30-30 Vs Bear?

Status
Not open for further replies.
F

full metal

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
217
Location
arizona
I am thinking of getting a marlin 30-30 with a scope for deer, but if I had to shoot a bear with it would it get the job done, or would I end up as bear food.:( I live in the State of Arizona the only bear around here is at the border line with New Merxico, but if I was to go to bear country I would like to know I could count on my rifle. I was also thinking on a 44 mag lever action for javalina, how would the 44 rifle hold up against a bear?.
 
Assume you are talking about black bear?

Either the 30-30 or .44 Mag carbine will kill them just fine.

If I was to go to Alaska where the big tough bears live, I might consider a 45-70 lever-gun more suitable.

rcmodel
 
With the right bullets I also think either would be fine. I like the heavier 170's in the 30-30 instead of the 150's and even lighter some people use. Same for the .44, use a good quality bullet of at least 240gr.

While both will work I have found that the 30-30 is generally more accurate and it gives you more range for deer hunting.
 
I'll agree with what everybody else has said; the .30-30 should work against black bear, but against anything bigger I'm gonna want the .45-70.

If you know that you're gonna be facing a bear and all you have is a .30-30, then you'd better be an awful good shot.
 
The 308 Marlin is also an option if you have the extra cash for the couple hundred fps that you can gain. You can almost buy two 30-30 models for what the 308 model costs.

NCsmitty
 
I wouldn't feel too uncomfortable with a 30-30 but I sure as hell wouldn't feel like I had too much gun either. Not too many people go into the woods specifically looking for bear armed with such a weapon. Why take the risk?
 
If a bear was charging me and I was armed with shoulder fired TOW missiles, I still wouldn't feel like I had too much gun.


If I was hunting deer with a .30-30, I'd feel fine with it in case of black bear. Given that it would most likely already be in hand if a bear charged, I'd probably start firing right away rather than drop it and try and grab some other gun. If you're really worried about it, a .45-70 certainly isn't too small for deer.
Also, folks use .44mag in a pistol as bear defense, a rifle so chambered can't be any worse, though I don't think it has the same range as the .30-30 for deer, if that's a concern.

In short, any of them should work, just pick the trade-offs you're most comfortable with.
 
I have a Marlin Lever gun in .44 magnum, and love the gun. I don't think you'd have time to shoot 10 shots, but the .44 does have 4 more capacity in the tube. I'd feel comfortable with either a 30-30 or a .44, but would choose a .44. 240 grains of lead in a .44 diameter ball traveling near 2000 FPS is not going to do any good to a bears skull. In my opinion, if you have a lever gun, don't put a scope on it. If you are shooting far enough to need a scope, you should be using a long distance rifle. Look into HS halo sights, they are amazing. I can keep 10 shots from .44 inside a 4" circle at 100 yards, and I am not an experienced open sight shooter, my Marlin is the only open sight rifle I have.

One thing for sure, I'd rather have a lever gun if faced with a bear than a slightly more powerful bolt action. You can get a few shots off pretty fast.
 
I agree with the rest...

I have both a .30/30 and a .44 or two...

I would be happy with either for the situation you are describing.

michaelmcgo: What is an HS Halo Sight? I have never heard of them and can't find them on the web. Thanks,

Matt
 
I'd wager more black bears have been dispatched with Thuttythutties than any other caliber.
Click to expand...

You can add two by me over the past 4 years. Both went down within 50 yards and left a blood trail that Mr. Magoo could follow!

If you see the posibility of shooting at a bear at anything over 150 yards, shoot something flatter and more powerful like a .270 or .30-06.
 
The 308 Marlin is also an option
Click to expand...
It remains to be seen if the .308 Marlin will still be around 20 years from now.

But we already know you won't find any ammo for them at the deer-woods Stop & Puke gas station like you will 30-30 & .44 Mag ammo.

rcmodel
 
30-30 (170 grain bullets) is enough for black bear.

It's old but that doesn't mean it's impotent.
 
Up here in Alaska you would be amazed how many 30-30s are out in the bush villages. Tons of them. And they take every sort of critter you can think of.

There is a saying up here, that the closer you get to a big city, the larger the caliber of the rifles become.

A real rifleman with a 30-30 is a lot more dangerous than an occasional shooter with a 458 Lott.
 
Float Pilot said:
There is a saying up here, that the closer you get to a big city, the larger the caliber of the rifles become.
Click to expand...

Makes sense.
For a pound of ammunition you probably get a lot more shots from a 30-30 than from a larger rifle.
The efficiency could make a difference to people who have to carry their ammuntion a long way or who have to pay a lot to have it brought to them.
 
Actually it has more to do with folks talking themsleves into larger calibers. Much easier to do when you work for a descent wage and drive by the gunstore on the way home from work.

In the bush villages, a rifle is just another abused tool like a chainsaw. Used on a regular basis and often neglected. Usually shooting one legal moose during the season eevry year and God knows how many during poaching season. When they occasionally run across a bear they just blast him with a whole magazine tube full of old 150 grain flat-points.

I have lots of calibers because the voices in my head tell me to buy them. But I seldom use many of them for hunting or critter protection.

I have taken every critter up here with a 7x57mm Mauser and the largest moose I every shot was with a 30-30.

While I have hunted them in the past, Brown Bears (Grizzly for the outside folks) don't bother me and I no longer bother them. So I feel just fine taking a 30-06 or short lever carbine with me while flying out in the sticks, so I can leave my 375HH at home.
 
"if I had to shoot a bear with it would it get the job done"
____________________________________________________

Really, it depends on where you shoot it. In the right place, the .30-30 is fine. In the wrong place, it really doesn't matter (except for the guy above with the TOW).
 
I agree with Float Pilot.

I have a winchester 30-30 that I got for my 13th birthday (25 years ago). And I have an AR-10 that I just finished (this month) assembling.

The .308 is much better on paper.. more energy, flatter shooting, better sights, MUCH higher capacity. And I'm pretty accurate with it... but I can call my shot like a professional pool player with my birthday gun - even under stress (yes, I do know for sure.). So if I was in genuine fear of harm (again), it's the 30-30 that would be in my hands.

Now, If I was starting over as a young man... I'd spend all those years practicing with the AR; the numbers just don't lie... but that's not to say i regret the time with the Winchester.

And don't let the comment a bout ammo availability go un-noticed. that's important.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
30/30 for NY black bear?
Replies
13
Views
1K
336A
3
M
  • Locked
  • Poll
Thinking of retiring my .35 Rem Marlin rifle. Other alternatives?
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
MeekandMild
M
S
  • Locked
7.62X39 vs Bear??
2
Replies
31
Views
28K
H&Hhunter
H&Hhunter
dak0ta
  • Locked
Black Bear Hunt 1st Time out
Replies
6
Views
787
DesertFox
DesertFox
E
  • Locked
45LC vs. 30-06 for Bear
Replies
18
Views
3K
Harve Curry
H
Back
Top