Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
MODULE 4
Deterrents
4.2.4 – 12 Gauge Shotgun Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
4.2.4 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN There are many types of 12-gauge shotguns available to the shooting public. The two types recommended for bear management purposes are the12-gauge pump action and the single or double barrel break-action.
12-gauge pump action shotgun
12-gauge break action double barrel shotgun
Action The part of the firearm that loads, fires, extracts and ejects ammunition.
Shotguns used for bear deterrence must have the following features: 3” chamber (s) smooth bore barrel(s) open or cylinder choke (no narrowing of the barrel at the muzzle) Any shotgun that will be used to fire lead slugs or direct contact rounds such as rubber bullets and beanbags must have the additional feature of front and rear sights.
Capabilities The 12-gauge shotgun is the most versatile deterrent launcher available to bear responders. It can be used to launch pyrotechnical (shell crackers), direct contact deterrent rounds (rubber bullets, beanbags, oleoresin capsicum) and lethal rounds.
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-42 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
Limitations In order to use a shotgun successfully, bear responders must complete firearm safety training and complete a firearms safety course.
The presence of a firearm can give people a false sense of security; this means that people may become less attentive to the bear’s behaviour and the circumstances of the encounter.
Considerations by shotgun type 12-Gauge Break-Action Shotguns have single or double barrels. Ideally, a double-barrel shotgun with the barrels mounted side- by-side is recommended for bear deterrent work. With two barrels the shooter can quickly follow-up a deterrent round with another of the same or different type of round, without having to reload.
In a break-action shotgun a hinge pin joins the two parts of the shotgun, the stock with its firing mechanism and the fore stock and barrel which holds the shells to be fired.
Chambers Barrels Action Release
Safety
Stock
Hinge Pin Forestock
Trigger
Loading of a break-action double barrel shotgun is simple. A shell is inserted into each barrel chamber; then the action closed by swinging the barrels up into place. A latch mechanism on top of the action locks the barrel(s) in place; the shotgun is now ready to be fired.
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-43 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
After firing the round(s), the break action is unlatched and the barrel and forearm are allowed to fall forward and the spent shell(s) removed. The shotgun is now ready for reloading.
The break-action is the safest of all action types, since simply opening the action reveals whether the firearm is loaded and renders the shotgun inoperable.
The residue powder from pyrotechnical rounds fouls the firearm quickly. The low powder loads of the direct contact rounds can lead to them becoming stuck in the barrel. With the break-action in its open position the shooter can easily and safely check for barrel obstructions by simply looking down the barrel(s) from the breach end. In the open position the action mechanisms are fully exposed making the break-action shotgun one of the easiest firearms to clean. These traits make the break-action shotgun a good choice for firing deterrent rounds. View looking down barrels of double barrel break-action shotgun Armed Back-up When the 12-gauge break-action is used to fire deterrent rounds the shooter must be backed-up by a person with a firearm loaded with lethal rounds. The preferred firearm for back-up is the 12- gauge pump-action shotgun; however, this will depend on local policy requirements. The pump-action can provide rapid firing of killing rounds at the shorter ranges better suited to bear management purposes than high-powered rifles.
The 12-Gauge Pump Action Shotgun is sometimes called the slide or trombone action because the fore-end stock is pumped back and forth to operate the action. Operating the action extracts the spent shell and inserts a new one while cocking the hammer. A pump action shotgun is typically fed from a tubular magazine underneath the barrel but rounds can also be placed directly into the chamber if desired.
Sights
Action
Barrel
Tubular Fore-end Stock Magazine Stock Trigger or Slide
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-44 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
The pump-action is the fastest manually operated action and the easiest to operate from the shoulder. Rapid reloading only requires a simple movement of the firearm supporting hand without moving the muzzle away from the target.
The alignment of the action and the barrel makes it difficult to check for potential obstructions in the barrel. If a shooter suspects that something may have lodged inside the barrel, the barrel must be detached from the gun before checking.
If using pump-action shotgun to fire deterrent rounds ALWAYS…… Place deterrent rounds directly into the chamber of the shotgun one at a time. Chamber
Ejection Port
Fully load the magazine with lead slugs so that the gun is ready if the bear attacks.
Loading Port
Magazine
All shotguns must be cleaned routinely to ensure that they operate safely and reliably each time they are needed.
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-45 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
Precautions when loading follow-up deterrent rounds - When lethal rounds are in the magazine, and the shooter wishes to fire two or more deterrent rounds, the shooter must adjust this transition/reloading technique so that a lethal round is not released from the magazine and placed into the loading port/chamber of the shotgun.
To transition to load a follow-up deterrent round, with a shell currently in the chamber, the shooter must:
1) Grip the forestock of the shotgun with the left hand and rest the butt on the left hip, being sure to always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. 2) Press the action bar release with the right hand and slowly beginning to open the action. Use the thumb of the right hand to lift the shell carrier up. Then place the tip of the
thumb up against the base of the next lethal round in the magazine and press firmly to keep the round in the magazine.
3) Continue to slowly open the action. When the lethal round in the magazine is released, push it back into the magazine until the shell latch catches. Remove the right thumb from the magazine. 4) Now fully open the action and eject the chambered round by pulling the forestock all the way back. 5) Now that the action is open, load a deterrent round directly into the chamber through the open ejection port. Now close the action loading the deterrent rounds.
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-46 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
As a result of the above actions, there is now a deterrent round in the chamber and four killing rounds remain in the magazine ready to be loaded.
CAUTION: THIS IS AN ADVANCED SKILL; IF THE THUMB IS REMOVED TOO QUICKLY YOU WILL HAVE A DOUBLE FEED. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FOREARM SLIDE THAT COMES FLUSH TO THE RECIVER NOT OBSTRUCTING THE CARRIER.
Unloading – The safest and most controlled technique to unload the shotgun is as follows: 1) The safety must be engaged, red band not showing. 2) Grip the shotgun in the normal manner with left hand on the forestock and right hand on the grip with fingers outside of the trigger guard.
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
3) If the action is locked, push upward on the action release to unlock it. 4) Slowly open the action until the spent round just clears the front of the ejection port and the shell begins to turn outward. Do not open the action any further. Remove the shell.
5) Pull the forestock fully rearward until the next shell is released from the magazine.
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-47 Polar Bear Deterrent - Training Manual
6) Tip the firearm sideways (ejection port facing the ground) to allow the shell to drop from the ejection port and into the shooter’s right palm. 7) Close the action. Now there is no round in the chamber or the loading port, but killing rounds remain in the magazine.
To empty the magazine using the safest and most controlled technique the shooter must: 1) With the shotgun magazine facing up, grip the barrel near the forestock and rest the butt of the shotgun on the left hip. 2) Use the thumb of the right hand to push the shell latch in; this releases the next round in the magazine. 3) Use the thumb to control the release of the shell and guide it out of the loading port. 4) Continue this procedure until the magazine is empty. 5) Open the action and double check to make sure that there are no rounds in the chamber, loading port and magazine.
Never empty the magazine by cycling the action.
Each time the action is closed a live round is placed
into the chamber where it could be accidentally fired.
Shell Latch
Module 4 4.2.4 12 Gauge Shotgun US Fish and Wildlife Service - Alaska June 30, 2015 S4-48