The 300 Savage for Polar Bear.

[Abel]

In the first story of the book, "The Greatest Hunting Stories Ever Told", Ben East writes of a true account of hunting the great polar bear with a Savage 99 chambered in 300 Savage. The e-book is online here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=K4...AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ben east, last shell&f=true

 

[lopezni]

yeah, people used to hunt tiger with the .22 savage high power, didn't turn out so well.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

better than a slingshot but you are probably suicidal if you really plan on trying this.

 

[rangerruck]

Polar bears are possibly the meanest, toughest , land animals on the planet, and are tough on clinging to life> I would like something shooting bigger and faster, and with multiple semi auto rounds if possible.

 

[saturno_v]

Polar Bears are regularly and very effectively hunted in Russia with the 7,62x54R (sporterized Mosins).

 

[garyhan]

I recall Col. Charles Askins taking one in the late '60's with a .308 Norma Mag. I would want something bigger, personally.

gary

 

[MCgunner]

These threads always end with "it's all about shot placement".... Maybe so, but I can place a .375H&H just as well.

 

[saturno_v]

Maybe so, but I can place a .375H&H just as well.

Very true.

As it is true that a non vital shot (fat layer, guts, etc..) with a 375 is as ineffective as lesser calibers.

That said and even considering perfect shot placemente, the 300 Savage is probably really too light for polar bear duties even in the best of circumstances...it is not more than 2-300 ft/lb (reading the ballistic data of current commercial offering) more powerful than a 30-30 at the muzzle.

A 30-06 with heavy for caliber bullets (200-240 gr.) it's a different story...

The 303 British has been used for decades as big bear medicine in Canada...a caliber that nowdays is considered too light by many.

 

[Fremmer]

Don't you guys know that the biggest bear ever taken was with a .22 LR in the head?

300 Savage is way too much for polar bear. I prefer the .243 Win.

 

[Cosmoline]

Many have been taken with a .223, believe it or not. They're shot in DLP on a pretty regular basis on the slope, and folks tend to prefer the light and handy AR's or Mini-14's for meat guns. They're huge animals, but don't have the same "mean" in them as a griz. They will eat people, of course, so you have to be careful. Still, when a single griz sow faces off against a dozen polar bear over a dead whale, the griz wins. The size of the fight in the dog as they say.

These hybrid griz/polar bears that have been showing up worry me a bit. If you combined the size and carnivorous stomach of a polar bear with the mean of a griz, the resulting animal would be a real horror.

 

[chas08]

I've once owned a 99 in .300 Savage. I'm sure it would kill one with the right bullet. But it wouldn't be my first choice. I've heard that Native Alaskans have taken a many of them with 30/30's. I guess it's better than a stick and a string. I'd want at least a .338 or .375 if I were going up against game that could have me for dinner. I personally would never care to hunt one, it's to dang cold where they live.

 

[usmc1371]

The day I can afford a polor bear hunt I am pretty sure I will also have enough change left for a more suitable rifle. I don't think you need a cannon its a bear not an apc but I know for me atleast my 375 would make me sleep a little better... in a tent... in polor bear country. A man in a sleeping bag probably looks alot like a burrito to a polor bear.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Gore and the greenies aren't going to like you for that...

 

[saturno_v]

I think the rifle action (handy and quick reload) plays a part maybe more than the cartridge itself.

In a "close combat" situation with a big bruin I rather have my pump action 30-06 (assuming proper loads) with its extended 10 rounds magazine or a 45-70 lever than my bolt action 338 Win Mag.

And if a semi-auto could be trusted 100%, my Remington 740 in 30-06 with a 10 rounds magazine would be even better!!!

 

[Old Shooter]

IF I was going after Polar Bear I would want the biggest, meanest rifle/caliber I could carry!

I would have no interest in seeing how small in caliber I could go before he eats me.

Second option is to stay home and watch tv.

 

[Daveboone]

In early Alaskan days, the old 30-30 was the most available round. There are oodles of accounts of Grizz, Kodiak, and coastal Browns being shot with it. The 30-06 was considered the powerhouse king, but usually only used by visiting sports.

 

[rcmodel]

Alaskan native Eskimo's use a lot of .22 Hornets, .223's, etc.

They seen to get the job done.

But the thing is, those guys are true hunters, and have lived with both the little rifles and the big bears all their lives.

If your first encounter with a polar bear is on a guided hunt, you might be a little excited and miss a lot.

Not so the Inuit hunters.

rc

 

[bubba15301]

load a .300 savage with a good 180 grain bullet it will do the job

 

[MCgunner]

Don't you guys know that the biggest bear ever taken was with a .22 LR in the head?

I believe that was the largest BLACK bear.....

http://catfishgumbo.blogspot.com/2007/10/grandmas-griz.html

That story says it was a griz, I'd read it previously as a Black bear in Outdoor Life and I believe the Black bear to be correct, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, wasn't a polar bear....

I saw an episode of "monster quest" where they were looking for hybrid polar/griz. This Inuit shot one with a .223....an M16 in full auto. I guess it's like killer bees, enough stings and you go down just from the volume.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

One of the Native Alaskan favorite rounds was the .222 rem. back in the day. They killed polar bears and everything else with it. It was cheap to reload. They were and still are much better hunters than the average joe. Yes, the .300 savage will get the job done, but personally I would want something with some more power for sure.

 

[MCgunner]

Only polar bear I've ever seen were in zoos. I'm part Cherokee, but that don't make me an expert polar bear hunter. Them Inuits come down here and if they don't die of heat stroke, I'll show 'em how to hunt hogs. I'm afraid I'd want more gun on a bear that big. Yeah, me too, if I could afford to hunt one of those things, I could afford a proper caliber gun to do it with. I believe usmc said that and I agree totally.

 

[H&Hhunter]

These threads always end with "it's all about shot placement".... Maybe so, but I can place a .375H&H just as well.

End of story. That is the best comment I've ever seen on one of these piss poor caliber on dangerous beast threads.

 

[7mmstalker]

One of the Native Alaskan favorite rounds was the .222 rem. back in the day. They killed polar bears and everything else with it. It was cheap to reload. They were and still are much better hunters than the average joe.

While living in Anchorage, we were blessed with a great video rental place just down the road. There was one scene where the camera crew follwed a native hunter and his dog team going for a Polar Bear. The narrator made a comment about the small caliber 222 rifle the hunter used to avoid damaging the pelt. After spotting the bear, he un-harnessed his dogs and they harassed the bear while leading it back closer to the hunter. Probably around 30 or 40 FEET away he shot it one time through the spine, near the shoulder. The Polar Bear staggered in a half circle and fell down dead!---This film was taken during the 1960's or early 70's. Maybe even before that.
Regardless, that's some nerve. The guy obviously placed much trust in his dogs. Maybe they knew if they didn't do their job right, they would starve, or become the bear's next meal.

 

[HB]

Yup, I've always heard Inuits favor .22-250s and things like that because it is hard to judge distance without known landmarks like trees.

HB

 

[MCgunner]

While living in Anchorage, we were blessed with a great video rental place just down the road. There was one scene where the camera crew follwed a native hunter and his dog team going for a Polar Bear. The narrator made a comment about the small caliber 222 rifle the hunter used to avoid damaging the pelt. After spotting the bear, he un-harnessed his dogs and they harassed the bear while leading it back closer to the hunter. Probably around 30 or 40 FEET away he shot it one time through the spine, near the shoulder. The Polar Bear staggered in a half circle and fell down dead!---This film was taken during the 1960's or early 70's. Maybe even before that.
Regardless, that's some nerve. The guy obviously placed much trust in his dogs. Maybe they knew if they didn't do their job right, they would starve, or become the bear's next meal.

I've killed boar hogs with a .22 revolver in the trap. I've killed a 250 lb boar with a fillet knife while dogs where holding it. Dogs do help, as does short range for shot placement.