351 WINCHESTER
Member
I hit one with my 72 Datsun and had to finish her off with a tire iron. I wasn't old enough to buy a handgun. That warden was mad.
Black Bear: 30-30 or 308?
- Thread starter dak0ta
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tahunua001
Member
haha nice winchester..... just... nice lol.
NormB
Member
Got a box of 150 grain Winchester Super X right here. Says "Deer and Black Bear" right on the box.
Keep in mind, Wild Bill Hickok made his reputation with his brace of 1851 Colt .36 cal revolvers. Not just for whacking people, but using them to shoot a bear. In the head. The bullet went off somewhere into the future. Said bear beat the crap out of him, leaving him bedridden for months, but popular myth has him killing bears with them. Sure.
I think a modern 150 grain .30 cal bullet driven by smokeless powder is more than enough to take down a bear. Shot placement is everything.
Keep in mind, Wild Bill Hickok made his reputation with his brace of 1851 Colt .36 cal revolvers. Not just for whacking people, but using them to shoot a bear. In the head. The bullet went off somewhere into the future. Said bear beat the crap out of him, leaving him bedridden for months, but popular myth has him killing bears with them. Sure.
I think a modern 150 grain .30 cal bullet driven by smokeless powder is more than enough to take down a bear. Shot placement is everything.
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yzguy87
Member
How was your hunt?
Any good pics to share?
Any good pics to share?
627PCFan
Member
30-30. Keep it traditional.
or 35 Remy and keep it classy
or 35 Remy and keep it classy
CajunBass
Member
I've never shot a black bear, but judging by the ones I've seen, they're not tanks. The only dead on I ever saw, about 450 lbs, the fellow killed with a load of buckshot.
Either one should do just fine, assuming you do your part.
Either one should do just fine, assuming you do your part.
T.R.
Member
.308 has more power but 30-30 has enough to do the job. I'd choose the 180 grain round nose soft tip for .308 because you get rapid expansion like a 150 grain but the momentum of the 180.
Photo shows another classic cartridge for big game, 35 Remington.
TR
Photo shows another classic cartridge for big game, 35 Remington.
TR
Lloyd Smale
Member
Ive killed quite a few deer with the 308 but have to admit and i dont know why that ive never killed a bear with on. I have killed probably close to a dozen with the 3030. We hunt mostly with dogs and a handy little lever gun is a better tool for that. I have though shot a couple at out to 75 yards with the 3030 and have yet to have one need a second shot. Nothing fancy just factory corelock 150s. I dont even bother to reload for it as corelocks are pretty cheap around here and you dont save much by reloading them. Most bear around here go between 150 and 300lbs. The biggest i shot with the 3030 was 320. If I knew i was going to run into a 500lb bear i might say youd be better off with a 308 or if the range was going to be out past a 100 yards but for under a 100 yards a good old winchester 3030 is excellent bear medicine.
I've taken black bear with both calibers, and either will work just dandy.
Would suggest that you focus on which rifle you like the best, have confidense in, and shoot well with.
For me, it's the 308 over the 30-30, as I'm better with the specific rifle chambered for 308......as compared to the other chambered in 30-30.
Ifn's ya do your part, the bear wont know the difference between either 150gr bullet.
Good luck with your bear hunt and be safe out there.
Would suggest that you focus on which rifle you like the best, have confidense in, and shoot well with.
For me, it's the 308 over the 30-30, as I'm better with the specific rifle chambered for 308......as compared to the other chambered in 30-30.
Ifn's ya do your part, the bear wont know the difference between either 150gr bullet.
Good luck with your bear hunt and be safe out there.
OP
OP
dak0ta
Member
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Hey,
So we saw a big bear finally out at 275 yards. I had both my 308 and 30/30 but I was running irons. My mentor had a 300 Win Mag Rem 700 decked out with scopes and what not, so I let him take the shot and I spotted. He missed both times. His rifle is all custom made etc. Sigh, I think I could have hit that bear with the 150 gr 308 from my Savage 99 at that distance. I spotted it first too, but whatever, it was a good learning experience on my first bear hunt.
I did get nice photos though of my .308
So we saw a big bear finally out at 275 yards. I had both my 308 and 30/30 but I was running irons. My mentor had a 300 Win Mag Rem 700 decked out with scopes and what not, so I let him take the shot and I spotted. He missed both times. His rifle is all custom made etc. Sigh, I think I could have hit that bear with the 150 gr 308 from my Savage 99 at that distance. I spotted it first too, but whatever, it was a good learning experience on my first bear hunt.
I did get nice photos though of my .308
yzguy87
Member
Thanks for the update! I was wondering how it went. Scopes are definately a good thing when there's a fair distance between you and the target. Did your mentor miss because of the recoil of the 300WM? I would hate to shoot a hunting rifle in 300WM just bc of recoil.
yzguy87
Member
Nice pics by the way
NWCP
Member
A .308 with a 180 grain would be my choice. I haven't hunted with my 30-30 in a long time. I find my .308 does everything the 30-30 does and more. With dangerous game the .308 is the way to go and not with a light load.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
While I'm a big fan of the 30-30 for Deer especially in the dense woods here in the Northeast PA I always thought the 35 Rem was the cartridge made for Bear with a 200gr bullet.
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