Will be hunting bear in PA for the first time ever this thanksgiving. Would my 30-30 be adequate? I have access to a 30-06 I can borrow if I need to. According to the hunt master, no shots I will take will be over 100 yards. Is my 30-30 enough gun? They said black bear in that particular area will get anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds.
30-30 for bear?
- Thread starter jrsower
- Start date
Poodleshooter
New member
If you do, use a 170gr bullet. I'd rather have the 30/06, but the 30/30 has taken many bear in the east.
Steve in PA
New member
The largest black bear in PA, and at the time in the country, taken several years ago near the F.E.Walter Dam was taken with three shots from a .30/30. I believe the bear went 850+ lbs live weight???
I have pictures taken from the Bloomsburg Outdoor Show somewhere....its a full mount, standing on its hind legs...quite impressive.
BTW, I'll be using a .44 magnum for my bear
I have pictures taken from the Bloomsburg Outdoor Show somewhere....its a full mount, standing on its hind legs...quite impressive.
BTW, I'll be using a .44 magnum for my bear
30-30
If you will be on a guided hunt your 30-30 will work fine, if you use a premium bullet. Penetration is what your after. If you will be hunting alone then go with the 3006 and 180 or heavier bullets. Study bear anatomy so you can put your bullet in the vitals from any angle (Important for followup shots). And don't stop shooting until he stops moving!
You may be thinking "it's just a little black bear." Don't be misled. A 150 pound bear can clean your clock in short order.
I live in an area that has a dense bear population and I know of what I speak.
Bear hunting is exciting and fun. I hope you enjoy your hunt.
If you will be on a guided hunt your 30-30 will work fine, if you use a premium bullet. Penetration is what your after. If you will be hunting alone then go with the 3006 and 180 or heavier bullets. Study bear anatomy so you can put your bullet in the vitals from any angle (Important for followup shots). And don't stop shooting until he stops moving!
You may be thinking "it's just a little black bear." Don't be misled. A 150 pound bear can clean your clock in short order.
I live in an area that has a dense bear population and I know of what I speak.
Bear hunting is exciting and fun. I hope you enjoy your hunt.
short shot
Inactive
it'll work, garantee it
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
Federal (IIRC) made/makes a 170 Nosler Partition for the .30-30. If you can't find them, IMHO the Remington Core-Lokt is the toughest factory "vanilla" load.
Premium bullet
A premium bullet is one that is designed to hold together either by bonding, solids(Barnes) or partitions. I agree with
Gizmo99. The Remington Core-Lokt is an excellent choice also.
The 30-30 has undoubtedly killed a lot of black bears over the years. And if I were in the bush with one and encountered a bear I would shoot him with it, repeatedly. However, that doesn't make it the best choice. I won't even "guarantee" that the 3006 will provide you with one shot humane kills ever time. I will quarantee that it is a better choice than the 30-30.
Have a good hunt.
A premium bullet is one that is designed to hold together either by bonding, solids(Barnes) or partitions. I agree with
Gizmo99. The Remington Core-Lokt is an excellent choice also.
The 30-30 has undoubtedly killed a lot of black bears over the years. And if I were in the bush with one and encountered a bear I would shoot him with it, repeatedly. However, that doesn't make it the best choice. I won't even "guarantee" that the 3006 will provide you with one shot humane kills ever time. I will quarantee that it is a better choice than the 30-30.
Have a good hunt.
Baba Louie
New member
Didn't the American Indians hunt (everything) with bow and arrow in years gone by? Probably been more bear (deer, etc) taken on this continent (in the past 1,000 years) with bow and arrow than a .30-30, .30-06, etc.
But all things being equal, I'd rather take my chances with the .30-30 (or a 12 ga. slug). Still and all, I imagine the rush of using archery tackle to take down a bear would be addictive.
Adios
But all things being equal, I'd rather take my chances with the .30-30 (or a 12 ga. slug). Still and all, I imagine the rush of using archery tackle to take down a bear would be addictive.
Adios
The bow and arrow
Baba, I agree with you, to a point. I have seen some amazing kills on deer, elk and moose with an arrow. However, bears seem to be a little different, in that sometimes they don't know that they are dead. When hunting in heavy cover without dogs, this can make for some very interesting situations.
There is no way I will go after a wounded bear in a thicket with a bow and arrow. In fact I have had to kill 3 bears this fall. One had chased a man into his house and was trying to get through the front door at him when the man call me for help.(He is a nieghbor) When I arrived the bear charged me and I had to kill it with my .375H&H. The other 2 were wounded bears that I was called in to track and kill. For these two I used a custom .458WM that I had made up just for this purpose. The complete stories have been published in a web-magazine.
I shot one of the bears with a 350gr Speer HotCore form my .458WM. It blew a hole completely through him totally destroying his shoulder and colar bone. The bear did a complete flip and hit the ground running. I had to go after it in a spruce thicket to finally kill it.
The point is, you just can't trust a bear to die when he is susposed to.
Baba, I agree with you, to a point. I have seen some amazing kills on deer, elk and moose with an arrow. However, bears seem to be a little different, in that sometimes they don't know that they are dead. When hunting in heavy cover without dogs, this can make for some very interesting situations.
There is no way I will go after a wounded bear in a thicket with a bow and arrow. In fact I have had to kill 3 bears this fall. One had chased a man into his house and was trying to get through the front door at him when the man call me for help.(He is a nieghbor) When I arrived the bear charged me and I had to kill it with my .375H&H. The other 2 were wounded bears that I was called in to track and kill. For these two I used a custom .458WM that I had made up just for this purpose. The complete stories have been published in a web-magazine.
I shot one of the bears with a 350gr Speer HotCore form my .458WM. It blew a hole completely through him totally destroying his shoulder and colar bone. The bear did a complete flip and hit the ground running. I had to go after it in a spruce thicket to finally kill it.
The point is, you just can't trust a bear to die when he is susposed to.
Cowdogpete
New member
The always underated 30-30..... Go get him and happy hunting.
Hunting articles
Be glad to. The websites are "Handloading for Hunting" and "Water and Woods" is the other. In the Handloading for Hunting magazine they have published the story of my Last to trip to Mozambique as well.
Handloading for Hunting. www.acs.net/user/drquick/e-zine
Be glad to. The websites are "Handloading for Hunting" and "Water and Woods" is the other. In the Handloading for Hunting magazine they have published the story of my Last to trip to Mozambique as well.
Handloading for Hunting. www.acs.net/user/drquick/e-zine
PMC makes a 30-30 Barnes X-Bullet load.
PMC PN# 3030SFA
From here.
http://www.thehuntingshack.com/pmc.htm
Winchester 170 Grain Silvertip always worked for me.
PMC PN# 3030SFA
From here.
http://www.thehuntingshack.com/pmc.htm
Winchester 170 Grain Silvertip always worked for me.
Barnes X bullets fired from a micro grooved rifle do not work very well. Accuracy is about double (or worse!) that of using a traditional lead jacketed bullet. Speeds have to be severely reduced in order to get the bullets to fly somewhat straight. Kind of turns the gun from great to worthless in a hurry.