salukipv1

I think it depends on the black bear we're talking...

the ones I hunted in western Canada, a 300win.mag was ideal, my dad's 270 was hardly enough...

in the lower 48 though, maybe a 30-06 would be ideal? of course over bait at 30yds vs. open ground at 200-300yds makes a big difference.

Elkshed

.30.30 will do the trick.Even a larger magnum is marginal if the shot is mis-placed.I have shot a lot of bear with .30.30 and .308 among others right behind the head and they dropped where they stood.seperated the spine from the skull.I was close though.I would go for a heart and lung shot at a distance though.

ihookem1

My 15 yr old son just got one last month with his .270 Win. It was surely enough. It went 20' and that was it. Slightly quartering towards us, one shot through the front shoulder, blew the heart almost in half and out the bottom. 150 gr. Hornady 53gr IMR 4350. One shot and It was all over but the cryin and the weepin. The bear was 206 gutted.

Valentine

the 30-30 will get the last endorsement for bear hunting on the internet.

spuddog

I've hunted deer w/ 30-30 and agree with the others that it has the goods for bear. The one caveat i would add is to be sure of your hunting situation. For example, in CO we can't bait and can't use hounds, so you're not shooting from a stand or inside of 75 yds. There is a good chance that you might need a 100+ yd shot, in CO. In that situation you might want something with a little less drop and a little more punch out past 100. I see you're in PA and will probably be in a stand or deep woods, so I know this isn't an issue for you but I'm adding this for others that might read the post.

Good luck!

Valentine

...PA hunters were harvesting bears with 30-30's.

Of course, the bears weren't wearing the protective armor that needed the high velocity cartridges to down them.

Kidding of course, but I noticed the calibers started getting letters after the number, denoting that the rifle will take on all armored bears walking Penn's Woods.

txhunter58

Anticipated shot < 150 yards: 30 30 is more than adequate

> 150 yards, I would want something bigger.

country1

It is not just the cartridge but a combination of the cartridge, bullet weight, bullet construction and bullet speed at expected shooting distances. I have never shot a black bear, but for me I would use a bullet heavier than the 150 gr. in a 30-30 - something with the ability to penetrate more than the off the self 150 gr. Some of the black bears can be a good sized animal and A LOT of animal from ribcage to ribcage. Rem, Win, Federal and Hornady make a 170 gr. bullet for the 30-30. Hornady also has the 160 gr. LEVERevolution ammo in 30-30. Use what shoots well in your rifle also also has the capability to do well what may be required of it.

Steve in PA

I don't have the picture loaded, but several years ago a hunter took the then heaviest black bear in PA up near the F. E. Walter Dam using a .30/30 rifle.

HesseRay

I grew up bear hunting in WV and have seen countless black bear killed with .30-30s. I suspect that PA bear hunting situations will be really similar to the ones we have in WV so your .30-30 is more than sufficient.