bear rifle

[Alaska444]

Der UcanRun,

Not sure what type of long range hunting you want to do for bear. Most guides/hunters are within 100 yards for most especially if hunting from a tree stand. I believed that was the purpose of the rifle for bear hunting.

I have always thought of 7 mm Mag as a high powered 30-06 essentially best for deer and other such critters.

No one can make up your mind for you, but for bear, I would have thought of something a little bit higher powered. Perhaps you are looking for a multi-use rifle which the 7 mm mag certainly presents.

Good luck,

Alaska.

 

[Certaindeaf]

.My question is, is the wby mag really worth the added cost..

No. Get a .35 Remington.

 

[mdauben]

I think i want the weatherby vanguard s2 because of quality for the price. This rifle is available in .300WSM, .300 win mag, or .300 weatherby for the same price.

Personally, my choice for black bear would be the good old .30-06, while for brown bear I'd probably go with something a bit larger, like a .338 Win Man. Of the choices you listed, I'd probably go with the .300 Win Mag for ammo availablity and cost. I'm somewhat leary of the future of the .300WSM and while I love Weatherby cartriges, but I don't think the .300 Wby offers enough practical advantage over the .300 Win Mag to justify the harder to find, more expensive ammo.

Talk about a great 500 yard sheep or goat gun [.300 Wby]! Or open-plain antelope gun.

Actually, I'd consider a .300 Wby overkill (if you'll pardon the pun!) on goats, sheep or antelope. The .257 Wby has similar trajectory out to 500 yards and in most loadings retains more than enough "umph" at that range for thin skinned, medium game like sheep, goats, antelope or deer.

 

[tundraotto]

marlin guide gun 1895 in 45-70...

 

[dscottdennison]

The WSM stuff is a dead end, you'll be reloading all your ammo soon (no new WSM guns being made, sure you can find one cheap but ammo is drying up).

You're kidding, right?

 

[trapper500]

Its foolish to think that a 7mm mag would do better than a 300 mag win or Wby at longer ranges the larger cal will have more enegry & the longer ranges any shooter shuold know this i do love the 7mm mag i killed my very first whitetail with one but it will not out do a 300 win or the Weatherby don't care much for the short magnums

 

[x_wrench]

well I would not think so. you can walk into most gun shops, and even many retail chain stores, and buy 300 win mag cartridges off the shelf. but 300 Weatherby, even though it is probably the most popular Weatherby, is still going to be much tougher to find. and the price difference is just plain NUTS! and for what it is worth, i would use 220 grain round nose for bear.

 

[CraigC]

Two pages of discussion and we still don't know if the OP meant black or brown bear.

 

[UcanRun]

It is most certainly black bear! I am in washington so its not even big black bear. With the 7mm bullets generally having a much higher b.c. and flatter trajectory than the .300 the energy differance out at 500yds is minimal

 

[Alaska444]

Today, 09:24 AM #59
UcanRun
Member

Join Date: March 16, 2011
Posts: 44
It is most certainly black bear! I am in washington so its not even big black bear. With the 7mm bullets generally having a much higher b.c. and flatter trajectory than the .300 the energy differance out at 500yds is minimal

I am still a bit puzzled on how you are going to hunt bear with this rifle. Most folks hunt bear a lot closer than 500 yards especially if in an area with densely wooded areas. No doubt, the 7mm mag has the energy to get the job done, but I am not sure how you are hunting. Obviously not a tree stand if you are concerned about ballistics out to 500 yards.

 

[Hocka Louis]

.30-06 Ackley Improved

You don't need a "300" anything.

 

[Rifleman 173]

I knew the old gentleman who dropped the 2nd biggest grizzly bear in North America. He used a scoped 30.06 rifle to do the job. He was very proud of that pelt and would show it off to me every chance he could. I must have heard the story of his getting that bear hundreds of times. If I remember right the bullet he used was some sort of pointed soft point round.

 

[UcanRun]

We hunt clear cuts and alot of high counrty. Most clear cuts in my area from top to bottom are over 1000yds

 

[HARV6]

I'll answer your OP with a simple no. I don't believe the extra velocity/recoil/expense of the WBY is worth it. Ask most people if they think a 30-30 is enough gun for the average black bear at 100yrd. I think most people would say yes. The average 300WM arrives at 500 yrds with around 40-50% more energy than the average 30-30 retains at 100yrds. Get you a 300WM!

 

[Alaska444]

Today, 09:02 PM #63
UcanRun
Member

Join Date: March 16, 2011
Posts: 46
We hunt clear cuts and alot of high counrty. Most clear cuts in my area from top to bottom are over 1000yds

Sounds reasonable. My old eyes aren't that good anymore. We have a lot of clear cuts up in northern Idaho and most of my friends hunt elk in the clear cuts. Lots of black bear up there as well.

Good luck and enjoy your new rifle.

God bless,

Alaska444

 

[trapper500]

Nope i would use the 300 WBY Magnum i reload so the expence is not bad as factory loads To compare a 30-30 win to any 300 mag isn't all that briight you need to get your info updated friend