bear gun
 

Hello everyone, I plan on going on my first black bear hunt this fall and was wondering what would be a good bear gun and what type of bullet would be best. I use a 7mm-08 for deer hunting but wouldn't mind getting a new gun just for bears. < a man can never have to many guns> . Thanks for all the advice and suggestions.

BP

RE: bear gun
 

I'd think a .35 Whelen would do nicely for blackies if you wanted to be a little different. Of course, if you wanted to be plain, the 30-06 would work too (Ihave both ;))

RE: bear gun
 

I have killed several blackies. And just about any rifle with a well placed shot will do. With your rifle the heavier the bullet the better. However, I shot a six footer last year with my Rem. 6mm at 55 yds. And he dropped in his tracks. When I go back to alaska I am going to buy a Marlin 444. Or something similar to that. You know what they say, Bigger is Better. And you didn't mention, but if you are hunting with a guide some of them require a minimum caliber. So check with them. Hope your season goes well. If there are any other questions I can help you with just give me a shout.

RE: bear gun
 

45-70. Marlin

RE: bear gun
 

.30-06

RE: bear gun
 

30-06 does the job nice, but if you get the 30-06, you don't need anything else, which is sad.

If you wanted to do something cool, get the Remington 673 in .350 Remington Magnum, that would be cool.

RE: bear gun
 

it may be a cool rifle, but buying ammo will be a pain. you can buy .30-06 ammo anywhere.

RE: bear gun
 

Your 7mm-08 oughta work just great.

But... if you have to have another rifle (:D), I'll be the killjoy & bring up the dubious science of caliber spacing. A .30-'06 would be a superb choice, but it's not all that much different than your current setup. Maybe check out the .35 Whelen, as KonaBoy suggested, or .358 Win., or .338-'06, or .338 Federal, or... something bigger than .30 cal.

Naturally, there's always .338 Win Mag, but that's lots more than you'd need for blackies, & you're looking at substantially more recoil, muzzle blast, & ammo expense. Then again, none of the calibers I mentioned above would be exactly "cheap" on the ammo expense scale, owing to their less thanwidespread popularity.

Another thing to consider is range: the calibers above would be good 200-ish yard cartridges (generally speaking, folks!). So, if you want a "reach way out there" setup, then you'll likely be looking at a magnum of some kind if you're going with a larger diameter bullet.

Good Luck,

FC

RE: bear gun
 

I have taken people out here in Maine for year. All of the above work just great. Howeb am a huge fan of .50 cal muzzleloaders. They make a big hole and people know they have one shot, make it count. Sometime haveing big guns gives a hunter a false sense, and then rush shots thinking that any shot with a big gun will do the trick. As many of you know bears have a smaller kill zone than deer and it sits more forward than a deer. Nothing beats a well placd shot. I would rather see a hunter with a 30-30 that puts one one the button, than a poor shot with a cannon.

my advice is make a big hole and make it count.

RE: bear gun
 

Thank you for all of the replies as I really appreciate them. I know my 7mm 08 would be good enough but for some reason I like useing differant rifles for differant game. <crazy I know but this way I make sure all my guns get used each year :) >.
So with that being said I use my .257 roberts for yotes, .243 for doe season, 7mm 08 for bucks, and a .204 for pest smaller than yotes.
For a bear gun I have thought about afew of guns. A marlin .444 < i need a lever gun :) > a 12 ga with a rifled slug barrel, and maybe even a .260 remington though that may be a little on the light side. I know I will never shoot over 50 to 75 yards at the most in the areas I will be hunting in.

BP

RE: bear gun
 

Your 7-08 would work just fine, but, since you've got a .243 and a 7-08, I would get a .338 Federal to kinda round out the family.

RE: bear gun
 

Agreed, most of us average hunters don't have a .338 Federal, so you 'ought to test it out for us and tell us what you think, we need a labrat.:D

RE: bear gun
 

.338 federal would be nice to have. How many companies a chambering for that round now?

BP

RE: bear gun
 

For the distances you will be shooting the guns you already have would work great, but if you are wanting a big gun just for bears the Marlin .450 works great. I have one we use for hogs and it really leaves a big hole.

RE: bear gun
 

I think Tikka and Sako chamber it.

RE: bear gun
 

well heck, with that being said i use a wrist rocket and a ball bearing...:D

RE: bear gun
 

May I suggest the exelent 9,3x62. A very popular caliber in nothern europe. That's a fine bear caliber. Both Tikka and sako chamber it!

RE: bear gun
 

If you said you "need" ;)a lever action, a Browning BLR in .358 would be a powerful little package.

RE: bear gun
 

Well, after lots of thinking and reading and taking in all the advice everyone has given I decided to go with .................. The Marlin 444. I been looking at this gun for a while and the more I look at it the more I thought it needed a home in my gun safe. Now its time to work up some loads for it and decide if I want a small powered scope or keep the iron sights..Maybe a ghost ring. Thanks for all the replies and advice I really appreciate it.


BP

RE: bear gun
 

I have shot more than 50 bear with many different cal. rifles. My favorite is a Browning 81 in .358 win. Ruger is now making a bolt gun SS in .358 and the MkII in .350 Remington mag. neither kick much and both will take any bear you want to shoot. I use plain old Speer .250 grn spirepoints and no bear has ever gone more than a few feet after the shot and I've shot a number over 500lbs, weighed not guessed.
I am going to buy another bear rifle and it will be the Ruger in .358 Ony because I can get a little more vel out of the 22" bbl.(I just needed an excuse) My Browning has never failed. Use a good brand of 2x7 scope a lighted crosshair really helps !

RE: bear gun
 

I think a Weaver K2.5 or K4 would suit a .444 very nicely if you do decide to scope it. I am a big fan of peeps though also.

RE: bear gun
 

Who makes a good peep sight for a marlin lever gun? I think I would prefer peeps over a sight at those distances and being in some heavy wooded areas. Thanks

BP

RE: bear gun
 

I love my William FP

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/FPpage.htm

RE: bear gun
 

Don't use a peep for bait hunting bear.The big boys come in just at dark and you can't see well enough to shoot(lesson learned the hard way) I have used a German # 4 crosshair,it works, but the best of all is a lighed dot or crosshair ! Think about it. I know this from experience.

RE: bear gun
 

Not bad advice,does anyone think a Red Dot sight is a good idea?

RE: bear gun
 

Given what you say for your anticipated ranges,
Giventhe riflesyou already have,
Given your apparent preference for non-magnum type cartridge selection,
Given the concept of cartridge spacing (and then some)....

I'd go with a 45-70 in a Marlin lever gun, quite possibly the "guide" version,
Sites? Experiment in your own "at dusk" conditions and decide what you want, day glow irons, peeps, heads up red dot, or low power variable illuminated reticle scope (like a Lupy VX or Vari X III in 1.5 to 5). The latter would likely be my choice.

RE: bear gun
 

Rifle choice would depend on what type of hunting your doing and where your doing it. Spot and stalk for example your shot could be at longer ranges so you would want something with decent downrange performance in both categories energy and velocity. Bait hunting is way different. The guy I hunt with has killed 3 bears with a .243 although in my opinion thats too light. The .444 isnt very impressive at ranges over 50 yards (closer in my opinion)on bears especially if you have to find a blood trail...

RE: bear gun
 

I would get a slug gun. My friend has killed probably more than 50 hogs with his smoothbore 20ga remington 870 deader than a doornail. I have no doubts that a 12ga would rock a bear.

RE: bear gun
 

There aren't too many red dot sights out there that can handle the punishment a 444 will dish out. Aimpoint might be your best bet if you go with a dot sight. I have an EOTech on an AR15 that would be sweet on a lever gun, but I'm not sure how much recoil they can withstand.

From the sound of it, you already bought a 444. But if you didn't, my vote goes to a Stainless Steel Guide Gun in 45/70. :D

RE: bear gun
 

I shoot a browning a bolt medialian 300 win mag. took a buddy on a canadian bear hunt and set it up with a Bushnell Holorgraphich red dot. site. out to 100 yards it works awesome. I was worried about it handleing the recoil of the 300 win mag but its been on there a year now...done alot of shooting with it and it seems to be holding up great. plan on using it for elk hunting this year. early season find them in heavy timber and even a 3x9 won't back out enough

good luck and enjoy your hunt.

RE: bear gun
 

buddy just use a 7mm mag itll get the job done . iuse mine when ii hunt black bear .P.S. every bear hasnt moved 5 feet after being shot