30-30 or 44 mag for black bear protection?

[someguy2800]

We have lots of black bears around. Only ever had to kill one of them for being aggressive. If I every get charged by a bear (I haven't), I don't care if its 5 yards or 50 yards, or 100 yards, I'm shooting it first and asking questions about legality later.

 

[Robbins290]

Both with work fine, but i would use the 44 MAG for extra insurance.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I guess that I would be carrying a .44 mag or a .44 c&b because that is what I carry when walking in the woods.
Like I said, I don't worry about bears unless I'm carrying food... .

 

[PapaG]

The 30-30 will do more damage, but the 44 is going to be quicker to get into action. In thick woods and undergrowth, I'd take the 44 in a chest rig. If its more low growth fields and old growth woods with 100yds or more of consistent visibility, then the 30-30 might be better.

I believe he asked about a carbine in either. Not carbine vs handgun, I'll take the 30-30

 

[WestKentucky]

Why did everybody miss the 32 win-spl. That’s a fatter bullet, but still at high velocity. There should be more mass but OP seemed to indicate that both the 30 and 32 caliber bullets were 170gr. Either way… larger base means more push from the powder and should be a faster bullet than the 30-30 and should also mushroom better thus causing more damage as it travels.

And it’s a stinkin 32 spl

 

[Hugger-4641]

I believe he asked about a carbine in either.

Yep, you must have missed it, but we cleared that up near the front of the thread.
I'd rather take my Glock 20, but he didn't offer that as one of his options.
I'd be comfortable with either of the choices he has, but I'd personally still pick 30-30 also.

 

[Obturation]

Protection , 44 mag. it's going to be short range and you want the biggest hole in & out possible. Hunting of course is different and ranges are usually extended .

I'd rather have a revolver for protection just because it'll be on you when you need it and not leaned up against a tree somewhere.

I know you said the 44 was a carbine and that's fine, it'll do whatever you need it to on this continent but neither cartridge is ideal.

I feel really comfortable with just a large revolver anywhere out in the wilderness , I usually don't bring a rifle at all and if I do it stays in my van unless some real big animal presence is obvious and I've got time to get to it. That's never happened to me.
A 5" super redhawk is a great do all for a gun I'll actually carry for days on end. My choice is 454 casull , others work pretty well too, especially here in Illinois where the meanest critter wandering around is possibly a cougar but they're very rare.

I'll camp in northern Wisconsin / upper peninsula (Michigan ) sometimes and there's some toothy critters around but nothing a service cartridge couldn't handle, I still bring the super redhawk but don't load it as heavy. Even when I go down to visit my mom in South East TN , same revolver, lots of black bears that are used to being fed by tourists and if I do need to shoot one I want to be darn sure I've got enough zap.

Good luck

 

[dh1633pm]

To be honest. I have no idea. Shot both from rifles. It would seem the 30-30 packs more punch. My friend WW Vaughn shot one in Canada with a 30-30. He was flying into a NORAD location in Canada to do resupply and would hunt while the airplane was unloaded. That’s all I can add.

 

[longbeard92]

I know neither is the top choice.

Between a 20-inch lever action in 30-30 or 44 mag (also have one in 32 win spl), what would be your choice for black bear defense in the eastern woods? 240 grain jsp for 44 mag, 170 grain jsp for 30-30/32ws

Going hiking with family, 2 young kids, in a pretty wild area known to have black bears. Probability is low but feel better with some protection. Not hunting on this trip. Any noticeable difference in these limited options, or pick out of a hat? TIA

 

[Reloadron]

I know neither is the top choice.

Between a 20-inch lever action in 30-30 or 44 mag (also have one in 32 win spl), what would be your choice for black bear defense in the eastern woods? 240 grain jsp for 44 mag, 170 grain jsp for 30-30/32ws

Going hiking with family, 2 young kids, in a pretty wild area known to have black bears. Probability is low but feel better with some protection. Not hunting on this trip. Any noticeable difference in these limited options, or pick out of a hat? TIA

Between those two and only those two in a 20 inch lever gun rifle I would be going with the 44 Magnum cartridge. Simply because I see it with a 240 grain JHP or JSP as the more destructive round. That said the number of Black Bear attacks verse your chances of winning the lottery of getting struck by lightening are better. However, my choice is the 44 Magnum cartridge.

Ron

 

[DM~]

IF you are actually going to stop a bear, you need good penetration, and a 30-30 loaded with 170 NP's will easily out shine a 44 mag loaded with 240 grain...

DM

 

[JFrank]

I’ve hunted leverguns for a long time, grew up on 44mags and thought I was upgrading by flattening my trajectory and getting more penetration when I bought a 30-30… and then I realized the former is scantly true, and the latter simply not. 44mag penetrates much better - it’s harder to slow down bullets which weigh almost twice as much running at almost the same speed, even despite 94% greater cross-sectional area. I punched through way more meat with 44mag than with 30-30.

Impact momentum for a 265grn bullet leaving a 44mag at 1700fps has 20% more impact momentum than a 170grn bullet leaving a 30-30 at 2200. Taylor KO Factor is 68% increased for 44mag over 30-30. Sectional Density * Momentum is a wash (.206 for 265grn 44mag vs. .256SD for 170grn 30cal).

As a penetrator AND a stopper, 44mag tops .30-30, hands down… but either will do the job we’re discussing here - more is just more, so again, it’s a horse apiece.

I no longer carry a rifle in bear country, and certainly wouldn’t in Bruin country. I carry a 9mm or 40mm pistol around bruins.

I don’t doubt your data, but I do feel better carrying my lever 30/30 in fact I shot a black bear from about 90 yards right though the shoulder and out the other side and I’m not sure my pistol could do that even if I could shoot that far.

 

[Varminterror]

I don’t doubt your data, but I do feel better carrying my lever 30/30 in fact I shot a black bear from about 90 yards right though the shoulder and out the other side and I’m not sure my pistol could do that even if I could shoot that far.

The OP is comparing rifles, not comparing a rifle to a handgun.

 

[JFrank]

The OP is comparing rifles, not comparing a rifle to a handgun.

Oh yeah’ I just re-read that op and I guess my reading comprehension isn’t very good any more. Thanks for being kind
J

 

[ms6852]

30/30 but preferably 35 Remington.

 

[Armored farmer]

He's talking about bear defense, not bear hunting. There's no plausible scenario in which you could be shooting a bear at 50-100 yards in "defense".

Yup. Impossible, actually.

True
Unless said bear is mauling someone and you’re 100yds out.
It’s even more unlikely …..but there is always good reason for an accurate shooter as your hd and sd gun.
I bought a Winchester 94 SRC a while back to use in the role of camp or cabin rifle.

 

[MikeInOr]

For me rifles are for ranges 50 yards and over. Under 50 yards I will take a hand gun over a rifle. A handgun is quicker to bring on target, lighter, and a quicker follow up shot than a lever action rifle. Carrying around a rifle all day sounds more like someone that wants to make a statement than actually use it for protection.

Bear spray is the proper tool for this job.

 

[5118ar]

I've camped many times in the BWCA of Minnesota, and many other locations, never a black bear issue, unless you do something stupid like dump bacon grease by your campfire, Bear mace is all yah need for black bears.

 

[Robert]

What caliber for bears is a topic that comes up on a fairly regular basis and always ends about the same way, use what you shoot best, use spray, or you are comically under-gunned and will die... We have four pages here, I'm sure there is some good info in them.