too much gun for a half ton shredding machine with fur.

I think that's the best description I've read yet. The visual image it creates really gets the idea across.

I'd rather be killed by recoil than take a ride through one of those shredding machines.

Great photos, thanks for sharing sequoia.

 

[Notchy Bob]

That looks like a fine rifle that has been well maintained. I wonder where it was made... There were some first-class riflemakers right there in California by the mid-19th century, but a lot of Philadelphia rifles were built for the California trade, too.

Thanks for showing this, @sequoia .

Notchy Bob

 

[TDM]

In my working years I traveled to Alaska quite often (2-3 trips a year over say 20 years). I had time to explore Kodiak Island, all around Anchorage to Seward, Kenia, Valdez, and north all the way to Dead Horse. Saw lots of Browns and Blacks, from a distance. I'd go hiking to take pictures and at the time thought I was being careful. When I came upon fresh bear tracks or scat (like I could really tell) I'd quickly leave the area. I remember once when a buddy of mine was with me we were hiking and I thought I heard something. As we back tracked I came across bear tracks in the moss that were still filling up with water. I shudder now to think about those days. I'd want 10 of those rifles charged and ready.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I’ve been around grizzers most of my life, even came back to our camp on a remote fly-in trip to find it destroyed as well as been woken to one in the tent. Anyhow the funniest I remember was myself and two buddies fly fishing a coastal river. They were both ahead of my by only about two minutes but when I emerged on the sandbar above them there was fresh scat on the trail and grizz tracks in the sand. When I say fresh I mean juices still running. I asked them if they seen this when they walked to the river. They both came and looked, turned big eyed and went white. I had warned them both to be cautious in these coastal rain-forest woods because you’ll never hear them. I don’t think they believed me until that point. That scat was both above their fishing location and within about 15 yards. Thank God it was a good bear!
Walk

 

[andy52]

I don't want to come face to face with a griz with any single-shot rifle, but my .75 cal. Jeager would get the job done with good shot placement.

 

[Mtman725]

Back in the day was a fishing guide, OR,WA , western AK, I've been charged, investigated, sniffed thru a wall tent, almost eaten,woofed,a Mexican stand off, I laugh at the pistol totters. I've seen them do things that to this day, you just have to say "did you see that"Have lots of respect for Old Billy Bear. And the old saying use enough gun!!!!!!!!

 

[Crockford]

That shows just how intelligent Grizzly Bears are. They knew to flee California way back in the 1920's... Never underestimate them!

 

[user 48679]

That shows just how intelligent Grizzly Bears are. They knew to flee California way back in the 1920's... Never underestimate them!

My beloved Brooklyn Dodgers also moved to California (from NY) even further back (1956)

 

[waksupi]

Here I am shooting a 10 bore double flint rifle a friend built. Go big, or go home!

 

[andy52]

Here I am shooting a 10 bore double flint rifle a friend built. Go big, or go home!
View attachment 161620


View attachment 161621

That is a bunch of rifle, I thought my.75 had a big bore.

 

[M. De Land]

In my working years I traveled to Alaska quite often (2-3 trips a year over say 20 years). I had time to explore Kodiak Island, all around Anchorage to Seward, Kenia, Valdez, and north all the way to Dead Horse. Saw lots of Browns and Blacks, from a distance. I'd go hiking to take pictures and at the time thought I was being careful. When I came upon fresh bear tracks or scat (like I could really tell) I'd quickly leave the area. I remember once when a buddy of mine was with me we were hiking and I thought I heard something. As we back tracked I came across bear tracks in the moss that were still filling up with water. I shudder now to think about those days. I'd want 10 of those rifles charged and ready.

I've lived here in AK for 51 years, hunted Kodiak 4-5 times and hunted Moose or Caribou every year but two and as a consequence have seen and been around a lot of bear both Black an Brown. Truth is bear size is rather irrelevant as a 200-250 lb Black will kill you every bit as fast as a 1200 lbs Brown if they take a notion to. A bears attitude behavior is what counts!
Most bear encounters that result in mauling involve sows and cubs wither Black or Brown bears.
Blacks do tend to be more timid as a rule but don't ever count on it ! If a Black is stalking you and will not be scared away then he means to eat you !
Actually here in AK quite often more people per year are mauled by Blacks than Browns and the reason is there are more of them and being smaller they are not as afraid of them and want to get some pictures generally.
I once heard a bear guide quip about folks who write about knowing what a bear is going to do by how it generally acts at certain times, say " Hell, the bear don't even know what he's going to do until it happens" ! I thought , now that is a true statement!
I do have to say though that fast has a new meaning for you once you've seen one in high gear!
In 2017 I had to shoot a 400 lbs Black bear boar charging my hunting pardner and he almost closed before the slug from an unmentionable hand gun I always carry ,cut his wiring thru the spine. I called it my God shot as I could not have made it again in 200 tries.
I would never purposely (by my self) hunt bear with a single shot muzzle loader no matter how large the bore !

 

[MIKE1776]

I wouldn't want to face a Grizzly with anything less than an M1 Abrams tank !!! They were brave men !!!

 

[nhmoose]

I like a 12ga unmentionable Pump action with Brennecke's myself. I will pass on ML's for protection bears or 2 legged. Did not get to 70 being dumb,

 

[centershot]

I like a 12ga unmentionable Pump action with Brennecke's myself. I will pass on ML's for protection bears or 2 legged. Did not get to 70 being dumb,

I agree!

 

[brownac1983]

I always carry a .32 pistol when I go fishing in bear country.

 

[Brazos John]

I always carry a .32 pistol when I go fishing in bear country.

In case you're attacked by the fish?