Mosin as a bear gun?

[TurtlePhish]

Friend of mine is going bear hunting on a budget in the near future (already getting horrible images...) and can't decide on a cheapish gun. He was thinking Mosin, and I'm taking him to try mine out soon. Any opinions on the ability of softpoint 7.62x54r against bear?

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

The question is probably going to come up, what kind of bear?

 

[TurtlePhish]

Black bear, I think. We're in CT.

 

[caribou]

Sure, a Mosin Nagant is a most excellent Bear rifle.
I hunt Brown bears, Black bears and my son does too, as well as a couple Polar bears now.
Of the 17 or so Browns Ive caught in the Spring hunt, 11 were with a Mosin.
The first vid is a double head shot with open sights at 400or so yards,Sako M-39 variation with Czeck FMJ's milsurp, Bear was an inch shy of 8 feet all my shots passed through.



My wife used her Valmet made M-39 with Czeck ammo as well and this is her first Brown Bear, squared 10'2". This guy musta been in a salmon hotspot all fall, it had nearly 5 inches of fat!!!!!!
First shot was about 250 yards, the second maby 300 as he ran off Both of her shots were pass throughs.2 hits to the neck ripped out its throat arteries and he ran 75/100 yards before collapsing and dying.
Were in wide open country and longer shots are often, but were used to it.






If you Mosin is accurate, your ammo consistant and you can shoot straight, a Mosin will do everything needed to make all kindsa big animals dead, Moose, Bears, Wolves, Caribou, Muskoxen, Walrus.

 

[saturno_v]

Mosins (sporterized or in original military form) are regularly used in Siberia by brown bear hunters and guides....more than plenty for any type of bears...just use quality bullets and make sure the rifle is in optimal mechanical shape.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Okay, cool. Thanks guys. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear he doesn't need to blow a ton of money. Nice kills, by the way. That last one is massive!

 

[paintballdude902]

i say any rifle .243 and larger will take a black bear as long as you know where to shoot and do your part

 

[280shooter]

Russians been killing hugh brown bear in Russia for years. with that round
.im sure Black Bear will go down easy with that round, it's close to the 30-06 in power,,and performance

 

[Cosmoline]

The 54R is up to it, but it would be advisable to select and sight in for a good quality heavy bullet or handload one. 200 grains or larger ideally and with a good expanding head. I suggest the Woodleigh .312" 215 grain bullets.

 

[desidog]

The one place on a budget spreadsheet I wouldn't stint would be the rifle. If you don't make the shot, the other costs don't matter.

Hunting bear in CT would be a VERY expensive proposition....seeing as there is no legal bear season.

 

[TurtlePhish]

He's not doing the hunt in state, something I forgot to mention. But in the NE-ish area.

 

[leadcounsel]

The first vid is a double head shot with open sights at 400or so yards,Sako M-39 variation with Czeck FMJ's milsurp, Bear was an inch shy of 8 feet all my shots passed through.

400 yards with open sites seems unethical. Too easy to wound it and/or not kill it quickly.

 

[gofastman]

I dont see why it wouldnt work, but I'd rather have a .460 Weatherby for those big brown/polar bears

 

[broken6r]

400 yards with open sites seems unethical. Too easy to wound it and/or not kill it quickly.

I fail to see how you figure? If you know exactly what to expect from your rifle and spend the necessary time practicing with it, you can put a round exactly where you want. I shot my deer this year with an all original M1 Garand at over 300. Dropped it lack a sack of potatoes. The only real ethical concern is making sure your round of choice is fully up to the job

 

[saturno_v]

....but I'd rather have a .460 Weatherby for those big brown/polar bears

Actually I think the 460 Wby is way too small...at minimum I would say 50 BMG....you know these bears nowadays are fully armored....

 

[caribou]

""400 yards with open sites seems unethical. Too easy to wound it and/or not kill it quickly.""

You have a good point, if you were talking about someone of lesser ability, but thats not the case here.

The VERY First thing I did was size him up, then decide that I was going to catch him, as I only want fat healthy Brown Bears in the spring.

Absolutly NOTHING wrong with that, NOTHING unethical. I sized up the Bear, awaited him to present the shot and put both bullets within 3 inches of each other, one above and back of the eye, infront of the ear one mid left brain, both placed exactly where I planned too......as well, you will notice the openness of the country and "why" I have a fairly normal time at doing this.

You and I must shoot within our abilitys for sure, and if you or I am not sure, then do please get closer and be as sure of your shot as I am.

 

[MCgunner]

I knew when I saw the title that Caribou would have something way neat to look at. WOW, thanks!

 

[MCgunner]

BTW, tell Billy Dixon a 400 yard shot is anything more than a chip shot....and he was using a .50-110 sharps with black powder. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Adobe_Walls

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

Wow Caribou nice shooting! In a different time and place you would have striked fear into every Germans heart

 

[T.R.]

Plenty of Pennsylvania hunters love their Remington pump rifles in 30-06 for bear and deer. Mosin will perform just fine if you do your part.

TR

 

[kingcheese]

i take privi partasins and swap the bullet for frangables. i dont hunt bear and dont know if its legal but they are fun for target practice

 

[Cosmoline]

Caribou and folks like him hunt on a scale and in a volume most of us will never experience in this day and age. It's not a seasonal excursion but a way of life. So yeah there are different rules, literally.

For most of us, a bear hunt is a rare thing and we need to give ourselves every edge we can to ensure we are shooting within our limits.

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

Caribou that was some seriously impressive shooting! And with open sights on a Mil-surp!