Black Bear: 30-30 or 308?

[dak0ta]

Which is more effective on bear at 100 yards or less? 170 gr 30-30 or 150 gr 308? Both are Rem Core-lokt bullets fired from lever action rifles.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Effective? A .308 will about hammer anything.

 

[dak0ta]

Even at 150 gr? Isn't that light for bear using SP ammo? No experience shooting a bear with either of these cartridges, but I just want to make a clean humane kill.

 

[grubbylabs]

I think I would go for the 30-30 my self.

 

[ironworkerwill]

Either. Yeah, even a 150grn 308. I'd choose the 308 out past 100yds tho.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Yea, our family used to harvest about everything with an old school AR-15 (that's a .223), bear included. no problems

 

[Victoratsea]

Inside 100yd.s either will kill with one shot through the vitals. As you stated, in your previous post "black bear hunt 1st time out", that you shot best with your marlin 30/30 w/ 4x 32 scope. That's your rifle. Shot placement is everything. Best of luck.
Victor

 

[Pilot]

If you end up going with the .30-30 you may want to use the newer Leverevolution ammo. It gives a bit more range for the old gal.

http://www.hornady.com/store/leverevolution

 

[jmr40]

I'm not so sure about the LeverEvolution ammo. Their performance gains are really deceptive advertising. Every other ammo maker shows 30-30 ballistics with a 100 yard zero from a 20" barrel.

Hornady uses a 24" barrel to boost velocity and they don't tell us at what range they have it zeroed. Only that it is 3" high at 100 yards and is still hitting high at 200. Their zero is somewhere between 225 and 250 yards. This makes their ammo look pretty good at 300 yards. Zeroing a 30-30 at 250 yards is a good way to shoot over a deer or bear at 50 yards where most of your shots will be anyway.

Take any other 30-30 ammo, shoot it from a 24" barrel and zero it at 250 yards and the drop at 300 will be VERY close.

I just ran the numbers A conventional 30-30 bullet with a 250 yard zero has 3" LESS drop at 300 yards than the LeverEvolution ammo. With a 225 yard zero the LeverEvolution ammo only beats it by 1.5".

With the ammo choices you have it is a toss up. Either will work fine, but I'd still go with the 308. With better, heavier bullets the 308 will be much more effective on larger bear or at greater distances.

 

[MCgunner]

If I hunted 'em with a pistol, my .30-30 Contender. Rifle, well, I'll take my .308, don't have a .30-30 rifle. I do handload and can handload controlled expansion bullets in either caliber.

 

[splattergun]

Black Bear: 30-30 or 308. Yes.
The bear doesn't care. He'll be dead either way, if you do your part.
Take the one you shoot best.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

if i had either and shot well with either? id take the 308. i dont really see being able to shoot well with one gun but not another.if a gun and load is accurate and sighted in well and you have a applicable load for it, one gun of approriate caliber is good as another.

thats like saying i cant fix a car with a snap on wrench but i can with a mac wrench.

that being said, im more comfortable with things i have confidence in.if yu like yur 30-30 take it. its plenty of gun for black bear.im sure millions of dead bears would attest to that if they could.

 

[dak0ta]

I'll bring both but the 30-30 will be my primary.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

and for gods sake zero yur rifle at 100 yards and dont take stupid long shots unless yu know what that bullet is doing at whatever yardage.yu wud really be surprised what 10 mph wind will do at 300 yards not to mention the drop.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

dont mean to offend im sure yu know this.

 

[Kachok]

A 308 Win 180gr Partition will easily trump anything the 30-30 can put out, and the 308 is small enough that even 180 grainers don't kick bad. Not knocking the 30-30 though, still one of the best cartridges for brush hunting deer, but when you talk about sheer power and thick bodied dangerous game the 308 wins without question.
Comparing a 150gr 308 to a 170gr 30-30 is a long way from being an apples to apples comparison, you are comparing the light end of the 308 spectrum to the heaviest of the 30-30, in that case the 308 would make for more "shock" damage but less penetration which is critical if you are talking about larger black bear. Now you could use a 150gr TTSX or bonded bullet to get that deep penetration but me personalty I would just rather have a good 180gr.

 

[tahunua001]

both are more than sufficient for blackbear within 200 yards. I just killed my blackbear with a 6.5x50 japanese carbine. it has less velocity and lighter projectile than the 30-30 which is the slightly lesser of your two options. nough said.

 

[witchhunter]

Shoot the one you shoot best. Accuracy is terminal.

 

[yzguy87]

Shoot what you're familiar with. I personally would choose the 308 because it's what I'm familiar with but a 30-30 will do. Stick with heavier bullets for penetration. Be sure and keep us updated on your hunt. We like pics!!!

 

[dak0ta]

Heading out tomorrow morning. Hope I return with some good pictures!

 

[saturno_v]

I'm not so sure about the LeverEvolution ammo. Their performance gains are really deceptive advertising. Every other ammo maker shows 30-30 ballistics with a 100 yard zero from a 20" barrel.

Hornady uses a 24" barrel to boost velocity and they don't tell us at what range they have it zeroed. Only that it is 3" high at 100 yards and is still hitting high at 200. Their zero is somewhere between 225 and 250 yards. This makes their ammo look pretty good at 300 yards. Zeroing a 30-30 at 250 yards is a good way to shoot over a deer or bear at 50 yards where most of your shots will be anyway.

Take any other 30-30 ammo, shoot it from a 24" barrel and zero it at 250 yards and the drop at 300 will be VERY close.

I just ran the numbers A conventional 30-30 bullet with a 250 yard zero has 3" LESS drop at 300 yards than the LeverEvolution ammo. With a 225 yard zero the LeverEvolution ammo only beats it by 1.5".

With the ammo choices you have it is a toss up. Either will work fine, but I'd still go with the 308. With better, heavier bullets the 308 will be much more effective on larger bear or at greater distances.

No, I believe that the published data for the typical 30-30 Remchesteral rounds is 24" as well as Hornady.

Te Leverevolution is not higher pressure compared to the other brands, all of them claim a 2400ish fps out of the muzzle (again 24" pipe)


The Leverevolution really shines at longer range in retained energy....published data fromn Hornady claim over 1000 ft/lb of energy left at 300 yards with their 160 grain, if that is to be believed, the Leverevolution is effectively a 300 yards deer round.

 

[Miss Stana]

I would really like to see a few good bear hunting photos.

 

[tahoe2]

Heavy 30-30

If you want a "Heavy" 30-30, try the Buffalo Bore 190grn @ 2100 fps, now that's a thumper !!
But as others have said the 308 with a 180, thumps pretty good too !
Shot placement is the key, as mentioned earlier, either caliber will get it done !!

 

[22-rimfire]

Inside 100yd.s either will kill with one shot through the vitals. As you stated, in your previous post "black bear hunt 1st time out", that you shot best with your marlin 30/30 w/ 4x 32 scope. That's your rifle. Shot placement is everything. Best of luck.

That would be my suggestion also considering you are most comfortable with the 30-30. You can go with a heavier bullet. Do make sure your scope is sighted in.

Don't know where you are hunting or the kind of hunting (dogs, blind, drives, etc), but sometimes you might be taking a shot at a running bear in the woods and the rifle that you are most comfortable with is your best choice. I don't recommend taking shots on running large game, but it happens.

 

[tahunua001]

I would really like to see a few good bear hunting photos.

look in the thread "year of firsts" I have my bear hunting pics there.