What Would Your Rifle Be?

I would ask first, what do you presently have? Perhaps you already have what it takes. Bears are mostly hair. When you skin one, they are not that big, and are considered a thin skinned game. If you get a particularly large one in the fall, it just has more fat, and you need something that will penetrate that fat layer to get to the boiler room.

A .50 muzzle loader will send a patched round ball completely though one, so you dont need a cannon.

Again, what do you have available, or are you wanting to purchase something just for the trip?
 
Thats easy :) I'd take my savage 111 30-06 with the leupold 3-9 scope and 220 grain nosler bullet ..... whooo that sounds fun :D
 
Just to answer some questions that some of the posters to this thread have asked I'll try to address them. First off, I have made up my mind that if there is one hunt that I want to make, this type of bear hunt is it! I'm in the pre-planning stages such as asking these types of questions, going over web sites of outfitters that offer this type of hunt, trying to create a network of people with first hand experience that are willing to share information, getting a solid idea of the cost so that I can make adjustments in my lifestyle if need be to up my "personal mad money" funds. What prompted this question is a result of a couple of web site outfitter pages that recommended rifle calibers. These outfitters recommended 338WinMag. As others on this thread have stated, even large black bears are taken with firearms with much less power than the 338WinMag. I'm not trying to get people on here to side against the outfitter recommendations, just trying to hear from folks on what they would consider ample firepower for this hunt. My personal arsenal right now consists of three 30-06's (two bolt, one semi-auto), a custom 8mm mauser, a bolt 7mmWSM, and a bolt 243. Myself, I think that with suitable ammo, all of these rifles would be up to the task with the exception of the 243. The 30-06 semi-auto is out for me if the range wasn't within 100 yards because the thing is just not very accurate. Of the four rifles left, the slight edge in accuracy goes to the 7mmWSM. Tied for second are the 8x57 mauser and the 22inch barrel 30-06. My 24" barrel 30-06 I just haven't shot enough to determine its ability to perform. Obviously if the outfitter that I end up choosing wants me to get a bigger rifle then I will reluctantly go along with it but I'm not really keen on spending the money or shooting a rifle with more recoil. I got rid of a 300WinMag because of recoil when I was a young buck but had little experience with high power rifles back then. None of my present rifles bother me but I don't care for my 3" 2oz turkey shotgun loads! This is not a life or death decision at this point. I was just throwing it out there for some information and see if anything would strike home to me. Information is valuable and important so that's why I'm putting this out there in cyber space. Thanks for the input so far. It is appreciated.:)
 
Re: What would your rifle be?

I am planning to go Black Bear hunting soon, and will use a 300 WBY, because that is what I have and I know it to be more than adequate for Black Bear or any other game on this continent. I have have hand loaded and tested 180 gr Barnes TSX's, they are proven effective and I have used them on mule deer here in Montana with awesome results. I expected much more meat damage than was present, and was delighted by their effect on my mule deer, it was a little over 150 yrds and it was like flipping a switch and turning the off the deer. The Barnes bullet penetrated completely and may still be going. Have been scouting sites in the Beartooth mountains, where three camp grounds have been closed due to Black bear becoming a nuisance and a hazard to campers, have seen but no Bears yet, but am hopeful, as they may still be emerging from hibernation. I want a black bear hide in a blanket mount. Am uncertain what to do with the meat, as discarding the flesh is illegal in Montana, and all bear meat has to be tested for trichenella, and if positive the meat destroyed and no reissue of tags. The local authorities consider the black bear to more dangerous than grizzly because they will in the spring actually stalk the hunter, because they have been fasting all winter while in hibernation. Hunting in pairs is encouraged, because this area is quite remote and there is still snow and frozen lakes at over 10000 ft until the middle of summer.
 
That is interesting that you mentioned it, as I had a large black bear stalk me in the Sangre de Cristos about 5 years ago. We got a late spring snow, and I went up into an area that had been having bear problems with livestock and walked a large circle to come back to find that the big bear had come in from the side then began following my tracks.

It sounds like you have plenty of firepower. No matter what anyone says on the forums, the final decision rests between you and the outfitter that you employ. Perhaps you could phrase it to him in terms like "Which bullet do you recommend for my .30-06"?
 
660muley-1.jpg


This .308 carbine has been to Canada for moose and caribou. Might work for black bear, too. ;)

Jack
 
Black bear.....06
Brown version.....300win mag.
Both kill, Both are accurate as heck.
i'd take my bow.....and a sidearm but that would be it
Click to expand...
By the way, how do you get into Canada w/ a sidearm?
elkman06
 
i'd take my bow.....and a sidearm but that would be it
Click to expand...

Don't forget a good pair of sneakers if you miss. All you need to do is be able to outrun the guy you are hunting with.:D

06 is plenty for black bears
 
Watch The Law

Here in Nevada it is illegal to have a sidearm during bow season. The same is true in California. So, before bow hunting with a handgun on your hip, check your state's hunting regulations. Otherwise you will be having a conversation with some guy with a gun on his hip and a badge on his chest.
 
Here in Wyo, they passed a law last year allowing bow hunters to carry sidearms..Has the Game and Fish guys panties all wadded up..LOL
elkman06
 
yup, in SD where I am from and go back to hunt, you can carry a side arm. I always do and almost had to use mine one season on a tresspasser who was poaching deer and started to make a move for his gun until he noticed I had a holster and nice little snubby detetive special and my hand was already on the holster and had un buttoned the strap.

Mainly I just use the snubby in case i wonder upon a prairie rattler orif I were to wonder upon some meth heads setting up shop (they are real bad for going into the woods and doing their thing and then leaving the crap all over the place).

JOE
 
Marlin Guide Gun 45/70

350gr Hornady FNSP
51.5gr IMR4198*
Fed LR Mag primer
2.54" OAL

2150fps
3593fpe

That outta do it.

*Disclaimer: Data worked up in my rifle with Ruger level load data. Use caution. Not responsible for your stupidity, just mine. Operates at less than 43500 CUP.
 
Only coastal black bear I've seen was in my "pre-sanity" days when I was a granola-eating hippie going to college in Seattle.:p

Bear was huge though... I saw him in the Olympic national forest over in the southwest corner of the peninsula. He was at least 700 pounds. Physically, bigger than any of the elk we saw on the trip or any cattle I've ever seen. Very well fed and confident that he wasn't likely to be bothered by us pesky 2-leggers.

Were I to deliberately go back to that area with intent to hunt that particular bear... I'd want a rifle that was MY rifle, not something I just bought 2 months ago just to appease a game guide and get another 500 ft/lbs or so. Something I've put a couple thousand rounds through and know well.

If for you, that's one of your .30-06 bolties, then great.

The only gun that might be suitable for this particular bear, residing in MY safe, is a Mosin 91/30 with 180gr loads. That's a skosh underpowered, but I don't live in WA anymore... the bear here are much smaller.

Ideally, I'd have a .338 Winmag that I could shoot like a demon were I to deliberately plan to hunt a predator weighing at least 600 pounds.
 
Enough

The 30-06 Cal. is enough gun for any animal in North America. I didn't just think that up myself. Many of the experts feel the same.
 
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