Whats a good lever action caliber for black bear?
- Thread starter Kayscin
- Start date
.30-30
No its not. In fact, it might endanger you and innocent bystanders. The bullet bouncing off the bear could ricochet in an unknown direction. It could hit and possibly kill someone. To kill black bears you need a cartridge with at least three adjectives in its name. For example, super, duper, hyper magnum.
Stick to game no larger then chipmunks with a .30-30. Then make sure the range is short and you go for head shots to ensure humane kills.
Good Luck!
No its not. In fact, it might endanger you and innocent bystanders. The bullet bouncing off the bear could ricochet in an unknown direction. It could hit and possibly kill someone. To kill black bears you need a cartridge with at least three adjectives in its name. For example, super, duper, hyper magnum.
Stick to game no larger then chipmunks with a .30-30. Then make sure the range is short and you go for head shots to ensure humane kills.
Good Luck!
It was good enough for Grandpa so unless bears have gotten considerably tougher in the last 75 years I would say you are good to go. Just make sure you know where to shoot the bear and that your marksmanship is up to it.
My step father had to rescue a buddy of his who emptied 4 rounds of 300 Savage into a black bear and then went up a tree. The bear was going up after him when my step father shot it dead with a Stevens single shot 25-20. I still have that gun but rechambered for the WCF round and I only use it for ground squirrels. 30-30 was the gun of choice for my step father after that but he inherited the 300 Savage for deer hunting. His friend found other pursuits like flying and drinking. He considered it safer than bear hunting.
The link is for bow hunters but everything is applicable. I had another link for frontal shots but lost it, sorry bout that.
http://www.inberg.ca/hunting_essentials/black_bear_anatomy.htm
My step father had to rescue a buddy of his who emptied 4 rounds of 300 Savage into a black bear and then went up a tree. The bear was going up after him when my step father shot it dead with a Stevens single shot 25-20. I still have that gun but rechambered for the WCF round and I only use it for ground squirrels. 30-30 was the gun of choice for my step father after that but he inherited the 300 Savage for deer hunting. His friend found other pursuits like flying and drinking. He considered it safer than bear hunting.
The link is for bow hunters but everything is applicable. I had another link for frontal shots but lost it, sorry bout that.
http://www.inberg.ca/hunting_essentials/black_bear_anatomy.htm
Few people realize....
that the ole' 30/30 was actually considered a state-of-the-art, flat-shooting (hey - it could effectively hit targets OVER 100 yards) hard-hitting cartridge when it was intoduced waaaaay back in the century-before-last. LOTS of bear, elk, even cougars, etc. as well as deer where killed with it. Compared to the pistol-sized cartridges most lever guns were chambered for at the time it really was a step or two up. Add the fact that black bears (at least in the southeast) are roughly the size of a large (OK - real large) dog and you get the picture. It is plenty. As stated above, shot-placement is the key no matter what you are shooting.
that the ole' 30/30 was actually considered a state-of-the-art, flat-shooting (hey - it could effectively hit targets OVER 100 yards) hard-hitting cartridge when it was intoduced waaaaay back in the century-before-last. LOTS of bear, elk, even cougars, etc. as well as deer where killed with it. Compared to the pistol-sized cartridges most lever guns were chambered for at the time it really was a step or two up. Add the fact that black bears (at least in the southeast) are roughly the size of a large (OK - real large) dog and you get the picture. It is plenty. As stated above, shot-placement is the key no matter what you are shooting.
Doodlebugger45
New member
I have both a 30-30 and a 45-70. If all I was going to shoot was a black bear I wouldn't worry about which one I had. They aren't hard to kill. For griz though, I would definitely carry the 45-70.
jammin1237
New member
"black bear" is a pretty general term... if you are out to hunt an animal that can range from 100 to 900 lbs? i think i'll stick with the 45-70 --- if i am confronted by a black bear while hunting with a 30-30, i wouldn't care about being "ethical"...
cheers
cheers
rem870hunter
New member
30/30 will work. i prefer the .35 rem myself.
grubbylabs
New member
Black bears are not bullet proof or only kill able with magnums only, contrary to popular belief.
If you can kill a white tail with it you can kill a black bear with it.
Just know how far the 30-30 is effective fore is all.
For hell's sakes people kill then with bows and arrow still.
If you can kill a white tail with it you can kill a black bear with it.
Just know how far the 30-30 is effective fore is all.
For hell's sakes people kill then with bows and arrow still.
rem870hunter
New member
Bears or Deer or Both??
i've tried in the past for Deer,pracitice was not good enough or often enough i guess. i've missed what few shots i was presented with
. NJ is supposed to be having a Black bear hunt reinstated for the 2010/11 season. i'll be using my bow,if its legal to. otherwise my .50 M/L rifle or 12ga shotgun with slugs. we can't use centerfire rifles here
A co-worker/buddy of mine killed a nice 7.5 foot black bear over in Ketchikan a couple years ago. One shot kill, bear ran about 15 yards... He was using a .243Win.
30-30 is plenty, especially considering that it is likely a gun that you've been shooting with for quite some time and are comfortable with it = better chance of hitting what you're aiming for...
30-30 is plenty, especially considering that it is likely a gun that you've been shooting with for quite some time and are comfortable with it = better chance of hitting what you're aiming for...