Bear Guns in Norway

[BearBio]

Regulations from the Governor of Svalborg in Norway (sorry, too long to copy here):

https://www.sysselmannen.no/globala...ices-for-protection-against-polar-bears-1.pdf

 

[Absalom]

The Svalbards, also known under their older name of Spitsbergen after the largest island, are a bit of an oddity in Europe, and in Norway. These regulations apply nowhere else in Norway.

If I remember correctly, the polar bears are so prevalent that you are actually required to be armed if you want to go beyond a certain perimeter of the main settlement. That explains all the stuff about rental rifles.

I remember reading an article a few years ago about Spitsbergen's college as the only one in Europe where students are required to take a rifle familiarization course on the first day after arrival.

PS: Found the site again. Here is the college firearms site. You can check out rifles from the college. I'm just imagining the reaction of a US college administrator to the concept

https://www.unis.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNIS-firearms-policy-2019.pdf

 

[Peak53]

This jumped out at me. While .30 cal rifles and .44 cal handguns seems acceptable, bear spray is not. Shotgun slugs seem marginal. I didn't do all the metric conversions on bullet energy at 100 m. but this should put to rest all past and future bear caliber threads

3.2.Bear repellent spray/ pepper-balls
 The use, trade and import of bear repellent spray and pepper-balls for protection against
polar bears in Svalbard is prohibited. The Governor of Svalbard is currently looking into the
regulation of bear repellent spray and pepper-balls for protection against polar bears​

 

[6string]

Very interesting topic, with some excellent posts.
I like this:

"Handguns for which an applicant is seeking a permit for use as protection against polar bears shall have a minimum calibre of 44."

It's been many years since I lived in Canada, but back then, about the only way to get a "Restricted Weapons Permit" ( read: own a handgun) that also permitted you to freely carry it was if you lived in an area lacking "Police protection".
Same intent as the Norwegian law, defense against bears (Grizzlies, Polar, Brown...), wolves, etc.

Interesting comment above about University administration:
-University of Alaska-Fairbanks used to have a robust rifle program, which included not only formal rifle competition but also a hunter program.
-When I attended the University of Toronto, we had a great competitive pistol club that shot at the Hart House student center in downtown Toronto. Many Canadian Olympic shooters trained there. It was quite a thrill carrying a target pistol (locked in a case, unloaded) on the subway along with textbooks, etc.

But it was shut down by the University president over 10 yrs ago as an outdated vestige of all the usual policially incorrect scapegoats.

Jim


Jim

 

[6string]

Here's a link to a vintage Guns Magazine featuring an article on rifle shooting at the University of Alaska, as referenced in my previous post.
You'll notice the unusual integration of University studies with not only formal competition, but also hunting and outdoor life in the local/regional outdoors.

https://gunsmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/G0657.pdf

Now that colleges and universities are glorified baby-sitting for adult-aged children, (from the perspective of someone with over 25 yrs experience as a college professor), there are less and less of these programs.

My apologies for the topic drift from the OP.

 

[mikerjf]

I'm going to start the search for a "four-shot 12 caliber" shotgun. Altho it does say "12 minimum", so maybe a .17 HMR would be acceptable?

 

[BearBio]

When in high school, I directed a presentation of Stalag 17==we used a captured Hi-Power and K98 Mauser for the guards. Try that today,

I had a buddy who ranched in Central Cali. He rode to school on Monday on horseback and rode home on Friday. He carried an old 30-30 and shot a cougar that was after his horse while coming home Friday night. I THINK he told me he was about 14 or 15.

 

[BearBio]

NOTE: That is an older missive==he said he was looking into the use of bear spray.

 

[Triathloncoach]

I'm going to start the search for a "four-shot 12 caliber" shotgun. Altho it does say "12 minimum", so maybe a .17 HMR would be acceptable?

If you want to shoot your companion in the knee as you both flee an angry bear.

 

[Absalom]

NOTE: That is an older missive==he said he was looking into the use of bear spray.

Just a guess, but the Svalbards are located north of the Arctic Circle, and weather conditions in the Arctic for a large part of the year, especially high winds, might make deploying bear spray tricky, and deterrence at a distance (the rubber bullets) more advisable if the situation allows.

The other thing to consider is that grizzly attacks are hardly ever predatory, while polar bear attacks pretty much always are. There are no "surprise encounters" in the flat vegetation-free Arctic environment. I'm a big bear spray advocate, but on a polar bear making a beeline for me, that would NOT be my preferred choice.

A 2013 self-defense shoot from Svalbard, from Norwegian media:

 

[Bill Bates]

European caliber polar bear medicine. My 9.3x62mm Ruger pushing a 286 grain pill 2400ft/sec. would be my carry gun.

 

[BearBio]

Just a guess, but the Svalbards are located north of the Arctic Circle, and weather conditions in the Arctic for a large part of the year, especially high winds, might make deploying bear spray tricky, and deterrence at a distance (the rubber bullets) more advisable if the situation allows.

The other thing to consider is that grizzly attacks are hardly ever predatory, while polar bear attacks pretty much always are. There are no "surprise encounters" in the flat vegetation-free Arctic environment. I'm a big bear spray advocate, but on a polar bear making a beeline for me, that would NOT be my preferred choice.

A 2013 self-defense shoot from Svalbard, from Norwegian media:

Excellent point on the difference between polar and grizzly bears. Winds have GENERALLY been proven not to effect bear spray BUT 100 mph ????????? Spray has been proven effective on polar bears but the data base is pretty small! (single digits last I heard)

 

[Chukar60]

I am not trying to be contrary or argumentative, but I am wondering how wind would not affect the efficacy of pepper spray.
I was under the impression that the spray creates a cloud the bear runs through. So if the wind is blowing from left to right or vice versa how does it not affect the location of the cloud or the density of it?
Again, my limited intellect is not understanding this. If someone could splain it to this dense redneck I would appreciate it.

 

[Rudi]

After WWII Norway had a lot of Kar 98ks. I remember these being used for Polar Bears.

 

[murphydog]

I'm going to start the search for a "four-shot 12 caliber" shotgun. Altho it does say "12 minimum", so maybe a .17 HMR would be acceptable?

I would presume "caliber" would be translated here as "bore" or gauge. For a close social encounter a Mossberg 590 with a 20 round magazine would be comforting. Maybe.

 

[Absalom]

I am not trying to be contrary or argumentative, but I am wondering how wind would not affect the efficacy of pepper spray.
I was under the impression that the spray creates a cloud the bear runs through. So if the wind is blowing from left to right or vice versa how does it not affect the location of the cloud or the density of it?

Best to think of bear spray not so much as a fluffy cloud like hair spray, but more of a water hose where the stream is under significant pressure and doesn't start dispersing for some distance.

So as long as the wind is not too strong, the stream might bend and fray a bit, but if you correct for it as you watch the very visible orange spray, enough spray will still shoot in the direction of the bear.

Of course, timing is everything and if you shoot too early, and you give the wind time to disperse it all before the bear gets there, that's a different issue. You want to hit the bear's head with the stream. Shooting spray too early because of the fear factor is probably the most common mistake.

 

[BearBio]

Spray comes out at ABOUT 30 mph. To get blowback would require a 30 mph headwind. Of course, some marginal spray MIGHT come back.

 

[Univibe]

Spray comes out at ABOUT 30 mph. To get blowback would require a 30 mph headwind. Of course, some marginal spray MIGHT come back.

If it does, you not only have a 1100 pound bear ready to dismember you, you're blinded and choking from the spray.

No thanks. I wouldn't even use pepper spray on a 140 pound thug. Be like Yul Brynner's character: "We deal in lead."

 

[TheHobbyist]

Interesting read @ OP. Truly majestic creatures.

 

[BearBio]

If it does, you not only have a 1100 pound bear ready to dismember you, you're blinded and choking from the spray.

No thanks. I wouldn't even use pepper spray on a 140 pound thug. Be like Yul Brynner's character: "We deal in lead."

Look at the stats! Spray is about twice as effective in stopping bears! I'll let you look up the results (NOT on blogs but actual data as published in the scientific community, so you cannot accuse me of cherry picking=BE CAREFUL=I will call you out if you do cherry-pick!).

Unlike thugs, bears don't use drugs! (OK, there is evidence that they do like to get drunk on fermented fruit!)