30-30 for black bear.......??

[N.WoodsGuy]

Anyone here use a 30-30 for black bear??
i've always used my 30-06.............but recently i just love carrying and shooting my Marlin 336SS 30-30.

i'm a good shot with it and i know it's limits.

What do ya think........???

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner665]

It works fine...at least it has for me.

I see you are in Wisconsin, the bears up there may or may not be bigger.

307 lbs. is the biggest I've killed (shot with a 308)

 

[N.WoodsGuy]

Yeah..........i hear ya!

Thanks for the response.....

i just wanted a second opinion..........as most of my buddies are 12 gauge slug guys...........with little experience with rifles...........<other than for mil-purposes.)

i've takin' my share of things with the 30-06................but i'm getting tired of carrying a long gun around the dense woods and bush.

PS.........i probably should have put this post in "Hunting"......sorry about that!!

 

[NCsmitty]

I recommend using the heavier 170gr or the Hornady 160gr Leverevolution ammo, if your using factory ammo.

NCsmitty

 

[Reid73]

.30-30 is adequate for black bears, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I'd rather use a .30/06, but as you say a .30-30 carbine like the 336 is nice and handy (especially for following dogs).

 

[BCCL]

If .30-30 isn't enough for black bears, then a whole bunch of them since the .30-30 came along, apparently died when they shouldn't have..........

 

[outerlimit]

Some people shoot black bears with .357 revolvers, (a little risky in my opinion) so I don't see why a .30-30 levergun wouldn't be more than adequate.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Shot placement would be the key, as I figure you already know. And were I to do it, I'd use a Barnes bullet or another that was very tough in its construction.

 

[Dr.Rob]

If your bears aren't monsters a Federal 170gr bullet should do the trick.

 

[higene]

94 Big Bore (.375 Win or 38-55)

They are a straight wall 30-30 case. 220 gr at 2000 fps or a 245 at 1800.

Higene



A 170 gr 30-30 (at 1800 from a short barreled, 20 inch, 94) has killed a lot of bears.

 

[ants]

Until the 400 years ago, black bears in North America were killed with crude stone tools for almost 10,000 years.

But the hunters were way, way better than you and me.

.30-30 is perfectly adequate, if you are.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Until the 400 years ago, black bears in North America were killed with crude stone tools for almost 10,000 years.

But the hunters were way, way better than you and me.

And some of them probably didn't survive.

.30-30 is perfectly adequate, if you are.Some people shoot black bears with .357 revolvers, (a little risky in my opinion) so I don't see why a .30-30 levergun wouldn't be more than adequate

Be careful with that reasoning, because a bear could turn dangerous.

I'm not saying it won't work, just to be careful in general when using that kind of reasoning.

 

[CZguy]

Quote:
Until the 400 years ago, black bears in North America were killed with crude stone tools for almost 10,000 years.

But the hunters were way, way better than you and me.

And some of them probably didn't survive.

What..........do you want to live forever.

 

[paintballdude902]

it depends if your still hunting and will have time to place your shot

with my bear this year it came running outa the brush at me and i shot it (350) it rann off into the woods with a shot in its neck

when were using dogs we normally use .44 mag rifles either lever or semis i got a good friend that uses a 12guage slug

my brother in law used to do alot and only carried something begining with a .4 not because nothing else would work but because he wanted it top go down fast so it wouldnt maul his dogs which run 1-10k depending on the breed and blood line

i wouldnt use my .30-30 for deep brush with dogs but in the open or the woods still hunting itll do fine

i saw an older man named doc hes about 88 and been huning since he was 6 shoot a 650 in the ear with a .22lr revolver from 20 yards went down right there

 

[saturno_v]

A 170 gr 30-30 (at 1800 from a short barreled, 20 inch, 94) has killed a lot of bears.

I saw many 170 gr bullets from commercial loads coming out of Marlin and Winchester carbines at 2050-2200 fps...1800 out of a 20" is a bit sedate load I think...

In a 30-30 power class the realistic loss/gain of velocity for every inch less or more than the standard barrel length is in the 10-15 fps range...

It's unlikely that 4 inches less of barrel length compared to the run of the mill 30-30 170 gr. commercial loads (2200 fps out of 24") generate a loss of 400 fps....

 

[jjohnson]

It'll Do.

+1 on that.

We all like to see clean, humane kills. If you stick with the original post - writer believes in proper shot placement and acknowledges the limits of the .30-30, I'd say yes. The .30-30 isn't a .30-06, but black bear in Wisconsin aren't typically taken at long range, and they tend to be (a) not very dangerous and (b) not really big.

Sticking with proper shot placement and "the limitations of the .30-30," I hope we're in agreement that we go with proper ammunition as well. I think the Lever Evolution ammo and other top quality ammo choices make the argument more in favor of the old .30-30. It wouldn't be my first choice - but if I had only a .30-30 and nothing else suited, I'd go for it.

 

[buttrap]

Should work just fine as people have been killing black bears with the 30-30 for well over 100 years. I have a old 25-35 that has probably killed more black bear than most people have seen in their lives too.

 

[Eb1]

happens all the time.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive shot 4 bear with a 3030 with 4 shots. What more can i say.

 

[Crunker1337]

If you have good shot placement and use the proper ammunition, you should be good.

 

[N.WoodsGuy]

Hey thanks all for confirming what i already kinda' knew.......

Like i said......i just wanted another opinion.

i have taken plenty of huge whitetail with it at about 75 to 100 yards and dropped them dead in their tracks with one shot.
So, i figured it would be enough gun for black bear.

i'm definitely a believer in "Shot Placement"..........and if i have even the smallest inclination of having to empty all the rounds into something i usually don't even shoot.

By the way.............my Marlin eats Rem 170 core-lokt like a starving obese mouse in a corn silo.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I and many others have hunted Elk with a .30-30. It's plenty of gun. You hunting from a stand over bait that whole 'charging bear' thing is rather moot. If you are stalking you want a fast handling rifle, that Marlin certainly is.

 

[T.R.]

Yes, 30-30 will get the job done nicely. My California hunting buddy had no problems with bullet performance or penetration.

TR

 

[Joe Demko]

I don't hunt bear, as I don't care for the meat. I have a fair few friends and relatives who do go out after them using the exact same rifles they use for deer. .30-30 works. So does .300 Savage. So does .35 Remington. So does .243. So does a .44 magnum revolver. They've all shot bears dead with those guns at one time or another. They didn't get charged or mauled either. Remember, these are black bear we are talking about, not Soviet afv's.

 

[fletchbutt152]

Just don't shoot them in the head.

Had a friend (in Wisconsin) who used .270 Win with 150gr and the bullet richochetted and hit his niece in the arm. They weren't standing but 40 degrees apart about 15 10 yrds away. Lost his licsence for a few years but is now back in the hunt. That group of hunters has shot many, many blackies.